🧶 Beautiful ✨ Detailed 💝 Adorable

Alan the Lion Amigurumi Pattern

Alan the Lion Amigurumi Pattern
4.7★ Rating
12-15 Hours Time Needed
2.6K Made This
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Intermediate Level

Ideal for those with basic knitting experience, featuring slightly more advanced stitches and techniques to expand your skills.

⏱️

Slow & Steady

A 10-12 hour project—great for savoring the process over several sessions.

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Cute Companion

An adorable friend to cherish, handcrafted with love to bring comfort and joy for years to come.

About This Alan the Lion Amigurumi Pattern

Alan the Lion is a charming amigurumi pattern that combines traditional crochet techniques with creative mane-making to produce a truly special plush friend. The pattern includes detailed color-changing instructions for creating Alan's distinctive facial markings, plus a complete guide to attaching his magnificent woolly mane. With his gentle expression, colorful t-shirt, and carefully crafted features, Alan makes a wonderful gift or personal keepsake that showcases your crochet skills.

Alan the Lion Amigurumi Pattern crochet pattern - detailed view of completed project

The pattern works up in spiral rounds using tight stitching techniques to ensure a professional finish. Special attention is given to creating Alan's expressive face through strategic eye placement and embroidered details that give him personality and charm.

Why You'll Love This Alan the Lion Amigurumi Pattern

I absolutely love this pattern because it takes amigurumi to the next level with that glorious mane! The process of adding each strand of wool and then shaping it is incredibly satisfying, almost meditative. I appreciate how the pattern breaks down what could seem overwhelming into manageable steps, and the color-changing technique for Alan's facial markings adds such character without being too complicated. The finished piece has real presence and personality, making all those hours worthwhile when you see his sweet face come to life.

Alan the Lion Amigurumi Pattern step 1 - construction progress Alan the Lion Amigurumi Pattern step 2 - assembly progress Alan the Lion Amigurumi Pattern step 3 - details and accessories Alan the Lion Amigurumi Pattern step 4 - final assembly and finishing

Switch Things Up

I absolutely love experimenting with Alan's appearance to give each lion a unique personality! For the mane, I've tried different wool textures and colors - a darker brown creates a more realistic look, while lighter shades or even multicolored wool gives a whimsical, fantasy vibe. You could also mix colors within the same mane for dimension.

The t-shirt is another fun area to customize. I've made Alan in sports team colors, rainbow stripes, and even added tiny embroidered details like hearts or stars. Some makers skip the color changes and make him in a solid color shirt for a cleaner look.

For a feminine touch, I've added a bow between the ears or created a flower crown effect with the mane styling. You could also experiment with the tail tuft - making it fuller or leaving it more natural.

The facial features offer room for creativity too. Trying different eye sizes (6mm for a gentler look, 12mm for a cartoon effect) completely changes Alan's expression. I've also varied the nose embroidery - some like it more detailed, others prefer a simple triangular shape.

For advanced makers, consider adding accessories like a little scarf, bow tie, or even tiny glasses. The pattern's structure allows for these additions without compromising the overall design.

Common Mistakes & How to Fix Them

✗ Not stuffing the head firmly enough before closing, which can result in a misshapen or floppy appearance that affects the overall look ✗ Placing safety eyes too far apart or at the wrong angle, making the expression look off or unfriendly instead of sweet ✗ Cutting the mane hair too short initially instead of trimming gradually, which cannot be fixed and ruins the lion's signature feature ✗ Forgetting to hide color-change yarn properly when switching between camel and natural colors on the snout, leaving visible threads ✗ Adding too much stuffing to the arms and legs, making them stiff and preventing proper posing and natural movement

Alan the Lion Amigurumi Pattern

Create your own majestic lion friend with this comprehensive crochet pattern! Alan the Lion stands approximately 30cm tall and features a spectacular woolly mane, expressive embroidered face, and adorable t-shirt. This detailed pattern guides you through creating a cuddly companion with realistic details including a tufted tail, carefully placed claws, and a sweet expression that brings this gentle giant to life in your hands.

