Little Sitting Fox

Beginner Amigurumi in DK Yarn

A small sitting fox worked entirely in single crochet from basic spheres, cylinders, and a cone. Separate white muzzle, belly, and inner ears keep color changes off the face, so this is a true first animal project.

Skill level: Beginner
Finished size: Approximately 5–5½ in (13–14 cm) tall sitting, including ears

Materials

Yarn — DK weight (Category 3); any smooth acrylic or cotton-blend DK

• MC (rust orange): 55 yd / 50 m (about 25 g)
• CC1 (white): 22 yd / 20 m (about 10 g)
• CC2 (black): 4 yd / 4 m (embroidery only)

Hook: US E-4 (3.5 mm), or a hook 1–2 sizes smaller than the yarn label so the fabric is dense

Notions

• 8 mm safety eyes (1 pair)
• Polyester fiberfill
• Yarn needle
• Stitch marker
• Straight pins
• Scissors

Optional: Pink embroidery floss or a dry pink crayon for cheeks

Safety note: Safety eyes are a choking hazard. For children under 3 years, embroider the eyes with CC2 instead of using plastic eyes.

Gauge

6 sc and 7 rnds = 1 in (2.5 cm) in sc worked in the round.

Gauge is not for fit, but the fabric must be tight enough that stuffing does not show. If your fabric is loose or holey, go down a hook size.

Abbreviations (US)

Pattern Notes

• Work in a continuous spiral unless a piece is written in rows. Do not join or chain at the start of rounds. Place a stitch marker in the first stitch of every round and move it up as you go.
• The right side is the outside of the spiral. Keep that side facing you.
• Stuff as instructed — firmly for head, body, and legs; lightly for muzzle and tail. Add stuffing before the opening is smaller than your finger.
• Leave long tails (about 12 in / 30 cm) on every piece that will be sewn.
• Pin every piece in place and check that the fox sits level before you sew.
• Read the whole pattern once before you begin.

Special Stitches

Magic ring (MR): Wrap yarn around a finger to form a ring, work the stated number of sc into the ring, then pull the tail to close. If you prefer, ch 2 and work the sc into the second chain from the hook, then sew the hole shut later.

Invisible decrease (dec): Insert hook under the FLO of the next st, then under the FLO of the following st (2 loops on hook plus the original loop = 3 loops). Yarn over and pull through the 2 front loops. Yarn over and pull through the remaining 2 loops. This sits flatter than a regular sc2tog.

Color change (tail only): On the last stitch of the old color, stop when 2 loops remain on the hook. Yarn over with the new color and pull through both loops. Drop the old color; weave in later.

Head (MC)

Worked in a spiral. Do not stuff until Rnd 14.

Rnd 1: 6 sc in MR. [6]
Rnd 2: Inc in each st around. [12] (6 increases → 6 + 6 = 12 ✓)
Rnd 3: (Sc, inc) 6 times. [18] (6 increases → 12 + 6 = 18 ✓)
Rnd 4: (2 sc, inc) 6 times. [24] (6 increases → 18 + 6 = 24 ✓)
Rnd 5: (3 sc, inc) 6 times. [30] (6 increases → 24 + 6 = 30 ✓)
Rnd 6: (4 sc, inc) 6 times. [36] (6 increases → 30 + 6 = 36 ✓)
Rnds 7–11: Sc in each st around. [36] (5 rounds even)
Rnd 12: (4 sc, dec) 6 times. [30] (6 decreases → 36 − 6 = 30 ✓)
Rnd 13: (3 sc, dec) 6 times. [24] (6 decreases → 30 − 6 = 24 ✓)
Rnd 14: (2 sc, dec) 6 times. [18] (6 decreases → 24 − 6 = 18 ✓)

Place eyes now: Insert 8 mm safety eyes between Rnds 8 and 9, 7 stitches apart, centered on the face. Press the washers on firmly from the inside. (If embroidering eyes instead, wait until assembly.)

Stuff the head firmly, pushing stuffing into a round ball. Add more as you close.

Rnd 15: (Sc, dec) 6 times. [12] (6 decreases → 18 − 6 = 12 ✓)
Rnd 16: Dec 6 times. [6] (6 decreases → 12 − 6 = 6 ✓)

FO, leaving a 12 in (30 cm) tail. Thread the tail through the front loops of the remaining 6 sts and pull to close the hole. Weave in the starting tail; keep the ending tail for sewing the head to the body.

