Pocket Panda Free Crochet Pattern

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Pocket Panda Free Crochet Pattern

Last week I posted the pattern for the Pocket Bear, the latest Pocket Pet to be added to the collection! I mentioned that I would have an adaption for that pattern in your feeds real soon, so here it is! A Pocket Panda!

The Pocket Bear pattern was perfectly poised to be transformed into a cute little panda; when I designed this pattern for the Crochet Society subscription box, I actually struggled with whether I should submit the panda pattern instead or keep it simpler with the basic bear pattern. It was a tough choice but I think the Pocket Bear is so sweet in its simplicity! So I went with that one for the box.

Check out the other posts in the Pocket Pet Series: Pocket Fox, Pocket Bun, Pocket Raccoon, and Pocket Pug.

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 has just 2 pieces and incorporates the tapestry (or intarsia) crochet technique with a fair amount of colourwork involved so please be sure to read the “Reading this Pattern” section if you’re unsure.

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

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If you’d prefer a downloadable or printable version of this pattern, an inexpensive, formatted, and ad-free PDF can be purchased HERE or through the “Shop It” button above!

Materials:

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Reading this Pattern and Colour Changes:

Everything is worked in single crochet stitches, unless otherwise specified. So, 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. For example, “Minc” means to make a regular sc increase in the main colour. “M10, C7” means to work the next 10 sc in the main colour and the next 7 sc in the constrasting colour.

Carry your 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.

When changing colours, 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!* This will be different depending on whether you’re working an odd or even row. So, 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.

This will be the opposite for the back panel. This will ensure that all the yarn ends are facing the inside when the panels are matched up.

Colour legend:

M – Main

C – Contrasting

Terms and Stitches:

Ch – Chain

Slst – Slip stitch

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

Pattern

Legs:

You will make 2 legs using a 2.75mm hook and then join them together in the body section. Start with the contrasting colour. The legs are worked from the bottom up. Ch 1 and turn at the end of each row unless specified otherwise.

Row 1: Ch 5, starting in 2nd ch from hook, sc across (4 sts)

Row 2: Inc, sc 2, inc (6 sts)

Row 3: Sc across (6 sts)

Row 4: Sc 5, inc (7 sts)

Tie off. Place a stitch marker in the last st of row 4.

Repeat rows 1-4 for second leg but do not tie off the second leg. Move on to row 5 in the body section below.

Body:

Position the first leg so that the stitch marker from the first leg is facing to the left. On the second leg (the one still on your hook), ch 1 and turn and continue to row 5 where we will crochet across both legs to join them. The step-by-step photos below are from the Pocket Bear pattern so the colours are not the same but the concepts are!

Row 5: In contrasting colour, sc 6, inc in last st of leg on hook, join other leg: inc, sc 6 (16 sts)

In the next row, we will start the colour-work by adding the main colour.

Row 6: Cinc, C1, M12, C1, Cinc (18 sts)

Row 7: C2, M14, C2 (18 sts)

Row 8: C1, M16, C1 (18 sts)

Row 9: M18 (18 sts)

Row 10: M18 (18 sts), in contrasting colour, ch 5, turn

Row 11: Starting in 2nd ch from hook, C4 along chs and then cont across row: M18 (22 sts), in contrasting colour, ch 5, turn

Row 12:  Starting in 2nd ch from hook, C4 along chs, and then cont across row: C2, M14, C6 (26 sts)

Row 13: C26 (26 sts)

Tie off.

Turn panel over. Rejoin your contrasting yarn into the 5th st.

Row 14: C18 (18 sts)

Row 15: Minc twice, M14, Minc twice (22 sts)

Row 16: Minc, M20, Minc (24 sts)

Row 17: M3, C4, M10, C4, M3 (24 sts)

Row 18: M2, C7, M6, C7, M2 (24 sts)

Row 19: M2, C8, M4, C8, M2

Row 20: M3, C7, M4, C7, M3 (24 sts)

Row 21: M4, C7, M2, C7, M4 (24 sts)

Row 22: Mdec, M3, C6, M2, C6, M3, Mdec (22 sts)

Row 23: Mdec, M3, C4, M4, C4, M3, Mdec (20 sts)

All remaining rows of the head are worked in the main colour.

Rows 24-26: Sc across (20 sts)

Row 27: Dec, sc 16, dec (18 sts)

Row 28: Dec, sc 14, dec (16 sts)

Row 29: Dec, sc 12, dec (14 sts)

Row 30: Dec twice, sc 6, dec twice (10 sts)

Row 31: Dec twice, sc 2, dec twice (6 sts)

Tie off.

