Ying the Panda | Free Crochet Pattern

Ying is the free panda crochet pattern you have been looking for. Nothing like a regular teddy bear, this amigurumi panda is right out of the wild and a perfect new addition to your nursery decor.

The name Ying means “intelligent” or “clever.”

I wanted to do something different with this panda pattern, specifically I wanted to design something more true to life than the average teddy bear.

Ying is on all fours, with his head tilted to be even more adorable.

Construction

This pattern uses a few non-traditional techniques to help with the unique shape of our little panda friend.

His front legs and shoulders are one piece. His hind legs are made with short rounds so they are rounded and attach flush to the body while still defining his hips.

While it is not an easy pattern, an intermediate crocheter should have not problem with the short rows or the attachments.

The Premium Pattern of Ying the Panda comes with lots of pictures guiding the placement of the body parts for your best results.

Purchase this pattern as a Premium Pattern! Premium patterns are printable, ad-free, downloadable .pdf file with extra assembly photos and unlimited one-on-one help from me. This version can be purchased in the Hooked by Kati Shop,  Etsy or Ravelry.  

Ying the Panda

You may sell products made by this pattern, but please do not copy this pattern for distribution or sale. That’s not nice (and slightly illegal).

Pattern is written in English, in US terms, using Craft Yarn Council abbreviations.

Intermediate. Knowledge needed of chains (ch), single crochet (sc), Right side (RS), Wrong side (WS), increases and decreases. Knowledge of amigurumi part attachment is recommended. Pattern uses short rounds for shaping.

Supplies

• Red Heart With Love yarn, 100% acrylic, worsted weight, 370 yds/7 oz/198 g, Black (BLK), 1 ball; White (WHT), 1 ball.
• Furls G (4.00 mm) hook
• Two 15 mm solid black safety eyes
• Polyfil stuffing
• Tapestry needle
• Straight pins

Measurements

11.5 inches long x 7 inches tall

Gauge

8 sts x 8 rows in sc = 2” x 2”

Pattern Notes

• Rows labeled “WS” or “wrong side” are worked with the stitches facing the inside of the piece; rows labeled “RS” or “right side” are worked with the stitches facing the outside of the piece as normal. This is to help you keep track of your rows while working short rows.
• Rounds labeled “Short rnd” are worked back and forth and will end before the round is complete, leaving stitches deliberately unworked to be worked in later rounds as instructed.

Instructions

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Front Legs

(One piece, worked from feet up)

Foot One

With BLK, ch 2.

Rnd 1: 6 sc in second ch from hook. (6)

Rnd 2: Inc in each st around. (12)

Rnd 3: [Sc, inc] 6 times. (18)

Rnd 4: [2 sc, inc] 6 times. (24)

Rnds 5-7: Sc evenly around.

Bind off and set aside.

Foot Two

With BLK, ch 2.

Rnd 1: 6 sc in second ch from hook. (6)

Rnd 2: Inc in each st around. (12)

Rnd 3: [Sc, inc] 6 times. (18)

Rnd 4: [2 sc, inc] 6 times. (24)

Rnds 5-7: Sc evenly around.

Rnd 8: Do not break yarn, ch 3, 24 sc on Foot One, 3 sc on ch between feet, 24 sc around Foot Two, 3 sc on underside of ch. (54)

Rnds 9-16: Sc evenly around.

Stuff feet.

Rnd 17: [7 sc, dec] 6 times. (48)

Rnd 18: [6 sc, dec] 6 times. (42)

Rnd 19: [5 sc, dec] 6 times. (36)

Rnd 20: [4 sc, dec] 6 times. (30)

Rnd 21: [3 sc, dec] 6 times. (24)

Rnd 22: [2 sc, dec] 6 times. (18)

Finish stuffing.

Rnd 23: [Sc, dec] 6 times. (12)

Rnd 24: Dec 6 times. (6)

Cut yarn. Thread needle through front loops of remaining 6 stitches. Pull tight to close. Weave in ends.

Body

With WHT, ch 2.

