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Horse Hand Puppet Pattern

Horse Hand Puppet Pattern
4.3★ Rating
6-8 Hours Time Needed
1.7K 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.

⏱️

All-Day Adventure

Requires 8-10 hours, ideal for a full day of immersive knitting.

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Whimsical Buddy

Playful characters full of personality, designed to spark imagination and become cherished playtime favorites.

About This Horse Hand Puppet Pattern

This horse hand puppet pattern is designed to create an interactive toy that brings stories to life. With its friendly face, flowing pearl-colored mane, and movable mouth, this puppet is perfect for storytelling sessions, theater performances, or just playful interactions. The pattern works up in continuous rounds using DK weight yarn and includes all the charming details that make this horse puppet truly special, from the shaped ears to the textured nostrils.

Horse Hand Puppet Pattern crochet pattern - detailed view of completed project

The puppet measures approximately 19cm long when made with the specified materials and features a spacious interior for comfortable hand movement. You can even add an optional squeaker inside the tongue for delightful sound effects during play!

Why You'll Love This Horse Hand Puppet Pattern

I absolutely love this pattern because it combines functionality with adorable design! There's something magical about creating a puppet that can actually be used for interactive play and storytelling. I love how the mane adds such beautiful texture and movement, and the way the eyes and ears come together to give the horse so much personality. The construction technique for joining the mouth pieces is clever and creates a realistic puppet mouth that opens and closes smoothly. Plus, the optional squeaker adds an extra element of surprise that children absolutely adore!

Horse Hand Puppet Pattern step 1 - construction progress Horse Hand Puppet Pattern step 2 - assembly progress Horse Hand Puppet Pattern step 3 - details and accessories Horse Hand Puppet Pattern step 4 - final assembly and finishing

Switch Things Up

I love experimenting with this horse puppet pattern to create unique variations! Sometimes I'll use variegated yarn for the mane to add beautiful color transitions, or I'll make the body in a spotted or dappled pattern by alternating colors every few stitches. You could easily transform this into a zebra by working black and white stripes along the body, or create a magical unicorn by adding a spiral horn between the ears.

For a more realistic look, I've tried using different shades of brown or tan for the body and adding darker points on the ears and nostrils. You could also embroider small details like eyelashes or add felt patches for marking patterns. I've even made seasonal versions with festive manes in holiday colors!

The tongue color can be changed too - try pink for a more realistic look instead of ruby red. Some makers I know have added small braids to sections of the mane or attached tiny flowers for a dressed-up pony effect. The puppet works wonderfully as a base for creating your own character with personality and charm!

Common Mistakes & How to Fix Them

✗ Not using stitch markers when joining the mouth pieces together can lead to misaligned seams and uneven puppet structure ✗ Stuffing the eyes too firmly or too loosely affects their shape and how they sit on the puppet's head ✗ Sewing through both layers of the puppet body accidentally closes the hand opening making it unusable as a puppet ✗ Placing ears and eyes asymmetrically creates an unbalanced look so always check placement by putting puppet on your hand first ✗ Adding too few mane strands results in a sparse look while the pattern recommends at least sixty pieces for fullness ✗ Forgetting to change yarn colors at specified rounds disrupts the color blocking design between the mouth interior and body

Horse Hand Puppet Pattern

Create your own adorable horse hand puppet with this delightful crochet pattern! Perfect for puppet shows, imaginative play, or as a handmade gift, this charming 19cm horse puppet features expressive eyes, perky ears, cute nostrils, and a flowing mane. The pattern includes detailed instructions for creating a fully functional puppet with an opening for your hand, complete with a tongue that can even hold an optional squeaker for extra fun. Whether you're making it for children or collectors, this playful horse puppet brings joy and personality to life through your stitches.

Intermediate 6-8 Hours

Materials Needed for Horse Hand Puppet Pattern

— Main Fabric

  • 01
    Deramores Studio DK Latte 100g
  • 02
    Deramores Studio DK Pearl 100g
  • 03
    Deramores Studio DK Ruby 100g
  • 04
    Deramores Studio DK Ebony small amount
  • 05
    Deramores Studio DK Frost small amount

— Tools Required

  • 01
    2.5mm crochet hook
  • 02
    Fibrefill or toy stuffing
  • 03
    Toy squeaker (optional)
  • 04
    Stitch markers
  • 05
    Yarn needle
  • 06
    Pins
  • 07
    Scissors

Progress Tracker

0% Complete

— Tongue :

Using Ruby yarn

Ch 2

Rnd 1 :

6 sc in 2nd ch from hook (6 sts)

Rnd 2 :

inc in all 6 sts (12 sts)

Rnd 3 :

(1 sc, inc in next st) x6 (18 sts)

Rnd 4 :

(2 sc, inc in next st) x6 (24 sts)

Rnd 5 :

(3 sc, inc in next st) x6 (30 sts)

Rnd 6-20 :

30 sc (30 sts)

Info :

Insert your squeak into the tongue if you are adding one

Finishing :

