Free Capybara Amigurumi Crochet Pattern - Ollie + Holly | Amigurumi Crochet Patterns (2024)

Meet Sandy the Capybara! She’s an adorable little capybara who enjoys taking hot yuzu baths. For a long time, I didn’t really understand the hype of capybaras. But my stance on them changed last summer, when we visited San Diego Zoo and were lucky enough to see the baby capybaras just FOUR days after they were born. I was instantly smitten.

In Japan, the capybaras in Izu are famous for hanging out in the open air yuzu onsen. Sandy, like the capybaras there, loves taking hot baths in onsens. She’s also an expert in balancing yuzu on her head.

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Yarn I Used

I used Paintbox Yarns Cotton Aran for this crochet amigurumi plushie, but you can use any yarn as long as you correspond your hook to the weight of your yarn. You can also easily size up/down by using thicker/thinner yarn, just make sure to change the size of your hook accordingly.

I used 4g Coffee Bean, 23g Soft Fudge, a little bit of Daffodil Yellow and Lime Green. Please keep in mind that the exact amount of yarn you use will depend on your personal tension and the type of stitch you use, I’m merely providing the amount I use to give you a better idea of how much you might need. Each skein is 50g.

Gauge

5 Round Circle = 1.5” with a 2.75mm (C) hook

Note: I am working with the x-stitch (yarn under/yarn over single crochet). If you are working a standard sc, go down a hook size.

Gauge isn’t super important for amigurumi, but I included it just in case you want to check your gauge. Being a little off should not affect the final product too much. You can learn more about how to measure gauge for amigurumi here!

Free Capybara Plushie Stuffed Animal Crochet Amigurumi Pattern

The difficulty level of this pattern is Confident Beginner and this pattern is written in US crochet terminology. All the photos in this pattern are worked right-handed.

If you have any questions, you can also reach out to me for help. I will respond quickest through DMs on Instagram, but you can also just fill out a contact form here.

The finished Capybara (with the yuzu on the head) measures to be roughly 3.5 in (8.5 cm) tall.

Please do not reprint, sell or claim the pattern as your own. If you wish to share this pattern, you may link to the free pattern on the blog. Please do not copy and post the pattern onto your site.

TERMINOLOGY

st(s): stitch(es)
ch: chain
sl st: slip stitch
sc: single crochet
inc: two single crochet in one stitch
dec: invisible decrease- single crochet two stitches together through the front loops only
BLO: crochet only in the back loops (loop away from you) of each stitch
(…) x #: repeat anything in the parenthesis however many times the number indicates
[#]: total number of stitches for that row
#sc/inc: one sc/inc in the following # stitches
sc#: sc # of times indicated in the same stitch – note that sc3 (3 sc in one st) and 3sc (one sc into each of the next 3 sts) are not the same.
(x, y) in the next st: work everything in the parenthesis into the same st

THINGS YOU NEED

• Paintbox Yarns Cotton Aran or other Aran weight yarn (#4, or 10-ply) yarn – I used 4g Coffee Bean, 23g Soft Fudge, a little bit of Daffodil Yellow and Lime Green.
• 2.75mm Crochet Hook – Adjust the hook size according to your own tension
• Scissors
• Darning Needle
• Locking Stitch Markers
• Sewing Pins (to help with sewing)
• Polyfil Stuffing or Scrap Yarn
• DMC 6-Strand Embroidery Floss – Black & Pink
• Embroidery Needle
• Optional:
• Super Glue– I use Gorilla Super Glue Gel
• Strong Magnets
• White Felt

Notes & Guides

This pattern is worked in continuous rounds unless otherwise stated. Mark the first stitch of the round with a stitch marker to help keep track of where the beginning of the round is.

Seamless Join in the Round – Cut your yarn tail, fasten off, and thread your yarn tail onto a darning needle. Locate the 2^nd st of the round, insert your needle under that stitch and pull through. Insert your needle into the centre of the final st of the round and out the back. Weave the tail into the back of the work. Doing so creates a false stitch on top of the first stitch of the round.

