Kitty of the Dead Free Crochet Pattern

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Kitty of the Dead Free Crochet Pattern

Spooky season is nearly upon us and I think this skeleton kitty fits the bill quite nicely! She’s a perfect little shelf-sitting decoration this Halloween season (all the better to watch you!)

Of course, if you’re not into the skeleton look, you can make a regular kitty amigurumi in any colour simply by working the front panel in a solid colour and using safety eyes. You can do this by following the instructions for the back panel only and omitting all the colour-work on the front panel.

The Details

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. 

This pattern incorporates the tapestry crochet technique and has a fair bit of colour-work involved so please be sure to read the “Reading this Pattern” section!

The finished measurements are approximately 20cm/8″ from top to bottom.

The amigurumi is worked from the bottom up, starting with the tail.

Let’s get started! (Or Pin/Shop for later!)

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Materials:

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Reading this Pattern and Colour Changes:

Everything is worked in single crochet stitches, unless otherwise specified. In order to indicate the colour-changes, I have omitted the usual “sc” in front of the stitch counts in lines with colour-changes and I’ve used the associated colour letter instead. Here are some examples:

  • “Binc” means to work a sc increase in black yarn.
  • “W3, B1” means to work the next 3 sc in white yarn and the next 1 sc in black yarn.

Due to the colour changes, you will have at least two balls of yarn attached (one white and one black). You can then simply carry the yarn across the back of the panel. Do not crochet the unused yarn inside the stitch; always carry it on the back.

When changing colours, you will insert your hook into the stitch for the last stitch of Colour X and pull up a loop. Then, with Colour Y, yarn over and complete the stitch by pulling through both loops with Colour Y. Drop your working yarn in Colour X and continue with Colour Y. You will pick your Colour X working yarn back up again when you need it.

Make sure to always drop your yarn on the WRONG side of your panel! This will be different depending on whether you’re working an odd or even row. For the front panel, whenever you are working an odd-numbered row (row 1, 3, 5, etc), the right side of your panel will be facing you. When you’re working an even-numbered row, the wrong side will be facing you.

Colour legend:

B – Black

W – White

Terms and Stitches:

Ch – Chain

Slst – Slip stitch

MR – Magic Ring

Sc – Single Crochet (again, in rows with colour changes, sc stitches will be indicated with the Colour Legend letter instead of “sc”)

Inc – Increase. Work a regular sc increase

Dec – Decrease. Work a regular sc decrease

Sc3tog – Single crochet three stitches together

Hdc – Half double crochet

Dc – Double crochet

Pattern

Front Tail Panel (make 1):

Row 1: In Black yarn, ch 7, starting in 2nd ch from hook, sc in each ch (6 sts), ch 1, turn.

Row 2: Binc, W2, B1, W1, [W1, B1] into same st (8 sts), ch 1, turn.

Row 3: Binc, B6, [W1, B1] into same st (10), ch 1, turn.

In the next row, crochet only partway across the row before chaining and turning.

Row 4: B3 (3 sts), ch 1, turn.

Row 5: Bdec, [W1, B1] into same st (3 sts), ch 1, turn.

Row 6: B1, W1, B1 (3 sts), ch 1, turn.

Row 7: B3 (3 sts), ch 1, turn.

Rows 8-9: B1, W1, B1 (3 sts).

Tie off. With wrong side of the panel facing (i.e. with the long tail on the right), join your black yarn into the 2nd st from the left and work the following:

Skeleton Cat

Row 10: B1, [W1, B1] into same st (3 sts), ch 1, turn.

Row 11: B3 (3 sts), ch 1, turn.

Row 12: In black, sc3tog (1 st).

Tie off. Set aside for later.

Front Body Panel (make 1):

Row 1: Starting in black, Ch 13, starting in 2nd ch from hook, sc 12 across. Do not ch 1 and turn. Instead, join the tail as follows: position the tail to the left of the body, sc in each of the first 2 sts of the tail, insert hook into last st on the tail, *pull up a loop, yarn over and pull through one loop on hook (ch 1 made), yarn over and pull through both loops*, insert hook into previously made ch 1 and repeat from * to * once (foundation sc made), insert hook into ch 1 just made and work a sc (second foundation sc made) (17 st), ch 1, turn.

Row 2: Bdec twice, B1, W2, B3, W2, B1, Bdec twice (13 sts), ch 1, turn.

Row 3: Binc, B1, W2, B5, W2, B1, Binc (15 sts), ch 1, turn.

Row 4: Binc, B1, W2, B7, W2, B1, Binc (17 sts), ch 1, turn.

Row 5: Binc, B1, W2, B9, W2, B1, Binc (19 sts), ch 1, turn.

