Introduction
A cat hood needs two openings before its brim can frame the forehead. This cat amigurumi crochet pattern with strawberry purse uses super-bulky chenille yarn, a 5 mm hook and 12–14 mm safety eyes to make a figure approximately 28 cm tall. The intermediate construction combines a broad kitten head, fitted hood, scalloped sweater and lightweight crossbody bag, making it useful for practising accessory placement on plush fabric.
The Design: What Makes This Hooded Cat Different
The head reaches a 36-stitch plateau, giving the eyes and muzzle enough horizontal space without producing an oversized neck seam. Separate triangular ears are attached before the hood, so their points remain visible through two controlled gaps instead of being compressed beneath the pink fabric. The body is rounded through its lower half to support the scalloped garment, while the legs remain parallel and comparatively narrow. That proportion keeps the figure upright under the weight of the hood and strawberry purse. One common error in a hooded cat crochet pattern is positioning the hood brim across the eye line. Here, the front edge sits about one round above the eyes. The pink kitten amigurumi also uses a light, hollow purse cord rather than a dense chenille chain, reducing sideways pull on the collar.
Project Info at a Glance
| Skill Level | Time | Finished Size | Hook | Best For |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Intermediate | 8–10 hours | Approximately 28 cm | 5 mm | Chenille shaping, fitted clothing and accessory scaling |
Materials and Tools
Yarn
- White — super-bulky chenille — approximately 90 g — Himalaya Dolphin Baby, Hobbii Honey Bunny, YarnArt Dolce or an equivalent plush yarn.
- Pastel pink — super-bulky chenille — approximately 105 g — use the same yarn line as the white.
- Strawberry red — DK cotton — approximately 8 g — a smooth yarn keeps the purse details readable.
- Leaf green — DK cotton — approximately 3 g.
- Pale pink — embroidery cotton — approximately 1 g for the nose, whiskers and purse cord.
- White — embroidery cotton — less than 1 g for strawberry seeds.
Tools
- 5 mm crochet hook for the chenille pieces.
- 2.5 mm crochet hook for the strawberry purse and leaves.
- 12–14 mm safety eyes, one pair.
- Polyester stuffing, approximately 80–100 g.
- Large-eye yarn needle.
- Embroidery needle.
- Locking stitch markers.
- Dressmaking pins.
- Scissors.
Abbreviations
- MR — magic ring
- sc — single crochet
- hdc — half double crochet
- dc — double crochet
- inc — two single crochets in one stitch
- dec — single-crochet decrease
- sl st — slip stitch
- ch — chain
- BLO — back loop only
- FLO — front loop only
For an invisible decrease, insert the hook through the front loops of the next two stitches, yarn over, pull through both front loops and complete one single crochet.
Pattern — Step by Step
Work in a continuous spiral unless joined rounds or rows are specified. Move the stitch marker to the first stitch after every completed round.
Head
Yarn: white — standard six-point amigurumi shaping.
R1: 6 sc in MR (6)
R2: inc ×6 (12)
R3: (1 sc, inc) ×6 (18)
R4: (2 sc, inc) ×6 (24)
R5: (3 sc, inc) ×6 (30)
R6: (4 sc, inc) ×6 (36)
R7–R13: sc around (36)
R14: (4 sc, dec) ×6 (30)
R15: (3 sc, dec) ×6 (24)
R16: (2 sc, dec) ×6 (18)
Insert the safety eyes between R10 and R11 with seven visible stitches between their inner edges. Stuff the forehead first, then distribute smaller pieces around the eye posts.
R17: (1 sc, dec) ×6 (12)
R18: dec ×6 (6)
Fasten off. Leave a 25 cm tail and close the opening through the front loops.
Muzzle
Yarn: white.
R1: 6 sc in MR (6)
R2: inc ×6 (12)
R3: sc around (12)
Add a small amount of stuffing. The piece should remain shallow enough to sit between the eyes without hiding their lower edges.
Fasten off. Leave a 20 cm sewing tail.
Cheek Patches (Make 2)
Yarn: pale pink DK cotton — flat circles.
R1: 6 sc in MR (6)
R2: inc ×6 (12)
Fasten off. Leave a 12 cm tail. These patches may be sewn below the eyes or omitted to match the photographed face, which uses embroidered whiskers rather than solid cheeks.
Body
Begin with white and change to pastel pink.