15sc through both sides of the tongue to close. Sl last st and finish

— Top of Mouth :

Using Pearl yarn

Ch 2

Rnd 1 :

6 sc in 2nd ch from hook (6 sts)

Rnd 2 :

inc in all 6 sts (12 sts)

Rnd 3 :

(1 sc, inc in next st) x6 (18 sts)

Rnd 4 :

(2 sc, inc in next st) x6 (24 sts)

Rnd 5 :

(3 sc, inc in next st) x6 (30 sts)

Rnd 6 :

(4 sc, inc in next st) x6 (36 sts)

Rnd 7 :

(5 sc, inc in next st) x6 (42 sts)

Rnd 8 :

(6 sc, inc in next st) x6 (48 sts)

Rnd 9-12 :

48 sc (48 sts)

Info :

Change to Latte yarn

Rnd 13-26 :

48 sc (48 sts)

Finishing :

Sl last st, cut yarn

— Bottom of Mouth :

Using Pearl yarn

Ch 2

Rnd 1 :

6 sc in 2nd ch from hook (6 sts)

Rnd 2 :

inc in all 6 sts (12 sts)

Rnd 3 :

(1 sc, inc in next st) x6 (18 sts)

Rnd 4 :

(2 sc, inc in next st) x6 (24 sts)

Rnd 5 :

(3 sc, inc in next st) x6 (30 sts)

Rnd 6 :

(4 sc, inc in next st) x6 (36 sts)

Rnd 7 :

(5 sc, inc in next st) x6 (42 sts)

Rnd 8 :

(6 sc, inc in next st) x6 (48 sts)

Rnd 9-12 :

48 sc (48 sts)

Info :

Change to Latte yarn

Rnd 13-23 :

48 sc (48 sts)

Infos :

Do not cut yarn, we will now join the mouth and tongue pieces together. Place the top and bottom mouth pieces on top of one another with your yarn from the bottom mouth piece at the side. 5 sc through both pieces along what will be the middle seam to join both of the mouth pieces. Place a marker at the 1st st. Now add the tongue: 15 sc through the bottom of mouth, tongue and top of mouth, this will join them altogether along the same middle seam. Now 5 sc through the top and bottom mouth pieces only. This will be the new beginning of your rnds. Replace your marker here. You should now have a total of 54 sts around the outside of the puppets mouth

Rnd 24 :

54 sc (54 sts)

Rnd 25 :

(7 sc, dec) x6 (48 sts)

Rnd 26-50 :

48 sc (48 sts)

Info :

If you would like to make your puppet longer or shorter adjust the amount of rows worked here

Finishing :

Sl last st, tie off and finish

— Eyes (Make 2) :

Using Ebony yarn

Ch 2

Rnd 1 :

6 sc in 2nd ch from hook (6 sts)

Rnd 2 :

inc in all 6 sts (12 sts)

Info :

Change to Frost yarn

Rnd 3 :

(1 sc, inc in next st) x6 (18 sts)

Rnd 4 :

(2 sc, inc in next st) x6 (24 sts)

Info :

Change to Latte yarn

Rnd 5 :

(3 sc, inc in next st) x6 (30 sts)

Rnd 6-9 :

30 sc (30 sts)

Rnd 10 :

(3 sc, dec) x6 (24 sts)

Rnd 11 :

(2 sc, dec) x6 (18 sts)

Info :

Start to stuff

Rnd 12 :

(1 sc, dec) x6 (12 sts)

Rnd 13 :

dec x6 (6 sts)

Finishing :

Finish stuffing and close hole, leave enough yarn to sew to puppet later

— Ears (Make 2) :

Using Latte Yarn

Ch 2

Rnd 1 :

6 sc in 2nd ch from hook (6 sts)

Rnd 2 :

6 sc (6 sts)

Rnd 3 :

(2 sc, inc in next st) x2 (8 sts)

Rnd 4 :

(3 sc, inc in next st) x2 (10 sts)

Rnd 5 :

(4 sc, inc in next st) x2 (12 sts)

Rnd 6 :

(5 sc, inc in next st) x2 (14 sts)

Rnd 7 :

(6 sc, inc in next st) x2 (16 sts)

Rnd 8 :

(7 sc, inc in next st) x2 (18 sts)

Rnd 9 :

(8 sc, inc in next st) x2 (20 sts)

Rnd 10 :

(9 sc, inc in next st) x2 (22 sts)

Rnd 11 :

(10 sc, inc in next st) x2 (24 sts)

Rnd 12 :

(11 sc, inc in next st) x2 (26 sts)

Rnd 13 :

(12 sc, inc in next st) x2 (28 sts)

Rnd 14 :

(13 sc, inc in next st) x2 (30 sts)

Rnd 15 :

(14 sc, inc in next st) x2 (32 sts)

Rnd 16 :

32 sc (32 sts)

Finishing :

Sl last st, cut yarn leaving enough thread to sew to Horse head later

— Nostril (Make 2) :

Using Pearl yarn

Ch 2

Rnd 1 :

