Hello again!
After my recent butterfly design, I seemed to still have my mind stuck on crawly critters! So I decided to add one more to my design collection; this cheeky little grasshopper. Now you can find the patterns for my Bumble Bee, the Butterfly, a Snail, and finally this Grasshopper, which together create an adorable Critter Collection. They would all look so sweet as wall-hangings in a nursery, or you could even make little versions with light weight or fine weight yarn to make a mobile.
I was a little skeptical about this design when I started out; I wasn’t sure how it would turn out. And to be honest, this one really adheres to the ragdoll style, because the head ended up being fairly top heavy compared to the body so it is quite floppy. I did not attempt to stabilize it, since I like this feature and generally tend to embrace the floppiness of ragdoll amigurumi, but you could certainly try doing that. Just something to be aware of before you start!
Let’s get started! (Or Pin for later!)
As usual, this pattern is made in the same style as my Ragdoll patterns; separate pieces worked in flat rows and then joined together to give them that unique 2-D look. Our little grasshopper is made up of 16 separate pieces.
This pattern incorporates a small amount of tapestry crochet as well (rows 4 to 11 of the body) so I’ve included a section to explain the tapestry crochet technique if you’re unfamiliar with it.
The finished measurements are approximately 25cm/10″ across and 28cm/11″ from top to bottom.
I encourage you to read everything thoroughly before beginning, particularly if you don’t have a lot of experience with tapestry crochet.
Here’s what I used:
**If you’d prefer a downloadable or printable version of this pattern, an inexpensive, formatted, and ad-free PDF can be purchased HERE.**
- 3.5mm hook (I use THESE hooks!);
- Bernat Handicrafter in Hot Green for the head, antennae, and legs (50g);
- Bernat Handicrafter in Pale Yellow for the belly (less than 50g);
- Bernat Super Value in Lush for the body and antennae (less than 50g);
- 12mm Safety eyes;
- Light weight pink yarn for cheeks;
- Stuffing;
- Tapestry needle
Reading this Pattern and Colour Changes:
Everything in the pattern is worked in single crochet stitches, except for the last row of the head. So, in order to indicate the colour-changes on the body panels, I have omitted the usual “sc” in front of the stitch counts and I’ve used the associated colour letter instead. For example, “Yinc” means to work a sc increase in yellow yarn. “Y5, G23” means to work the next 5 sc in yellow and the next 23 sc in green, and so on.
Due to the colour-changes, you will have at least two skeins or balls of yarn attached to your project at once.
The bonus part of the colour-changes in an amigurumi is that you don’t have to worry about what the back of your panels look like! This is why I carry my yarn on the back instead of carrying it inside the stitch as you go. It prevents any colours from bleeding through where they shouldn’t. As long as you always carry your yarn on the back of your panel, you won’t have to weave in any ends and you’ll have a beautiful smooth front with clear lines and colours.
When changing colours, you will insert your hook into the stitch for the last stitch of Colour A and pull up a loop. Then, with Colour B, yarn over and complete the stitch by pulling through both loops with Colour B. Drop your working yarn in Colour A and continue with Colour B. You will pick your Colour A working yarn back up again on the way back in the next row when you need it.
*Make sure to always drop your yarn on the WRONG side of your panel!* Whatever side you decide to drop your yarn on for the first panel, make sure you drop it on the opposite side for the second panel. This ensures that all the yarn ends will be tucked inside when you line up the panels to join them together. (A handy tip is to make note of which side the yarn tail for your beginning chains is; this will help you keep track of which side is which!)
Also, when you are working on a row where the wrong side of the panel is facing you, you will have to make a conscious effort to pull your yarn toward you to the wrong side of the panel when dropping your yarn during a colour-change. This is because it will naturally drop to the side furthest away from you if you don’t.
Colour legend:
Y – Yellow
G – Green (Bernat Super Value in Lush)
Stitches and Special Terms:
Ch – Chain
Slst – Slipstitch
Sc – Single crochet
Inc – Increase. Work 2 sc in the same st. “Inc twice” means to work one increase into the next two stitches.
Dec – Decrease. Work a regular sc decrease.
Hdc -Half double crochet
Dc – Double Crochet
Head (make 2 panels) in Hot Green and 3.5mm hook:
The panels are worked from the bottom up. After the first 6 rows you’ll be wondering how in the heck this thing it going to look like a circle in the end, but it will, I promise. The panels will have a slight curve (i.e. they won’t be completely flat) but this won’t be noticeable after stuffing. Ch 1 and turn at the end of each row.