Working into a Chain – When looking at your chain, you’ll notice that the front of the chain looks like a string of v’s stacked on top of each other. And when you flip it over, you’ll see that there are little bumps behind each chain.

When working into a chain, I like to start in the back bumps of the chain instead of going through the chain itself. Do so by inserting your hook into the bump and working your st as usual.

If you are working around the chain, you’ll start off by working into the back bumps first, then when you reach the end, continue along the front of the chain (the neatly stacked v’s), making sure to go under both loops of the v.

This method creates a cleaner edge when working flat. And when working around the chain, the centre of the piece will look a little less gappy. You are free to use your preferred method.

Closing the Hole – To close the hole, fasten off and thread the yarn tail onto a darning needle. Insert the needle under the front loop of the next stitch and pull through. Repeat with the rest of the stitches, then pull on the tail to close the hole. Weave the tail into the centre of the hole to hide the tail.

Sewing – To make the stitches from sewing less bulky, split the tail for sewing into two bundles. Cotton/acrylic yarn is typically made up of multiple threads twisted together, so you’ll be able separate the threads by untwisting the yarn. Sew your piece onto the main piece using one of the bundles. Splitting the yarn into two bundles also allows you to leave a slightly shorter yarn tail.

Better Stripes with Amigurumi – To create more seamless looking stripes for amigurumi, change the final stitch of the round before your colour change into a slip stitch. Fasten off and work a seamless join in the round.

With a slip knot of the new colour on your hook, pick up a standing single crochet stitch in the false stitch created by the Seamless Join in the Round. Work the rest of the round as you normally would and repeat these steps when you have to change colours again.

Sewing Amigurumi Parts Together – Pin the loose part (the Ear in the photo example below, which I will be calling A) onto the base part (Head, B).

Thread the yarn tail from A onto a darning needle. *Insert the needle into B, immediately beneath the yarn tail and out the next space on B immediately below the next stitch of A. Pull through, then insert the needle through both loops of the next stitch of A. Repeat the steps starting from the *, going all the way around A. Thread the tail through B to hide the yarn tail.

HEAD/BODY

With Soft Fudge yarn.

1 6sc in magic circle [6]
2 6inc [12]
3 (sc, inc) x 6 [18]
4 sc, inc, (2sc, inc) x 5, sc [24]
5 (3sc, inc) x 6 [30]
6 sc in all sts [30]
7 (9sc, inc) x 3 [33]
8 5sc, inc, (10sc, inc) x 2, 5sc [36]

If you plan to use a magnet to attach the yuzu to the head, glue a magnet inside of the head using the super glue gel. Do your best to get the magnet as centered as you can get it.

9 17sc, 3inc, 16sc [39]
10 6sc, inc, (12sc, inc) x 2, 6sc [42]
11 sc in all sts [42]
12 inc, 19sc, dec, 20sc [42]
13-16 sc in all sts [42] *4 Rounds*
17 (13sc, inc) x 3 [45]
18 sc in all sts [45]
19 7sc, inc, (14sc, inc) x 2, 7sc [48]
20 sc in all sts [48]
21 (7sc, inc) x 6 [54]
22 sc in all sts [54]
23 (7sc, dec) x 6 [48]
24 2sc, dec, (4sc, dec) x 7, 2sc [40]

Start stuffing as you go.

25 (3sc, dec) x 8 [32]
26 sc, dec, (2sc, dec) x 7, sc [24]
27 (sc, dec) x 8 [16]
28 8dec [8]

Fasten off, stuff fully, close hole. Roll between your palms to shape the capybara’s body to look like the photo.

EARS

Make 2

With Coffee Bean yarn.

Working into a magic circle: 4sc [4]

Pull on the tail from the magic circle to close the circle, fasten off, and leave a tail for sewing.

SNOUT

With Coffee Bean yarn.

1 Ch 4, starting in 2^nd ch from hook: inc, sc, sc4, continue around the other side of the ch: sc, inc [10]
2 (sc, inc) x 2, 2sc, (inc, sc) x 2 [14]

Fasten off, leaving a long tail for sewing. Seamless join in the round. With Black embroidery floss, embroider the nose and mouth on the front of the snout.

