Sweet Pea the Crochet Pig

Oh Sweet Pea, I am so in love with this darling little crochet pig.  I love her squishy body that is not too big nor too small.  I love that perfect shade of pink.  And I love how absolutely adorable she turned out.

This darling little pig takes me back to my 6 year old self, sitting in my first grade classroom listening to the teacher read Charlotte’s web.  I loved that little pig and while I didn’t understand his dire circumstances at the time, I loved the friendship between Charlotte, the spider and Wilbur, the pig.

At the time, I both wanted an adorable pink pig as a pet AND I wanted a best friend.  You know.. the kind you can pour your soul out to.  The one who knows you inside and out and loves you anyway because she gets you through and through.

I am happy to say that while I never got the pig, I’ve blessed with the very bestest of friends.  Ann is my Charlotte.  And since neither of us are pigs in this scenario, I’d say I’m her Charlotte too.

We have the kind of friendship where months and months can go by and you can call and have a conversation about yesterday and never miss a beat.  I love that our friendship has traveled the decades from long walks and talks of dreams and secret boy crushes, through breakups and marriages, children, health crisis and just about everything else in between. 

The older I get, the more I treasure our friendship because I realize it’s incredibly rare.  Many of us have friends.  Old friends.  New friends.  Friends for a season. But a close, deep friend that’s seen you through all the things is a special kind of wonderful. 

And speaking of wonderful, let’s talk a bit more about this delightful little crochet pig.  My little Sweet Pea!

Made with soft, squishy chenille yarn, this amigurumi pig is wonderfully plush and stands about 13 inches tall. The perfect size. Sweet Pea is one of my four new Farmyard Friends, along with Clover the Cow, Poppy the Chicken and Maisie the Lamb.

The entire collection is available in one fabulous bundle in my Etsy shop here if you’d like a sneak peek before the others make their debut on the blog.

I’m loving Sweet Pea’s perky pink ears, that curly little tail, and a round little snout with two tiny stitches for nostrils. I used a pink yarn just one shade darker than her body for the nostrils, so they’re sweet and subtle.

She’s soft, she’s pink, and she’s ready for all the cuddles!

For this project, I’m using Premier Basix Chenille Brights yarn in the color Blossom, which is a chenille style #6 super bulky weight yarn. Pop over to Herrschner’s or Amazon to pick some up. (The Blossom color is part of a collection curated by Mama Made Minis. You can find it on Etsy or on Premier’s website if you are having trouble locating it.)

This darling pig pattern starts at the feet. The two legs are joined together, and then the body and head are worked in one piece from there. The arms, ears, snout and tail are crocheted separately and sewn on.

With a bulky weight yarn, the little details make all the difference. The ears, snout and tail each take just a few rounds, so they’re quick and fun to crochet.

Ready to crochet? Let’s go!

Crochet Pig

Materials

• Premier Basix Chenille Brights, size 6 super bulky weight, 100% polyester, 112 yds/103 m per 5.3 oz skein (try Herrschners, Amazon or Etsy)
  • Blossom: 100 yards
• Scrap of worsted weight pink yarn for embroidering nostrils
• US K10.5/6.5mm crochet hook
• 15 mm safety eyes. NOTE: if making for a baby or young child, embroider eyes instead
• Stitch marker to keep track of rows
• Fiberfill
• Tapestry Needle

Resources and tutorials you may find helpful in following this pattern: Crochet Abbreviations, US to UK Crochet Conversion Chart. Find links to stitches on the “Tutorial” menu: Getting Started will show basic stitches used in many patterns and Crochet Stitch Dictionary shows our growing collection of crochet stitch tutorials.

Gauge:

Gauge is not critical for this project. Ensure that your stitches are tight enough so the stuffing won’t show through.

Crochet Abbreviations:

• ch = chain
• dc = double crochet
• hdc = half double crochet
• sc = single crochet
• sc2tog = single crochet 2 together
• sl st = slip stitch
• st = stitch(es)

Finished Crochet Pig Size

Approximately 13” tall, from top of head (excluding ears) to bottom of feet.

How to Crochet a Pig

The legs of this crochet pig are worked first and joined together. Then the body and head are worked in one piece, decreasing at the neck and increasing to shape the head. Finally, we crochet the arms, ears, snout and tail and sew them on.

Legs (Make 2)

Make a magic ring.

R1: 6 sc into ring. Place stitch marker and work in continuous rounds. (6 st)

R2: 2 sc in ea st. (12 st)

R3: Sc in next 2 st, 2 sc in next 2 st, sc in next 8 st. (14 st)

R4: Sc around. (14 st)

R5: Sc in next 2 st, sc2tog twice, sc in next 8 st. (12 st)

R6: Sc in next st, sc2tog twice, sc in next 7 st. The 2 decrease stitches in this row are the top center of the foot. To more easily identify this later, place a stitch marker in the first decrease. (10 st)

R7-10: Sc around. (10 st)

Stuff foot only (approximately R1-7). Leave remainder of leg unstuffed.

For leg 1: Sl st to next st and fasten off.

For leg 2: Do NOT fasten off; continue to work joining round and then body.

Join Legs and Set Up for Body

Flatten tops of legs so that toes are pointed forward. (The stitch marker placed earlier indicates the center right stitch to help with positioning the foot.) The set up round is worked holding the front and back of the leg together and crocheting through both stitches. (Note sample photos show different doll.)

