Hippo nostrils sit high for breathing above water, so the snout has to carry the face. This hippo amigurumi crochet pattern uses lilac plush yarn, pink accents, white toe pads, 14 mm safety eyes, and a 4.0 mm hook for an intermediate 17 cm seated toy. Make it when you need a compact safari animal with a stable sitting base.
The Design: What Makes This Hippo Different
A hippo is not just a round animal with ears. The face needs a wide oval muzzle because real hippos have eyes, ears, and nostrils placed high on the head while most of the body stays low in water. That anatomy explains the broad snout, raised ears, and low seated body in this crochet hippo pattern. The body is shorter than the head to keep the plush hippo crochet pattern stable when the four limbs are sewn forward. Small ears stop the top of the head from reading as a bear. Pink cheek patches add width without changing the stitch count. The common mistake is making the snout too narrow; then the hippopotamus amigurumi reads like a pig. Keep the muzzle broad, flat-backed, and centered under the eyes.
Project Info at a Glance
| Skill Level | Time | Finished Size | Hook | Best For |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Intermediate | 4–5 hours | 17 cm seated | 4.0 mm | Plush safari toy, nursery shelf, market sample |
Materials and Tools
Yarn
- Lilac — plush chenille / velvet-style worsted scale — 100 g — Premier Parfait Chunky, Himalaya Dolphin Baby, or similar
- Pink — same yarn family — under 25 g — inner ears and cheeks
- White — same yarn family — under 10 g — toe pads
- Black — embroidery yarn or cotton thread — small amount — nostrils, eyebrows, smile
Tools
- Hook 4.0 mm
- 14 mm safety eyes
- Polyester stuffing
- Yarn needle
- Stitch markers
- Scissors
- Pins
Abbreviations
- MR = magic ring
- sc = single crochet
- inc = increase, 2 sc in next stitch
- dec = invisible decrease
- sl st = slip stitch
- ch = chain
- BLO = back loop only
Invisible decrease means working through the front loops of the next two stitches before completing one sc, which reduces visible gaps on plush heads.
Pattern — Step by Step
Continuous spiral unless noted. Place a stitch marker at the first stitch of each round.
Head
Yarn: lilac
R1: 6 sc in MR (6)
R2: inc ×6 (12)
R3: (sc, inc) ×6 (18)
R4: (2 sc, inc) ×6 (24)
R5: (3 sc, inc) ×6 (30)
R6: (4 sc, inc) ×6 (36)
R7–16: 36 sc (36)
R17: (4 sc, dec) ×6 (30)
R18: (3 sc, dec) ×6 (24)
R19: (2 sc, dec) ×6 (18)
Insert 14 mm safety eyes between R12 and R13, 7–8 stitches apart. Start stuffing before the hole narrows.
R20: (sc, dec) ×6 (12)
R21: dec ×6 (6)
Fasten off. Leave 20 cm tail and close the remaining hole.
Body
Yarn: lilac
R1: 6 sc in MR (6)
R2: inc ×6 (12)
R3: (sc, inc) ×6 (18)
R4: (2 sc, inc) ×6 (24)
R5: (3 sc, inc) ×6 (30)
R6: (4 sc, inc) ×6 (36)
R7–12: 36 sc (36)
R13: (4 sc, dec) ×6 (30)
R14: (3 sc, dec) ×6 (24)
Stuff firmly at the base. Add more stuffing before R16 to prevent a hollow neck.
R15: (2 sc, dec) ×6 (18)
R16: (sc, dec) ×6 (12)
R17: dec ×6 (6)
Fasten off. Leave 30 cm tail for sewing to the head.
Arms / Front Legs
Make 2. Yarn: lilac with optional white toe pads added later.
R1: 6 sc in MR (6)
R2: inc ×6 (12)
R3: (sc, inc) ×6 (18)
R4–9: 18 sc (18)
R10: (sc, dec) ×6 (12)
R11–16: 12 sc (12)
Stuff the paw firmly and the upper arm lightly so the limb hangs close to the body.
R17: dec ×6 (6)
Fasten off. Leave 25 cm tail.
Back Legs
Make 2. Yarn: lilac with optional white toe pads added later.
R1: 6 sc in MR (6)
R2: inc ×6 (12)
R3: (sc, inc) ×6 (18)
R4: (2 sc, inc) ×6 (24)
R5–7: 24 sc (24)
R8: (2 sc, dec) ×6 (18)
R9: (sc, dec) ×6 (12)
Stuff until the foot is firm but still flat enough to support the seated body.
R10: dec ×6 (6)
Fasten off. Leave 25 cm tail.
