Kitty in a Cardigan

Free crochet pattern for a Kitty by Alena Bazhenova @bazhenova_toys.

With this tutorial, you can crochet a plush kitty. The pattern also includes instructions for knitting the little cardigan with needles. Any plush yarn and cotton blend yarn in any colors will work for this amigurumi project.

Finished toy size: about 26 cm.

Materials and Tools

• Plush yarn Himalaya Dolphin Baby (1-1.5 skeins)
• YarnArt Jeans yarn (for knitting the cardigan)
• Black and pink yarn (for embroidering the whiskers and nose)
• 4 mm crochet hook
• 2 mm knitting needles
• 10-12 mm safety eyes
• Toy stuffing
• Buttons
• White felt
• Needle for sewing pieces together
• Scissors

Abbreviations

• MR - magic ring
• ch - chain stitch
• sl st - slip stitch
• sc - single crochet
• inc - increase
• dec - decrease
• (...) x n - repeat n times

For the cardigan:

• edge st - edge stitch
• K - knit
• P - purl
• YO - yarn over
• YO without pulling through - yarn over without pulling through
• st - stitch

Crochet Amigurumi Kitty in a Cardigan Pattern

All toy pieces are crocheted in a spiral. The arms, legs, and tail are crocheted into the body. Only the ears are sewn on.

Tail

Rnd 1: 6 sc in MR (6)
Rnd 2: (1 sc, inc) x 3 (9)
Rnd 3-5: (3 rnds) 9 sc (9)
Rnd 6: 7 sc, dec (8)
Rnd 7: 6 sc, dec (7)
Rnd 8: 5 sc, dec (6)
Rnd 9-14 (6 rnds) 6 sc (6) + sl st

Fold the piece and crochet 3 sc through both layers. Fasten off and cut the yarn.

Arms (make 2)

Rnd 1: 6 sc in MR (6)
Rnd 2: inc x 6 (12)
Rnd 3: 12 sc (12)
Rnd 4: (4 sc, dec) x 2 (10)
Rnd 5-6: (2 rnds) 10 sc (10)
Rnd 7: (3 sc, dec) x 2 (8)
Rnd 8-13: (6 rnds) 8 sc + sl st

Stuff the piece about 2/3 full. Then fold it and crochet 3 sc through both layers. Fasten off and cut the yarn.

Ears (make 2)

Rnd 1: 6 sc in MR (6)
Rnd 2: (1 sc, inc) x 3 (9)
Rnd 3: (2 sc, inc) x 3 (12)
Rnd 4: (1 sc, inc) x 6 (18)
Rnd 5: (5 sc, inc) x 3 (21) + sl st

Fold the piece and crochet 10 sc through both layers. Fasten off and cut the yarn. Hide the yarn end inside the ear.

The legs, body, and head are crocheted as one piece. Start with the legs.

Legs (make 2)

Rnd 1: 6 sc in MR (6)
Rnd 2: inc x 6 (12)
Rnd 3-7: (5 rnds) 12 sc (12)

On the first leg, fasten off and cut the yarn.

Crochet the second leg the same way, but do not cut the yarn. Make 2 ch and join to the first leg with 1 sc - this will be the beginning of the kitty's body.

Continue crocheting.

Body

Rnd 8: 1 sc already made, 5 sc, inc, 5 sc, inc x 2, 5 sc, inc, 6 sc, inc x 2 (34)
Rnd 9: 34 sc (34)
Rnd 10: (15 sc, inc, 1 sc) x 2 (36)
Rnd 11: 36 sc (36)
Rnd 12: (5 sc, inc) x 6 (42)
Rnd 13: (crochet the tail in at the end of this round) 42 sc (42)
Rnd 14-16: (3 rnds) 42 sc (42)

Stuff the legs and part of the body.

Rnd 17: (5 sc, dec) x 6 (36)
Rnd 18: 36 sc (36)
Rnd 19: (4 sc, dec) x 6 (30)
Rnd 20-21: (2 rnds) 30 sc (30)
Rnd 22: (3 sc, dec) x 6 (24)
Rnd 23: (2 sc, dec) x 6 (18)
Rnd 24: (crochet the arms in during this round) 18 sc (18)
Rnd 25: (neck) 18 sc (18)

To keep the head from wobbling, crochet an extra round of 18 sl st. Stuff the body, carefully distributing the stuffing along the sides. Continue crocheting.

