Love Bug Crochet Pattern

This little love bug crochet pattern is the perfect size for keychains, magnets or brooches.

About the Pattern

The pattern is made up of two parts, the head and the body.

To make our love bug extra cute, we’ll be embroidery little hearts on the body in place of regular spots.

Yarn Choice

I used DK weight cotton yarn as that’s mostly what I have on hand plus I wanted to keep the finished love bug pocket sized.

However, feel free to experiment with different yarns but don’t forget to adjust your hook size accordingly.

Please note that this will yield differences in size and the overall finished look.

Embroidery Tips

• Use a sharp needle.
• Use finer thread/yarn and build up definition through layering stitches (less is more).
• Don’t pull your stitches too tight.

Making Them For Valentine Gifts?

If you’re making this crochet love bug for Valentine’s Day, grab your coordinating gift tags from the Stitch by Fay freebie library.

Easy Gifting

Simply pop in a cellophane bag, tie with some ribbon or twine and add your gift tag.

You can also attach the gift tag directly to your love bug.

Love Bug Crochet Pattern

Materials

• DK weight yarn in red and black (I used Paintbox Yarns Cotton DK in Pillar Red and Pure Black)
• 2.5mm crochet hook
• 4 ply yarn in black or black embroidery floss
• White embroidery floss
• Polyester fiberfill
• Stitch marker
• Yarn needle
• Scissors

Abbreviations (US Terms)

• sc – single crochet
• inc – increase
• invdec – invisible decrease
• FLO – front loop only
• sl st – slip stitch
• st/s – stitch/es
• […] – repeat the instructions in brackets
• (…) – indicates stitch count at end of round

Special Stitches

3inc: 3 single crochet in the same stitch

Useful Links

• Invisible Decrease
• How to Close Amigurumi
• Invisible Fasten Off

Finished Size

The finished love bug measures approximately 1.5″ wide x 1.75″ long (4cm x 4.5cm). Size may vary depending on tension and materials used.

Gauge

Gauge is not important in this pattern. Use a hook size to match your chosen yarn. Make sure that your stitches are tight enough to prevent stuffing showing through and adjust hook size if necessary.

Notes

• Pieces are worked in a continuous spiral starting with a magic ring unless otherwise specified. Mark the first stitch of each round with a removable stitch marker.

Pattern Instructions

Body (starting with red)

R1: 6 sc in magic ring (6)

R2: [Inc] x6 (12)

R3: [Sc, inc] x6 (18)

R4: Sc, inc, [2 sc, inc] x5, sc (24)

R5: [3 sc, inc] x6 (30)

R6: 2 sc, inc, [4 sc, inc] x5, 2 sc (36)

R7-10: [Sc] x36 (36) 4 rounds – change to black in last st of R10

R11: FLO sc, invdec, [2 sc, invdec] x8, sc (27)

R12: [Sc, invdec] x9 (18)

Start stuffing and continue to stuff as you go.

R13: [Invdec] x9 (9)

Cut the yarn leaving a tail and pull through last st. Weave the yarn tail through the front loop only of the final round and pull to close. Hide the end inside the body.

Head (black)

R1: 6 sc in magic ring (6)

R2: [3inc] x2, sc, [3inc] x2, sc (14)

R3: [Sc, inc] x2, 3 sc, [sc, inc] x2, 3 sc (18)

R4: [Sc] x18 (18)

Fasten off invisibly leaving a long tail for sewing.

Assembly

• Using black 4 ply yarn or embroidery floss, sew a line going from back to front across the centre of the body.
• Sew the head to the body over R6 and R10 with the line on the body in the centre. Add some stuffing to the head when you’re 3/4 of the way around.
• Sew 3 hearts on each side of the centre line by layering stitches in a ‘V’ shape over a single stitch. Try to place the stitches side by side rather than on top of each other. I went over each line 4-5 times.

• Using a single strand of white embroidery floss doubled, sew eyes on either side of the head between R3 and R4, with 4 sts in between (use the centre line as a guide).

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Explore More Patterns

After you crochet this love bug, here are some more crochet patterns to try!

• Sweater Keychain Crochet Pattern
• Sun Keychain Crochet Pattern
• Tulip Amigurumi Crochet Pattern

What’s Next?

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This pattern is for personal use only and may not be copied, reproduced, altered, published or distributed in any format (including video). If you wish to share this pattern, you may link to this pattern but please do not reprint it on your site.

You can sell finished products made from this pattern in small quantities. Do NOT use our photos as your sale photos.