One of my favorite things to work on is plushies and toys, especially in the summer. It’s nice to have a project that doesn’t sit against your skin when it’s already warm and these plushies are too cute not to make! This week, I’m guest posting over on Underground Crafter to show you how to make a hippo lovely, complete with an adorable amigurumi hippo head and soft and snuggly blanket. I’ll tell you more about that in just a minute, but I’m also sharing how to create the full pattern for Holly the Hippo!
I found the perfect yarn for this amigurumi hippo. It’s a mix of blue and pink and purple, and I think it works really well with a hippo’s skin without using a simple gray. It’s I Love This Yarn in the color Pastels. I came up with the idea of making this hippo while I was thinking about the last time my family went to the zoo to see the lights at Christmas. They were playing the song “I Want a Hippopotamus For Christmas” and for WEEKS afterward, that song was in everyone’s head. So with Christmas in July and zoos filled up for summer, I thought Holly the Hippo needed to happen!
The full free pattern is written out below. For those who’d prefer to print the pattern and take it with you for on-the-go and to markup as you go, you can buy the inexpensive printable PDF from my Etsy and Ravelry shops. The PDF is formatted without ads or comments, so it’s easy to read.
Materials:
- 3.25mm crochet hook
- 4.00mm crochet hook
- #4 worsted weight yarn – I used I Love This Yarn in Pastels and Caron Simply Soft in Blackberry
- polyfill stuffing
- 10mm safety eyes
- tapestry needle
Abbreviations:
- ch – chain
- SC – single crochet
- DC – double crochet
- sl – slip stitch
- BLO – back loop only
Pattern Notes:
- Skill level: Beginner
- Sizing: 9″ tall
- Gauge: 6S x 5R per inch
Holly the Amigurumi Hippo Pattern
Head
Round 1: With your main color of yarn, create a magic loop and work 6 SC into in. Pull the loop closed and use a stitch marker to mark the first space. You’ll be working in continuous rounds for the entire pattern.
Round 2: Inc in each space by working 2 SC into each (12).
Round 3: *SC, inc* around (18).
Round 4: *SC 2, inc* around (24).
Round 5: *SC 3, inc* around (30).
Round 6: *SC 4, inc* around (36).
Round 7: *SC 5, inc* around (42).
Rounds 8-16: SC around for 9 rounds.
Insert the eyes on the 6th round from the last increase round and about 4 stitches apart. You can play around with the placement, but once you’re happy with it, secure the backings. Start to add in the stuffing now.
Round 17: *SC 5, dec* around (36).
Round 18: *SC 4, dec* around (30).
Round 19: *SC 3, dec* around (24).
Round 20: *SC 2, dec* around (18). Finish adding stuffing.
Round 21: *SC, dec* around (12).
Round 22: Decrease around (6). Then cut the yarn and thread tail through a tapestry needle. Run the needle under the front loops of each stitch and secure the yarn. Weave in the end.
Snout
Round 1: With your main color of yarn, create a magic loop and work 6 SC into in. Pull the loop closed and use a stitch marker to mark the first space.
Round 2: Inc in each space by working 2 SC into each (12).
Round 3: *SC, inc* around (18).
Round 4: *SC 2, inc* around (24).
Round 5: *SC 3, inc* around (30).
Rounds 6-10: SC around for 4 rounds.
Round 11: *SC 3, dec* around (24).
Round 12: *SC 2, dec* around (18). Add a small amount of stuffing and BO leaving a long tail for sewing the snout onto the face.
Ears (make 2)
Round 1: With your main color of yarn, create a magic loop and work 6 SC into in.
Round 2: Inc in each space by working 2 SC into each (12). BO leaving a long tail.
Body
Round 1: With your main color of yarn, create a magic loop and work 6 SC into in. Pull the loop closed and use a stitch marker to mark the first space.
Round 2: Inc in each space by working 2 SC into each (12).
Round 3: *SC, inc* around (18).
Round 4: *SC 2, inc* around (24).
Round 5: *SC 3, inc* around (30).
