Red Panda Free Crochet Pattern

My Red Panda pattern is my newest animal-themed free crochet pattern!

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.

A beginner friendly animal doll!

Although I love making mini amigurumi most of the time, I’ve had the itch for a while to design a larger, doll sized amigurumi that can be cuddled.

This was the product of some experimentation with bigger dolls, and I’m really pleased with how it turned out!

One of my favorite parts of it is that the shirt is largely worked with a color change, so that you don’t have to make an entire extra piece for the outfit. I used a neat technique using BLO to simulate the shirt cuffs, and hope you love it as much as I do!

The red panda has long been one of my favorite animals because of its completely adorable face, but I was a little intimidated to try to crochet one.

The solution I came up with to imitate the face markings was two pieces on the left and right side of the muzzle that can be sewn on, because I tend to dislike colorwork.

The “eyebrows” are embroidered on at the end, and the ears are each double layers.

This means that the entire head takes a lot more patience than usual because of the sheer number of pieces involved, but I promise you, it’s well worth it!

One tip I have to making sure all the pieces line up correctly is pinning them all in place and waiting until the end to arrange everything.

I tend to not secure the backs of my safety eyes because I don’t have small children or any pets (safety eyes are a choking hazard) for this reason, so if you feel comfortable doing so you can also wait until you’ve closed up the head to arrange how the face looks.

Tips to set you up for success!

I used a fluffy, airy alpaca yarn for this pattern because it’s so soft and I love the fluffy halo that it creates around the amigurumi.

If you choose to do the same, just keep in mind that the stitches will be harder to see, and the doll as a whole will be a bit softer than usual if you normally use acrylic or cotton yarn.

Apart from that, there are quite a few special techniques that I use in this pattern that I encourage you to familiarize yourself with beforehand.

You’ll need to understand how to crochet around a foundation chain, how to work a foundation single crochet, using the BLO and FLO techniques, and sew amigurumi pieces together.

More blog posts like this:

The Pattern

  • If you want to take this pattern offline, grab the beautifully formatted, ad-free, PDF pattern from Etsy here!

Description

Red pandas are endangered animals native to southwestern China and the Himalayas. They aren’t actually related to giant pandas, and previously have been miscategorized as part of the bear and raccoon families. This amigurumi is an intermediate level because of a few more advanced techniques, but altogether create a super adorable result!

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!

  • Drops Air (worsted)
    • (<1 skein) Mix Orange (burnt orange)
  • WeCrochet Wonderfluff
    • (<1 skein) Bare Wonderfluff (white)
    • (<1 skein) Moose Heather (brown)
    • (<1 skein) Atlantic Heather (blue)
    • (<1 skein) Wonderland Heather (light blue)

Notions

  • Size D 3.25mm Clover Amour hook
  • 8.0mm safety eyes
  • fiberfill stuffing
  • black embroidery thread
  • 3 blue buttons (6mm diameter)
  • 1 brown button (1 cm diameter)
  • 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

  1. 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.
  1. When filling with polyester stuffing, pull apart each large chunk into many smaller chunks. This ensures an even distribution of firmness within the amigurumi.
  2. To avoid large holes in the crochet fabric, increase tension until the holes cannot be seen, or choose a crochet hook a size down.
  3. Stuff the head and the body firmly at the openings so that the neck is stable upon completion.
  1. Use sewing pins to secure parts of the amigurumi before you sew them.

Color Coding

For this pattern, the MC is burnt orange, CC1 is blue, CC2 is white, CC3 is brown, and CC4 is light blue.

Special Stitches

  • How to embroider a nose: see this tutorial
  • FSC (Foundation Single Crochet): click here for tutorial
  • Invisible finish off: click here for tutorial

Final Size

6″ x 3″

HEAD (in MC.)

  • Begin: Create a foundation chain of 7 (7 sts)
  • Round 1: Beginning from the 2nd chain from the hook, sc around (12 sts)
  • Round 2: (sc, inc) x6 (18 sts)
  • Round 3: (2 sc, inc) x6 (24 sts)
  • Round 4: (3 sc, inc) x6 (30 sts)
  • Round 5: (4 sc, inc) x6 (36 sts)
  • Round 6: (5 sc, inc) x6 (42 sts)
  • Round 7: (6 sc, inc) x6 (48 sts)
  • Round 8: (7 sc, inc) x6 (54 sts)
  • Round 9-15: (7 rnds) sc around (54 sts)
  • Insert 8mm safety eyes between rounds 13 and 14 (counting from the top), with 7 stitches in between. (See fig. 2 below for placement)
  • Round 16: (8 sc, inc) x6 (60 sts)
  • Round 17-18: (2 rnds) sc around (60 sts)
  • Round 19: (8 sc, dec) x6 (54 sts)
  • Round 20: (7 sc, dec) x6 (48 sts)
  • Round 21: (6 sc, dec) x6 (42 sts)
  • Round 22: (5 sc, dec) x6 (36 sts)
  • Round 23: (4 sc, dec) x6 (30 sts)
  • Round 24: (3 sc, dec) x6 (24 sts)
  • Round 25: (2 sc, dec) x6 (18 sts)
  • Stuff.
  • Round 26: (sc, dec) x6 (12 sts)
  • Round 27: dec x6 (6 sts)
  • Finish off and weave in end.