Row 6: B2, W2, B5, W1, B5, W2, B2 (19 sts), ch 1, turn.

Row 7: B3, W1, B5, W1, B5, W1, B3 (19), ch 1, turn.

Row 8: Bdec, B3, W3, B3, W3, B3, Bdec (17 sts), ch 1, turn.

Row 9: Bdec, B1, W2, B3, W1, B3, W2, B1, Bdec (15 sts), ch 1, turn.

Row 10: Bdec, B5, W1, B5, Bdec (13 sts), ch 1, turn.

Row 11: B2, W3, B3, W3, B2 (13 sts), ch 1, turn.

Row 12: Bdec, W1, B3, W1, B3, W1, Bdec (11 sts), ch 1, turn.

Row 13: B5, W1, B5 (11 sts), ch 1, turn.

Row 14: Bdec, W2, B3, W2, Bdec (9 sts), ch 1, turn.

Row 15: B4, W1, B4 (9 sts), ch 1, turn.

Row 16: Bdec, B2, W1, B2, Bdec (7 sts), ch 1, turn.

Row 17: Binc, B5, Binc (9 sts), ch 1, turn.

Row 18: Binc, B1, W5, B1, Binc (11 sts), ch 1, turn.

Row 19: Binc, B1, W7, B1, Binc (13 sts), ch 1, turn.

Row 20: Binc, W11, Binc (15 sts), ch 1, turn.

Row 21: Binc, W13, Binc (17 sts), ch 1, turn.

Rows 22-24: B1, W15, B1 (17 sts), ch 1, turn.

Row 25: B2, W13, B2 (17 sts), ch 1, turn.

Row 26: Bdec, W13, Bdec (15 sts), ch 1, turn.

Row 27: B2, W11, B2 (15 sts), ch 1, turn.

Row 28: B4, W7, B4 (15 sts), ch 1, turn.

Row 29: Bdec, B11, Bdec (13 sts), ch 1, turn.

Row 30: B13 (13 sts), ch 1, turn.

In the next row, crochet only partway across the previous row to work the ear as follows:

Row 31: Bdec, B3 (4 sts), ch 1, turn.

Row 32: Bdec, B2 (3 sts), ch 1, turn.

Row 33: Bdec, B1 (2 sts), ch 1, turn.

Row 34: Bdec (1 st).

Tie off. Turn the panel so that the right side is facing. Join black yarn into the 5th st from the left and work the second ear as follows:

Row 1: B3, Bdec (4 sts), ch 1, turn.

Row 2: B2, Bdec (3 sts), ch 1, turn.

Row 3: B1, Bdec (2 sts), ch 1, turn.

Row 4: Bdec (1 st).

Tie off.

Back Tail Panel (make 1):

The back panel is worked exactly the same as the front panel, except I opted to work it entirely in black (you can do a skeleton pattern on the back as well, if you prefer!) Here is the front panel pattern again but without the colour-work.

Row 1: In Black yarn, ch 7, starting in 2nd ch from hook, sc in each ch (6 sts), ch 1, turn.

Row 2: Inc, sc 4, inc (8 sts), ch 1, turn.

Row 3: Inc, sc 6, inc (10 sts), ch 1, turn.

In the next row, crochet only partway across the row before chaining and turning.

Row 4: Sc 3 (3 sts), ch 1, turn.

Row 5: Dec, inc (3 sts), ch 1, turn.

Rows 6-8: Sc 3 (3 sts), ch 1, turn.

Row 9: Sc 3 (3 sts).

Tie off. With wrong side of the panel facing (i.e. with the long tail on the right), join your black yarn into the 2nd st from the left and work the following:

Row 10: Sc 1, inc (3 sts), ch 1, turn.

Row 11: Sc 3 (3 sts), ch 1, turn.

Row 12: Sc3tog (1 st).

Tie off. Set aside for later.

Back Body Panel (make 1):

Row 1: Starting in black, Ch 13, starting in 2nd ch from hook, sc 12 across. Do not ch 1 and turn. Instead, join the tail as follows: position the tail to the left of the body, sc in each of the first 2 sts of the tail, insert hook into last st on the tail, *pull up a loop, yarn over and pull through one loop on hook (ch 1 made), yarn over and pull through both loops*, insert hook into previously made ch 1 and repeat from * to * once (foundation sc made), insert hook into ch 1 just made and work a sc (second foundation sc made) (17 st), ch 1, turn.

Row 2: Dec twice, sc 9, dec twice (13 sts), ch 1, turn.

Row 3: Inc, sc 11, inc (15 sts), ch 1, turn.

Row 4: Inc, sc 13, inc (17 sts), ch 1, turn.

Row 5: Inc, sc 15, inc (19 sts), ch 1, turn.

