Hello friends! Today, I have a pattern for you that is a combination of some of my favorite things. Loveys have quickly become some of my favorite things to make, and this penguin lovey pattern is a great introduction to making amigurumi without the commitment. It’s simple and fun, new and a little traditional, and I think this is a pattern that you’re going to love. So, let’s get into it!
Loveys are great little gifts for babies. They’re small enough for little ones to hold onto and carry around, and they’re a great mix of toys and blankets. Things like this penguin lovey pattern don’t take very long to make either which make it perfect for that last-minute present! I made loveys in all different designs for my craft fair this year and they were always a hit with parents looking for something unique.
This penguin lovey pattern is made all in one piece, with the exception of the nose that’s added on at the end. To make sure this is a very secure toy, I wanted the head and the blanket part to be continuous – there’s no chance of it coming apart if it’s one piece! To show you how I start the blanket portion, I’ll have pictures of another hippo lovey I made since it’s a little hard to see with the black yarn here.
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 / D hook*
- 4.00mm crochet hook
- #4 medium weight yarn – I used Yarn Bee Soft Secret in Black, White, and Hot Orange
- stitch markers*
- tapestry needle*
- 8mm safety eyes*
- Polyfill stuffing*
Abbreviations:
- ch – chain
- SC – single crochet
- DC – double crochet
- sl – slip stitch
Pattern Notes:
- Skill level: Intermediate – some amigurumi experience is helpful but not necessary
- Sizing: 12 x 12 inches square
- Gauge: 1 inch = 2 blocks in blanket
Penguin Lovey Pattern: Free Crochet Baby Blanket Pattern
Head:
Round 1: With yarn in Black, create a magic loop and work 6 SC into it. Place a stitch marker.
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 8-11: SC around for 4 rounds.
Round 12: SC 1 in black, 3 in white, 8 in black, 3 in white, and the rest in black.
Round 13: SC 5 in white, 6 in black, 5 in white, and the rest in black.
Round 14: SC 6 in white, 4 in black, 6 in white, and the rest in black.
Round 15: SC 1 in black, 6 in white, 2 in black, 6 in white, and the rest in black.
Rounds 16-18: SC 15 in white, and the rest in black. Insert safety eyes about 6 stitches apart between rounds 15 and 16. You can see from mine that I have 2 white stitches, 2 black and 2 white between the eyes. Secure the backings once you’re happy with the placement.
For the decrease round, use white over the white stitches and black over the black stitches. As you decrease, you’ll see the white section get smaller towards the bottom of the face.
Round 19: *SC 5, dec* around (36).
Round 20: *SC 4, dec* around (30).
Round 21: *SC 3, dec* around (24).
Round 22: *SC 2, dec* around (18). Finish adding stuffing.
Round 23: *SC, dec* around (12).
Round 24: Decrease around (6). Do NOT cut the yarn. Now, we’ll make the blanket part of this penguin lovey pattern.
Crochet Baby Blanket
Work the blanket from the bottom of the head to keep it all in one piece. This is going to be a basic granny square pattern that’s anchored at the base of the head.
Switch to larger hook and ch 2.
Round 1: DC twice by going through the opening of the bottom of the head and catching the space on the opposite side. This is to bring the sides together and close the hole. *Ch 2, DC 3 through the next space and the space across it*, twice. Ch 2, and work 3 DC into a space on the head, ch 2 and then slip stitch to the top of the ch 2 that started the round. You’ll have 3 blocks around the 6 stitches from the opening and 1 block just anchored to a stitch.
Round 2: Ch 2 and turn. DC 2 into the next ch-2 space, ch 2, DC 3. *Ch 2, DC 3 into the next ch-2 space, ch 2, DC 3.* Repeat around and then slip stitch to the beginning of the round. (8 blocks)
These next 3 pictures are of the hippo but it’s done the exact same way!
