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Baby Grinch and Max Amigurumi Pattern

Baby Grinch and Max Amigurumi Pattern
4.3★Rating
8-10 HoursTime Needed
2.7KMade This
✂️

Intermediate Level

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

⏱️

All-Day Adventure

Requires 8-10 hours, ideal for a full day of immersive crocheting.

🐰

Whimsical Buddy

Playful characters full of personality, designed to spark imagination and become cherished playtime favorites.

About This Baby Grinch and Max Amigurumi Pattern

Baby Grinch and Max Amigurumi Pattern crochet pattern - detailed view

These handmade companions make an incredible gift for fans of all ages — they're substantial enough for a main nursery gift but charming enough for a collector's shelf.

Why You'll Love This Baby Grinch and Max Amigurumi Pattern

I honestly couldn't stop smiling while making these two. Joining the tiny fingers for the Grinch's hands is such a satisfying technique once it clicks, and brushing out the yarn for his hair gives him that perfect fuzzy texture. It's the kind of project that keeps you totally engaged from the first magic ring to the final embroidery stitch.

Baby Grinch and Max Amigurumi Pattern step 1 Baby Grinch and Max Amigurumi Pattern step 2 Baby Grinch and Max Amigurumi Pattern step 3 Baby Grinch and Max Amigurumi Pattern step 4

Switch Things Up

I remember the first time I sat down to design a holiday set like this. There’s something so nostalgic about these characters, isn't there? Making the Grinch was a fun challenge because I wanted him to look sweet despite his reputation. When you get to the eye indentation part, don't be intimidated! It’s just a bit of 'sculpting' with yarn, and it’s the secret to giving him that expressive face.

For Max, I really recommend adding those little jingle bells to his collar. The sound they make whenever you move him just adds that extra layer of magic. If you're feeling adventurous, try using a mohair blend yarn for the Grinch's hair tuft instead of brushing out regular acrylic—it gives a really ethereal, wispy look. I also found that using a slightly smaller hook than you usually would for worsted weight helps keep the stuffing from peeking through, especially around the decrease rounds. If you want to make them even more special, you could embroider the year on the bottom of their feet. It turns them into a real keepsake that you can pull out every December. I hope you enjoy the process as much as I did!

Common Mistakes & How to Fix Them

✗ When joining the fingers for the Grinch's hands, make sure you do not twist the pieces; pin them together first to ensure the palm stays flat and even.✗ The eye indentation technique requires pulling the yarn firmly to create the sockets, but if you pull too hard, you might snap your yarn—I suggest using a very strong acrylic or cotton for this step.✗ For Max's antler, skipping the BLO rounds will make the sharp bends look less defined, so watch those specific round instructions carefully.✗ If you stuff the Grinch's legs too firmly at the very top, they won't sit flush against the body, which can make him look a bit stiff when you try to pose him.

Baby Grinch and Max Amigurumi Pattern

Bring a touch of holiday mischief and heart to your home with this darling duo! I've put together a guide to help you create both the iconic green grump and his faithful pup in their sweet baby forms. They're the perfect size for cuddling or as a nostalgic addition to your winter decor. You'll love seeing their unique personalities emerge with every stitch you make.

Intermediate 8-10 Hours

Materials Needed for Baby Grinch and Max Amigurumi Pattern

— Main Fabric

  • 01
    Approximately 100g of worsted weight yarn in bright lime green for the Grinch
  • 02
    Approximately 100g of worsted weight yarn in warm brown for Max
  • 03
    Small amounts of dark brown, yellow, and red worsted weight yarn for the details
  • 04
    A scrap of red felt for the Grinch's heart

— Tools Required

  • 01
    3.25 mm (D) crochet hook
  • 02
    24 mm safety eyes for the Grinch
  • 03
    21 mm safety eye (painted green) or crocheted nose for the Grinch
  • 04
    18 mm safety eyes for Max
  • 05
    26 mm safety nose for Max
  • 06
    Fiberfill stuffing
  • 07
    Black embroidery thread
  • 08
    Sewing needle and scissors
  • 09
    Stitch markers
  • 10
    Optional: Wire pet brush for fuzzy texture
  • 11
    Optional: Craft wire and jingle bells for Max's antler and collar

Progress Tracker

0% Complete

— 1. Grinch Nose (Crochet Version) :

Round 1 :

Start with green yarn, 6 sc into a mr (6)

Round 2 :

6 x inc (12)

Round 3 :

12 x sc (12)

Round 4 :

6 x dec (6)

Info :

F/O and leave a long strand for sewing. Stuff the nose lightly before attaching.

