My cello pattern is my newest free crochet pattern! It also doubles as a violin crochet pattern, viola crochet pattern, or any string instrument!
Read on to learn more about my design process and inspiration, or scroll to the end to get the free pattern. If you’re in a hurry and need to take this pattern offline, grab the beautifully formatted, ad-free, PDF pattern from Etsy here.
Table of Contents
A beautiful and lifelike string instrument replica!
I’ve played cello since I was nine years old, and of course eventually I had to design a mini amigurumi cello.
It wasn’t easy, but I’m really proud of the finished product!
This cello features all of the small details that I have on my instrument, including pegs, tailpiece, bridge, f-holes, and fingerboard.
I created the strings from sewing thread, since yarn would look disproportionately thick.
The only thing missing is a bow, but if anyone figures how to make something so small and thin from yarn, please let me know 😂
This cello uses a lot of more advanced techniques that are more up for interpretation, as well as a good deal of sewing. This is mainly because a cello has so many disparate parts that it’s difficult to find a way to connect them together without sewing, but whatever works, right?
How to modify this pattern to make it a violin, viola or bass
I designed this pattern to be a cello because I am a cellist, and because this pattern is meant to go along side my Jacqueline the Cellist pattern. However, you can easily adapt it for a violin, viola, or bass!
The main distinguishing feature that makes this amigurumi look like a cello versus the other string instruments is its proportions as well as the lack of a chin rest.
Violins and violas have a chin rest on the left bottom side of the instrument, slightly overlapping with the tailpiece. The fingerboard (long brown piece) is also a lot narrower and longer, so that it extends about half the length again of the body of the instrument.
This cello looks fairly similar to a bass, but because basses are so large the fingerboard and neck tend to be a lot smaller relative to the body than cellos, and the body of the instrument is also wider.
Hopefully these details help you notice the relevant parts of the instrument so that you can try your hand at freehanding a modification!
If you feel that the recipient of this amigurumi isn’t too discerning, I would say that this pattern could work for all string instruments, just with or without the addition of a chin rest.
Here’s a quick chin rest pattern:
CHIN REST (in CC1)
- Round 1: 6 sc in MR (6 sts)
- Round 2: inc x6, slst in first stitch (12 sts)
Invisible finish off, and sew to the bottom left of the body, overlapping with the left side of the tail piece.
More blog posts for amigurumi beginners:
- My Foolproof Guide to Crocheting Amigurumi for Beginners
- What’s the best stuffing for amigurumi? (+ how to stuff!)
- How to Sew Amigurumi Parts Together (easy photo tutorial!)
The Pattern
If you want to take this pattern offline, grab the beautifully formatted, ad-free, PDF pattern from Etsy here!
Description
This tiny cello is palm sized and extremely detailed, and includes tuning pegs, f-holes, a bridge, and a tailpiece. It can be paired with Jacqueline the Cellist or just created on its own. Although this design has the proportions of a cello, it can also function as a bass. To adapt this pattern to create a violin or viola, add a chin rest to the bottom. This pattern is intermediate because it involves many small components as well as basic sewing and embroidery.
Yarn
Confused about materials? For all my personal recommendations of my most-used tools, yarns, and supplies, check out my favorites in this complete guide!
- WeCrochet Daydream (DK)
- (<1 skein) Sienna (dark brown)
- (<1 skein) White
Notions
- Size D 3.25mm Clover Amour hook
- Size C 2.5mm Clover Amour hook
- 4.0mm safety eyes
- white sewing thread
- embroidery needle
- fiberfill stuffing
- tapestry needle
- stitch markers
Abbreviations
- BLO: back loop only
- ch: chain
- CC: contrast color
- dec: decrease
- hdc: half double crochet
- inc: increase (work two single crochets in one stitch)
- MC: main color
- MR: magic ring
- rnd: round
- RS: right side
- sc: single crochet
- sk: skip
- x sc: work x number of single crochets
- sl st: slip stitch
- st(s): stitch(es)
- WS: wrong side
- (x sts): total number of stitches for the round
- (…) x: work all steps within parentheses x number of times
Technical Notes
- Crochet in continuous spiral rounds, unless specified otherwise. Use a stitch marker or piece of yarn to keep track of the last stitch in each round.
- When filling with polyester stuffing, pull apart each large chunk into many smaller chunks. This ensures an even distribution of firmness within the amigurumi.
- To avoid large holes in the crochet fabric, increase tension until the holes cannot be seen, or choose a crochet hook a size down.
- Use sewing pins to secure parts of the amigurumi before you sew them.
Color Coding
For this pattern, the MC is Amber, CC1 is Sienna, and CC2 is White.
