If you want to learn how to crochet a mini fox, the good news is that the head and body are worked as one continuous piece — so there’s no neck seam to line up, which is where most first amigurumi goes wrong.
A fox is recognisable from three details: pointed ears, a white-tipped tail, and a pale muzzle. Get those right and the rest is a simple rounded body. None of them are difficult — the ears are small flat triangles, the tail uses one colour change, and the muzzle is a tiny circle sewn on.
About two hours. Finished fox roughly 9 cm tall.
From the shop · New pattern
A sweet cat-ear coaster in just 5 rounds. Beginner friendly, printable 7-page PDF for $4.99.
See the pattern →What you need to know first
- Single crochet
- The magic ring
- Working in a continuous spiral
- Increasing and decreasing
- Changing colour
- Working in rows, for the ears
What you need
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Worsted weight (4) yarn in orange or rust, plus small amounts of cream or white, and black or dark brown. A warm rust looks more natural than bright orange.
A 3.5mm hook — one or two sizes below what worsted usually calls for.
Polyester stuffing, a stitch marker, and a tapestry needle.
About 40 metres of orange and 10 metres of cream.
Safety note: for a toy going to a child under three, embroider the eyes with yarn rather than using safety eyes, which are a choking hazard.
From the shop · New pattern
A sweet cat-ear coaster in just 5 rounds. Beginner friendly, printable 7-page PDF for $4.99.
See the pattern →Cathrinee’s Supply Kit
Everything you need for this project
Crochet terms used
US crochet terms.
- MR = magic ring · ch = chain
- sc = single crochet (UK double crochet)
- inc = 2 sc into the same stitch · dec = decrease
- ( ) x6 = repeat what’s in the brackets six times
Use the invisible decrease: front loops only of the next two stitches, yarn over and pull through two, yarn over and pull through two.
Step 1: Crochet the head and body
In orange. Start at the top of the head. Keep a stitch marker in the first stitch of every round.
- R1: 6 sc in MR — (6)
- R2: inc in each st — (12)
- R3: (sc, inc) x6 — (18)
- R4: (2 sc, inc) x6 — (24)
- R5–R8: sc in each st around, four rounds — (24)
- R9: (2 sc, dec) x6 — (18)
- R10: (sc, dec) x6 — (12)
Stuff the head firmly now, before the opening narrows further.
- R11: sc in each st around — (12) (the neck)
- R12: (sc, inc) x6 — (18)
- R13–R16: sc in each st around, four rounds — (18)
- R17: (sc, dec) x6 — (12)
Stuff the body firmly, pushing extra into the neck — it carries the weight of the head.
- R18: dec x6 — (6)
Fasten off, run the tail through the front loop of each remaining stitch, and pull tight to close.
Step 2: Crochet the ears (make 2)
In orange, worked flat in rows.
Ch 5.
- R1: sc in the 2nd ch from hook and in each ch across — (4)
- R2: ch 1, turn, dec, dec — (2)
- R3: ch 1, turn, dec — (1)
Fasten off, leaving a tail for sewing. You’ll have a small pointed triangle.
Optional dark tips: embroider a few small stitches in dark brown at the point of each ear. It’s a small detail and very fox-like.
Step 3: Crochet the tail
Start at the white tip.
- R1 (cream): 6 sc in MR — (6)
- R2 (cream): (sc, inc) x3 — (9)
Change to orange on the last step of the final stitch of R2.
- R3: (2 sc, inc) x3 — (12)
- R4–R8: sc in each st around, five rounds — (12)
- R9: (2 sc, dec) x3 — (9)
- R10: (sc, dec) x3 — (6)
Stuff lightly — a fox tail should be soft and slightly squashy. Fasten off, leaving a long tail for sewing.
How to change colour cleanly: on the last stitch before the change, insert your hook and pull up a loop in the old colour, then complete the stitch — the final yarn over and pull through — with the new colour. This keeps the colour line neat. Crochet candy corn is a great low-stakes place to practise it.
Step 4: Crochet the muzzle
In cream.
- R1: 6 sc in MR — (6)
- R2: inc in each st — (12)
Join with a sl st and fasten off, leaving a tail for sewing. It will be a small flat disc.
Step 5: Assemble the mini fox
Muzzle. Sew the cream disc to the lower front of the face, around rounds 6 to 9. Add a tiny bit of stuffing behind it before you finish sewing, so it stands out slightly.
Nose. Embroider a small dark triangle at the top edge of the muzzle.
Eyes. Embroider two small eyes just above the muzzle, about 5 stitches apart. Keep them wide apart and low on the face — that’s what makes an amigurumi look sweet rather than startled.
Ears. Sew the flat base of each triangle to the top of the head, around rounds 3 to 4, spaced about 6 stitches apart. Sew along the whole base so they stand upright.
Tail. Sew the open end of the tail to the lower back of the body, around round 16, angled so the tail curls round to one side. A fox tail wrapped around the body looks especially charming.
Before sewing anything permanently, pin the pieces in place and look at the fox from the front, from arm’s length. It’s much easier to move a pinned ear than a sewn one.
Troubleshooting your crochet mini fox
The head sags. The neck is under-stuffed. Add more stuffing into the neck before closing.
Stuffing shows through. Your hook is too large. Go down a size — hold your first three rounds up to a light, and if light shines through, start again.
The ears flop. Sew along the full base of each triangle, not just the corners.
The face looks wrong. Almost always eye placement. Move them wider apart and lower.
The colour change on the tail is jagged. Change colour on the last step of the previous stitch, not at the start of the new round.
The fox is lopsided. A stitch count drifted. Count every round against the pattern. More in amigurumi problems and fixes.
Variations
- Arctic fox: make the whole fox in cream or white with a pale grey tail tip.
- A sleeping fox: embroider closed eyes as small curved lines, and wrap the tail fully round the body.
- A fox with a scarf: chain a length of contrasting yarn and tie it around the neck at round 11.
- A bigger fox: use chunky yarn and a 5.0mm hook with the same pattern.
- Keychain: make a tiny version in cotton and attach a split ring.
Want more friends for your fox? Try the amigurumi cat or bunny.
Frequently asked questions
How do you crochet a mini fox?
Crochet the head and body as one continuous piece, then add two flat triangular ears, a white-tipped tail with one colour change, and a small cream muzzle.
How long does it take to crochet a mini fox?
About two hours, including assembly.
Is a crochet fox good for beginners?
Yes. The head and body are worked in one piece, which avoids the hardest seam in amigurumi.
What colour yarn should I use for a crochet fox?
Rust or warm orange for the body, with cream for the tail tip and muzzle. Rust looks more natural than bright orange.
Are safety eyes safe for a crochet fox?
Not for young children. For any toy going to a child under three, embroider the eyes with yarn instead.
Why is my crochet fox lopsided?
A stitch count drifted somewhere. Count at the end of every round against the pattern.