Ears with Inner Patches
Make 2 outer ears and 2 inner patches. Yarn: lilac outer ear, pink inner ear.
Inner Ear, Pink
R1: 6 sc in MR (6)
R2: inc ×6 (12)
Sl st to close. Fasten off. Leave 15 cm tail.
Outer Ear, Lilac
R1: 6 sc in MR (6)
R2: inc ×6 (12)
R3: (sc, inc) ×6 (18)
R4: (2 sc, inc) ×6 (24)
R5: 24 sc (24)
Fasten off. Leave 25 cm tail. Sew one pink inner patch to each outer ear. Pinch the base slightly before attaching.
Oval Snout
Yarn: lilac
R1: ch 7. Starting in 2nd ch from hook: inc, 4 sc, 4 sc in last ch. Work along the other side: 4 sc, inc (16)
R2: inc ×2, 4 sc, inc ×4, 4 sc, inc ×2 (24)
R3: (3 sc, inc) ×6 (30)
R4–6: 30 sc (30)
Lightly stuff. Embroider two black nostrils across the front, 6–7 stitches apart.
Fasten off. Leave 35 cm tail for sewing.
Round Tail
Yarn: lilac
R1: 6 sc in MR (6)
R2: inc ×6 (12)
R3: 12 sc (12)
R4: dec ×6 (6)
Fasten off. Leave 20 cm tail.
Cheek Patches
Make 2. Yarn: pink.
R1: 6 sc in MR (6)
R2: inc ×6 (12)
Sl st to close. Fasten off. Leave 15 cm tail. Do not stuff.
White Toe Pads
Make 12. Yarn: white.
R1: 5 sc in MR (5)
Sl st to close. Fasten off. Leave 10 cm tail on each pad. Make three toe pads for each front leg and three for each back leg.
Facial Embroidery
Yarn: black embroidery thread.
Use black yarn to embroider one short eyebrow above each eye. Add a shallow smile under the snout after the snout is sewn down. Keep the smile centered on the vertical line between the nostrils.
Assembly
- Sew the body to the lower back of the head, keeping the head tilted slightly forward.
- Pin the snout under the eyes before sewing; the top edge should sit just below the eye line.
- Sew the snout around its full edge, adding a final pinch of stuffing before closing the last 2 cm.
- Sew the cheek patches to the left and right of the snout, one round below the lower edge of each eye.
- Sew the front legs to the front of the body, angled downward and slightly inward.
- Sew the back legs to the lower sides of the body so the toy sits without rolling backward.
- Attach the ears on top of the head between R5 and R7, with pink centers facing forward.
- Sew the tail to the back of the body at the lower center line.
- Sew three white toe pads to the front edge of each limb.
- Add eyebrows, nostrils, and smile, then weave every yarn tail through at least 2 cm of fabric.
The finished hippo has a seated body, broad muzzle, pink cheeks, top ears, and visible white toes.
7 Technical Tips
- Stitch marker drift: If the first stitch shifts across the face, the snout may sit diagonally. Move the marker every round and recount at R6, R12, and R17 on the head.
- Stuffing firmness: A soft snout collapses after sewing and hides the nostrils. Fill it to about 70% firmness, then add the final pinch before closing the last seam gap.
- Invisible decrease gaps: Plush yarn shows holes when regular decreases are used on R17–R21 of the head. Work front loops only for each dec and pull the working loop snug after each stitch.
- Eye placement timing: Safety-eye backs are hard to attach after R18. Insert 14 mm eyes between R12 and R13, spaced 7–8 stitches apart, before the head opening becomes narrow.
- Velvet tension: Chenille can worm loose when tails are trimmed too close. Leave at least 10 cm on every yarn tail and weave through three directions before cutting.
- Pinning failure: Unpinned limbs can make the hippo lean to one side. Pin all four limbs first, place the toy on a flat table, then sew only after the seated balance is correct.
- Tail weaving: A tiny tail can loosen because it has only a 6-stitch closing round. Sew through the body twice, knot under the tail base, and bury the yarn for 2 cm.
Conclusion
This lilac hippo works because the snout is wide, the ears stay small, and the limbs are placed to hold a seated pose. Check the head before closing, then sew the muzzle only after both eyes are locked in place. Your next step is to crochet the snout first as a gauge sample; if the oval is too narrow, increase the chain base before making the head. Save this hippo amigurumi crochet pattern to Pinterest and share the finished toy on Instagram with #LilacHippoAmigurumi. Will you place the nostrils close together for a baby hippo look, or wider for a fuller hippopotamus muzzle?