Row 1: In Hot Green ch 11, sc 10 across (10 sts)
Row 2: Inc twice, sc 6, inc twice (14 sts)
Row 3: Inc twice, sc 10, inc twice (18 sts)
Row 4: Inc twice, sc 14, inc twice (22 sts)
Row 5: Inc, sc 20, inc (24 sts)
Row 6: Inc, sc 22, inc (26 sts)
Rows 7-8: Sc across (26 sts)
Row 9: Inc, sc 24, inc (28 sts)
Rows 10-16: Sc across (28 sts)
Row 17: Dec, sc 24, dec (26 sts)
Row 18: Dec, sc 22, dec (24 sts)
Row 19: Dec, sc 20, dec (22 sts)
Row 20: Dec, sc 18, dec (20 sts)
Row 21: Dec, sc 16, dec (18 sts)
Row 22: Dec twice, sc 10, dec twice (14 sts)
Row 23: Dec, sc, hdc 2, dc 4, hdc 2, sc, dec (12 sts)
Tie off. Repeat rows 1-23 for second panel. Put these aside for assembly later.
Body (make 2 panels) starting in Yellow and 3.5mm hook:
The panels are worked from the bottom up. Ch 1 and turn at the end of each row.
Row 1: In yellow, ch 16, Y15 (15 sts)
Row 2: Yinc twice, Y11, Yinc twice (19 sts)
Row 3: Yinc twice, Y15, Yinc twice (23 sts)
Row 4: Yinc twice, Y5, G12, Y3, Yinc (26 sts)
Row 5: Yinc, Y1, G18, Y5, Yinc (28 sts)
Row 6: Y5, G23 (28 sts)
Row 7: Ginc, G23, Y3, Yinc (30 sts)
Row 8: Y4, G26 (30 sts)
Row 9: Ginc, G25, Y4 (31 sts)
Row 10: Y4, G27 (31 sts)
Row 11: Ginc, G26, Ydec twice (30 sts)
Row 12: Gdec twice, G26 (28 sts)
The next two rows are worked only part way across the previous row before chaining and turning to create a pointed little tail section.
Row 13: Ginc, G4 (6 sts)
Row 14: Gdec three times (3 sts)
Tie off.
Now you will join your yarn in the first stitch of Row 12, as seen in the photo below, to create a a neck curve for you to attach the head to later:
Neck Section:
Row 1: Gdec twice, G5 (7 sts)
Row 2: Gdec twice, G1, Gdec (4 sts)
Tie off.
Repeat all of the above for the second panel, except make sure you carry your yarn for the colour-changes on the opposite side as you did for the first panel. Put these aside for assembly later.
Bent Leg (make 4 panels) in Hot Green and 3.5mm hook:
Each bent leg panel is made in two separate pieces, comprised of the main leg and the foot piece, as shown in the photos below.
Main Leg piece:
Row 1: Ch 3, sc 2 (2 sts)
Row 2: Inc twice (4 sts)
Row 3: Sc across (4 sts)
Row 4: Sc 3, inc (5 sts)
Row 5: Inc, sc 4 (6 sts)
Row 6: Dec, sc 3, inc (6 sts)
Row 7: Sc across (6 sts)
Row 8: Dec, sc 3, inc (6 sts)
Tie off. Set aside for now.
Foot piece:
Row 1: Ch 4, sc 3 (3 sts)
Row 2: Sc across (3 sts)
Row 3: Inc, sc 1 (3 sts) [Leave the last st unworked.]
Row 4: Dec, sc (2 sts)
Rows 5-6: Sc across (2 sts)
Row 7: Inc, sc (3 sts)
Row 8: Sc across (3 sts)
Tie off.
Rejoin your yarn in the last stitch of the foot piece and continue to Row 9 (below) to join the main leg piece and the foot piece.
Row 9: Dec, sc 7 (8 sts)
Row 10: Dec, sc 6 (7 sts)
Row 11: Sc across (7 sts)
Row 12: Dec, sc 5 (6 sts)
Row 13: Dec, sc 2, dec (4 sts)
Row 14: Dec, sc 2 (3 sts)
Row 15: Sc across (3 sts)
Row 16: Dec, sc 1 (2 sts)
Tie off.
