Puff the Cat

Free crochet pattern for Puff the Cat by Natalia Zrozhevskaya @zrnatali.

With this pattern, you can crochet a fluffy cat. Fuzzy yarn such as YarnArt Mink or Himalaya Koala works well for this amigurumi project. The cat's nose is needle-felted from wool, but you can use a ready-made velvet toy nose instead if you prefer.

Experience working with fuzzy yarn is required for this project.

The finished toy measures about 6.7 in (17 cm) when made with Mink and 4.7 in (12 cm) when made with Koala.

Materials and tools

• YarnArt Mink or Himalaya Koala yarn: beige (1 skein) and a small amount of white
• 1.5 mm crochet hook
• Black embroidery thread for the face
• Safety eyes
• Fiberfill
• Felting wool for the nose
• Felting needle
• Glue
• Oil pastels
• Ribbon
• Needle for sewing the 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

Puff the Cat amigurumi crochet pattern

Ears (make 2)

Do not track the stitch marker. Crochet the ears in continuous rounds without turning.

1. Ch 2, 3 sc in the second ch from the hook
2. 3 inc (6)
3. (1 sc, inc) x 3 (9)
4. (2 sc, inc) x 3 (12)
5. (3 sc, inc) x 3 (15)
6. (4 sc, inc) x 3 (18)

Fasten off, leaving a tail for sewing. Brush out the piece and trim it if needed.

Head

The stitch marker runs along the side.

1. 6 sc in MR
2. 6 inc (12)
3. (1 sc, inc) x 6 (18)
4. (2 sc, inc) x 6 (24)
5. (3 sc, inc) x 6 (30)
6. (4 sc, inc) x 6 (36)
7-12. 36 sc — 6 rounds
13. (1 sc, inc) x 3, 1 sc, 2 inc, inc (place an additional marker in the center of this increase), 2 inc, 1 sc, (inc, 1 sc) x 3, 16 sc, inc (48)
14. (7 sc, inc) x 6 (54)
15-18. 54 sc — 4 rounds
19. (7 sc, dec) x 6 (48)
20. (6 sc, dec) x 6 (42)
21. (5 sc, dec) x 6 (36)
22. 36 sc
23. (4 sc, dec) x 6 (30)
24. (3 sc, dec) x 6 (24)
Stuff firmly, paying special attention to the cheeks. The back of the head should also be firmly stuffed. You can gently stretch the cheeks as you stuff, making sure they remain symmetrical.
25. (2 sc, dec) x 6 (18)
26. (1 sc, dec) x 6 (12)

Add more fiberfill, filling every gap firmly. Continue decreasing until the opening is closed. Fasten off, leaving a tail for sewing. Brush out the piece. Position the ears and pin them where you like them best. Gently pull the back of each ear backward to give it volume, then sew the ears to the head.

Muzzle

Do not track the stitch marker.

1. 6 sc in MR
2. 6 inc (12)
3. 12 inc (24)
4. 24 inc (48)
5. 48 sc; do not cut the yarn yet.

Place the muzzle squarely in the center of the head, starting at the additional marker. It should extend exactly from the marker at the top to the end of the head, where you left the tail for sewing the head in place. If the muzzle is a little too small, work one more round of 48 sc. If it fits, fasten off and cut the yarn, brush out the piece, and pin it to the head from the additional marker down to the yarn tail at the end of the head. I recommend pinning it all the way around and stretching it just slightly over the cheeks. Make sure it is attached evenly, without overlaps or shifting, and that it is centered and symmetrical. Use the photo as a guide. Once you are happy with the placement, sew it on. I used Iris thread for a neater finish.

Shaping the head

You can do this either before or after sewing on the head. I did it before attaching the head on the Koala version and after attaching it on the Mink version.

