Teal Hedgehog Yarn Buddy Free Crochet Pattern

Meet Your New Crafting Companion: The Teal Hedgehog Yarn Buddy

If you have never held a crochet hook before, this is the perfect first project to fall in love with. This little hedgehog is a round, egg-shaped friend with a smooth teal body and a bumpy coral back that looks just like hedgie spines. It is small enough to finish in a weekend, soft enough to squeeze, and useful too: the opening at the bottom holds a small ball of yarn so your yarn stays tidy while you work. The finished buddy stands about 6 inches tall and feels squishy, matte, and wonderfully handmade. Grab a cup of tea, settle in, and let's make something adorable together.

Materials Needed

• Yarn: Worsted weight (medium, size 4) acrylic yarn — about 90 yards of teal and about 55 yards of coral. Acrylic is forgiving and easy to rip out if you make a mistake.
• Main hook: Size G/6 (4.0 mm) crochet hook.
• Trim hook: Size F/5 (3.75 mm) crochet hook (used only for the bottom opening trim).
• Stitch marker (or a safety pin, or a scrap of contrasting yarn).
• Tapestry needle (a big blunt needle with a large eye for weaving in ends).
• Scissors.
• Small amount of polyester fiberfill (toy stuffing) for shaping.
• Finished size: About 6 inches (15 cm) tall and 5 inches (12.5 cm) wide at the widest point. The bottom opening measures about 2 inches (5 cm) across.

Abbreviations and Beginner Glossary

Every term below is explained as if you have never crocheted. US crochet terms are used throughout.

• ch — chain: yarn over the hook, pull the yarn through the loop on your hook. This makes one chain stitch.
• sl st — slip stitch: insert hook into the stitch, yarn over, pull the yarn through both the stitch and the loop on your hook at once. It makes a nearly invisible joining stitch.
• sc — single crochet: insert hook into the stitch, yarn over, pull up a loop (2 loops on hook), yarn over again, pull through both loops. One single crochet made.
• sc2tog — single crochet 2 stitches together (a decrease): insert hook into the first stitch, yarn over, pull up a loop; insert hook into the next stitch, yarn over, pull up a loop (3 loops on hook); yarn over and pull through all 3 loops. Two stitches become one.
• dc — double crochet: yarn over, insert hook into stitch, yarn over, pull up a loop (3 loops on hook), yarn over and pull through 2 loops, yarn over and pull through remaining 2 loops.
• bobble — 4-dc bobble: work 4 double crochet stitches into the same stitch, but leave the last loop of each on the hook (you will have 5 loops on the hook), then yarn over and pull through all 5 loops, and ch 1 to close. This makes one raised bump.
• BLO — back loop only: each stitch has two top loops (a front loop and a back loop). Working in the back loop only means you insert your hook under just the loop farther from you.
• st(s) — stitch(es).
• rnd — round: one complete circle of stitches worked in the round.
• magic ring — an adjustable loop of yarn you crochet into to start a circle with no hole in the middle. If it feels tricky, you can instead ch 2 and work your first round into the first chain.
• fasten off — cut the yarn a few inches from your work and pull the tail through the last loop to lock it.

Gauge

Gauge: 4 single crochet stitches x 4 rounds = 1 inch (2.5 cm) in single crochet with the G/6 (4.0 mm) hook.

Why gauge matters: Gauge is how big your stitches turn out. If your stitches are bigger than the pattern expects, your hedgehog will be too large and the coral panel may not fit. If they are smaller, it will be too small. Checking first saves you from redoing the whole project.

How to make a gauge swatch: With teal and the G/6 hook, make a magic ring, work 6 sc into it, then work 4 rounds of single crochet, increasing as needed so the circle stays flat (add 6 stitches per round). Measure across the middle. Four rounds should measure about 1 inch tall, and 4 stitches across the middle should measure about 1 inch wide. If your swatch is bigger, try a smaller hook; if smaller, try a larger hook.

Beginner Tips Before You Start

• Use a stitch marker every round. Because you work in a continuous spiral, there is no seam to tell you where a round begins. Place the marker in the first stitch of each round and move it up as you go.
• Do not pull your yarn too tight. Tension that is too tight makes the fabric stiff and hard to stuff. Aim for even, relaxed stitches.
• Count out loud (or in your head) at the end of every round. The stitch count in parentheses after each round is your safety net — if it does not match, fix it before moving on.
• Stuff as you go. The pattern tells you exactly when to add fiberfill. Stuff firmly but not so tightly that the stitches stretch open.
• Bobbles are easier than they look. Work them loosely and let them pop to the outside. If a bobble hides inside, poke it through with your finger.
• Keep your first round loose. A tight magic ring is very hard to work into on Round 2.

