How do I keep the ear join from looking messy?

The trick is holding the white and orange ear pieces wrong sides together before single crocheting around the edge, which tucks the seam neatly between the two layers. Working that round slowly and keeping tension even makes the biggest difference.

When do I insert the safety eyes and nose?

Place them while the head is still open, partway through the rounds, so you can hold the piece up and check the expression before stuffing fully. Once the head is closed, it is much harder to adjust their position.

Do I need to be confident with embroidery for the stripes?

Basic straight stitches and small lines are all you need for the whiskers, eyebrows, and stripes. If you are new to embroidery, practice the stripe placement on a scrap of orange yarn first.

How firmly should I stuff the head and legs?

Stuff firmly enough that the head holds a round shape and the legs feel solid when the tiger stands or sits. Underfilled pieces tend to look lumpy once the safety eyes and embroidery are added.

Amigurumi tiger cub crochet pattern with plush ears

LevelIntermediate
Time4-6 hours
Hook4.5 mm
YarnWorsted

About This Pattern

This little tiger has a soft, round-cheeked calm to it, the kind of face that looks curious rather than fierce. Working the orange body against white ear panels gives the whole thing a gentle, storybook feel. It is a project that asks you to slow down on the details, not rush the shaping.

Finished and stuffed, this cub sits well on a shelf, a windowsill, or tucked into a reading nook. The plush yarn gives it a huggable weight that holds its shape without going stiff. It is the kind of maker's-own piece that ends up claiming a permanent spot on a bed or a desk.

Skill level: medium. All parts are crocheted separately and then sewn together. The finished toy measures about 27 cm once assembled and stuffed.

Start the head with a small chain and build it outward through steady increase rounds until the shape rounds into a muzzle.
Keep working the head through its increase and straight rounds, shifting the row start partway through to keep the shaping even.
Set the safety eyes and toy nose into the head before you close it up, so you can check the expression while it is still open.
Stuff the head firmly as you work the later rounds so the face holds its shape once it is sealed.
Crochet the ears in two colors, then hold the white and orange pieces together and single crochet around the edge to join them.
Make both legs separately, increasing steadily from a small ring up to their full width before stuffing.
Thread black yarn onto a needle and embroider the whiskers, eyebrows, and stripes onto the finished orange pieces.
Sew the ears and legs onto the head and body, checking the tiger sits evenly before you weave in the last ends.

On the desk

Plush yarn in orange and white colors
Crochet hook 4.0-4.5 mm
Black yarn for embroidering whiskers, eyebrows, and stripes
Safety eyes 18 mm
Toy nose 17×13 mm
Stuffing for toys
Needle
Scissors

Stitch shorthand

KA — amigurumi ring
ch — chain stitch
sl st — slip stitch
sc — single crochet
inc — increase
dec — decrease
(…) x n — repeat n times