— 2. Grinch Head & Body :

Round 1 :

Using green yarn, 6 sc into a mr (6)

Round 2 :

6 x inc (12)

Round 3 :

(1 sc, inc) x 6 (18)

Round 4 :

(2 sc, inc) x 6 (24)

Round 5 :

24 x sc (24)

Round 6 :

(3 sc, inc) x 6 (30)

Round 7 :

(4 sc, inc) x 6 (36)

Round 8 :

(5 sc, inc) x 6 (42)

Round 9 :

(6 sc, inc) x 6 (48)

Info :

Place markers on the first and last increases of Round 18 to help with eye placement later.

Round 10-16 :

48 x sc (48)

Round 17 :

(inc, 7 sc) x 6 (54)

Round 18 :

3 x inc, 32 sc, 3 x inc, 16 sc (60)

Round 19 :

(inc, 9 sc) x 6 (66)

Round 20-21 :

66 x sc (66)

Round 22 :

(dec, 9 sc) x 6 (60)

Round 23 :

60 x sc (60)

Round 24 :

(dec, 8 sc) x 6 (54)

Info :

Begin stuffing the head as you continue.

Round 25 :

(dec, 7 sc) x 6 (48)

Round 26 :

48 x sc (48)

Round 27 :

(dec, 6 sc) x 6 (42)

Round 28 :

42 x sc (42)

Round 29 :

3 x dec, 21 sc, 3 x dec, 9 sc (36)

Round 30 :

(dec, 4 sc) x 6 (30)

Round 31 :

(dec, 3 sc) x 6 (24)

Round 32-34 :

24 x sc (24)

Round 35 :

(3 sc, inc) x 6 (30)

Round 36 :

(4 sc, inc) x 6 (36)

Round 37-39 :

36 x sc (36)

Round 40 :

(5 sc, inc) x 6 (42)

Round 41-42 :

42 x sc (42)

Round 43 :

(6 sc, inc) x 6 (48)

Round 44-45 :

48 x sc (48)

Round 46 :

(7 sc, inc) x 6 (54)

Round 47 :

54 x sc (54)

Round 48 :

(inc, 1 sc) x 2, 42 sc, (inc, 1 sc) x 4 (60)

Round 49-56 :

60 x sc (60)

Round 57 :

(dec, 8 sc) x 6 (54)

Round 58 :

54 x sc (54)

Round 59 :

(7 sc, dec) x 6 (48)

Round 60 :

(6 sc, dec) x 6 (42)

Round 61 :

(5 sc, dec) x 6 (36)

Round 62 :

(4 sc, dec) x 6 (30)

Round 63 :

(3 sc, dec) x 6 (24)

Round 64 :

(2 sc, dec) x 6 (18)

Round 65 :

(1 sc, dec) x 6 (12)

Round 66 :

6 x dec (6)

Info :

F/O and sew the remaining opening closed.

— 3. Grinch Legs :

Round 1 :

In green, 4 sc into a mr (4)

Round 2 :

inc, 1 sc, dec (4)

Round 3 :

2 x inc, 2 sc (6)

Round 4 :

2 x inc, 4 sc (8)

Round 5 :

2 x inc, 6 sc (10)

Round 6 :

2 x inc, 8 sc (12)

Round 7 :

12 x sc (12)

Round 8 :

(1 sc, inc) x 6 (18)

Round 9 :

18 x sc, then work 6 extra sc to shift the starting point (24)

Row 10 :

ch 1, turn, 16 sc across (16)

Row 11 :

ch 1, turn, 16 sc across (16)

Row 12 :

ch 1, turn, 6 sc, 2 x dec, 6 sc (14)