Ears:

Do not turn your work. Rejoin your yarn into the space next to the last st of row 31 to start the first ear.

Row 32: C1, M4, C1 (6 sts)

Row 33: C2, M2, C2 (6 sts)

Row 34: Cdec, C2, Cdec (4 sts)

Row 35: Cdec twice (2 sts)

Tie off.

Turn your work. Rejoin your yarn into the space next to the first st of Row 31 on the other side and repeat rows 33-35 for the second ear.

Back Body Panel:

The back body panel is worked exactly the same as the front panel, except we will eliminate the colourwork for the eyes and ears, and work these rows in a solid colour.

So, work rows 1-16 exactly as written.

Work rows 17-23 in the main colour only (i.e. no colourwork…wherever you see contrasting colour stitches, work them in the main colour.)

Work rows 32-35 (the ears) completely in the contrasting colour.

Move on to assembly below!

Assembly:

Step 1: Face

First thing’s first! We need to attach and stitch on our facial features to the front panel.

First, using black crochet thread, stitch on a little upside down triangle for the nose and a little mouth underneath the nose. Tie a knot on the back of the panel to secure. Check out the video in this post to see how I do it!

Next, insert 10mm eyes into the front panel at the top of each eye patch.

Step 2: Body

Okay, here are all the pieces you should now have at this step. The assembly of the Pocket Panda will be a little more finicky than the Pocket Bear because you will need to change colours in a few places as you crochet around.

Pocket Bear

Place the two panels together, matching up all sides.

**Make sure the front is facing you as you crochet around the outside.**

Starting on the left side above the curve of the cheek but below the ear, begin attaching the panels together by chaining one and single crocheting around the outside of the panels in the main colour.

Crochet down the side and switch to the contrasting colour when you get to the arm. Crochet around the arm. (Sc, ch 1, sc) into the same stitch for each of the two corners of the arm/paw to give it a nice rectangular shape. Crocheting around the neck/arm will be tricky because it is a sharp turn, but you can do it! Just take your time and make sure each stitch you make is thoughtfully placed.

Continue crocheting down the side, up the inside of the first leg and then down the inside of the second leg, then back up the other side.

Crochet around the second arm; don’t forget to (sc, ch 1, sc) into the same stitch in each of the corners of the paw.

Switch back to the main colour and crochet up the side of the head.

Stop when you reach the top of the head. Now the only part of your Pocket Panda that will be open are the ears and across the top of the head.

Stuff your Pocket Panda. Use the back of your crochet hook to push stuffing right down into each of the legs. I didn’t add stuffing to the arms because they are very small and don’t really need it.

When you are satisfied, switch back to the contrasting colour and crochet around the first ear.

Switch back to the main colour and crochet across the top of the head between the ears and stop here for now. Using the back of your crochet hook, push stuffing up into the first ear.

Once the first one is stuffed, switch back to the contrasting colour and crochet around the second ear the same way as the first. Once you get all the way around the ear, stop here. Stuff the second ear the same way you did for the first.

You should now only have a small hole in your Pocket Panda below the ear. Take this opportunity to stuff your Pocket Panda until you are totally satisfied with it (you might be surprised at how much stuffing you use). Use the back of your crochet hook to stuff into the curve of the cheeks and to even out the stuffing across the face and especially below the ears so that there are no empty spots. Keep stuffing until it’s firm and even.

Finally, continue crocheting around, switching back to the main colour, and close with a slst to first st and tie off. Poke the yarn tails back inside the piece.

Lastly, I did some needle sculpting around the eyes to give them a bit more character. Check out my video on how to needle sculpt amigurumi on the Video Tutorial page if you’re not sure how!

That’s it! Add your Pocket Panda to your Pocket Pet Collection!

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4 thoughts on “Pocket Panda Free Crochet Pattern

  1. The pocket panda is so cute. I am going to make your pocket pets for the children in hospital. I think they will enjoy them..

    Thanks again for all your free patterns. On fixed income so free is better for me.

    1. That is such a sweet idea! I bet the kids will adore them, especially since they’ll be handmade with a lot of love. And you are very welcome!

  2. I used it in pink and white. Turned out really cute. A little chubbier than what I was expecting, but still turned out really cute. I love the ragdoll type of crochet stuffies.

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