Rnd 1: 6 sc in second ch from hook. (6)

Rnd 2: Inc in each st around. (12)

Rnd 3: [Sc, inc] 6 times. (18)

Rnd 4: [2 sc, inc] 6 times. (24)

Rnd 5: [3 sc, inc] 6 times. (30)

Rnd 6: [4 sc, inc] 6 times. (36)

Rnd 7: [5 sc, inc] 6 times. (42)

Rnd 8: [6 sc, inc] 6 times. (48)

Rnds 9-16: Sc evenly around.

Rnd 17: [6 sc, dec] 6 times. (42)

Rnds 18-22: Sc evenly around.

Bind off leaving long tail for sewing.

Stuff.

Mark a hexagon (6 sides) with pins on one side of the front legs. Each “side” will be 7 stitches or rows long.

Using pinned hexagon as a guide, sew open end of body to front legs. Add extra stuffing to body before completing attachment.

Hind Legs

(Make 2)

With BLK, ch 2.

Rnd 1: 6 sc in second ch from hook. (6)

Rnd 2: Inc in each st around. (12)

Rnd 3: [Sc, inc] 6 times. (18)

Rnd 4: [2 sc, inc] 6 times. (24)

Rnd 5: Sc evenly around.

Rnd 6: Sc evenly around, turn.

Rnd 7: (WS) (Short Rnd) 12 sc, leave remaining 12 sc unworked, turn. (12)

Rnd 8: (RS) (Short Rnd) 11 sc, leave remaining st unworked, turn. (11)

Rnd 9: (WS) (Short Rnd) 10 sc, leave remaining st unworked, turn. (10)

Rnd 10: (RS) (Short Rnd) 9 sc, leave remaining st unworked, turn. (9)

Rnd 11: (WS) (Short Rnd) 8 sc, leave remaining st unworked, turn. (8)

Rnd 12: (RS) (Short Rnd) 7 sc, leave remaining st unworked, turn. (7)

Rnd 13: (WS) (Short Rnd) 6 sc, leave remaining st unworked, turn. (6)

Rnd 14: (RS) (Short Rnd) 5 sc, leave remaining st unworked, turn. (5)

Rnd 15: (WS) (Short Rnd) 4 sc, leave remaining st unworked, turn. (4)

Rnd 16: (RS) Short Rnd) 4 sc.

Rnd 17: (RS) Working on unworked sts from previous rnds, 4 inc, 12 sc, 5 inc, 3 sc. (33)

Bind off leaving long tail for sewing.

Pin on body at Rnd 10 in line with the inside edges of the front legs. Using this pin as a guide, align hind leg to body so the front and hind legs are in line with each other and the long edge of the hind leg is flush with the body. Pin where the leg touches the body.

Using the pins as a guide, sew hind legs to body. Stuff hind legs before completing attachment. 

Head

With WHT, ch 2.

Rnd 1: 6 sc in second ch from hook. (6)

Rnd 2: Inc in each st around. (12)

Rnd 3: [Sc, inc] 6 times. (18)

Rnd 4: [2 sc, inc] 6 times. (24)

Rnd 5: [3 sc, inc] 6 times. (30)

Rnd 6: [4 sc, inc] 6 times. (36)

Rnd 7: [5 sc, inc] 6 times. (42)

Rnd 8: [6 sc, inc] 6 times. (48)

Rnd 9: [7 sc, inc] 6 times. (54)

Rnds 10-14: Sc evenly around.

Rnd 15: [7 sc, dec] 6 times. (48)

Rnd 16: [6 sc, dec] 6 times. (42)

Rnd 17: [5 sc, dec] 6 times. (36)

Rnd 18: [4 sc, dec] 6 times. (30)

Rnd 19: [3 sc, dec] 6 times. (24)

Rnd 20: [2 sc, dec] 6 times. (18)

Stuff.

Rnd 21: [Sc, dec] 6 times. (12)

Rnd 22: Dec 6 times. (6)

Cut yarn. Thread needle through front loops of remaining 6 stitches. Pull tight to close. Leave long tail for sewing.