LEGS

Make 2

Starting with Coffee Bean yarn.

1 6sc in magic circle [6]
2 (sc, inc) x 3 [9]

Switch to Soft Fudge yarn.

3-4 sc in all sts [9]
5 3sc, inc, sc, inc, 3sc [11]
6 4sc, inc, sc, inc, 4sc [13]
7 5sc, inc, sc, inc, 5sc [15]
8 sc in all sts [15]
9 sc, then fold the opening in half and crochet through both sides to close the opening (see left photo below): 7sc, do not stuff [7]

Fasten off and leave a tail for sewing.

ARMS

Make 2

Starting with Coffee Bean yarn.

1 6sc in magic circle [6]
2 (2sc, inc) x 2 [8]

Switch to Soft Fudge yarn.

3-6 sc in all sts [8] *4 Rounds*

Fold in half and crochet through both sides for the next rnd. Do not stuff.

7 3sc [3]

Fasten off and leave a long tail for sewing.

YUZU/ORANGE

With Daffodil Yellow yarn.

1 6sc in magic circle [6]
2 6inc [12]
3 sc in all sts [12]

Fasten off. If using a magnet, insert a magnet before you close the opening. If you are not using a magnet, stuff lightly, then close the opening by using the method for closing holes. With Lime Green yarn, sew a short line on the top of the yuzu.

FELT TOWEL

Cut a piece of white felt to be 1.125” x .75” (2.8cm x 2cm). If you are using a different weight of yarn than me, you will need to adjust the size of your felt accordingly. Using the super glue gel, glue a magnet to one side of the rectangle, then fold in half and glue the edges together.

CROCHETED TOWEL

Make 2

With Champagne White yarn.

1 Ch 6, start in the 2^nd ch from the hook: 5sc, turn [5]
2-3 sc in all sts, turn [5] Note: Do not ch 1 at the beginning of each row.

Fasten off, leave a tail for sewing.

Stack the two pieces and whip stitch the edges of the towel together with the tails. Make sure to insert the magnet between the two sides of the towel before completely closing off all the edges.

ASSEMBLY

• Pin the snout to the face, with the top of the snout starting at round 8 of the head, over the slight bump on the face. Sew it in place.

• Pin the ears to the top of the head, starting on round 3 of the head. Sew the ears down in place.
• Pin the arms and the legs at the same time to make sure the limbs are positioned properly, then sew them in place:
• The arms should be positioned to the front of the body, with the top of each arm sitting between rounds 14-16, with 5 sts between the two arms.
• The legs should be positioned to the side of the body, with the top of the legs starting at round 17 of the body. The legs should line up with the ears. Take note to also sew 3 stitches along the bottom of the leg to the body.

• With Black embroidery floss, embroider the eyes to either side of the snout, with the eyes sitting between rounds 7 & 8. The line should be around 2 sts wide.
• With pink embroidery floss or pink yarn, embroider a short line under each eye for the blush.
• If you did not use magnets for the yuzu/towel, you can glue or sew them to the top of the head.

Please leave me a comment down below (or contactme) if you have any questions about this pattern. I would also love to see your creation so don’t forget to tag me (@olliehollycrochet) on Instagram or use the #olliehollycrochet! Follow me on Instagram to get updates on new patterns and to see what I’m up to on a daily.

If you find any mistakes in the pattern, please contact me and let me know! My testers and I do my best to catch my mistakes, but we will still miss things here and there.Also, I will sometimes make mistakes while formatting the blog post.

You may sell products made from this pattern in small quantities but please clearly credit the design to me, Abby Sy of Ollie + Holly and provide a link to my blogwww.OllieHolly.com. Permission is NOT granted for mass production or factory manufacturing of any kind. Thank you for being respectful and for your understanding!

Please do not reprint, sell or claim the pattern as your own. If you wish to share this pattern, you may link to the shop or the free blog post. Please do not copy and post the pattern onto your site.