Ears change the personality of an amigurumi animal more than almost any other small piece. A bear needs soft round ears, a bunny needs longer flattened ears, and a cat needs crisp triangle ears. These three shapes cover many beginner toys.
Terms: This pattern uses US crochet terms. Work in continuous spiral rounds unless a step says to join. Place a stitch marker in the first stitch of every round.
Safety note: Handmade toys require maker judgment. For items intended for babies or young children, avoid small detachable parts, use secure embroidery instead of loose pieces, and follow the toy-safety rules in your country.
Materials
- Practice yarn in the same weight as your toy
- Matching hook
- Yarn needle and pins
- A removable stitch marker
Abbreviations
- MR = magic ring
- ch = chain
- sl st = slip stitch
- sc = single crochet
- inc = 2 sc in the next stitch
- dec = invisible single-crochet decrease
- st/sts = stitch/stitches
- FO = fasten off
Construction
Make the ear shape separately, pin both ears before sewing, then compare the toy from the front, side, and top. Matching placement matters as much as the crochet itself.
Round-by-round instructions
Round bear ear R1: 6 sc in MR. (6) R2: inc around. (12) R3: sc around. (12) FO, flatten slightly. Long bunny ear R1: 5 sc in MR. (5) R2: inc around. (10) R3-R10: sc around. (10) R11: [3 sc, dec] x2. (8) FO, flatten. Flat cat ear in rows Row 1: ch 7, sc in second ch from hook and across. (6) Row 2: dec, 2 sc, dec. (4) Row 3: dec twice. (2) Row 4: dec. (1) FO.
Stuffing and assembly
Pin ears with the lower edges following a round of the head, not floating randomly between rows. Sew through both the ear edge and the head fabric with small stitches. For baby-safe making, avoid wire or hard inserts; shaping should come from stitches and placement.
Related learning
Placement tips
Before sewing, step back and look at the toy from a normal viewing distance. Ears placed too high can make a bear look like a mouse; ears placed too low can make a cat look tired. Use the center line of the face as your guide, then count the same number of stitches to the left and right.
For floppy ears, sew only the bottom edge. For upright ears, sew along the bottom and a small part of each side edge.