Repeat all of the above to create a second panel of the bent leg.
Place both panels together, matching up all sides, then join the panels by ch 1 and sc around both panels. (Sc, ch, sc) in the same st at the heel of the foot. Stuff when you’ve crocheted about two-thirds of the way around. Continue crocheting around. Top up stuffing as you go. Slst to first st to close. Tie off and poke the yarn tails back inside the piece. Repeat for second Bent Leg.
Front legs (make 4 panels) in Hot Green and 3.5mm hook:
Row 1: Ch 4, sc across (3 sts)
Row 2: Sc across (3 sts)
Row 3: Inc, sc 1 (3 sts) [Leave last st unworked.]
Row 4: Dec, sc (2 sts)
Rows 5-6: Sc across (2 sts)
Tie off. Repeat Rows 1-6 for a second foot panel.
Place both foot panels together, matching up all sides, then join the panels by ch 1 and sc around both panels. (Sc, ch, sc) in the same st at the heel of the foot. I did not bother to stuff the feet. Slst to first st to close. Tie off and poke the yarn tails back inside the piece. Repeat for second foot.
Antennae (make 4 panels) starting in Hot Green and 3.5mm hook:
Row 1: In Hot Green, ch 3, sc 2 (2 sts)
Rows 2-6: Sc across (2 sts)
Switch to Lush (i.e. the same colour green you used for the body).
Row 7: Inc twice (4 sts)
Row 8: Inc, sc 2, inc (6 sts)
Row 9: Inc, sc 4, inc (8 sts)
Row 10: Dec, sc 4, dec (6 sts)
Row 11: Dec, sc 2, dec (4 sts)
Row 12: Dec twice (2 sts)
Tie off. Repeat Rows 1-12 for second antenna panel.
Place both panels together, matching up all sides, then join the panels by ch 1 and sc around both panels. (Sc, ch, sc) in each of the bottom corners. Stuff when you’ve crocheted about two-thirds of the way around. Continue crocheting around. Top up stuffing as you go. Slst to first st to close. Tie off and poke the yarn tails back inside the piece. Repeat for second antenna.
Move on to assembly below!
Assembly:
Step 1: Body and Legs
Here are all the pieces you now have for assembly:
The first thing we will do is join the body panels together, attaching the legs as we go.
Cut two lengths of Pale Yellow yarn approximately 30cm/12″ long and set these aside for now.
Place the two body panels together, matching up all sides.
**Make sure the front of the body is facing you as you crochet around the outside.**
Starting on the left side as shown above, begin attaching the panels together by chaining one and single crocheting around the outside of the panels in yellow.
Crochet around the front curve of the body, then stop before you get to the bottom. Pull up a loop and leave this for now. With a length of yarn you set aside earlier, sew the first foot in place by placing it between the panels and sewing through all three pieces, the back panel, the foot and the top panel. Tie a knot in the yarn tails to secure and hide the yarn tails between the panels.
Repeat for the second foot.
Continue crocheting around. When you get to the feet, simply crochet in the stitches of the front panel only, since this section is already sewn shut. Crochet both panels together as normal once you are past the feet.
After only one or two stitches, stop here to attach the first bent leg.
Place the bent leg on top of the body panels (i.e. not in-between them) and line up the bottom of the bent leg with the bottom of the body panels, as shown above. As you crochet across, crochet through all three pieces, the leg, and both body panels. You will only crochet through the 3 stitches at the bottom of the leg. The leg will be super floppy at the moment; don’t worry, we’ll stitch it down later.
Continue crocheting around. Switch to Lush coloured yarn where appropriate.
Stop when you are about half way across the top of the body. Stuff the body.
Now you can stitch down the upper part of the Bent Leg to the front body panel. The yarn tails will be hidden inside the panels.
Continue stuffing and crocheting across. Close with a slst to first st. Tie off. With your tapestry needle, poke the yarn tail back inside the piece.
Stitch the second Bent Leg on the back of your grasshopper’s body. This leg is kind of optional; if you are mounting it as a wall-hanging, it will lay flatter without the back leg. Since it’s simply stitches on, you can add it or remove it any time!
Step 2: Face, Head and Antennae
Now it’s time to add our facial features to the front head panel. I used 12mm safety eyes and then used black crochet thread to stitch on a mouth and eyebrows.