The working yarn should be at the right side. Holding the top of the last leg worked together and working through both the front and the back stitches, sc across the top of the leg (5 st), ch 2, then hold the top of the 2nd leg stitches together and sc across those 5 st. (12 st)

At the end of the set-up round, place a stitch marker in the front loop only of the first stitch and the last stitch in the row. The stitch markers will help you locate these stitches on the first body round.

Crochet Pig Body

The first round is worked in the front and back loops of the set-up round and gets us back to working in continuous rounds again.

R1: Turn work so that the backs of the legs are facing you. Working in the front loop only, sc across legs, working a sc into each front loop of the legs and the chain separating them (see photo below).

Then turn work and sc into each front loop on the opposite side of the set up round. (The stitch markers you placed will help you locate those front loops. See photo below.)

Mark the last stitch of round with a stitch marker and work in continuous rounds. (24 st)

R2-3: Sc around. (24 st)

R4: *Sc in next 4 st, sc2tog. Repeat from * around. (20 st)

R5: Sc around. (20 st)

R6: *Sc in next 8 st, sc2tog. Repeat from * once. (18 st)

R7: Sc around. (18 st)

R8: *Sc in next 4 st, sc2tog. Repeat from * around. (15 st)

R9: Sc around. (15 st)

Stuff body and continue to stuff body and head as you work.

R10: *Sc in next 3 st, sc2tog. Repeat from * around. (12 st)

R11: *Sc in next st, sc2tog. Repeat from * around. (8 st)

Head

The next rounds form the head.

R1: 2 sc in ea st. (16 st)

R2: *Sc in next st, 2 sc in next. Repeat from * around. (24 st)

R3: *Sc in next 7 st, 2 sc in next. Repeat from * around. (27 st)

R4-8 Sc around. (27 st)

R9: *Sc in next st, sc2tog. Repeat from * around. (18 st)

Insert safety eyes between rows 5 & 6, leaving 6 stitches in between them. Stuff remainder of head as you work.

R10: *Sc in next st, sc2tog. Repeat from * around. (12 st)

R11: *Sc2tog. Repeat from * around. (6 st)

Fasten off, weave end through last stitches and pull tight.

Arms (Make 2)

Make a magic ring.

R1: 8 sc into ring. Place stitch marker and work in continuous rounds. (8 st)

R2: *Sc in next 3 st, 2 sc in next st. Repeat from * around. (10 st)

R3-4: Sc around. (10 st)

R5: *Sc in next 3 st, sc2tog. Repeat from * around. (8 st)

Stuff hand only, leaving remainder of arm unstuffed.

R6-8: Sc around. (8 st)

R9: Fold top of arm flat and work through both pieces, sc in next st, sc2tog, sc in next st. (3 st).

Fasten off and sew to either side of body at neck.

Ears (Make 2)

Make a Magic Ring

R1: 4 sc into ring. Place stitch marker and work in continuous rounds. (4 st)

R2: *Sc in next st, 2 sc in next st. Repeat from * once. (6 st)

R3: 2 sc in ea st. (12 st)

R4: Sc around. (12 st)

Fasten off. Flatten ear and whip stitch open end closed. Then sew to top of head covering rows 7-9 (or as desired) on either side of head.

Crochet Pig Snout

Make a Magic Ring

R1: Work all of the following stitches into the magic ring: hdc, 3 dc, 3 hdc, 3 dc, 2 hdc. Join with an invisible join to the first hdc and fasten off. Orient the stitches so that the 3 dc stitches are on the right and left sides and the hdc stitches are on the top and bottom.

Use a scrap of pink worsted weight yarn and make 2 straight stitches to form the nostrils. (Note that in my example photo the worsted weight pink yarn is just one shade darker than the plush yarn for a more subtle effect.)

Sew the snout to the face over rows 3-5.

Crochet Pig Tail

Ch 5

R1: 3 sc in 2^nd ch from hook, 3 sc in each of next 2 ch, 2 sc and sl st in the last ch. (12 st).

Sew to center back bottom of pig between rows 3 & 4 of the body (or as desired).

Final Thoughts on Sweet Pea the Pig

I had so much fun designing Sweet Pea and the rest of the Farmyard Friends! There’s something so satisfying about watching that soft pink chenille yarn turn into one squishy little pig. And best of all? She’s a quick make too!

From her perky ears to her darling snout and curly little tail, Sweet Pea is full of the little details that make a crochet project feel extra special. I love that she looks so sweet just sitting there, waiting for a hug.

And now that all four of my Farmyard Friends are finished, I have to say, I love how different they are from one another. Poppy has her bright red comb, Maisie has that fluffy cream fleece, Clover has her tan spots and darling ears, and Sweet Pea? Well, she’s pretty in pink from her ears to her curly little tail!

Whether you’re crocheting Sweet Pea for a little one, making her as a special handmade gift, or adding another cuddly friend to your amigurumi collection, I hope you enjoy every stitch.

And who knows? Maybe Sweet Pea will inspire you to make the whole farmyard! You can find all four patterns together in my Farmyard Friends Collection on Etsy.

I love seeing your finished projects! If you enjoyed making this Crochet Pig pattern, I’d love to see yours on Instagram, be sure to tag me @crochet365knittoo. If you are on Facebook, stop over to the Crochet 365 Knit Too Facebook page or pop over to the Crochet365KnitToo Club and share a photo! I’d love to see your work!