Row 13 :

ch 1, turn, dec, 3 sc, 4 hdc, 3 sc, dec (12)

Row 14 :

ch 1, turn, dec, 3 sc, 2 hdc, 3 sc, dec (10)

Row 15 :

ch 1, turn, dec, 6 sc, dec (8)

Row 16 :

ch 1, turn, dec, 4 sc, dec (6)

Round 17 :

ch 1, turn, 6 sc across top, 6 sc down side, 3 sc across front, 6 sc up side (21)

Round 18 :

21 x sc (21)

Round 19 :

(5 sc, dec) x 3 (18)

Round 20 :

(4 sc, dec) x 3 (15)

Info :

Begin stuffing the foot and leg now.

Round 21-24 :

15 x sc (15)

Round 25 :

dec, 13 sc (14)

Round 26-28 :

14 x sc (14)

Round 29 :

dec, 12 sc (13)

Info :

Stop stuffing the leg here.

Round 30-31 :

13 x sc (13)

Round 32 :

dec, 11 sc (12)

Info :

F/O and leave a long tail for attachment.

— 4. Grinch Fingers & Arms :

Round 1 :

For fingers (make 3): 4 sc into a mr (4)

Round 2 :

4 x sc (4)

Round 3 :

(inc, 1 sc) x 2 (6)

Round 4-6 :

6 x sc (6)

Round 7 :

(inc, 2 sc) x 2 (8)

Round 8-9 :

8 x sc (8)

Info :

Do not F/O the 3rd finger. Join the fingers together in the next step.

Round 1 :

sc onto 2nd finger, 3 sc across 2nd finger, sc onto 1st finger, 7 sc on 1st finger, 4 sc on back of 2nd finger, 8 sc on 3rd finger (24)

Round 2 :

(6 sc, dec) x 3 (21)

Round 3 :

(5 sc, dec) x 3 (18)

Round 4-5 :

18 x sc (18)

Round 6 :

(4 sc, dec) x 3 (15)

Round 7 :

(3 sc, dec) x 3 (12)

Round 8-12 :

12 x sc (12)

Info :

Stuff the hand lightly.

Round 13 :

dec, 10 sc (11)

Round 14-17 :

11 x sc (11)

Info :

Stop stuffing the arm.

Round 18 :

dec, 9 sc (10)

Round 19-22 :

10 x sc (10)

Info :

Work 2 sc, flatten the opening, and sc through both layers to close. F/O and leave sewing tail.

— 5. Max Head :

Round 1 :

In brown, 6 sc into a mr (6)

Round 2 :

6 x inc (12)

Round 3 :

(1 sc, inc) x 6 (18)

Round 4 :

(2 sc, inc) x 6 (24)

Round 5-7 :

24 x sc (24)

Round 8 :

(3 sc, inc) x 6 (30)

Round 9-12 :

30 x sc (30)

Round 13 :

(2 sc, inc) x 6, 12 sc (36)

Round 14 :

(3 sc, inc) x 6, 12 sc (42)

Round 15 :

(4 sc, inc) x 6, 12 sc (48)

Round 16 :

(5 sc, inc) x 6, 12 sc (54)

Round 17-22 :

54 x sc (54)

Round 23 :

(7 sc, dec) x 6 (48)

Round 24 :

(6 sc, dec) x 6 (42)

Round 25 :

(5 sc, dec) x 6 (36)

Round 26 :

(4 sc, dec) x 6 (30)

Round 27 :

(3 sc, dec) x 6 (24)

Round 28 :

(2 sc, dec) x 6 (18)

Round 29 :

(1 sc, dec) x 6 (12)

Round 30 :

6 x dec (6)

Info :

F/O and sew closed.