MUZZLE (in CC2.)

  • Begin: Create a foundation chain of 4
  • Round 1: Beginning from the 2nd chain from the hook, sc around (6 sts)
  • Round 2: inc x6 (12 sts)
  • Round 3: (sc, inc) x6 (18 sts)
  • Round 4: (2 sc, inc) x6 (24 sts)
  • Round 5: sc around (24 sts)
  • Invisible finish off, leaving a long tail for sewing. Embroider a triangular shaped nose on the muzzle between rounds 1 and 2, with a line going downwards extending across 2 rounds (see Special Stitches for video tutorial).
  • Sew the muzzle between rounds 13 and 20 (counting from the top) of the head, stuffing along the way. See fig. 2 below.

FACE MARKINGS (Begin with CC2. Worked in turned rows. See Special Stitches for FSC.)

  • Row 1: 7 FSC, chain and turn (7 sts)
  • Row 2: dec, 3 sc, dec, chain and turn (5 sts)
  • Switch to CC3. Do not cut CC2.
  • Row 3: 5 sc, chain and turn (5 sts)
  • Row 4: dec, sc, dec (3 sts)

Finish off, leaving a tail for sewing. Make another piece identically (fig. 1). Place them on the left and right sides of the muzzle with CC3 towards the muzzle (fig. 2).

Using both CC2 and CC3 tails when appropriate, sew the two pieces around the muzzle, making sure that the CC2 part is flush with the round edges of the muzzle and reaches the bottom of the eyes (see fig. 2).

Using CC2, embroider eyebrow shapes between rounds 8 and 10, 4 rounds above the eyes (see fig. 2).

Fig. 1: One face marking piece finished

Fig. 2: Head completed and placement of muzzle, face markings, and eyes

EARS (Begin in CC3. Refer to Special Stitches for FSC and Abbreviations for “….”)

  • Round 1: 6 sc in MR (6 sts)
  • Round 2: (3 sc, sc) x3 (12 sts)

Invisible finish off and weave in end. Make another in CC2, but do not finish off. Working through both loops of both pieces (fig. 3), sc, then work 3 stitches to form a corner. Work 3 scs, then work 3 stitches in the corner. Work 3 scs, then work 3 stitches in the corner, work 2 scs (18 sts total).

See fig. 5 for finished ear with two halves connected.

Follow the crochet chart below to visualize the stitches. Repeat for the other ear. Sew to the head, between rounds 3 and 9 on either side.

Fig. 3: To connect the two halves, insert the hook through both pieces at the corner.
Fig. 4: Work 3 single crochets in the corner and continue working around in this fashion.

Fig. 5: Two halves of ear connected.

LEGS (in MC.)

  • Round 1: 6 sc in MR (6 sts)
  • Round 2: inc x6 (12 sts)
  • Round 3: (sc, inc) x6 (18 sts)
  • Round 4-9: (6 rnds) sc around (18 sts)

Stuff lightly. Invisible finish off and weave in end. Make another identically but do not finish off.

Continuing off the leg you just finished, chain 2. Then, insert your hook into any stitch from the remaining leg and crochet all around it.

See fig. 6 for a crochet chart depicting this step.

Next, work 2 single crochets into the 2 chains between the legs, insert your hook into the next stitch of the original leg, and continue crocheting around until you get back to the first stitch. (40 sts total)

See fig. 7 for connected legs.

Fig. 6: Chart for how to connect legs
Fig. 7: Legs connected

BODY (cont’d from legs)

  • Round 10-11: (2 rnds) sc around (40 sts)
  • Switch to CC1.
  • Round 12: FLO, sc around (40 sts)
  • Round 13: BLO of rnd 11, (sc 20) x2. See Fig. 8 and 9. (40 sts)
    • See fig. 8, 9, and 10.

Fig. 8: View of body at the beginning of round 13. The blue is the FLO round you’ve just finished, and the orange is the back loops of round 11. For round 13, work into the orange back loops.
Fig. 9: This is what the body looks like a few stitches into round 13, with two rounds layered on top of each other.
Fig. 10: This is what the body looks like after round 23.