Step-by-Step Instructions

Body (teal)

With the G/6 (4.0 mm) hook and teal, make a magic ring. Work in continuous rounds — do not join or turn unless told to.

Rnd 1: 6 sc in the ring. (6 sts)

Rnd 2: 2 sc in each st around. (12 sts)

Rnd 3: [Sc in next st, 2 sc in next st] around. (18 sts)

Rnd 4: [Sc in next 2 sts, 2 sc in next st] around. (24 sts)

Rnd 5: [Sc in next 3 sts, 2 sc in next st] around. (30 sts)

Rnd 6: [Sc in next 4 sts, 2 sc in next st] around. (36 sts)

Rnd 7: [Sc in next 5 sts, 2 sc in next st] around. (42 sts)

Rnd 8: [Sc in next 6 sts, 2 sc in next st] around. (48 sts)

Rnds 9–20: Sc in each st around. (48 sts for 12 rounds)

Rnd 21: [Sc in next 6 sts, sc2tog] around. (42 sts)

Rnd 22: [Sc in next 5 sts, sc2tog] around. (36 sts)

Rnd 23: [Sc in next 4 sts, sc2tog] around. (30 sts)

Rnd 24: [Sc in next 3 sts, sc2tog] around. (24 sts)

Rnd 25: [Sc in next 2 sts, sc2tog] around. (18 sts)

Stuff the body firmly but not tightly with polyester fiberfill, leaving the bottom opening open.

Rnd 26: [Sc in next st, sc2tog] around. (12 sts)

Rnd 27: Sc2tog around. (6 sts)

Fasten off, leaving a 6-inch tail. Thread the tail through the last 6 stitches with your tapestry needle and pull closed. Weave in the end.

Coral Bobble Back Panel

The panel covers the back half of the body. Hold the hedgehog with the bottom opening facing down and the top point up. The back is the half of the body facing away from you when the opening is at the bottom.

Join coral with a sl st to the body at the side, about 1 inch (2.5 cm) below the top point, in a stitch on the back half.

Row 1 (right side): Ch 1, sc in the same st and in each of the next 23 sts across the back half. Turn. (24 sts)

Row 2 (wrong side): Ch 1, sc in first st, [bobble in next st, sc in next st] 11 times, sc in last st. Turn. (12 bobbles)

Row 3 (right side): Ch 1, sc in each st across. Turn. (24 sts)

Rows 4–15: Repeat Rows 2–3 six more times, then repeat Row 2 once more. (7 rows of bobbles total)

Fasten off coral and weave in the end. The panel should sit smoothly over the back half of the body, with the bobbles facing outward.

Bottom Opening Trim (teal)

With the F/5 (3.75 mm) hook and teal, join yarn with a sl st to any stitch at the bottom opening edge.

Rnd 1: Ch 1, sc evenly around the bottom opening, working 1 sc in each stitch around the edge. (24 sts)

Rnd 2: Sc in each st around. (24 sts)

Sl st in the next st. Fasten off and weave in the end. The opening should measure about 2 inches (5 cm) across.

Assembly and Finishing

Weave in ends: Thread each yarn tail onto the tapestry needle, poke it through the inside of the body, and weave it back and forth through a few stitches before trimming. This hides the tail and keeps it from working loose.

Shape the body: Gently squeeze and roll the hedgehog between your hands so the body becomes a smooth egg shape and the coral bobble panel sits centered on the back.

Add stuffing: If the shape feels soft, push small amounts of fiberfill through the bottom opening with your fingers until it is firm.

Close the opening (optional): Using the tapestry needle and a length of teal yarn, sew a few stitches across the opening to narrow it, leaving a small gap for yarn to pass through.

Blocking: Lightly mist the finished hedgehog with water and pat it into shape with your hands. Let it air-dry completely. Do not soak it — stuffing takes a long time to dry.

To use it: Place a small ball of yarn inside through the bottom opening and pull the working end out through the opening. Your yarn stays tidy while you crochet.

Pro Tips and Variations

• Change the colors: Try a dusty rose body with a cream bobble back, or a mustard body with a rust back. Any two worsted weight colors work beautifully.
• Make it bigger or smaller: Use a larger hook and thicker yarn for a bigger buddy, or a smaller hook and finer yarn for a tiny one. Just keep your gauge swatch in mind so the panel still fits.
• Substitute yarn: Cotton yarn gives a crisper, more defined bobble texture, while acrylic stays the softest and squishiest. Avoid fuzzy yarns for your first try — they hide your stitches.
• Add a face (optional): Sew two small black beads or embroider two French knots for eyes near the top front, below the coral panel. Keep beads secure if the hedgehog will be near children or pets.