Body (MC)

Worked in a spiral.

Rnd 1: 6 sc in MR. [6]
Rnd 2: Inc in each st around. [12] (6 increases → 6 + 6 = 12 ✓)
Rnd 3: (Sc, inc) 6 times. [18] (6 increases → 12 + 6 = 18 ✓)
Rnd 4: (2 sc, inc) 6 times. [24] (6 increases → 18 + 6 = 24 ✓)
Rnd 5: (3 sc, inc) 6 times. [30] (6 increases → 24 + 6 = 30 ✓)
Rnd 6: (4 sc, inc) 6 times. [36] (6 increases → 30 + 6 = 36 ✓)
Rnd 7: (5 sc, inc) 6 times. [42] (6 increases → 36 + 6 = 42 ✓)
Rnds 8–14: Sc in each st around. [42] (7 rounds even)
Rnd 15: (5 sc, dec) 6 times. [36] (6 decreases → 42 − 6 = 36 ✓)
Rnd 16: (4 sc, dec) 6 times. [30] (6 decreases → 36 − 6 = 30 ✓)
Rnd 17: (3 sc, dec) 6 times. [24] (6 decreases → 30 − 6 = 24 ✓)

Stuff the body firmly into an egg shape — slightly taller than it is wide. Keep stuffing as you close.

Rnd 18: (2 sc, dec) 6 times. [18] (6 decreases → 24 − 6 = 18 ✓)
Rnd 19: (Sc, dec) 6 times. [12] (6 decreases → 18 − 6 = 12 ✓)
Rnd 20: Dec 6 times. [6] (6 decreases → 12 − 6 = 6 ✓)

FO, close the hole as for the head, and weave in both tails. Rnds 1–7 are the top of the body (neck); Rnds 18–20 are the bottom.

Ears (MC — make 2)

Worked in a spiral. Do not stuff. Flatten when finished.

Rnd 1: 6 sc in MR. [6]
Rnd 2: (Sc, inc) 3 times. [9] (3 increases → 6 + 3 = 9 ✓)
Rnd 3: (2 sc, inc) 3 times. [12] (3 increases → 9 + 3 = 12 ✓)
Rnd 4: Sc in each st around. [12]
Rnd 5: (3 sc, inc) 3 times. [15] (3 increases → 12 + 3 = 15 ✓)
Rnd 6: Sc in each st around. [15]

FO, leaving a 10 in (25 cm) tail. Flatten each ear into a rounded triangle with the starting ring at the tip. The last round is the base that will be sewn to the head.

Inner Ears (CC1 — make 2)

Worked in rows. These are tiny white triangles sewn onto the front of each orange ear.

Ch 4.
Row 1: Sc in 2nd ch from hook and in each of next 2 ch. [3]
Row 2: Ch 1, turn, sc in first st, sc2tog. [2] (3 stitches reduced by 1 → 2 ✓)
Row 3: Ch 1, turn, sc2tog. [1]

FO, leaving an 8 in (20 cm) tail for sewing.

Muzzle (CC1)

Worked in a spiral.

Rnd 1: 6 sc in MR. [6]
Rnd 2: Inc in each st around. [12] (6 increases → 6 + 6 = 12 ✓)
Rnd 3: (Sc, inc) 6 times. [18] (6 increases → 12 + 6 = 18 ✓)
Rnds 4–5: Sc in each st around. [18] (2 rounds even)

FO, leaving a 12 in (30 cm) tail. Stuff lightly so the muzzle is a shallow dome, not a full ball.

Belly Patch (CC1)

Worked in a spiral around a foundation chain to make a small oval.

Ch 8.
Rnd 1: Sc in 2nd ch from hook, sc in next 5 ch, 3 sc in last ch; working along the opposite side of the foundation chain, sc in next 5 ch, 2 sc in the same chain as the first sc of this round. [16] (1 + 5 + 3 + 5 + 2 = 16 ✓)
Rnd 2: Inc in first st, 5 sc, inc in each of next 3 sts, 5 sc, inc in each of last 2 sts. [22] (1 + 5 + 3 + 5 + 2 = 16 sts used; 2 + 5 + 6 + 5 + 4 = 22 ✓)
Rnd 3: Sc in each st around. [22]

FO, leaving a 12 in (30 cm) tail. Do not stuff.