— 6. Max Body :

Round 1 :

In brown, 6 sc into a mr (6)

Round 2 :

6 x inc (12)

Round 3 :

(1 sc, inc) x 6 (18)

Round 4 :

(2 sc, inc) x 6 (24)

Round 5 :

(3 sc, inc) x 6 (30)

Round 6 :

(4 sc, inc) x 6 (36)

Round 7 :

(5 sc, inc) x 6 (42)

Round 8 :

(6 sc, inc) x 6 (48)

Round 9-16 :

48 x sc (48)

Round 17 :

3 x dec, 18 sc, 3 x dec, 18 sc (42)

Round 18-20 :

42 x sc (42)

Round 21 :

(5 sc, dec) x 6 (36)

Round 22-24 :

36 x sc (36)

Round 25 :

(4 sc, dec) x 6 (30)

Round 26-27 :

30 x sc (30)

Round 28 :

(3 sc, dec) x 6 (24)

Round 29-30 :

24 x sc (24)

Round 31 :

(2 sc, dec) x 6 (18)

Round 32 :

(4 sc, dec) x 3 (15)

Round 33-35 :

15 x sc (15)

Info :

F/O and leave a long tail for sewing.

— 7. Max Tail :

Round 1 :

In brown, 6 sc into a mr (6)

Round 2-3 :

6 x sc (6)

Round 4 :

(1 sc, inc) x 3 (9)

Round 5-6 :

9 x sc (9)

Round 7 :

(2 sc, inc) x 3 (12)

Round 8-9 :

12 x sc (12)

Round 10 :

(3 sc, inc) x 3 (15)

Round 11-15 :

15 x sc (15)

Info :

F/O and leave a strand for sewing. Stuff as you work.

— 8. Max Arms :

Round 1 :

In brown, 6 sc into a mr (6)

Round 2 :

6 x inc (12)

Round 3 :

(1 sc, inc) x 6 (18)

Round 4-5 :

18 x sc (18)

Round 6 :

7 sc, 2 x dec, 7 sc (16)

Round 7 :

6 sc, 2 x dec, 6 sc (14)

Round 8-11 :

14 x sc (14)

Round 12 :

dec, 12 sc (13)

Round 13-15 :

13 x sc (13)

Round 16 :

dec, 11 sc (12)

Round 17-19 :

12 x sc (12)

Round 20 :

dec, 10 sc (11)

Round 21-23 :

11 x sc (11)

Round 24 :

dec, 9 sc (10)

Round 25-27 :

10 x sc (10)

Info :

F/O and leave a sewing tail.

— 9. Max Legs :

Round 1 :

In brown, 6 sc into a mr (6)

Round 2 :

6 x inc (12)

Round 3 :

(1 sc, inc) x 6 (18)

Round 4-5 :

18 x sc (18)

Round 6 :

7 sc, 2 x dec, 7 sc (16)

Round 7 :

6 sc, 2 x dec, 6 sc (14)

Round 8-10 :

14 x sc (14)

Round 11 :

dec, 12 sc (13)

Round 12-14 :

13 x sc (13)

Round 15 :

dec, 11 sc (12)

Round 16-18 :

12 x sc (12)

Round 19 :

(4 sc, dec) x 2 (10)

Round 20 :

10 x sc (10)

Info :

F/O and leave tail for sewing.

— 10. Max Ears :

Round 1 :

In dark brown, 6 sc into a mr (6)

Round 2 :

6 x inc (12)

Round 3 :

(1 sc, inc) x 6 (18)

Round 4 :

(2 sc, inc) x 6 (24)

Round 5-7 :

24 x sc (24)

Round 8 :

(dec, 10 sc) x 2 (22)

Round 9-10 :

22 x sc (22)

Round 11 :

(dec, 9 sc) x 2 (20)

Round 12-13 :

20 x sc (20)

Round 14 :

(dec, 8 sc) x 2 (18)

Round 15-16 :

18 x sc (18)

Round 17 :

(dec, 7 sc) x 2 (16)

Round 18 :

16 x sc (16)

Round 19 :

(dec, 6 sc) x 2 (14)

Round 20 :

14 x sc (14)

Round 21 :

(dec, 5 sc) x 2 (12)

Round 22 :

12 x sc (12)

Round 23 :

(dec, 4 sc) x 2 (10)

Round 24 :

10 x sc (10)

Info :

Fold in half and sc the opening closed. F/O and leave tail.