Special Stitches
- Invisible finish off: click here for tutorial
- Foundation Single Crochet: click here for tutorial
- French knot: click here for tutorial
Final Size
3.5″ x 2″
BODY (Worked in turned rows in MC, using larger hook. See Special Stitches for FSC and invisible finish off.)
- Row 1: 5 FSC, chain and turn (5 sts)
- Row 2: inc, sc, inc, sc, inc, chain and turn (8 sts)
- Row 3: inc, 2 sc, inc, 3 sc, inc, chain and turn (11 sts)
- Row 4-7 (4 rows): sc across, chain and turn (11 sts)
- Row 8: dec, 2 sc, dec, 3 sc, dec, chain and turn (8 sts)
- Row 9: dec, sc, dec, sc, dec, chain and turn (5 sts)
- Row 10: sc across, chain and turn (5 sts)
- Row 11: inc, sc, inc, sc, inc, chain and turn (8 sts)
- Row 12: inc, 6 sc, inc, chain and turn (10 sts)
- Row 13-14 (2 rows): sc across (10 sts)
- Row 15: dec x5, chain and turn (5 sts)
- Row 16: dec, sc, dec (3 sts)
Border: Without cutting the yarn, sc all around, but work slip stitches instead of single crochets at row 9 and 10 on both the left and the right sides.
You will have approximately 40 stitches total all around. Invisible finish off (see Special Stitches) and weave in the end (fig. 1).
Make another panel identically, but do not finish off or weave in the end on the second piece.
Working off the second piece only, begin crocheting in continuous rounds all around the piece:
- Round 17: BLO, sc all around (40 sts)
- Round 18: sc around (40 sts)
Invisible finish off (see Special Stitches), leaving a long tail for sewing (fig. 2).
We have now built up the body so that it has created one side of the cello and the middle section.
Using a tapestry needle, whip stitch the remaining side of the cello to the top of the piece to close up the cello body, stuffing as you go.
PEGBOX + FINGERBOARD (in MC, using smaller hook. See Special Stitches for French knot.)
- Round 1: 6 sc in MR (6 sts)
- Round 2: inc x6 (12 sts)
- Round 3-4 (2 rnds): sc around (12 sts)
- Stuff very lightly. Switch to CC1 and begin working in turned rows. Row 5: FLO, 3 sc, chain and turn (3 sts)
- Row 6-13 (8 rows): 3 sc, chain and turn (3 sts)
Border: See figure 3 for a visual explanation of the following steps. Working down the side of rows 5-13, sc along the side towards the MC section.
Upon reaching the MC section, crochet across the opening, inserting the hook through the back loops from row 5 and through both loops of the 3 stitches from round 4.
Continue working back across rows 5-13 until you get back to the other end. Invisible finish off and weave in the end, leaving a tail for sewing (fig. 3).
Fig. 3. This diagram shows the process of creating the border. This photo is oriented with the opening created by rounds 1-4 facing upwards. Begin from the green dot, crochet down the side, crochet across the opening of MC section, then crochet back down and end at the red dot.
Using CC1, embroider two French knots (see Special Stitches) on either side of the pegbox. See front view of the peg box and fingerboard in figure 4.
Sew the bottom of the fingerboard to the top 4 rows of the body.
TAILPIECE (in CC1, using smaller hook. See Special Stitches for French knot.)
- Round 1: 4 sc in MR (4 sts)
- Round 2: (sc, inc) x2 (6 sts)
- Round 3: (2 sc, inc) x2 (8 sts)
- Round 4: sc around (8 sts)
- Fold the cone in half and work 4 single crochets across the opening. Finish off, leaving a tail to weave in end. Sew the tailpiece to the bottom 3 rows of the body.
BRIDGE (in CC2, see Special Stitches for FSC)
- Row 1: 3 FSC (3 sts)
- Finish off and weave in end, leaving a tail for sewing.
- Sew to the body between the tailpiece and the fingerboard, around 5 rows from the bottom of the body. See fig. 6 for placement.
FINISHING TOUCHES
F holes: Using CC1, embroider 2 tall zigzag shapes to the left and right of the bridge, about 3 rows high and 2 single crochets wide. See figure 6 below for detailed steps for embroidery.
Strings: Using white sewing thread, create four lines of thread extending from the pegbox to the top of the tailpiece (fig. 6).
For more realistic placement, stagger where the strings begin in the peg box.
Your cello is all done! I hope you enjoyed crocheting it and found the pattern helpful. I would love to see your finished amigurumi, so share a picture on Instagram with me by using the #littleworldofwhimsy and tagging me @littleworldofwhimsy.
Thank you so much for sharing this!! I was thinking I was going to have to scale down a large guitar pillow pattern! I was asked to make a graduation monkey with cello as a gift. You have saved me much time!!!!
Ahh I’m so glad this has come at the right time! It’ll be the perfect size for a monkey ami 🙂 Happy crocheting!