Legs (MC — make 4)

Worked in a spiral. These are short stuffed tubes.

Rnd 1: 6 sc in MR. [6]
Rnd 2: Inc in each st around. [12] (6 increases → 6 + 6 = 12 ✓)
Rnds 3–6: Sc in each st around. [12] (4 rounds even)

Stuff firmly. FO, leaving a 10 in (25 cm) tail. Do not close the opening — the open edge is sewn to the body.

Tail (CC1, then MC)

Worked in a spiral, starting at the white tip.

With CC1:
Rnd 1: 6 sc in MR. [6]
Rnd 2: (Sc, inc) 3 times. [9] (3 increases → 6 + 3 = 9 ✓)
Rnd 3: Sc in each st around. [9]
Change to MC on the last stitch of Rnd 3.

With MC:
Rnd 4: (2 sc, inc) 3 times. [12] (3 increases → 9 + 3 = 12 ✓)
Rnd 5: Sc in each st around. [12]
Rnd 6: (3 sc, inc) 3 times. [15] (3 increases → 12 + 3 = 15 ✓)
Rnds 7–13: Sc in each st around. [15] (7 rounds even)

Stuff lightly, with a little extra at the orange base so the tail holds a gentle curve. FO, leaving a 12 in (30 cm) tail. Do not close the opening.

Assembly

Use matching yarn tails and a yarn needle. Pin every piece first, then sew with small whip stitches through both layers. Check the sitting pose from the front and both sides before you commit.

1. Inner ears. Center one white triangle on the front of each flattened orange ear, point toward the ear tip, leaving a small orange border all around. Sew down with the white tail. Weave in.

2. Ears to head. Pin ears to the top of the head, spanning Rnds 4–7, with about 4 stitches of space between them at the front. Angle the outer edges slightly backward so they look alert. Sew the open (Rnd 6) edge of each ear to the head, catching both layers of the flattened ear.

3. Muzzle. Pin the muzzle to the lower front of the head so the top edge sits just below the eyes (about Rnd 10) and the bottom edge sits near Rnd 15. The muzzle should be centered between the eyes. Sew around, adding a pinch more stuffing just before closing if the dome looks flat.

4. Face. With CC2 and the yarn needle, embroider a small filled triangle for the nose at the top-center of the muzzle (the wide side of the triangle sits on the muzzle, the point faces down). Add a short vertical stitch down from the nose and a tiny inverted-V or shallow smile. If you did not use safety eyes, embroider two small filled ovals or French-knot eyes on Rnds 8–9, 7 stitches apart. Optional: a touch of pink on each cheek, just outside the muzzle.

5. Head to body. The closed tip of the head (Rnd 16) sits on the top of the body (Rnds 1–4). Tilt the head slightly forward and down so the fox looks at the floor in front of its paws — this is what makes it sit. Sew firmly around a circle of about 12 stitches. Go around twice if the head wobbles.

6. Belly patch. Pin the oval to the front of the body, centered, with the long axis running top to bottom. The top of the oval should sit just under the head seam; the bottom should stop above where the back legs will go. Sew around the edge.

7. Front legs. Pin two legs to the upper front of the body, one on each side of the belly patch, open edges against the body at about Rnds 10–14. They should point slightly forward and down. Sew around each opening.

8. Back legs. Pin the remaining two legs to the lower sides of the body, open edges at about Rnds 15–18, splayed a little so the fox sits on its bottom. The four legs plus the body bottom should make a stable base. Sew around each opening.

9. Tail. Pin the open orange end to the lower back of the body (about Rnds 16–18), just above the sitting surface, slightly to one side. Angle the tail so it rests on the floor or curves up beside a back leg. Sew around the opening.

Set the fox on a table. It should sit without tipping. If it leans, add a little extra stuffing through a seam, or restitch a leg a stitch or two in the direction that corrects the lean.

Finishing

Weave in every remaining tail on the inside or under a sewn seam. Roll the finished fox gently between your palms to even the stuffing. Do not machine wash if you used safety eyes; spot-clean with a damp cloth.

Your sitting fox is ready.