Baby bull amigurumi: a plush crochet project worth starting

This one has a gentle, barnyard kind of warmth to it. There's nothing fierce about this bull, even with the horns. He comes out soft-faced and a little round in the middle, the kind of toy that looks like it has been loved for years before you have even finished sewing him together.

Your hands will spend most of their time in continuous spirals, round after round with no joining and no turning, which is the part of amigurumi I find almost meditative. Then they shift gears for the muzzle, working short rows back and forth in that light brown yarn to build its rounded shape. The horns ask for a finer hook and a steadier grip, since you are moving from bulky chenille down to thin cotton blend.

Set him on a shelf or a windowsill and he holds his own without looking fussy. He is substantial thanks to that plush chenille body, so he anchors a group of smaller amigurumi nicely. Children seem to go for the stubby arms and legs right away, before they even notice the horns.

Standing approximately 5 inches (13 cm) tall including his little horns, he works up quickly and makes a wonderful gift, holiday ornament, or keychain charm.

A few key techniques help this pattern come out looking its best. For the magic ring, cast on 2 chains, then work the required number of single crochets into the second chain from the hook, continuing in the round without joining. The whole pattern is worked in continuous spiral rounds — don't join at the end of rounds and don't turn your work unless specifically instructed; placing a stitch marker at the beginning of each round helps you keep track. When stuffing the head and body, push fiberfill from the center outward toward the sides rather than packing it straight in from the top, which creates a rounder, more even shape. For the invisible decrease, insert your hook into the front loop of the first stitch, then into the front loop of the next stitch, yarn over and draw through both loops, then yarn over and draw through the remaining 2 loops on the hook.

• Crochet the ears separately so they are ready to attach once the head is shaped.
• Work both legs on their own, then join them into one continuous piece to build the body and head without a seam.
• Shape the muzzle in light brown yarn using short rows worked back and forth, not in the round.
• Crochet the eye whites as a quick, nearly instant round each, ready to pair with or replace with safety eyes.
• Stuff the body and head firmly as you go, then attach the eyes between the rounds marked for the face.
• Sew the muzzle, horns, ears, and tail into place to finish the bull.

Losing stitch definition in chenille

Work a touch more snugly than you would with worsted yarn, since the plush texture already hides stitches and loose tension makes the fabric gappy. Count stitches carefully rather than relying on sight.

Rushing the muzzle's short rows

The muzzle is worked flat in rows, not in continuous spiral rounds like the rest of the body, so pause and turn your work as instructed. Skipping the turn flattens the rounded shape you want beneath the eyes.