6 sc into the 2nd ch from hook (6 sts)

Rnd 2 :

inc in all 6 sts (12 sts)

Rnd 3 :

(1 sc, inc in next st) x6 (18 sts)

Finishing :

Fold nostril in half, 9 sc through both sides, sl last stitch, cut yarn leaving enough thread to sew to head later

— Making Up :

Shaping Ears :

Fold the ear in half and with your darning needle sew through both corners of the ear. This will pinch the two sides of the ears together, tie off leaving enough thread to sew to the head

Attaching Eyes and Ears :

Pin the Eyes and Ears onto the top of the Horse head. Try to make them as symmetrical as possible. Check this by putting it on your hand. Once you are happy with the placement you can start to sew them on. Be careful not to sew through both sides of the puppet though as it will close the hole and you won't be able to get your hand in. Sew around twice and also catch the two eyes together up through the back where they meet. Tie off and weave in any loose threads as you go

Attaching Nostrils :

Pin the nostrils to the nose of the puppet, placing the curved side against the puppet. The folded side becomes the front of the nostril. Sew in place

— Mane :

Preparing Mane :

Using Pearl yarn Cut 60 lengths of yarn 25cm long

Adding Mane to Back :

With your puppet facing away from you start adding pieces of Mane starting on the back from the bottom of the eyes and along the back of the puppet, use 30 strands for this part (6 rows of 5). Add each strand one at a time, fold your strand in half, push your crochet hook through a stitch, catch the folded strand with your crochet hook and bring it through the stitch, bring the tails through the loop and tighten

Adding Mane to Eyes :

Add the other 30 strands to the back of the eyes, 15 on each eye

Info :

If you would like a thicker mane simply keep adding more strands

Assembly Instructions

  • Shape the ears by folding them in half and sewing through both corners to create a pinched effect before attaching to head
  • Pin eyes and ears symmetrically on top of the horse head and check placement by putting puppet on your hand before sewing
  • Sew eyes and ears carefully to only one layer of the puppet to avoid closing the hand opening
  • Connect the two eyes together through the back where they meet for added stability and proper positioning
  • Attach nostrils with the curved side against the puppet and the folded side facing forward to create dimensional texture
  • Add mane starting from the bottom of the eyes along the back using 30 strands arranged in 6 rows of 5 pieces each
  • Complete the mane by adding 15 strands to the back of each eye for a full flowing effect around the face

Important Notes

  • 💡Always use stitch markers when joining the mouth pieces together to ensure proper alignment and avoid confusion
  • 💡Be extremely careful not to sew through both layers of the puppet body when attaching features or you will close the hand opening
  • 💡Insert the optional squeaker into the tongue before closing it up for best results and secure placement
  • 💡Pin all pieces in place and try the puppet on your hand before final sewing to ensure symmetrical placement
  • 💡Work in continuous rounds without joining unless specified and use a stitch marker to track round beginnings
  • 💡Adjust the length of the puppet body by adding or removing rounds between rounds 26-50 to customize fit
  • 💡For a fuller mane add more than the suggested 60 strands of yarn cut to 25cm lengths

This charming horse hand puppet pattern brings storytelling and imaginative play to life with every stitch! Designed for interactive fun, this puppet features a movable mouth, expressive eyes, perky ears, and a beautiful flowing mane that adds movement and personality. The pattern includes clever construction techniques for joining the mouth pieces and optional details like a squeaker for added delight. Perfect for puppet shows, playtime, or as a cherished handmade gift, this adorable horse companion is sure to capture hearts! 🐴✨

You ask,

we answer.

FAQs

Can I make this puppet larger or smaller?

Yes! You can adjust the size by using a different weight yarn and corresponding hook size. Using bulky yarn with a larger hook will create a bigger puppet, while sport weight yarn with a smaller hook will make it more petite. Just keep in mind that changing the yarn weight will affect the final measurements.

Is the squeaker necessary for this pattern?

No, the squeaker is completely optional! The pattern works perfectly well without it. The squeaker just adds an extra element of fun and surprise for children during play, but you can leave it out if you prefer a silent puppet or are making it for decorative purposes.

How do I prevent sewing through both sides of the puppet?

When attaching the eyes, ears, and nostrils, always work with your hand inside the puppet to feel where you're sewing. This helps you ensure you're only catching one layer of fabric. You can also place a piece of cardboard inside the puppet as a barrier while sewing to prevent accidentally going through both layers.

Can I use different colors for my horse puppet?

Absolutely! Feel free to customize the colors to create different horse breeds or fantasy creatures. You could make a white horse, a black horse, a palomino, or even a rainbow unicorn by adding a horn! Just maintain the same color-blocking structure for the mouth interior and body.

What if my mane looks too sparse?

The pattern calls for 60 strands total, but you can easily add more for a fuller, thicker mane! Simply cut additional 25cm lengths of yarn and continue adding them using the same technique until you achieve your desired fullness. Some crafters use up to 100 strands for an extra luxurious mane.