Feel free to stitch on cheeks using light weight pink yarn.
Cut three lengths of Hot Green yarn about 30cm/12″ long and set them aside for now
Place the two head panels together, matching up all sides.
**Make sure the front is facing you as you crochet around the outside.**
Starting on the left side as shown above, begin attaching the panels together by chaining one and single crocheting around the outside of the panels in Hot Green.
Stop when you get to the bottom of the head. Pull up a loop and leave this for now. With a length of yarn you set aside earlier, sew the body in place by placing it between the head panels and sewing through all three pieces, the back panel, the body and the top panel. Tie a knot in the yarn tails to secure and hide the yarn tails between the panels.
Continue crocheting around. When you get to the body, simply crochet in the stitches of the front panel only, since this portion is already sewn shut.
Stop when you get to the top of the head and stuff.
Now with a length of yarn you set aside earlier, sew the first antenna in place by placing it between the head panels and sewing through all three pieces, the back panel, the antenna and the top panel. Tie a knot in the yarn tails to secure and hide the yarn tails between the panels.
Continue crocheting around, topping up stuffing as your go. When you get to the antenna, simply crochet in the stitches of the front panel only.
Place and attach the second antenna the same way you did for the first.
Top up stuffing. Continue crocheting around. Close with a slst to first st. Tie off. With your tapestry needle, poke the yarn tail back inside the piece.
Finally, add some character by needle sculpting the eyes as follows:
- With a length of Hot Green yarn, insert your tapestry needle behind Eye A (I started with the right eye, but it doesn’t matter);
- Exit the needle from behind Eye B;
- Reinsert the needle into a different stitch behind Eye B;
- Exit the needle out the back of the head;
- Thread the yarn tail from Eye A into your needle. Reinsert your needle into a different stitch behind Eye A.
- Exit your needle out the same stitch in the back of the head.
- Gently tug on both yarn tails to create the sculpting.
- Tie a knot in the yarn tails and poke back inside the piece.
That’s it! Enjoy!
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Eeek! Jillian! This is beyond cute! When I opened this email I thought, “A grasshopper amigurumi? No way!” But this is too, too cute!! 😀 Love it!
Haha, thanks, Holly! I admit, it was a bit of an odd amigurumi idea to start but I think he turned out pretty cute! ☺️
I am presently making the butterfly and am enjoying it. Your directions are so clear. I can’t wait to get the yarn for the grasshopper. I am presently home recoupering from surgery and got tired of making baby sweaters. When I saw your butterfly pattern I was excited. Thanks for sharing it. Gloria
That great to hear, Gloria! Glad you are on the mend and have lots of crocheting to keep you company! ☺️
Beautiful! You do wonderful things, I’m your fan!
I’m scared of grasshoppers, the things are just weird as heck. I was certain I wasn’t going to like this amigurumi. I was wrong, this is beyond adorable!! You’re SO talented!!
Thank you so much, Melissa! ☺️
Jillian, you always think of the cutest designs. Thank you for sharing your talent.
Thank you so much for all your cute critter animals. My grandchildren love them!!
Love your work! On this project I have 2 questions.
1. I am currently working this and on the body for step 1 it says “Row 1: In yellow, ch 15, Y15 (15 sts)” Wouldn’t that be a ch16 and do 15 scs in yellow? with 15 sts total? Not a ch15? and
2. It says after row 14 to “Now you will join your yarn in the last stitch of Row 12, as seen in the photo below, to create a little pointed tail:” But If you work it how it is written for row 13 and 14 you already worked the tail end. Or do you finish off at row 12 and start row 13 at the HEAD of the body to work row 13 and 14? THEN add more yarn at the end of row 12 to do the tail selection? I am confused.
Hi Dusty,
Yes, you are absolutely right on both counts! The first one is a typo and should read “Ch 16, Y15” for Row 1 of the body.
And I seemed to have mixed up which end is which in the last two rows, so yes, that should read “Rejoin your yarn in the first stitch of Row 12 for the neck section.” Nothing in the pattern actually changes; I just mistakenly referred to the wrong end. Work Rows 13 and 14 as usual and simply rejoin your yarn at the head end.
Thanks for catching those! I have updated the pattern but you may need to refresh your browser or clear your cache before you see the updated post.
Jillian