Free Crochet Little Cow Pattern For Beginners

This Crochet Little Cow Pattern creates a delightful, sitting amigurumi cow, a perfect decorative piece for autumn and Thanksgiving festivities. Its compact size allows it to fit cozily on desks or shelves. This crochet project is relatively quick to do but emphasizes skillful detailing to give the cow its charming character, evoking a professional, doll-like quality that is sure to be adored.

While accessible to those with basic skills, attention to detail is recommended by the designer to achieve the best finish. This post is all about guiding you from scratch crocheting a smiling cow with the links to guides for each stitch and techniques used. Since, aside from sprucing up seasonal decor, the Little Cow makes for an endearing handmade gift.

Design and pattern by @lucy_rose_toys

Materials and tools

This is a list of the material suggestions by the designer of this crochet cow pattern to get a similar toy. All these recommendations are good enough that you would regret it.

Yarn of 3 colors of your choice. The designer used Drops Nord and Drops Alpaca (brown cow) YarnArt Jeans (blue cow), and Drops Lima (yellow cow). The designer also recommends 100% cotton such as Drops Safran.
Crochet hook according to your yarn, The designer used 1.5 mm and 1.75 mm.
Yarn needle, sewing needle.
A small amount of white cotton yarn for eyes (for example. Drops Safran, YarnArt Ideal).
Toy eyes size 5 mm, sewing thread of black color to sew the eyes.
Polyester fiberfill.
A piece of velcro tape if you use a fluffy yarn.

Abbreviations

This list tells you the meaning for each of the abbreviations used in this crochet pattern if you are new to crochet:

MR– magic ring
ch – chain stitch
st(s) stitch(es)
slst – slip stitch
sc– single crochet
inc– increase (2 sc in the same st)
dec – decrease (crochet 2 st together)
BLO back loops only
(…) x n repeat the instructions in the brackets n times
(n) amount of sts in the row –
rnd(s) round(s)
Work in continuos rounds unless otherwise instructed.

How to Crochet Little Cow Amigurumi

Crochet cow amigurumi has a unique charm that makes them incredibly delightful. Their appeal lies in their whimsical and charming design, often capturing the gentle and serene essence of real cows but in a much more approachable and cuddly form. If you are ready to tackle, here is a free crochet little cow amigurumi pattern that you can follow easily if you have even the basic knowledge of amigurumi:

Ears (make two)

1 rnd: 6 sc in MR
2 rnd: 6 inc (12)
3 rnd: (1 inc, 1 sc) x 6 (18)
Fasten off leaving a long tail for sewing. Fold the details, and join the sides with some stitches. See picture below.

Horns (make two)

1 rnd: 4 sc in MR
2 rnd: 1 inc, 3 sc (5)
3 rnd: 5 sc
4 rnd: 1 inc, 4 sc (6)

Fasten off leaving a long tail for sewing.

Muzzle

1 rnd: 6 ch, start in the second chain from the hook: 1 inc, 3 sc. 3 sc in the last chain, turn 4 sc on the other side of the chain (12) Now crochet in a spiral.
2 rnd: 2 inc, 3 sc. 3 inc, 3 sc. 1 inc (18)
3 rnd: BLO 18 sc
4 rnd: 18 sc. slst
Fasten off leaving a long tail for sewing.

Tail

Leave a long tail of yarn in the beginning for sewing. Ch 10, fasten off, and cut the yarn leaving a piece of thread about 1 cm long (to form a tail tassel).

Arms (make two)

Start with color of the hooves.
1 rnd: 6 sc in MR
2 rnd: 6 sc
Change for colour of the arms.
3-9 rnds: 6 sc
Don’t stuff the arms.
Fold the detail and crochet 3 sc joining both sides together. Fasten off, cut the yarn leaving a long tail for sewing.

Legs (make two)

Start with colour of the hooves.
1 rnd: 6 sc in MR
2 rnd: (1 inc., 2 sc) x 2 (8)
3 rnd: 8 sc
Change for colour of the legs.
4-13 rnds: 8 sc
I usually don’t stuff the legs. I put inside a piece of pipe cleaner (chenille wire). In such case, you need to bend the ends and secure them with some plaster. Or you may slightly stuff only half of the legs. Fold the detail and crochet 4 sc joining both sides together. Fasten off, and cut the yarn leaving a long tail for sewing.

Body

1 rnd: 9 ch, start in the second chain from the hook: 1 inc, 6 sc. 3 sc in the last st, turn and continue on the other side o the chain. 7 sc (18)
Continue crocheting in spiral
2 rnd: 18 sc
3 rnd: 2 inc, 6 sc, 3 inc, 6 sc. 1 inc (24)
4 rnd: (1 sc, 1 inc) x2, 6 sc. (1 sc, 1 inc) x3. 7 sc, 1 inc (30)
5 rnd: 30 sc
6 rnd: (2 sc. 1 inc) x2, 6 sc, (2 sc. 1 inc) x3, 8 sc. 1 inc (36)
7-8 rnds: 36 sc
9 rnd: (3 sc, 1 inc) x2, 6 sc, (3 sc. 1 inc) x3, 9 sc. 1 inc (42)
10-11 rnds: 42 SC
12 rnd: 4 sc, 1 inc, 20 sc, 1 inc, 16 sc (44)13 rnd. 44 sc
14 rnd: 5 sc, 1 inc, 21 sc. 1 inc, 16 sc (46)
15 rnd. 46 sc
16 rnd: 6 sc. 1 inc, 22 sc, 1 inc, 16 sc (48)
17 rnd: 48 sc
18 rnd: 7 sc. 1 inc, 23 sc, 1 inc, 16 sc (50)
19-21 rnds: 50 sc
22 rnd: 7 sc, 1 dec, 23 sc, 1 dec, 16 sc (48)
23-24 rnds: 48 sc
25 rnd: 7 sc. 1 dec, 22 SC, 1 dec, 15 sc (46)
26 rnd: 46 sc
27 rnd: 2 sc, (1 dec, 3 sc) x3, 8 sc, (1 dec. 3 sc) x3, 6 sc (40)
28-29 rnds: 40 SC
30 rnd: (3 sc, 1 dec) x8 (32)
31 rnd: (2 sc, 1 dec) x8 (24)
32 rnd: (1 sc, 1 dec) x8 (16)
Stuff the body tightly, but it must not be too round (see the photo below).
33 rnd: 8 dec (8)
Add some fiberfill if you need to.
Cut the yarn leaving a long tail. Close the remaining hole using a yarn needle: weave in the yarn through the front loops of all 8 stitches and pull tightly. Hide the remaining yarn tail inside the detail

Assembling

First, sew on the horns. Sew the ears on rows 4-5. Sew the muzzle below round 8 (rows 9-13). Stuff it while sewing it on. The arms are sewn on rows 15-16. Sew the legs on both sides on rows 26-28. Sew the tail to the back bottom. Embroider the nostrils (I use the same color of yarn as for the hooves). Sew the eyes between rows 8 and 9. on both sides of the muzzle. The distance between the eyes is 6 stitches. Embroider the whites of the eyes.

If you crocheted with some fluffy yarn, use the velcro tape to comb the toy and make it fluffier. You may add some shadows around the eyes, on the nostrils, and inside the ears using some dry pastel. The size of the finished toys is made of Drops Alpaca 7 cm (2.8 inches), YarnArt Jeans or Drops Safran – 9 cm (3.5 inches), Drops Lima 9.5 cm (3.7 inches). Your Little Cow is ready!