I’ve been working on a series of posts about ways to use leftover worsted weight yarn, and it seems to me that knit amigurumi is a great place to start. Not only is knitting little animals (or other things, but we’re focusing on animals here) lots of fun, they usually only use a little bit of yarn so they’re great for stash busting. And if you choose an animal that has clothes you can use even more yarn knitting up a whole wardrobe!
Honestly you can probably find an amigurumi knitting pattern for just about any kind of animal you would like to make (though not necessarily using worsted weight yarn). I tried to find a range of critters just to show you what’s out there, plus highlighting some designers who have a great range of projects.
Of course a little knit teddy bear is a classic, and this one from Tiny Happy Knits on Etsy uses worsted weight yarn and is super cute. It’s worked in pieces in the round and sewn together.
How about knit birds? The Bluebird of Happiness by Sarah Elizabeth Kellner (available on Ravelry) is super cute, quick and easy to knit. It would make a great holiday ornament or addition to a gift. It uses betweeen 20 and 30 yards of yarn (18-27 meters) and is a free download. This designer has tons of cute animal patterns, and has also published books of knit amigurumi animals.
Alexandria Wenninger also has a lovely knit cardinal on Ravelry, which uses about 34 yards/31 meters of yarn. It has a bit of textured knitting on the body, which is presented in a chart in the pattern, but it’s not too difficult and provides an interesting detail to the pattern.
Everyone could use an emotional support chicken, right? This one from Annette Corsino on Ravelry is worked in garter stitch with some short row shaping and stripes for added cuteness. You could also double up your yarn to make a bigger chicken if you need more support. There’s a video tutorial with this one if you need help.
Julie Williams, aka Little Cotton Rabbits, has a bunch of adorable animal knitting patterns with even cuter clothing options. Picking almost at random from her Ravelry page I grabbed the Bunny in a Dotty Dress pattern to share, but you can find teddy bears, horses, dogs and much more. The animal patterns come with close and you can also purchase additional garment patterns and accessories separately.
Speaking of bunnies, I also love this Roly Poly Bunny from Kimberly Kalnoki, via Knit Picks. Despite being pretty small this pattern is packed with details and techniques, including knitting in the round, shaping, adding the paws like an afterthought thumb, and double knitting for the ears.
Susan B. Anderson does a lot of cute animal patterns, too, and I wanted to share her Good Frog, which is part of a series that includes a bear and bunny (here’s the link to the frog on Ravelry). In addition to that set she has baby dolls, cats, gnomes and much more, and they’re all so sweet I don’t know how you’d choose what to make first.
And finally I couldn’t resist sharing these Bunimals from Ravelry. Made by Barbara Prime, they use the same basic shape and little details to make a cat, frog, bunny, mouse and bird. These would be so cute to tuck into a Christmas stocking or Easter basket!