  • Round 14: (7 sc, inc) x5 (45 sts)
  • Round 15-17: (3 rnds) sc around (45 sts)
  • Round 18: (7 sc, dec) x5 (40 sts)
  • Round 19-20: (2 rnds) sc around (40 sts)
  • Round 21: (6 sc, dec) x5 (35 sts)
  • Round 22: (5 sc, dec) x5 (30 sts)
  • Round 23: (4 sc, dec) x5 (25 sts)
  • Break yarn and weave in end.
  • Turn your piece upside down so that the legs are pointing away from you. Your work should look like figure 11.
  • Attach the yarn to the center of the FLO of the top of the shirt in round 23, one stitch to the left (with the legs pointing away from you) (see fig. 4).
  • Collar: Chain 3 (counts as a stitch), dc, hdc inc, (5 hdc, hdc inc) x3, hdc inc, dc, chain 3, 2 slst (see fig. 5). (31 sts)
    • See fig. 12 and 13 for finished collar.

Fig. 11: Insert hook to the front of the shirt, FLO, off center to the left by one stitch with the body oriented with the legs away from you.
Fig. 12: Finished collar.

Fig. 13: Finished body with buttons attached.

ARM (Begin in MC.)

  • Round 1: 6 sc in MR (6 sts)
  • Round 2: inc x6 (12 sts)
  • Round 3-5: (3 rnds) sc around (12 sts)
  • Switch to CC1.
  • Round 6: FLO, sc around (12 sts)
  • Round 7: working in the back loops of round 5, sc around (12 sts)
  • Round 8-13: (6 rnds) sc around (12 sts)
  • Stuff very lightly. Fold the opening flat, and insert hook through both loops on both sides. Single crochet across, sealing the opening (6 sts). Finish off, leaving a tail for sewing.
  • Make another identically. See fig. 14.
  • Sew to the left and right sides of the body, under the collar, leaving a tail for sewing the head. Optionally, you can use this opportunity to secure the flaps of the collar down (fig. 15).
  • Stuff body. Using the tail from one of the arms, sew the head to the body.
Fig. 14: Finished arms.
Fig. 15: Finished arms sewn onto body, under the collar. You can use this opportunity to sew down the front and back of the collar.

BAG (In CC4.)

  • Round 1: 6 sc in MR (6 sts)
  • Round 2: inc x6 (12 sts)
  • Round 3-5: (3 rnds) sc around (12 sts)
  • Row 6: Flatten the piece into a semicircle shape. Insert your hook through both loops of both sides and crochet across the opening, chain and turn (6 sts).
  • Continue by working in turned rows.
  • Row 7: 2 sc, dec, 2 sc, chain and turn (5 sts)
  • Row 8: 2 sc, dec, sc, chain and turn (4 sts)
  • Row 9: chain 4, skip 3 stitches, and slst to the final stitch of row 8 to make a loop for the button to go through. (4 sts)
  • Finish off and weave in end, (see fig. 16). Sew button to round 3 (counting from the bottom of the bag), and pull the button through the chain space created in row 9 (see fig. 17).

Create bag strap: Insert your hook into the top left corner of finished bag, attach yarn, and chain 28. Slst to the top right corner of the bag. Finish off and weave in ends (fig. 18).

Fig. 16: This is what the bag looks like after row 9.
Fig. 17: Fold down the top half of the bag and attach the button.
Fig. 18: This is what the bag looks like after finishing the strap.

TAIL (Begin in CC3.)

  • Round 1: 6 sc in MR (6 sts)
  • Round 2: inc x6 (12 sts)
  • Round 3: (sc, inc) x6 (18 sts)
  • Switch to MC, cut CC3.
  • Round 4-6: (3 rnds) sc around (18 sts)
  • Switch to CC2, do not cut MC.
  • Round 7: (4 sc, dec) x3 (15 sts)
  • Round 8: sc around (15 sts)
  • Switch to MC, do not cut CC2.
  • Round 9-10: (2 rnds) sc around (15 sts)
  • Switch to CC2, do not cut MC.
  • Round 11: (3 sc, dec) x3 (12 sts)
  • Round 12: sc around (12 sts)
  • Switch to MC, cut CC2. Stuff lightly.
  • Round 13: sc around (12 sts)
  • Fold the opening flat and crochet across both sides to close seam. (6 sts)
  • Finish off, leaving a tail for sewing. Sew to the back of the body, at round 14 (one round above the ridge). See fig. 19.
Fig. 19: Finished tail.
Fig. 20: Finished red panda!

Your Red Panda is all done! I hope you enjoyed crocheting him and found the pattern clear. I would love to see your finished amigurumi, so share a picture on Instagram with me by using the #littleworldofwhimsy and tagging me @littleworldofwhimsy.