Amigurumi Goose and Duckling Crochet Pattern: Hans & Gustav Tutorial

ByLina Morgen

Amigurumi Goose and Duckling Crochet Pattern: Hans and Gustav Tutorial

Welcome, fellow crochet enthusiasts! If you are looking for a charming project to brighten up a nursery or a delightful gift for a friend, you have come to the right place. Today, we are diving into a detailed tutorial for creating an adorable pair of animal friends: Hans the Goose and Gustav the Duckling. These little characters are full of personality, especially once you get them dressed in their tiny outfits!

This pattern is designed for intermediate beginners. You should be comfortable with basic amigurumi techniques, but don’t worry—I will walk you through every step to ensure your duo turns out perfectly. Let’s grab our hooks and get started!

Materials & Abbreviations

To ensure your Hans and Gustav look exactly like the photos, I recommend using cotton yarn for a clean, stitch-defined look. Here is everything you will need:

Yarn (Cotton preferred)

  • Grey Melange (for Hans the Goose)
  • Mustard Yellow (for Gustav the Duckling and Hans’ hat)
  • Brown (for suspenders and accessories)
  • Terracotta (for beaks and legs)
  • Blue Melange (for Hans’ shorts)
  • Khaki Green (for Gustav’s overalls)

Notions & Tools

  • Crochet Hooks: 2.0mm (#2) and 2.5mm (#2.5)
  • 7mm (approx. 0.27 inch) Safety Eyes – 4 pieces
  • Wire (approx. 0.035 inch thick) – roughly 10 inches long
  • Electrical tape (to wrap the wire)
  • Fiberfill stuffing
  • Stitch markers
  • Tapestry needle
  • Black embroidery thread (for facial details)
  • Buttons (for overalls)
  • Scissors

Abbreviations (US Terms)

  • MR: Magic Ring
  • sc: Single crochet
  • inc: Increase
  • dec: Decrease
  • sl st: Slip stitch
  • dc: Double crochet
  • ch: Chain
  • st(s): Stitch(es)

Step-by-Step Instructions

The Head (Universal)

The head is worked the same way for both characters using their respective main colors (Grey for Hans, Mustard for Gustav).

  1. 6 sc in MR (6)
  2. 6 inc (12)
  3. (1 sc, inc) * 6 (18)
  4. (2 sc, inc) * 6 (24)
  5. (3 sc, inc) * 6 (30)
  6. (4 sc, inc) * 6 (36)
  7. (5 sc, inc) * 6 (42)
  8. 42 sc (42)
  9. (6 sc, inc) * 6 (48)
  10. 10-11. 48 sc (2 rounds)
  11. (7 sc, inc) * 6 (54)
  12. 13-14. 54 sc (2 rounds)
  13. (8 sc, inc) * 6 (60)
  14. 16-23. 60 sc (8 rounds)

Eye Placement: Insert the 7mm safety eyes between rounds 15 and 16.

  • For Gustav (Duckling): Place eyes 11 sc apart.
  • For Hans (Goose): Place eyes 9 sc apart.

Eye Indentation Technique: To give them that cute, focused look, use a needle and thread to pull the fabric inward around the eyes. Mark 6 points: 2 in the center of the head (where the beak will be) and 2 near each eye. Weave the thread through these points (1 to 2, 3 to 4, 5 to 6) and pull tight to create a slight depression.

The Beaks

Gustav’s Beak (Duckling)

Use Terracotta yarn. Start with a chain of 15. Working from the second chain from the hook:

  1. 13 sc, 2 sc in one stitch, 13 sc (28)
  2. 28 sc
  3. (6 sc, inc) * 4 (32)
  4. 32 sc
  5. (7 sc, inc) * 4 (36)
  6. 36 sc

Fasten off, leaving a long tail for sewing. Sew to the head. Do not stuff.

Hans’ Beak (Goose)

Use Terracotta yarn. This piece is worked from the bottom up to create a triangle shape.

  1. 6 sc in MR (6)
  2. 6 inc (12)
  3. (3 sc, inc) * 3 (15)
  4. (4 sc, inc) * 3 (18)
  5. (5 sc, inc) * 3 (21)
  6. (6 sc, inc) * 3 (24)

Note: To create the triangular shape, in the following rounds, do not finish the last stitch of the round. Start the next round in that unworked stitch.

  1. 6 sc, inc, 8 sc, inc, 6 sc, inc (26) – skip 1 st at the end
  2. 7 sc, inc, 10 sc, inc, 6 sc, inc (29) – skip 1 st at the end
  3. 8 sc, inc, 12 sc, inc, 6 sc, inc (32) – skip 1 st at the end
  4. 9 sc, inc, 14 sc, inc, 6 sc, inc (35)

Fasten off, leaving a tail. Lightly stuff and sew to the head.