Nose

Mark the center at the top of the white muzzle, where the additional marker was placed. Move 1 sc down and needle-felt a small piece of wool into a round or oval shape to form the nose. I started with a size 38 needle and then lightly smoothed it with a finishing needle. I shaded it with oil pastels. You can use a ready-made nose or crochet one, whichever you prefer. Directly below the nose, mark the center with a pin. Move down about 4-5 sc, trim the fibers along the path of the future mouth with sharp scissors, and embroider the mouth. Shade the upper area just above the white muzzle with pastels. Draw a brown pastel line along the entire top edge, curving the ends slightly downward. Shade the forehead as well by drawing a line down the center from the top of the white muzzle to the top of the head. Blend it using your preferred method, taking care not to touch the white area. I used a soft toothbrush. Do not overdo it: start with a narrow, light line and gradually build up the color if needed.

You can also shade the inside of the ears. Choose soft pastels that blend easily. I used Mungyo pastels. When shading Mink yarn, keep in mind that its fibers are fairly long. If you apply too much pigment, the fibers will become greasy and look messy.

Body

The stitch marker runs along the side.

1. 6 sc in MR
2. 6 inc (12)
3. (1 sc, inc) x 6 (18)
4. (2 sc, inc) x 6 (24)
5. 24 sc
6. (3 sc, inc) x 6 (30)
7. (4 sc, inc) x 6 (36)
8. (1 sc, inc) x 6, 24 sc (42)
9-14. 42 sc — 6 rounds
15. (5 sc, dec) x 6 (36)
16. 36 sc
17. (4 sc, dec) x 6 (30)
18. 30 sc
19. (3 sc, dec) x 6 (24)
Stuff firmly with fiberfill.
20. (2 sc, dec) x 6 (18)
21. (1 sc, dec) x 6 (12)

Add more fiberfill, filling every gap firmly. Continue decreasing until the opening is closed. Fasten off and cut the yarn.

Front legs (make 2)

Do not track the stitch marker.

1. Ch 4, starting in the second ch from the hook: inc, 1 sc, 3 sc in the last ch; continue along the other side of the chain without turning: 1 sc, inc (9)
2. 3 sc, inc, 4 sc, inc (11)
3. 5 sc, inc, 4 sc, inc (13)
4. 13 sc
5. 13 sc
6. 5 sc, dec, 4 sc, dec (11)
Lightly stuff the bottom of the leg, leaving the top unstuffed.
7-14. 11 sc — 8 rounds
15. Dec to the end of the round.

Fasten off, leaving a tail for sewing. Brush out the piece and trim the bottom if using Mink yarn.

Hind legs (make 2)

The stitch marker runs straight down the center back. Remember to include the sl st.

1. Ch 8, starting in the second ch from the hook: inc, 5 sc, 3 sc in the last ch; continue along the other side of the chain without turning: inc, 4 sc, inc (18)
2. 8 sc, inc, sc, inc, 7 sc (20)
3. 20 sc + sl st
4. 8 sc, dec, sc, dec, 7 sc (18)
5. 7 sc, 2 dec, 7 sc — 16 + sl st
6. 5 sc, 3 dec, 5 sc (13)
7. 13 sc
8. 13 sc
9. 5 sc, 3 inc, 5 sc (16)
10. 16 sc
Stuff the leg very firmly at the bottom without stretching it, and very lightly at the top.
11. Dec to the end of the round.

Fasten off, leaving a tail for sewing. Brush out the piece and trim the bottom if using Mink yarn.

Tail

1. Ch 2, 3 sc in the second ch from the hook
2. 3 inc (6)
3. (1 sc, inc) x 3 (9)
4. (2 sc, inc) x 3 (12)
5. (3 sc, inc) x 3 (15)
6-11. 15 sc

You can make the tail longer or shorter if you prefer. Stuff it very lightly, or leave it unstuffed. Continue decreasing until the opening is closed. Brush it out and sew it to the body last.

Assembling the toy

• Pin the head to the body as shown in the photo, at a slight angle rather than directly in the center of the head's final round. The body should begin beneath the white muzzle. Sew it in place.
• Position the hind legs so the cat has a slight belly, shifting them a little toward the back. Attach them with thread joints, then add a few extra stitches lower down so the legs do not splay out to the sides.
• Position the front legs to frame the belly and sew them in place. Glue on appropriately sized eyes and embroider the eyebrows.
• Add any decorations you like. Your cat is finished!
• Happy crocheting!