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Alan the Lion Amigurumi Pattern

Alan the Lion Amigurumi Pattern
4.4★Rating
5-7 HoursTime Needed
2.1KMade This
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Intermediate Level

Ideal for those with basic crocheting experience, featuring slightly more advanced stitches and techniques to expand your skills.

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Weekend Treat

Takes 5-7 hours, making it an enjoyable project to finish over a couple of days.

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Charming Critter

Delightful animal designs with sweet details that capture the essence of your favorite woodland and farmyard friends.

About This Alan the Lion Amigurumi Pattern

Alan the Lion Amigurumi Pattern crochet pattern - detailed view

Whether you're looking for the ultimate baby shower gift or a new mascot for your bookshelf, Alan brings a touch of handmade warmth and a whole lot of style to any space he occupies.

Why You'll Love This Alan the Lion Amigurumi Pattern

I honestly think the best part of making Alan is the mane—it’s so therapeutic to attach the strands and then give him a little haircut at the end! It’s one of those projects where you can really see the character's soul emerge once you embroider those tiny claws and the nose.

Alan the Lion Amigurumi Pattern step 1 Alan the Lion Amigurumi Pattern step 2 Alan the Lion Amigurumi Pattern step 3 Alan the Lion Amigurumi Pattern step 4

Switch Things Up

There is something so special about lions, isn't there? When I was making Alan, I really wanted him to feel like a character from a storybook. I spent ages deciding on the right shades for his shirt—I love the turquoise, but I’ve also seen him made in mustard and grey, and he looks just as sophisticated!

The mane is where you can really let your creativity shine. If you're feeling brave, try mixing two different shades of brown or even adding a few strands of gold thread for a bit of sparkle. I find that using a slightly thicker yarn for the mane than the body helps fill it out faster without adding too much weight.

One little tip from my workbench: when you're doing the eye indentations, do it before you've finished the mane. It’s much easier to see the facial structure and get the symmetry right when you aren't fighting through a forest of yarn hair! Take your time with the embroidery on the nose too; it’s the 'heart' of the face and really defines his personality.

Common Mistakes & How to Fix Them

✗ If the color changes on the snout aren't perfectly centered, the face will look lopsided; always use a marker to find the exact middle before starting Round 7.✗ Avoid stuffing the very top of the arms and legs, or they will stick out awkwardly from the body instead of resting flat against his sides.✗ The eye indentation technique requires quite a bit of tension—if you pull too softly, the snout won't pop, but pulling too hard might snap your yarn.✗ When attaching the mane, skipping too many stitches will leave visible gaps in the back, so be sure to check the scalp from all angles before you start trimming.

Alan the Lion Amigurumi Pattern

Meet Alan, a dapper little lion who is ready to become your next favorite project. He’s got so much personality, from his striped t-shirt to that fabulously wild mane that makes him stand out in any nursery. I designed this pattern to be a fun journey in shaping and colorwork, giving you a finished friend that feels substantial and high-quality. You'll love watching his sweet face come together as you add the finishing touches!

Intermediate 5-7 Hours

Materials Needed for Alan the Lion Amigurumi Pattern

— Main Fabric

  • 01
    Roughly 80g of DK weight cotton yarn in a warm camel shade for the main body and head
  • 02
    Small amount of natural or cream DK cotton yarn for the snout and paws
  • 03
    Light turquoise and aquamarine green DK cotton for the striped t-shirt detail
  • 04
    About 60g of camel-colored acrylic wool (medium weight) specifically for the mane
  • 05
    A bit of dark brown yarn or embroidery floss for the nose and claw details

— Tools Required

  • 01
    2.25mm or 2.5mm crochet hook to ensure tight, neat stitches
  • 02
    One pair of 8mm or 10mm black safety eyes
  • 03
    High-quality polyester fiberfill for a soft but firm shape
  • 04
    Large-eye yarn needle for assembly and embroidery
  • 05
    Stitch markers to keep track of your spiral rounds
  • 06
    Sharp scissors for the final mane haircut
  • 07
    Sewing pins to help position the limbs before stitching

Progress Tracker

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— 1. Snout and Head :

Info :

We begin with the snout using the natural cream yarn. The head and snout are worked as one continuous piece.

Round 1 :

Create a MR and place 6 sc inside (6)

Round 2 :

Work 1 inc into every st around (12)

Round 3 :

(1 inc, 1 sc) repeat 6 times (18)

Round 4 :

(3 inc, 6 sc) repeat 2 times (24)

Round 5 :

1 inc, 1 sc, repeat this 3 times, then 6 sc, then (1 inc, 1 sc) repeat 3 times, 6 sc (30)

Round 6 :

1 inc, 2 sc, repeat this 3 times, then 6 sc, then (1 inc, 2 sc) repeat 3 times, 6 sc (36)

Info :

Now we start introducing the camel color for the top of the head. Keep these camel stitches centered.