Intermediate 12-15 Hours

Materials Needed for Alan the Lion Amigurumi Pattern

— Main Fabric

  • 01
    Semi-thick cotton yarn 8/6 or DK in camel color (80gr for body)
  • 02
    Semi-thick cotton yarn 8/6 or DK in natural color (for snout and paws)
  • 03
    Semi-thick cotton yarn 8/6 or DK in aquamarine green (for t-shirt)
  • 04
    Semi-thick cotton yarn 8/6 or DK in light turquoise (for t-shirt)
  • 05
    Acrylic wool like cashmilon wool 4/7 in camel color (60gr for mane)
  • 06
    Brown yarn for embroidering nose and claws

— Tools Required

  • 01
    Crochet hook size 2.25mm or 2.5mm
  • 02
    Black safety eyes size 8mm or 10mm
  • 03
    Polyester fiberfill stuffing
  • 04
    Sewing needle
  • 05
    Stitch markers
  • 06
    Scissors
  • 07
    Pins

Progress Tracker

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— Head :

Info :

The snout and head are knitted without sewing. Start with the snout in natural color.

Round 1 :

Make 6 sc in a magic ring (6)

Round 2 :

6 inc (12)

Round 3 :

(1 inc, 1 sc) x6 (18)

Round 4 :

(3 inc, 6sc) x2 (24)

Round 5 :

(1 inc, 1 sc) x3, 6sc, (1 inc, 1 sc) x3, 6sc (30)

Round 6 :

(1 inc, 2sc) x3, 6sc, (1 inc, 2sc) x3, 6sc (36)

Round 7 :

12sc in natural, 6sc in camel, 18sc in natural (36)

Round 8 :

11sc in natural, 8sc in camel, 17sc in natural (36)

Round 9 :

10sc in natural, 10sc in camel, 16sc in natural (36)

Round 10 :

9sc in natural, 12sc in camel, 15sc in natural (36)

Info :

From now on continue in camel color. Cut the natural yarn.

Round 11 :

10sc, (1 inc, 1sc) x6, 14sc (42)

Round 12 :

42sc (42)

Round 13 :

10sc, (1 inc, 2sc) x6, 14sc (48)

Round 14 :

10sc, (1 inc, 3sc) x6, 14sc (54)

Round 15 :

(1 inc, 8sc) x6 (60)

Round 16 to Round 25 :

60sc (60) - 10 rounds

Info :

Place the eyes on the 2nd round counting from the last round in natural color and with 9 or 10 stitches of separation.

Round 26 :

(1 dec, 8sc) x6 (54)

Round 27 :

54sc (54)

Round 28 :

(1 dec, 7sc) x6 (48)

Round 29 :

48sc (48)

Round 30 :

(1 dec, 6sc) x6 (42)

Info :

Fill with polyfiber. Finish filling the snout and the head tightly before closing. The head must be in good shape.

Round 31 :

(1 dec, 5sc) x6 (36)

Round 32 :

(1 dec, 4sc) x6 (30)

Round 33 :

(1 dec, 3sc) x6 (24)

Round 34 :

(1 dec, 2sc) x6 (18)

Round 35 :

(1 dec, 1sc) x6 (12)

Info :

Close with 1 sl sc, hide the thread and cut.

Embroidering Details :

To give expression to the face, push inside the eyes a bit. Introduce the sewing needle with camel yarn closely and both sides of the eye and pull the yarn. Embroider the nose: cover the triangle completely with various stitches, make one or two horizontal stitches and finally embroider the vertical line.

— Ears x2 :

Round 1 :

6 sc in a magic ring (6)

Round 2 :

6 inc (12)

Round 3 :

(1 inc, 1sc) x6 (18)

Round 4 :

(1 inc, 2sc) x6 (24)

Round 5 :

(1 inc, 3sc) x6 (30)

Round 6 :

(1 inc, 4sc) x6 (36)

Round 7 :

(1 dec, 7sc) x2 (16)

Info :

Close with 1 sl st and leave a thread to sew. Ears don't get filled. Sew the ears onto the head approximately on round 11, counting from the eyes location and with 12 stitches of separation.

— Body :

Info :

Start with the camel color.