Head

Rnd 26: (work into round 25, catching the extra round of sl st): (2 sc, inc) x 6 (24)
Rnd 27: (3 sc, inc) x 6 (30)
Rnd 28: (4 sc, inc) x 6 (36)
Rnd 29: (5 sc, inc) x 6 (42)
Rnd 30-34: (5 rnds) 42 sc (42)
Rnd 35: (5 sc, dec) x 6 (36)
Rnd 36: (4 sc, dec) x 6 (30)

Insert the safety eyes in round 34. Stuff the neck and part of the head firmly.

Rnd 37: (3 sc, dec) x 6 (24)
Rnd 38: (2 sc, dec) x 6 (18)
Rnd 39: (1 sc, dec) x 6 (12)
Stuff the head, carefully distributing the stuffing.
Rnd 40: dec x 6 (6)

Close the opening, cut the yarn, and hide the end.

Cardigan

The little cardigan is knitted with needles in top-down raglan construction.

Cast on 40 stitches (based on the toy's neck circumference of 14-14.5 cm).

Row 1: all purl stitches (40)
Row 2: 1 edge st, 5 K, 1 YO, 1 K, 1 YO, 7 K, 1 YO, 1 K, 1 YO, 10 K, 1 K, 1 YO, 7 K, 1 YO, 1 K, 1 YO, 5 K, 1 edge st (48)
Row 3: 1 edge st, 46 P, 1 edge st (48)
Row 4: 1 edge st, 6 K, 1 YO, 1 K, 1 YO, 9 K, 1 YO, 1 K, 1 YO, 12 K, 1 YO, 1 K, 1 YO, 9 K, 1 YO, 1 K, 1 YO, 6 K, 1 edge st (56)
Row 5: 1 edge st, 54 P, 1 edge st (56);
Row 6: 1 edge st, 7 K, 1 YO, 1 K, 1 YO, 11 K, 1 YO, 1 K, 1 YO, 14 K, 1 YO, 1 K, 1 YO, 11 K, 1 YO, 1 K, 1 YO, 7 K, 1 edge st (64)
Row 7: 1 edge st, 62 P, 1 edge st (64)
Row 8: 1 edge st, 8 K, 1 YO, 1 K, 1 YO, 13 K, 1 YO, 1 K, 1 YO, 16 K, 1 YO, 1 K, 1 YO, 13 K, 1 YO, 1 K, 1 YO, 8 K, 1 edge st (72)
Row 9: 1 edge st, 70 P, 1 edge st (72)
Row 10: 1 edge st, 9 K, 1 YO, 1 K, 1 YO, 15 K, 1 YO, 1 K, 1 YO, 18 K, 1 YO, 1 K, 1 YO, 15 K, 1 YO, 1 K, 1 YO, 9 K, 1 edge st (80)
Row 11: 1 edge st, 78 P, 1 edge st (80)
Row 12: (bind off the sleeve stitches in this row, see photo 2): 1 edge st, 11 K, bind off 17 sts, 22 K, bind off 17 sts, 11 K, 1 edge st (46)
Row 13: (add stitches under the armholes in this row, see photo 3): 1 edge st, 11 P, 4 YO, 22 P, 4 YO, 11 P, 1 edge st (54)
Row 14: 1 edge st, 52 K, 1 edge st (54)
Row 15: 1 edge st, 52 P, 1 edge st (54)
Row 16: 1 edge st, 5 K, 1 YO without pulling through, (6 K, 1 YO without pulling through) x 7, 5 K, 1 edge st (62)
Row 17: 1 edge st, 60 P, 1 edge st (62)
Row 18: 1 edge st, 60 K, 1 edge st (62)

Next, alternate rows 17 and 18 until the desired length.

At the end, so the bottom of the cardigan does not curl, knit an odd-numbered row with knit stitches, then bind off the stitches on an even-numbered row. Cut the yarn, leaving a long tail. Use it to form loops for the buttons. Fasten off the yarn end and cut it. Sew the buttons to the other side.

Toy Assembly

• Sew on the ears.
• You can sculpt the muzzle slightly (I do this with dental floss).
• Embroider the nose and whiskers.

That's it! The kitty is ready!