Round 7 :

12 sc in natural, 6 sc in camel, 18 sc in natural (36)

Round 8 :

11 sc in natural, 8 sc in camel, 17 sc in natural (36)

Round 9 :

10 sc in natural, 10 sc in camel, 16 sc in natural (36)

Round 10 :

9 sc in natural, 12 sc in camel, 15 sc in natural (36)

Info :

Cut the natural yarn and continue strictly in camel from here on.

Round 11 :

10 sc, (1 inc, 1 sc) repeat 6 times, 14 sc (42)

Round 12 :

Work 1 sc in each st around (42)

Round 13 :

10 sc, (1 inc, 2 sc) repeat 6 times, 14 sc (48)

Round 14 :

10 sc, (1 inc, 3 sc) repeat 6 times, 14 sc (54)

Round 15 :

(1 inc, 8 sc) repeat 6 times (60)

Round 16-25 :

Work 1 sc in each st around for these 10 rounds (60)

Round 26 :

(1 dec, 8 sc) repeat 6 times (54)

Round 27 :

Work 1 sc in each st around (54)

Round 28 :

(1 dec, 7 sc) repeat 6 times (48)

Round 29 :

Work 1 sc in each st around (48)

Round 30 :

(1 dec, 6 sc) repeat 6 times (42)

Info :

Insert safety eyes between the 2nd and 3rd rounds of the camel section (just above the natural snout), spaced about 9 or 10 stitches apart.

Round 31 :

(1 dec, 5 sc) repeat 6 times (36)

Round 32 :

(1 dec, 4 sc) repeat 6 times (30)

Info :

Start stuffing the head firmly with fiberfill.

Round 33 :

(1 dec, 3 sc) repeat 6 times (24)

Round 34 :

(1 dec, 2 sc) repeat 6 times (18)

Round 35 :

(1 dec, 1 sc) repeat 6 times (12)

Info :

Finish stuffing and close the opening with a sl st. Leave a tail to hide.

— 2. Ears (Make 2) :

Info :

Use the camel yarn. These are not stuffed.

Round 1 :

6 sc into a MR (6)

Round 2 :

6 inc (12)

Round 3 :

(1 inc, 1 sc) repeat 6 times (18)

Round 4-6 :

Work 1 sc in each st around (18)

Round 7 :

(1 dec, 7 sc) repeat 2 times (16)

Info :

Fasten off with a sl st and leave a long tail for sewing.

— 3. Body :

Info :

Start with the camel yarn.

Round 1 :

6 sc into a MR (6)

Round 2 :

6 inc (12)

Round 3 :

(1 inc, 1 sc) repeat 6 times (18)

Round 4 :

(1 inc, 2 sc) repeat 6 times (24)

Round 5 :

(1 inc, 3 sc) repeat 6 times (30)

Round 6 :

(1 inc, 4 sc) repeat 6 times (36)

Round 7 :

(1 inc, 5 sc) repeat 6 times (42)

Round 8 :

(1 inc, 6 sc) repeat 6 times (48)

Round 9 :

(1 inc, 7 sc) repeat 6 times (54)

Round 10-14 :

Work 1 sc in each st around (54)

Colour Change :

Switch to light turquoise yarn for the t-shirt.

Round 15-19 :

Work 1 sc in each st around (54)

Round 20 :

(1 dec, 7 sc) repeat 6 times (48)

Colour Change :

Switch to aquamarine green yarn.

Round 21-22 :

Work 1 sc in each st around (48)

Round 23 :

(1 dec, 6 sc) repeat 6 times (42)

Round 24-25 :

Work 1 sc in each st around (42)

Round 26 :

(1 dec, 5 sc) repeat 6 times (36)

Round 27-28 :

Work 1 sc in each st around (36)

Round 29 :

(1 dec, 4 sc) repeat 6 times (30)

Round 30-31 :

Work 1 sc in each st around (30)

Round 32 :

(1 dec, 3 sc) repeat 6 times (24)

Round 33-34 :

Work 1 sc in each st around (24)

Info :

Fasten off leaving a long tail. Stuff the body firmly.

— 4. Legs (Make 2) :

Info :

Start with natural cream yarn.

Round 1 :

6 sc into a MR (6)

Round 2 :

6 inc (12)

Round 3 :

(1 inc, 1 sc) repeat 6 times (18)

Round 4 :

(1 inc, 2 sc) repeat 6 times (24)

Round 5 :

(1 inc, 3 sc) repeat 6 times (30)

Colour Change :

Switch to camel yarn.