Round 1 :

Make 6 sc in a magic ring (6)

Round 2 :

6 inc (12)

Round 3 :

(1 inc, 1sc) x6 (18)

Round 4 :

(1 inc, 2sc) x6 (24)

Round 5 :

(1 inc, 3sc) x6 (30)

Round 6 :

(1 inc, 4sc) x6 (36)

Round 7 :

(1 inc, 5sc) x6 (42)

Round 8 :

(1 inc, 6sc) x6 (48)

Round 9 :

(1 inc, 7sc) x6 (54)

Round 10 to Round 14 :

54sc (54) - 5 rounds

Round 15 to Round 19 :

54sc (54) - 10 rounds

Info :

Change to t-shirt color (light turquoise)

Round 20 :

(1 dec, 7sc) x6 (48)

Round 21 and Round 22 :

48sc (48) - 2 rounds

Info :

Change to aquamarine green

Round 23 :

(1 dec, 6sc) x6 (42)

Round 24 and Round 25 :

42sc (42) - 2 rounds

Round 26 :

(1 dec, 5sc) x6 (36)

Round 27 and Round 28 :

36sc (36) - 2 rounds

Round 29 :

(1 dec, 4sc) x6 (30)

Round 30 and Round 31 :

30sc (30) - 2 rounds

Round 32 :

(1 dec, 3sc) x6 (24)

Round 33 and Round 34 :

24sc (24) - 2 rounds

Info :

Close with 1 sl st and leave a long thread to sew. Fill the body with quite polyfiber.

— Legs x2 :

Info :

Start with natural color.

Round 1 :

Make 6sc in a magic ring (6)

Round 2 :

6 inc (12)

Round 3 :

(1 inc, 1sc) x6 (18)

Round 4 :

(1 inc, 2sc) x6 (24)

Round 5 :

(1 inc, 3sc) x6 (30)

Info :

Change to camel color

Round 6 to Round 9 :

30sc (30) - 4 rounds

Round 10 :

9sc, 6 dec, 9sc (24)

Round 11 :

8sc, 4 dec, 8sc (20)

Round 12 :

8sc, 2 dec, 8sc (18)

Round 13 and Round 14 :

18sc (18) - 2 rounds

Round 15 :

(1 dec, 7sc) x2 (16)

Round 16 and Round 17 :

16sc (16) - 2 rounds

Round 18 :

1 dec, 14sc (15)

Info :

Fill the base of the leg with polyfiber.

Round 19 to Round 24 :

15sc (15) - 6 rounds

Round 25 :

(1 dec, 3sc) x3 (12)

Info :

Continue filling the leg up to round 23 approximately. These last 2 rounds remain unfilled.

Round 26 :

Close by flattening both sides the knit and unite every pair of stitches with 1 sc. You should have 6sc. Cut the yarn keeping a long thread to sew.

— Arms x2 :

Info :

Start with natural color.

Round 1 :

Make 6sc in a magic ring (6)

Round 2 :

6 inc (12)

Round 3 :

(1 inc, 1sc) x6 (18)

Round 4 :

(1 inc, 2sc) x6 (24)

Info :

Change to camel color.

Round 5 to Round 8 :

24sc (24) - 4 rounds

Round 9 :

6sc, 6 dec, 6sc (18)

Round 10 :

6sc, 3 dec, 6sc (15)

Round 11 :

15sc (15)

Round 12 :

(1 dec, 3sc) x3 (12)

Info :

Fill the base with polyfiber.

Round 13 to Round 21 :

12sc (12) - 9 rounds

Round 22 and Round 23 :

12sc (12) - 2 rounds

Info :

Change to t-shirt color (light turquoise)

Round 24 to Round 25 :

12sc (12) - 2 rounds

Info :

Change to aquamarine green color

Round 26 :

(1dec, 4sc) x2 (10)

Round 27 :

Close by flattening both sides the knit and unite every pair of stitches with 1 sc. You should have 5 sc.

Info :

Fill the arm with a bit of polyfiber. The last 3 rounds remain unfilled. Cut the yarn leaving a long thread to sew.

— Tail :

Info :

Crochet in camel color

Round 1 :

6 sc in a magic ring (6)

Round 2 :

6 inc (12)

Round 3 and Round 4 :

12sc (12) - 2 rounds

Round 5 :

(1 dec, 2sc) x3 (9)

Round 6 to Round 19 :

9sc (9) - 14 rounds

Round 20 :

Flatten and knit 4 sc taking together the opposites.