R1: 6 sc in MR with white (6)
R2: inc ×6 (12)
R3: (1 sc, inc) ×6 (18)
R4: (2 sc, inc) ×6 (24)
R5: (3 sc, inc) ×6 (30)
R6: (4 sc, inc) ×6 (36)
R7–R9: sc around (36)
R10: change to pastel pink, BLO sc around (36)
R11–R13: sc around (36)
R14: (4 sc, dec) ×6 (30)
R15–R16: sc around (30)
R17: (3 sc, dec) ×6 (24)
R18: sc around (24)
Stuff the lower body firmly. Add smaller pieces near the neck so the opening stays circular.
R19: (2 sc, dec) ×6 (18)
R20: (1 sc, dec) ×6 (12)
Fasten off. Leave a 30 cm tail for joining the head.
Arms (Make 2)
Yarn: white.
R1: 6 sc in MR (6)
R2: inc ×6 (12)
R3–R5: sc around (12)
R6: (2 sc, dec) ×3 (9)
R7–R11: sc around (9)
R12: (1 sc, dec) ×3 (6)
Stuff the paws firmly and the upper arms lightly. Flatten the final round before sewing.
Fasten off. Leave a 25 cm tail.
Back Legs (Make 2)
Yarn: white.
R1: 6 sc in MR (6)
R2: inc ×6 (12)
R3: (1 sc, inc) ×6 (18)
R4–R8: sc around (18)
R9: (1 sc, dec) ×6 (12)
R10–R14: sc around (12)
R15: dec ×6 (6)
Stuff firmly through R11. Leave the top three rounds slightly softer so the legs can sit beneath the body without forming a hard ridge.
Fasten off. Leave a 30 cm tail.
Cat Ears (Make 2)
Yarn: white.
R1: 6 sc in MR (6)
R2: sc around (6)
R3: inc ×6 (12)
R4: sc around (12)
R5: (1 sc, inc) ×6 (18)
R6: sc around (18)
R7: (1 sc, dec) ×6 (12)
R8: sc around (12)
Do not stuff. Flatten each ear and place a small triangular section of pink felt or pink crochet fabric inside the front surface when an inner-ear detail is wanted.
Fasten off. Leave a 25 cm tail.
Hood
Yarn: pastel pink. Work in joined rounds.
R1: 6 sc in MR, join (6)
R2: inc ×6, join (12)
R3: (1 sc, inc) ×6, join (18)
R4: (2 sc, inc) ×6, join (24)
R5: (3 sc, inc) ×6, join (30)
R6: (4 sc, inc) ×6, join (36)
R7–R9: sc around, join (36)
R10: 6 sc, ch 6, skip 6, 12 sc, ch 6, skip 6, 6 sc, join (36)
R11: sc in every stitch and chain around, join (36)
R12–R14: sc around, join (36)
R15: (4 sc, dec) ×6, join (30)
Test the hood on the head before fastening off. Pull one cat ear through each six-chain opening and position the brim approximately one round above the eyes.
Fasten off. Leave a 35 cm tail for securing the lower edge behind the head.
Hood Pom-Pom
Yarn: pastel pink.
R1: 6 sc in MR (6)
R2: inc ×6 (12)
R3–R4: sc around (12)
R5: dec ×6 (6)
Stuff lightly before the final decrease.
Fasten off. Leave a 20 cm tail and sew the pom-pom to the centre of the hood crown.
Thick Collar
Yarn: pastel pink. Work in joined rounds.
Ch 37 and join without twisting.
R1: ch 1, sc around, join (36)
R2: ch 1, BLO sc around, join (36)
R3–R5: ch 1, sc around, join (36)
Fasten off. Weave both tails into the inside surface. Fold the upper edge outward by approximately 1.5 cm after placing the collar around the neck.
Scalloped Garment Hem
Yarn: pastel pink. Attach to the unused front loops of body R10.
R1: ch 1, inc in each FLO around, join (72)
R2: ch 1, sc around, join (72)
R3: ch 1, (sc, hdc, 3 dc, hdc, sc) across the next 7 stitches, sl st in the next 5 stitches; repeat the 12-stitch sequence six times (72)
Fasten off. Arrange the six scalloped sections around the body and place the final join at the centre back.
Tail
Yarn: white.