Rows 6-7: Sc across (19 sts), ch 1, turn.

Row 8: Dec, sc 15, dec (17 sts), ch 1, turn.

Row 9: Dec, sc 13, dec (15 sts), ch 1, turn.

Row 10: Dec, sc 11, dec (13 sts), ch 1, turn.

Row 11: Sc across (13 sts), ch 1, turn.

Row 12: Dec, sc 9, dec (11 sts), ch 1, turn.

Row 13: Sc across (11 sts), ch 1, turn.

Row 14: Dec, sc 7, dec (9 sts), ch 1, turn.

Row 15: Sc across (9 sts), ch 1, turn.

Row 16: Dec, sc 5, dec (7 sts), ch 1, turn.

Row 17: Inc, sc 5, inc (9 sts), ch 1, turn.

Row 18: Inc, sc 7, inc (11 sts), ch 1, turn.

Row 19: Inc, sc 9, inc (13 sts), ch 1, turn.

Row 20: Inc, sc 11, inc (15 sts), ch 1, turn.

Row 21: Inc, sc 13, inc (17 sts), ch 1, turn.

Rows 22-25: Sc across (17 sts), ch 1, turn.

Row 26: Dec, sc 13, dec (15 sts), ch 1, turn.

Rows 27-28: Sc across (15 sts), ch 1, turn.

Row 29: Dec, sc 11, dec (13 sts), ch 1, turn.

Row 30: Sc across (13 sts), ch 1, turn.

In the next row, crochet only partway across the previous row to work the ear as follows:

Row 31: Dec, sc 3 (4 sts), ch 1, turn.

Row 32: Dec, sc 2 (3 sts), ch 1, turn.

Row 33: Dec, sc 1 (2 sts), ch 1, turn.

Row 34: Dec (1 st).

Tie off. Turn the panel so that the right side is facing. Join black yarn into the 5th st from the left and work the second ear as follows:

Row 1: Sc 3, dec (4 sts), ch 1, turn.

Row 2: Sc 2, dec (3 sts), ch 1, turn.

Row 3: Sc 1, dec (2 sts), ch 1, turn.

Row 4: Dec (1 st).

Tie off.

Front Leg Panel (make 2):

Row 1: In black, ch 4, starting in 2nd ch from hook, sc in each ch (3 sts), ch 1, turn.

Row 2: B3 (3 sts), ch 1, turn.

Rows 3-6: B1, W1, B1 (3 sts), ch 1, turn.

Row 7: B3 (3 sts).

Tie off.

Back Leg Panel (make 2):

Row 1: In black, ch 4, starting in 2nd ch from hook, sc in each ch (3 sts), ch 1, turn.

Rows 2-6: Sc across (3 sts), ch 1, turn.

Row 7: Sc across (3 sts).

Tie off.

Eyes (make 2):

In black, work the following into a magic ring:

Rnd 1: 8 hdc (8 sts).

Pull closed. Join to beginning st. Tie off.

Accent Flower:

In any colour (I used purple), work the following into a magic ring:

Rnd 1: *Dc 3, slst, repeat from * four more times (5 petals total)

Pull closed, tie off.

Move on to assembly below!

Assembly:

Step 1: Front Legs

Place a front leg panel and a back leg panel together. Insert your hook through any stitch along the edge of the panels through both panels. Using black yarn, sc around the edge of the panels to join. [Sc, ch 1, sc] in each of the top corners. Stuff as you go. Once stuffed, join with a slst to beginning st and tie off. Weave in ends. Repeat for second leg.

Step 2: Face

Using a tapestry needle, stitch the eyes onto the front panel.

Using orange yarn and a tapestry needle, stitch triangles in the centre of each ear.

Using black crochet thread, stitch an upside-down triangle between the eyes for the nose.

Using black crochet thread, make 3 vertical stitches below the nose to create a skull-like mouth.

Step 3: Body

Place the two body panels together, matching up all sides and rows. Make sure the front is facing you as you crochet around the outside.

Starting at the top on the left side (i.e. below the ear), begin attaching the panels together by inserting your hook through both panels and single crocheting around the outside edge of the panels in black.

For the back paws, crochet the following to create a pronounced protrusion:

At base of body panels: (Sc, ch 1, sc) all into the same st

Crochet down around the tail. Start stuffing the tail once you’ve crocheted around the tip of the tail. Top up stuffing after every 2 or 3 sts.

Crochet across the bottom and up the other side (don’t forget the other back paw!). Stop at the neck. Stuff the body firmly. Top up stuffing as you continue to crochet around the head and ears. Slst to first st to close and tie off. Poke the yarn tail back inside the body.

Using a length of black yarn, stitch the legs and accent flower onto the front of the amigurumi.

You’re done!

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