Info :

Fill the base of the tail and then just a bit until half. It must be light. Do not put any polyfiber at the superior part.

Tail Hair :

Cut wool threads of approximately 18 cm long. With the help of the crochet hook pass one through one stitch starting at Round 5 of the tail. Make a knot of 1 round only and adjust to ensure. Repeat this all the way through the round. Continue adding threads downwards covering all spaces. Finally cut as long as you like.

— Mane :

Info :

Use cashmilon wool for the mane. The mane will be the last step, once all parts are sewn.

Instructions :

Cut strips approximately 16 or 17 cm long. Start placing the hairpiece at the inner border of the left ear, just on the round where the ears were sewn. Cover all spaces and reach the back of the neck, adjusting every hairpiece. Continue to the other side and complete the round. Do a second round for more volume starting at the lower round at the center. Delimitate the outline of the face and beard starting approximately 6 or 7 stitches under the eyes line. Cover the triangle formed. Add hairpieces between the ears and cover any visible holes. Complete the head by dividing it in two with a hairpiece line and completing each half.

Assembly Instructions

  • Sew the head onto the body with the color changing at the back. The head should rest approximately 5 rounds from the end of the last round in natural color from the snout. Use pins to center properly.
  • Attach the legs 3 rounds beneath the first round of the t-shirt, using pins to center them evenly on both sides of the body.
  • Sew the arms underneath the union of the head and body, making a couple extra stitches under each arm for security.
  • Attach the tail one round under the t-shirt at the back of the body.
  • Embroider three claws on each leg and arm, centering them with 3 stitches of separation and taking over 3 rounds total.
  • Add the mane starting at the inner border of the left ear where it was sewn, working around the head in strategic rows for volume.
  • Trim and shape the mane gradually, cutting conservatively and adjusting the length multiple times until achieving desired shape and balance.

Important Notes

  • 💡Always knit very tightly and use a hook one or two sizes lower than the yarn recommendation for best results
  • 💡Make color changes in the last step of the last stitch of the round for a cleaner look
  • 💡Pin all body parts in place before sewing to ensure correct positioning and symmetry
  • 💡Cut mane hair conservatively and trim gradually - you can always cut more but cannot add length back
  • 💡Place safety eyes between the 2nd round from the last natural color round with 9-10 stitches separation before stuffing
  • 💡Fill head and body firmly but legs and arms should be softer with last rounds unfilled for better posing
  • 💡The mane is time-consuming and requires patience - do not rush the hairpiece placement or cutting process

This magnificent Alan the Lion pattern brings together classic amigurumi techniques with an artistic mane-making process to create a truly special companion. The detailed instructions guide you through color changes, strategic stuffing, and the rewarding process of building that glorious woolly mane strand by strand. Whether you're making Alan as a gift or for yourself, his sweet expression and huggable presence make every stitch worthwhile. 🦁 Enjoy bringing this gentle lion to life! 🧶✨

You ask,

we answer.

FAQs

Can I use regular yarn instead of wool for the mane?

Yes, you can use regular yarn for the mane instead of cashmilon wool. If you prefer yarn, consider using a thicker yarn like 8/12 to achieve more volume and a fuller mane appearance.

What size will Alan be if I use different yarn or hook size?

Alan is approximately 30cm tall with the suggested semi-thick cotton 8/6 or DK yarn and 2.25-2.5mm hook. Using thicker yarn and larger hooks will make him bigger, while thinner yarn and smaller hooks will create a smaller lion.

How do I prevent the color changes from showing on the snout?

Don't cut the yarn during color changes from rounds 7-10. Keep the unused color loose on the inside to prevent tension, then adjust threads when changing colors. Make sure the camel stitches stay centered on the snout.

Can I embroider the eyes instead of using safety eyes?

Yes, if you don't like safety eyes, you can embroider them with black yarn. This is especially recommended if making Alan for young children as embroidered eyes are safer.

How much time should I allow for making the mane?

The mane is the most time-consuming part and requires patience. Placing all the hairpieces and cutting them to shape can take several hours. Work slowly and trim conservatively, as you can always cut more but cannot add length back.