— 11. Max Big Antler :

Round 1 :

In yellow, 6 sc into a mr (6)

Round 2 :

6 x inc (12)

Round 3 :

(3 sc, inc) x 3 (15)

Round 4 :

BLO 15 sc (15)

Round 5-7 :

15 x sc (15)

Round 8 :

(3 sc, dec) x 3 (12)

Round 9-10 :

12 x sc (12)

Round 11 :

(2 sc, dec) x 3 (9)

Round 12-33 :

9 x sc (9)

Round 34 :

BLO 9 sc (9)

Round 35 :

(1 sc, dec) x 3 (6)

Info :

F/O and sew closed.

— 12. Max Small Antler :

Round 1 :

In yellow, 6 sc into a mr (6)

Round 2 :

(1 sc, inc) x 3 (9)

Round 3 :

BLO 9 sc (9)

Round 4 :

9 x sc (9)

Round 5 :

dec, 7 sc (8)

Round 6 :

8 x sc (8)

Round 7 :

dec, 6 sc (7)

Round 8 :

7 x sc (7)

Info :

F/O and leave tail for sewing.

— 13. Max Collar :

Row 1 :

Ch 22, hdc in 2nd ch from hook and each ch across (21)

Info :

F/O and leave a long tail for sewing and attaching bells.

Assembly Instructions

  • For the Grinch, use white yarn to embroider a small highlight around the outer edge of each eye, and then create the face shape by pulling yarn between the eye sockets (rounds 16-17) to indent them.
  • Embroider the Grinch's smile across rounds 20-21 and add simple eyebrows above the eyes; then attach the green tufts of hair to the top of the head and brush them out with a wire brush.
  • Attach the Grinch's arms to the sides of the body between rounds 32 and 36, and sew the legs to the bottom of the body at rounds 5 and 6 so he can sit properly.
  • For Max, sew the head firmly to the body, then wrap the red collar around the neck and secure it with about five small jingle bells sewn onto the fabric.
  • Attach Max's floppy ears to the sides of the head between rounds 21 and 25, and sew the tail to the back of the body spanning rounds 9 to 14.
  • Assemble Max's antler by sewing the small branch onto the main stem, then secure the entire antler to the top of the head between the ears using black embroidery thread to mimic a string.
  • Finish both characters by brushing the yarn lightly for a fuzzy texture and gluing or sewing the red felt heart onto the Grinch's chest.

Important Notes

  • 💡Always use a stitch marker to track the beginning of your rounds since both characters are worked in a continuous spiral.
  • 💡When brushing out the yarn for the fuzzy look, work slowly and gently to avoid thinning the fabric too much or pulling out the stuffing.
  • 💡If you are adding wire to the antlers, ensure the ends are safely tucked in or wrapped in tape to prevent them from poking through the stitches.
  • 💡For the safety eyes, double-check your placement instructions before securing the backings, as they are nearly impossible to move once locked.
  • 💡Stuffing density is key; the heads need to be quite firm to maintain their shape during the eye indentation and embroidery process.

I hope you have as much fun bringing these two to life as I did! There’s nothing quite like the feeling of finishing a project and seeing that iconic duo staring back at you. Whether they're destined for a gift box or a spot on your own holiday mantel, they’re sure to be the star of the show. Don’t forget to share your finished photos with the community—I absolutely love seeing your unique takes on my designs. Happy crocheting and have a wonderful holiday season! 🧶✨🎄

You ask,

we answer.

FAQs

Can I use a different yarn weight for this pattern?

You can, but it will change the size of the finished pieces. If you go up to a chunky yarn, you'll need larger safety eyes and more stuffing to keep the proportions looking right.

How do I get the Grinch's hair to stay fuzzy?

Once you've brushed it out with a wire brush, you can lightly spray it with a bit of extra-hold hairspray to keep the fibers from matting down over time.

Is the wire in the antler mandatory?

Not at all! The wire just helps the antler maintain a specific 'bent' shape. If you're making this for a small child, I actually recommend skipping the wire for safety.

What if I can't find green safety eyes for the nose?

No worries! You can use the crochet nose instructions provided in the pattern, or take a standard black safety eye and paint it with green acrylic paint and a clear topcoat.