Crochet Pattern Adorable Little Sheep

Materials

To crochet your adorable sheep, perfect as a Christmas tree ornament, interior decoration, keychain, or brooch, gather the following supplies:

Bouclé Yarn: For the fluffy body. The pattern suggests “Bouclé Stretch” by Lama (50g/100m) or “Knyazhna” by Troitskaya yarn (200g/300m).
Thin Smooth Yarn: For the head and ears. The pattern uses “Angora Ram” (100g/500m), which has mohair but minimal pile without brushing.
Iris-type Threads: Essential for detailing the face, such as embroidering the nose.
Small Beads: For the sheep’s eyes, adding a charming touch.
Stuffing: Superpooh or synthetic down for filling your amigurumi sheep.
Accessories: Satin ribbon or other embellishments, depending on how you plan to use your finished sheep.
Crochet Hooks: A 2.5 mm hook for the body and a 2 mm hook for the head and finer details.

Abbreviations

Familiarize yourself with these standard crochet abbreviations used throughout this amigurumi sheep pattern:

ch: Chain stitch
sl st: Slip stitch
sc: Single crochet
inc: Increase (crochet two single crochets into one stitch of the base)
dec: Decrease (crochet two single crochets together, typically through the front loops for a neat finish)
x N times: Repeat the specified instructions within the parentheses N number of times
(…): The total number of stitches you should have at the end of the row is indicated in parentheses.

Gauge & Finished Size

This charming crochet sheep pattern is worked in a continuous spiral, eliminating the need for starting chains. While a specific gauge swatch isn’t provided, here’s the approximate finished size for the body:

Finished Body Size: Approximately 5 cm in length and 4 cm in height.

Crochet Tip for Bouclé Yarn: When working with bouclé yarn for the body, you’ll find that the “right side” of your crochet fabric will actually be the wrong side. This is because most of the fluffy, textured pile emerges on the wrong side, giving your sheep its characteristic woolly look. Keep this in mind as you crochet for the desired texture!

Instructions: Crafting Your Amigurumi Sheep

Let’s begin crocheting your adorable sheep! We’ll work in a spiral, meaning you won’t join rounds with a slip stitch. The following steps are illustrated with multi-colored sheep, but the process remains consistent for any yarn color you choose.

Body (Make 2 Pieces)

Using bouclé yarn and a 2.5 mm crochet hook, you’ll crochet two identical body pieces. Remember the bouclé yarn tip: the wrong side will be your textured “right side.”

Row 1: Chain 6. Starting from the second chain from the hook, work 4 single crochets (sc), then 3 sc into the very last chain. Rotate your work and crochet on the reverse side of the chain: 3 sc, then 2 sc into the first chain you originally worked into (12 stitches total).
Row 2: 1 increase (inc), 3 sc, 3 inc, 3 sc, 2 inc (18 stitches).
Row 3: 1 inc, 4 sc, then repeat (inc, 1 sc) 3 times, 3 sc, then repeat (inc, 1 sc) 2 times (24 stitches).
Row 4 (Standard): Work 24 sc evenly around (24 stitches).
Alternative Row 4 (If your work tightens): If you find your fourth row is tightening up, which can happen with certain yarn types, use this alternative: 1 inc, 6 sc, then repeat (inc, 2 sc) 3 times, 3 sc, then repeat (inc, 2 sc) 2 times (30 stitches).

On one of your body pieces, you will crochet a small tail before finishing. This is a delightful detail for your crochet sheep:

Crochet the Tail: Without breaking the yarn, work 2 sc into the body, then chain 3. Work 1 sc into the second chain from the hook, then another 1 sc. Finish with 1-2 slip stitches back into the body to secure the cute tail.
For a Tail on the Other Side: To crochet the tail on the opposite side (if you want a sheep facing another direction), leave a few single crochets unworked at the end of your last body row. Crochet the tail as described above, then continue with sc to complete the row.

Cut the yarn, secure the end, and carefully weave in all loose tails. You now have two fluffy body pieces ready for assembly!