Round 6: *SC 4, inc* around (36).
Round 7: *SC 5, inc* around (42).
Round 8: *SC 6, inc* around (48).
Rounds 9-17: SC around for 9 rounds. Start to add stuffing to the body now.
Round 18: *SC 6, dec* around (42).
Round 19: SC around.
Round 20: *SC 5, dec* around (36).
Round 21: SC around.
Round 22: *SC 4, dec* around (30).
Round 23: SC around.
Round 24: *SC 3, dec* around (24).
Round 25: SC around.
Round 26: *SC 2, dec* around (18).
Round 27: SC around. Finish stuffing.
Round 28: *SC, dec* around (12). BO and leave a long tail for sewing the head onto the body.
Legs (Make 2)
Round 1: With your main color of yarn, create a magic loop and work 6 SC into in. Pull the loop closed and use a stitch marker to mark the first space.
Round 2: Inc in each space by working 2 SC into each (12).
Round 3: *SC, inc* around (18).
Round 4: *SC 2, inc* around (24).
Round 5: SC through BLO for 1 round.
Rounds 6-19: SC around for 14 rounds.
Round 20: *SC 2, dec* around (18).
Round 21: SC around for 1 round and BO leaving a long tail. Lightly stuff each leg with polyfill.
Arms (Make 2)
Round 1: With your main color of yarn, create a magic loop and work 6 SC into in. Pull the loop closed and use a stitch marker to mark the first space.
Round 2: Inc in each space by working 2 SC into each (12).
Round 3: *SC, inc* around (18).
Round 4: SC through BLO for 1 round.
Rounds 5-17: SC around for 13 rounds. BO leaving a long tail. Lightly stuff each arm with polyfill.
Tail
Round 1: With your main color of yarn, create a magic loop and work 6 SC into in.
Round 2: Inc in each space by working 2 SC into each (12). BO leaving a long tail.
Rounds 3-5: SC around for 3 rounds. BO.
Tutu
For the tutu, I couldn’t decide whether I wanted it built into the body of my amigurumi hippo or as a removable garment. So I made it separately and figured I could stitch it in place if I changed my mind later on.
Round 1: With your second color of yarn and a 4.00mm crochet hook, chain 40. Slip stitch to the first space to form a ring.
Round 2: Chain 2, and work 2 HDC into the first space. Work 3 HDC into each after that. When you get to end of the round, slip stitch to the top of the chain and BO.
Assembly
Now that all the pieces of the amigurumi hippo are made, all that’s left is to assemble it all together! Start by positioning the snout just below the eyes and using the tail yarn and a tapestry needle to sew it into place. Then bring the remaining yarn through the snout to embroider a few straight stitched as the nostrils. Fasten off and weave the tail into the snout to hide the end.
Fold the ears in half and position them onto the head. Use the tail yarn and a few simple stitches going through the ear and 2 spaces on the head to sew it into place.
Next, align the legs to the body and use the tails to sew them into place going through both layers of the leg and a corresponding space on the body. Now you can dress your amigurumi hippo in the tutu and stitch it into place if you want to. Just loosely tack down a few spaces around the tutu to hold it to the body. Then attach the arms the same ways as the body.
Finally, use the tail yarn from the body to attach the head. It helps to pin it in place so it doesn’t move around. Simply go through each stitch on the body and a corresponding space on the head. Then secure the yarn, trim the excess and weave in any loose ends.
And you’re done!
Related: Peter the Piglet Free Crochet Pattern
I loved making Holly the Hippo and I think she’s ready to dance with her new tutu. I also have a pattern for a crochet hippo lovey available over on Underground Crafter so be sure to check that out! I shared an effective way to attach the plush part of a lovey to the blanket that keeps it from getting loose or wobbly that I think you’ll like. Plus, there are a ton of great patterns there and I’m so excited to be included as a guest poster.
Related: Amigurumi Hippo Lovey Pattern on Underground Crafter
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Ann Morrison
Wednesday 18th of August 2021
I love the blue hippo
Michelle
Friday 2nd of August 2019
Adorable!