The Wings

Gustav’s Wings (Mustard)

Each wing consists of two parts joined together.

Part 1: 6 sc in MR, 6 inc (12), (1 sc, inc) * 6 (18), (2 sc, inc) * 6 (24), (3 sc, inc) * 6 (30), then 5 rounds of 30 sc. Fasten off.

Part 2: 6 sc in MR, 6 inc (12), (1 sc, inc) * 6 (18), then 3 rounds of 18 sc. Do not fasten off; join to Part 1.

Joining: (9 sc on part 2, 30 sc on part 1, 9 sc on part 2) = 48 sc. Work 5 rounds of 48 sc. Then, decrease in a pattern (e.g., [dec, 22 sc] * 2) until you reach 24 stitches. Fold the piece in half and sc through both layers for 12 stitches to close the wing.

Hans’ Wings (Grey)

Work in a single piece: 6 sc in MR, 6 inc (12), (3 sc, inc) * 3 (15), (4 sc, inc) * 3 (18), (5 sc, inc) * 3 (21), (6 sc, inc) * 3 (24), up to 24 sc. Continue increasing until you reach 45 sc. Decrease back down to 24 sc. Fold in half and sc through both layers for 12 stitches.

The Legs & Wire Frame

Use Terracotta yarn. This part requires a wire frame for stability.

  1. Ch 15. From 2nd ch: 13 sc, 2 sc in one stitch, 13 sc (28).
  2. 2-3. 28 sc (2 rounds)
  3. 4. (12 sc, dec) * 2 (26)
  4. 5. (11 sc, dec) * 2 (24)
  5. 6. (10 sc, dec) * 2 (22)
  6. 7. (9 sc, dec) * 2 (20)
  7. 8. (8 sc, dec) * 2 (18)
  8. 9. (7 sc, dec) * 2 (16)
  9. 10. (6 sc, dec) * 2 (14)
  10. 11. (5 sc, dec) * 2 (12)
  11. 12. 6 dec (6)

The Frame: Take your 10-inch wire, fold it in half, and wrap it in electrical tape. Insert the wire into the leg and begin stuffing. Continue crocheting around the wire for 9 rounds of 12 sc, then switch to the main color (Mustard for Gustav, Grey for Hans) and follow the remaining increases/decreases as per the pattern to finish the leg shape.

The Body and Assembly

Work in the main color (Mustard or Grey). Start with a ch 6.

  1. 4 sc, 3 sc in one stitch, 3 sc, inc (12)
  2. inc, 3 sc, (inc * 3), 3 sc, (inc * 2) (18)
  3. 1 sc, inc, 3 sc, (1 sc, inc) * 3, 3 sc, (1 sc, inc) * 2 (24)

Add 5 more sc to reach the middle, then attach the legs. Left Leg: 6 sc to the right. Right Leg: 9 sc to the left. Continue working in rounds to create the body. Once stuffed, attach the wings to the sides. Finally, work the neck: Gustav needs 8 rounds of 21 sc, while Hans needs 15 rounds of 21 sc. Sew the head onto the neck.

The Outfits

Gustav’s Overalls (Khaki)

Ch 13. Work in rows: 1-7. 12 sc, ch (12 sc, ch). Join into a circle. Work around the edges and then the bottom to form the body. Add two straps using brown yarn and small buttons to secure them.

Hans’ Accessories (Blue, Brown, Mustard)

  • Shorts: Ch 70, join in a circle. Work 17 rounds of 70 sc. Create leg openings by working 35 sc, then 4 rounds of leg length, then the other side.
  • Suspenders: Small brown strips sewn to the shorts.
  • Hat: Mustard yarn. 8 sc in MR, then increase rounds up to 80 sc. Use a slip stitch to finish.

Finishing

The final step is where the magic happens! Using black embroidery thread, carefully stitch the eyelashes and eyebrows. For Gustav, a slightly surprised look works well, while Hans can have a more dignified, slightly grumpy expression. Don’t forget to clean up any loose ends by weaving them into the body.

Tips

  • Tension is Key: Since amigurumi is worked in tight rounds, try to keep your tension consistent to prevent stuffing from showing through.
  • Stitch Markers: Always use a marker at the start of your rounds. It is very easy to lose count when working large numbers of stitches.
  • Wire Safety: Ensure the wire is well-covered with electrical tape so it doesn’t poke through the crochet fabric.
  • Photo Reference: Keep an eye on the final assembly to ensure your proportions look right!

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