Thread long tail through body and out any st of Rnd 17 for future use.

Snout

With WHT, ch 2.

Rnd 1: 6 sc in second ch from hook. (6)

Rnd 2: Inc in each st around. (12)

Rnd 3: [Sc, inc] 6 times. (18)

Rnd 4: [2 sc, inc] 6 times. (24)

Rnds 5-6: Sc evenly around.

Bind of leaving long tail for sewing.

Using pins, mark a 6 x 6 square on the head with the top “side” of the square crossing the center point of the head. Use the pins as a guide to sew the snout to the head. Stuff snout before completing attachment.

Eye Patches

(Make 2)

With BLK, ch 2.

Row 1: 4 sc in second ch from hook, turn. (4)

Row 2: Ch 1, inc in each st across, turn. (8)

Row 3: Ch 1, [Sc, inc] 4 times, turn. (12)

Row 4: Ch 1, [2 sc, inc] 4 times. (16)

Bind off leaving long tail for sewing.

Lay eye patches on a flat surface, curved edges on the outside, mirroring one another. Insert safety eyes in top half of each eye patch, near the shirt edge. Secure washers.

Nose

With a long strand of BLK, use a needle to sew a nose on the top side of the snout, evenly spaced between the eyes. Sew in vertical lines, two rows tall, from two sts on Rnd 2 to three sts on Rnd 4. Repeat stitches until nose is as thick as desired.

Ears

(Make 2)

With BLK, ch 2.

Rnd 1: 6 sc in second ch from hook. (6)

Rnd 2: Inc in each st around. (12)

Rnd 3: [Sc, inc] 6 times. (18)

Rnds 4-6: Sc evenly around.

Bind off leaving long tail for sewing.

Press flat. Ears will curve inward slightly.

Mark straight line for ear attachment 9 sts long, along Rnd 13. Inside edge of ears should be even with the inside edge of the eye patches, 8 sts apart. Sewing through both layers of the last rnd of the ears, attach ears. Bend so curves are facing forward.

Head Attachment

On front legs, use pins to mark a hexagon directly opposite body attachment. Each “side” will be 6 sts long. Mark a hexagon on the head around Rnd 17, also 6 sts on each “side.” Align head with desired tilt to front legs. Using long tail left on head and the pins as a guide, sew head to front legs.

Tail

With BLK, ch 2.

Rnd 1: 6 sc in second ch from hook. (6)

Rnd 2: Inc in each st around. (12)

Rnds 3-5: Sc evenly around.

Bind off leaving long tail for sewing.

Press flat. Sewing through both layers of last rnd, attach tail to Rnd 7 of body, evenly spaced between hind legs.

Weave in all attachment ends when parts are positioned as desired.

All finished? Share your artwork by posting a picture in the Gallery!!

Post comments and pictures on social media with the hashtag #hookedbykati, or tag me @hookedbykati. You can also post pictures on the Facebook Page, or in the Epic Amigurumi Patterns and Crochet Quests Facebook Group.

You may sell products made by this pattern, but please link back to hookedbykati.com or credit Hooked by Kati on the craft fair tag. Do not copy this pattern for distribution or sale; that’s not nice and also illegal.

If you run into a snag, drop me a line! I respond quickly and will help any way I can to clarify any confusion or challenging stitches.

Find more free patterns like this at allfreecrochet.com.

Here’s a few more FREE crochet patterns you might like:

MURDOCK THE KELPIE

LEWIS THE DODO

GUINEACORN AND PIGASUS

BLOBCAT

Yarn on, 

Kati

Kati Brown

Kati is the designer behind Hooked by Kati. With thousands of patterns sold around the world, Kati prides herself in creating innovative, easy-to-follow amigurumi patterns. She has designed for several publications, including Crochet!, Crochet World, Simply Crochet, and I Like Crochet. Kati finds her inspiration in science fiction, video games, and numerous visits to the zoo — all passions she shares with her husband and two boys.