Smiley Flower — Beginner Knitted Amigurumi

A cheerful stockinette flower with a round smiling face, six petals, a green I-cord stem, and two little leaves. Worked in the round and seamed — perfect first amigurumi.

Finished Size

• Flower head (center + petals): approximately 4 in (10 cm) across
• Overall height with stem: approximately 7–8 in (18–20 cm)

Materials

• Yarn (worsted weight, US 4):
  • Color A (face center): yellow or orange — approx. 25 yds
  • Color B (petals): pink, red, or purple — approx. 40 yds
  • Color C (stem & leaves): green — approx. 30 yds
• Needles: US 6 / 4 mm double-pointed needles (DPNs) or one long circular for Magic Loop (This is 1–2 sizes smaller than the worsted label recommends, for a tight fabric.)
• Polyester fiberfill stuffing — approx. 1 oz (28 g) total (a loose handful for the center)
• Tapestry needle
• Small amounts of black embroidery floss (for eyes and smile) and pink floss (optional cheeks)
• Stitch marker

Gauge

20 sts and 28 rounds = 4 in (10 cm) in stockinette worked in the round on US 6 / 4 mm. Gauge note: For toys, a tight, even fabric that hides stuffing matters more than an exact stitch count. If you see stuffing through the fabric, go down a needle size.

Abbreviations (US)

• k = knit
• kfb = knit into front and back of stitch (increase 1)
• k2tog = knit 2 together (decrease 1)
• st(s) = stitch(es)
• rnd = round

1. Flower Center / Face (Color A)

Worked as a small stuffed ball, top-down.

Cast on 6 sts. Divide over DPNs (or Magic Loop) and join to work in the round, being careful not to twist. Place marker to note the start of the round.

• Rnd 1: kfb in every st. (6 → 12 sts)
• Rnd 2: k
• Rnd 3: k1, kfb around. (12 → 18 sts)
• Rnd 4: k
• Rnd 5: k2, kfb around. (18 → 24 sts)
• Rnds 6–12: k every round (7 rounds). (24 sts)

Check: 24 sts ÷ 5 sts/in = ~4.8 in circumference ≈ 1.5 in diameter. ✓

Now decrease to close (mirror of the increases):

• Rnd 13: k2, k2tog around. (24 → 18 sts)
• Rnd 14: k
• Rnd 15: k1, k2tog around. (18 → 12 sts)

Embroider the face now, while the opening is still large (see Section 5), then stuff firmly.

• Rnd 16: k2tog around. (12 → 6 sts)

Cut yarn, leaving a 6 in tail. Thread through the remaining 6 sts, pull tight to close, and secure.

Check: Increases 6→12→18→24 (4 rounds); decreases 24→18→12→6 mirror them. ✓

2. Petals (Color B) — Make 6

Worked flat, then seamed around the center.

Cast on 6 sts. Work back and forth:

• Row 1 (RS): k1, kfb across. (6 → 9 sts)
• Rows 2–8: Work in stockinette (k on RS, p on WS) — 7 rows.
• Row 9 (RS): k1, k2tog across. (9 → 6 sts)
• Row 10 (WS): p2tog across. (6 → 3 sts)

Cut yarn, leaving a 6 in tail. Thread through the last 3 sts and pull to gather the petal tip into a rounded point. Leave the cast-on edge open — this edge attaches to the center.

Each petal is approx. 2 in (5 cm) long.

3. Stem (Color C)

Worked as I-cord.

Cast on 4 sts on one DPN. I-cord: Knit all 4 sts. Do NOT turn. Slide the sts back to the right-hand tip of the needle and pull the working yarn snugly across the back. Repeat this row until the cord measures approx. 5 in (13 cm).

Cut yarn, thread through all 4 sts, and pull to close the top of the stem. Leave the cast-on end open for attaching to the flower.

4. Leaves (Color C) — Make 2

Worked flat.

Cast on 3 sts.

• Row 1 (RS): kfb, k1, kfb. (3 → 5 sts)
• Row 2 (WS): p
• Row 3: kfb, k3, kfb. (5 → 7 sts)
• Row 4: p
• Row 5: kfb, k5, kfb. (7 → 9 sts)
• Rows 6–8: stockinette (3 rows).
• Row 9: ssk, k5, k2tog. (9 → 7 sts)
• Row 10: p
• Row 11: ssk, k3, k2tog. (7 → 5 sts)
• Row 12: p
• Row 13: ssk, k1, k2tog. (5 → 3 sts)

Bind off. Leave a tail for attaching.

5. The Smiley Face (embroidered)

Do this on the flower center at Rnd 15, before final stuffing/closing, so you can anchor floss ends inside.

Using black floss and the tapestry needle:

• Eyes: Make two small filled dots or French knots, spaced about 1 in (2.5 cm) apart, in the upper third of the center.
• Smile: Below and centered between the eyes, work a gently curved line of backstitch (about 1 in / 2.5 cm wide) curving upward at the ends.
• Optional cheeks: With pink floss, add two small stitches or light satin patches below the outer corners of the smile.

Bring all floss ends to the inside; knot and bury them before finishing the center.

6. Assembly

Order matters — follow this sequence:

1. Attach petals to center. Arrange the 6 petals evenly around the "back/side" edge of the face — one every 60° around the flower (imagine a clock: petals at 12, 2, 4, 6, 8, and 10). Using the cast-on tails and a tapestry needle, seam each petal's open cast-on edge securely to the center, keeping the smiley face on the front. Overlap petal bases slightly so no gaps show.
2. Attach the stem. Using the stem's cast-on tail, seam the open end of the I-cord to the bottom back of the flower center (behind the "6 o'clock" petal). Sew all around the opening for a firm join.
3. Attach the leaves. Position the two leaves on opposite sides of the stem, about halfway down. Seam the cast-on edge of each leaf to the stem with mattress/whip stitch. Optionally add a stitch or two along the leaf center so it stands out.

Finishing

• Weave in all remaining ends securely to the inside of the flower center or stem; knot where possible so a child's handling won't pull them loose.
• Give the petals a gentle steam-block or finger-press if they curl, but keep the center firm and unblocked.
• Fluff and shape.

Quick Stitch-Count Recap

• Center: CO 6 → inc to 24 → dec to 6 → closed. ✓
• Petals (×6): CO 6 → inc to 9 → dec to 3 → gathered. ✓
• Stem: 4-st I-cord, ~5 in. ✓
• Leaves (×2): CO 3 → inc to 9 → dec to 3 → bind off. ✓

Enjoy your smiley flower! 🌼