R1: 6 sc in MR (6)
R2–R12: sc around (6)
R13: (1 sc, dec) ×2 (4)
Do not stuff, or insert only a thin strand of stuffing through the first six rounds. The tail must remain flexible beneath the garment.
Fasten off. Leave a 25 cm tail.
Strawberry Purse
Yarn: strawberry red DK cotton; use the 2.5 mm hook.
R1: 6 sc in MR (6)
R2: inc ×6 (12)
R3: (1 sc, inc) ×6 (18)
R4–R5: sc around (18)
R6: (1 sc, dec) ×6 (12)
R7: sc around (12)
R8: dec ×6 (6)
R9: sc around (6)
Stuff lightly after R6. Embroider seven to nine white seed stitches at irregular intervals across the front and sides.
Fasten off. Leave a 15 cm tail and close the top.
Strawberry Leaf Cap
Yarn: leaf green DK cotton.
R1: 6 sc in MR (6)
R2: (sl st, ch 4, sl st in second ch from hook, sc in next ch, hdc in next ch, sl st in next base stitch) ×3
Fasten off. Leave a 15 cm tail and sew the cap over the strawberry opening.
Purse Cord
Yarn: pale pink embroidery cotton held double.
Ch 61. Sl st in the second chain from the hook and in each remaining chain (60).
Fasten off. Leave a 12 cm tail at both ends. Attach the cord to opposite sides of the leaf cap so the strawberry hangs near the cat’s lower right side.
Assembly
- Sew the head to the 12-stitch body opening, adding a final layer of stuffing before closing the last 3 cm of the seam.
- Pin the cat ears between head rounds 3 and 7 with approximately five stitches between their inner edges, then sew each base twice.
- Centre the muzzle below the eyes, add a small amount of stuffing and sew around its outer edge.
- Embroider a pink triangular nose over the upper centre of the muzzle, then add three whiskers measuring 12–16 mm on each side.
- Sew the arms to body rounds 16–18, positioning the paws slightly forward and leaving equal clearance above the scalloped hem.
- Attach the legs beneath body rounds 5–8 with a two-stitch gap between their inner edges, then test the standing balance.
- Sew the tail to the centre back below body R9 and curve it toward one side beneath the garment hem.
- Pull the ears through the hood openings, position the brim above the eyes and anchor the rear lower edge to the head with four hidden stitches.
- Place the collar around the neck, tack it at the centre back and pass the strawberry-purse cord diagonally across the body.
- Secure all structural tails through at least 6 cm of dense fabric, then check the hood, purse and scallops from the front and both sides.
The completed cat should measure approximately 28 cm from the soles of the feet to the top of the hood pom-pom.
7 Technical Tips
- Round-marker loss: Plush fibres can conceal the first stitch and shift the decrease line. Place one locking marker in the first stitch and another after stitch 18 on every 36-stitch round.
- Head tilt: Soft stuffing at the upper body lets the hooded head fall forward. Pack the final 3 cm of the torso to approximately 80 percent of the head’s firmness before sewing.
- Decrease gaps: Standard decreases may expose white stuffing through the chenille fabric. Work all head, body and leg decreases through the front loops only.
- Incorrect eye timing: Washer access becomes restricted when the head opening falls below 24 stitches. Install both eyes before completing R16 and confirm the seven-stitch inner gap first.
- Hood distortion: Unequal ear openings pull the brim diagonally across the face. Count six skipped stitches and six replacement chains for each opening, then compare both gaps before R11.
- Scallop rotation: A misplaced joined-round seam can move one lobe to the centre front. Mark the centre-back stitch before R1 and begin every hem round at that point.
- Purse sag: A cord longer than about 24 cm at this scale places the strawberry below the garment. Pin the completed cord diagonally and shorten it until the purse centre rests 2–3 cm above the hem.
Conclusion
Check the hood opening, whisker length and purse position before trimming the final yarn tails. The next practical step is to crochet a 12-stitch sample with the selected chenille and 5 mm hook; visible stuffing gaps call for a 4.5 mm hook. Photograph the finished cat from the front and at a three-quarter angle for Pinterest, then share the project on Instagram with #StrawberryHoodCat. This cat amigurumi crochet pattern with strawberry purse can also be tested with a removable collar before the hood is anchored permanently. Which image-specific feature will you adjust first: the hood brim depth, the six scallops or the strawberry cord length?