Round 3: Ch 2 and turn. *DC 3 into the ch-2 space. Ch 2, and into the corner space: DC 3, ch 2, DC 3.* Repeat around and then slip stitch to the beginning of the round. (12)
Round 4: Ch 2 and turn. *DC 3 into the next 2 ch-2 space. Ch 2, and into the corner space: DC 3, ch 2, DC 3.* Repeat around and then slip stitch to the beginning of the round. (16)
Round 5: Ch 2 and turn. *DC 3 into the next 3 ch-2 space. Ch 2, and into the corner space: DC 3, ch 2, DC 3.* Repeat around and then slip stitch to the beginning of the round. (20)
Round 6: Ch 2 and turn. *DC 3 into the next 4 ch-2 space. Ch 2, and into the corner space: DC 3, ch 2, DC 3.* Repeat around and then slip stitch to the beginning of the round. (24)
Round 7: Ch 2 and turn. *DC 3 into the next 5 ch-2 space. Ch 2, and into the corner space: DC 3, ch 2, DC 3.* Repeat around and then slip stitch to the beginning of the round. (28)
Round 8: Ch 2 and turn. *DC 3 into the next 5 ch-2 space. Ch 2, and into the corner space: DC 3, ch 2, DC 3.* Repeat around and then slip stitch to the beginning of the round. (32)
Round 9: Ch 2 and turn. *DC 3 into the next 6 ch-2 space. Ch 2, and into the corner space: DC 3, ch 2, DC 3.* Repeat around and then slip stitch to the beginning of the round. (36)
Round 10: Ch 2 and turn. *DC 3 into the next 7 ch-2 space. Ch 2, and into the corner space: DC 3, ch 2, DC 3.* Repeat around and then slip stitch to the beginning of the round. (40)
Round 11: Switch to white yarn. Ch 2 and turn. *DC 3 into the next 8 ch-2 space. Ch 2, and into the corner space: DC 3, ch 2, DC 3.* Repeat around and then slip stitch to the beginning of the round. (44)
Round 12: Switch to black yarn. Ch 2 and turn. *DC 3 into the next 9 ch-2 space. Ch 2, and into the corner space: DC 3, ch 2, DC 3.* Repeat around and then slip stitch to the beginning of the round. (48)
Round 13: Switch to the orange yarn for the border. Ch 2 and turn. DC 4 into the middle DC of the block, then SC into the next ch-2 space. DC 5 into the middle of the next block, and SC into the next ch-2 space. Work from * around and bind off at the end of the round. And then use an invisible bind off for a clean finish.
Nose:
Round 1: With the orange yarn, chain 4. Work 2 SC into the second space from the hook, SC 1, then SC 3 into the last space. Now turn the work so you’re working into the back loops, SC 1, then SC 1 into the first space worked. You should have 8 stitches in your oval now.
Rounds 2-3: SC around for 2 rounds. Then BO, leaving a long tail for sewing the nose onto the face.
Finish by weaving in the ends from the colors changes and you’re done! I love how this little penguin lovey pattern turned out and I think it would be a sweet little gift to have the lovey and full version on Penelope the Penguin as a set. The pattern for Penelope is below if you’d like to make her as well!
Related: Penelope the Penguin Plushie Crochet Pattern
If you liked this penguin lovey pattern, check out the others!
This lovey was so fun to make, and if you’re as obsessed with these as I am, be sure to check out some of the others! I think loveys make great gifts; they’re fun toys for kids to play with but also cute and snuggly little blankets when it’s time for a nap. Plus, they’re a lot faster to make than plushies or full baby blankets, so they work well for last-minute gifts too!
Related: Elephant Lovey Free Crochet Pattern
Related: Willow the Bunny Lovey Pattern
Related: Hippo Lovey Crochet Baby Blanket Pattern
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Lori Booth
Monday 18th of January 2021
Hi, I got the head done, but I’m having trouble starting the blanket. Are the double crochets going into the same stitch?
Shehla Ahmed
Tuesday 19th of January 2021
The DCs for the first round of the blanket are going into the same space, but they go through the space, across the hole and through the other side to pinch the hole at the bottom of the head closed. You treat it as one stitch though and work your stitches into it.