Round 6-9 :

Work 1 sc in each st around (30)

Round 10 :

9 sc, 6 dec, 9 sc (24)

Round 11 :

8 sc, 4 dec, 8 sc (20)

Round 12 :

8 sc, 2 dec, 8 sc (18)

Round 13-14 :

Work 1 sc in each st around (18)

Round 15 :

(1 dec, 7 sc) repeat 2 times (16)

Round 16-17 :

Work 1 sc in each st around (16)

Round 18 :

1 dec, 14 sc (15)

Round 19-24 :

Work 1 sc in each st around (15)

Round 25 :

(1 dec, 3 sc) repeat 3 times (12)

Info :

Stuff the foot and lower leg, leaving the last 2 rounds empty. For the left leg, add 2-3 extra sc. For the right leg, add 7-8 extra sc.

Round 26 :

Flatten the top and crochet through both layers with 6 sc to close (6)

— 5. Arms (Make 2) :

Info :

Start with natural cream yarn.

Round 1 :

6 sc into a MR (6)

Round 2 :

6 inc (12)

Round 3 :

(1 inc, 1 sc) repeat 6 times (18)

Round 4 :

(1 inc, 2 sc) repeat 6 times (24)

Colour Change :

Switch to camel yarn.

Round 5-8 :

Work 1 sc in each st around (24)

Round 9 :

6 sc, 6 dec, 6 sc (18)

Round 10 :

6 sc, 3 dec, 6 sc (15)

Round 11 :

Work 1 sc in each st around (15)

Round 12 :

(1 dec, 3 sc) repeat 3 times (12)

Round 13-21 :

Work 1 sc in each st around (12)

Colour Change :

Switch to light turquoise yarn.

Round 22-23 :

Work 1 sc in each st around (12)

Colour Change :

Switch to aquamarine green yarn.

Round 24-25 :

Work 1 sc in each st around (12)

Round 26 :

(1 dec, 4 sc) repeat 2 times (10)

Info :

Stuff the hand and lower arm, leaving the last 3 rounds empty. Add extra sc as needed to align the color join.

Round 27 :

Flatten the top and crochet through both layers with 5 sc to close (5)

— 6. Tail :

Info :

Use camel yarn.

Round 1 :

6 sc into a MR (6)

Round 2 :

6 inc (12)

Round 3-4 :

Work 1 sc in each st around (12)

Round 5 :

(1 dec, 2 sc) repeat 3 times (9)

Round 6-19 :

Work 1 sc in each st around (9)

Round 20 :

Flatten and work 4 sc through both layers to close (4)

Info :

Lightly stuff the bottom half only. Attach 18cm yarn strands to the tip to create the tuft.

Assembly Instructions

  • Sew the head onto the body, ensuring the color-change seam on the body is at the back and the eyes are centered in the front.
  • Attach the legs to the sides of the body about 3 rounds below the start of the turquoise t-shirt section.
  • Position the arms just below the neck join and sew them securely, making sure they hang naturally.
  • Fix the ears to the top of the head around Round 11, spacing them roughly 12 stitches apart.
  • Sew the tail to the back of the lion, approximately one round below the t-shirt line.
  • Embroider a triangular nose on the snout and three small vertical lines on each paw to represent claws.
  • Follow the mane guide to attach yarn strands across the head, starting behind the ears and working forward to create a full, thick look.

Important Notes

  • 💡To get that deep-set eye look, use a long strand of camel yarn to pull the area behind each eye inward toward the back of the head.
  • 💡Always change colors in the final pull-through of the previous stitch to keep your stripes looking crisp and professional.
  • 💡When closing the head, I prefer leaving 12 stitches and sewing it flat rather than cinching it into a point for a better neck fit.
  • 💡The mane is much easier to manage if you tie the hair back with a small elastic band while you are trimming the face area.
  • 💡Use a hook size smaller than what is recommended on your yarn label to prevent the stuffing from peeking through the stitches.

I hope you have the best time bringing Alan to life! There is something so rewarding about finishing that last bit of grooming on his mane and seeing him ready for his new home. He’s the perfect blend of a classic stuffed animal and a modern, stylish piece of decor. Don't forget to share your finished lions with the community—I'd love to see what color combos you choose for his little shirt! Happy crafting, and enjoy every stitch of your new king of the jungle. 🧶🦁✨

You ask,

we answer.

FAQs

Can I use safety eyes smaller than 8mm?

You can, but it will change Alan's expression. Smaller eyes might make him look a bit more serious, while the 10mm eyes give him that classic, sweet amigurumi look.

What if I want a fluffier mane?

Instead of cotton, use a brushed acrylic or even a wool-blend yarn for the mane. You can also brush out the yarn strands with a pet brush after attaching them to create a very fuzzy texture.

Do I have to sew the head on, or can I crochet it in one piece?

This specific pattern is designed to be worked in separate pieces for the best structural integrity, as the neck needs to support the weight of the mane.

Is the t-shirt removable?

No, the t-shirt is part of the body construction. If you want a removable one, you'd need to crochet the body entirely in camel and make a separate garment.