Free Amigurumi Frog Pattern
Big round bulging eyes, a soft white belly, and bent little legs tucked into a proper sitting pose — a frog with real personality rather than a plain green ball.
Everyone who sees this frog for the first time asks the same question: how do the eyes bulge out like that? I used to think it required some special stitch or a molded plastic piece hidden inside, and I was almost disappointed to learn the real answer was so simple. You crochet two small rounded bumps, stuff them lightly, sew them to the top of the head, and then push the safety eyes through both the bump and the head together. The bump does all the work of lifting the eye up off the surface.
The rest of the frog uses the same basic amigurumi shaping you'd find in almost any pattern on this site, with one more small trick for the legs: instead of sewing them on straight and leaving them stiff, you fold each one at the midpoint after attaching it and tack the fold in place. That single bend is what turns four plain little tubes into a proper crouched, sitting-frog pose.
Below is the full pattern in US terms, along with notes on building those bulging eyes, bending the legs into a natural sitting position, and the mistakes that make a frog look flat rather than lively. If amigurumi shaping is new to you, our amigurumi for beginners guide covers the basics first.
Materials
- 1–2 skeins worsted-weight yarn in green
- Small amount of white yarn for the belly patch
- 3.5mm hook (smaller than standard, for tight amigurumi stitches)
- Polyester fiberfill stuffing
- Safety eyes, or embroidery thread for a child-safe embroidered face
- Stitch marker, to track the start of each round
- Scissors and a yarn needle
Abbreviations (US terms)
| Abbr. | Means |
|---|---|
| sc | Single crochet |
| st(s) | Stitch(es) |
| inc | 2 sc in same stitch (increase) |
| dec | Sc 2 sts together (decrease) |
| rnd(s) | Round(s) |
See our abbreviations glossary for the full list including UK terms.
Gauge
Gauge isn't critical here — the goal is tight, even stitches that keep the stuffing from showing through. If you can see stuffing between your stitches, size down your hook.
Notes
- Written in US terms, worked in a continuous spiral without joining, the same basic technique as our mini amigurumi ball pattern.
- The eye bumps are lightly stuffed separate pieces sewn to the head, with the safety eyes inserted through both layers together.
- The legs are bent and tacked after sewing to create a sitting pose, rather than crocheted at an angle.
Pattern
Magic ring, 6 sc. (6) → Inc around. (12) → [sc 1, inc] around. (18) → [sc 2, inc] around. (24)
Sc every st around for 5 rounds, no shaping. (24 sts each round)
[sc 2, dec] around. (18) → [sc 1, dec] around. (12) → Dec around, stuffing firmly as you close. (6)
Fasten off, leaving a long tail for sewing to the body.
Magic ring, 6 sc. (6) → Inc around. (12) → [sc 1, inc] around. (18)
Sc every st around for 3 rounds. (18 sts each round)
[sc 1, dec] around. (12) → Dec around, stuffing as you close. (6)
Fasten off, leaving a long tail for sewing to the head.
Magic ring, 6 sc. (6) → Inc around. (12) → [sc 1, inc] around. (18)
Fasten off, leaving a tail. Do not stuff; the belly patch stays a flat oval.
Magic ring, 6 sc. (6) → Inc around. (12)
Sc even for 2 rounds. Stuff very lightly, just enough to give the bump a little shape. Fasten off, leaving a tail for sewing.
In green, magic ring, 6 sc. (6). Sc even for 4 rounds, stuffing lightly. Fasten off, leaving a tail for sewing.
Sew the body to the bottom of the head. Sew the white belly patch to the front, spanning both the head and body. Sew the two eye bumps to the top of the head, spaced evenly. Insert safety eyes through both the bump and the head fabric together, or embroider the eyes with yarn once assembly is complete for a child-safe alternative. Sew all four legs to the body at the hips, then fold each leg at its midpoint and take a small tacking stitch through the fold to bend it into a crouched, sitting position.
Building the bulging eyes
The eye bumps are the single detail that makes this frog instantly recognizable, and the construction really is as simple as it sounds. Each bump is a tiny separate piece, worked with an increase round or two and then a couple of straight rounds, stuffed just enough to hold a gentle dome shape without being firm. Sew both bumps to the top of the head first, spaced apart the way you'd space any pair of eyes, before you insert the actual safety eyes.
The key step is pushing the safety eye post through the bump and the head fabric together, in one motion, rather than attaching the bump and eye separately. Done this way, the eye sits raised on top of its own bump, projecting outward the way a real frog's eyes do, instead of sinking flat against the round surface of the head the way a standard amigurumi eye would.
Bending the legs into a sitting pose
A frog that sits with its legs sticking straight out looks stiff and unfinished, and the fix doesn't require any special crochet technique, just a fold after the fact. Once each leg is sewn to the body at the hip, gently fold it at roughly its midpoint, the spot where a real frog's knee would bend, and take one small stitch through both layers of the fold to hold it permanently bent. Do this consistently on all four legs and the frog settles into that classic crouched, ready-to-hop sitting position rather than standing stiffly upright.
Color variations
A bright grassy green with a white belly is the classic frog look, but this pattern works just as nicely in a deeper forest green, a playful lime, or even teal if you'd like something a little less realistic. If you want rosy cheeks like the ones in the photo, add two small circles of pink embroidery just below and to the sides of the eye bumps once they're attached, working a few short satin stitches close together for a soft blush effect. A speckled or self-striping green yarn can also work nicely here, since it mimics the mottled skin pattern of a real frog without any extra embroidery or color changes needed.
Common mistakes & fixes
Fix: make sure the eye bumps are made and sewn on before inserting the safety eyes, and insert each eye through both the bump and the head together rather than attaching them separately.
Fix: fold each leg at its midpoint after sewing it on, and take a tacking stitch through the fold to hold the bend; without that stitch, the leg will straighten back out on its own.
Fix: stuff both bumps to a similar firmness before sewing either one on, and check their height and spacing from directly above the head before committing to any stitches.
Fix: use small, even stitches spaced closely around the entire edge of the patch, and avoid pulling the sewing yarn too tight, which can cup the patch instead of laying it flat.
Fix: check that all four legs are bent to a similar angle and sewn on at the same height around the body; one leg bent more sharply than the others is usually what throws off the balance.
Our pick
Fairfield Poly-Fil Premium Fiber Fill, 32oz
Enough for this frog and future amigurumi projects, staying fluffy without clumping over time.
View on Amazon →Frequently asked questions
Is this amigurumi frog pattern safe for young children?
For children under 3, or any child who still mouths toys, embroider the eyes with yarn instead of using plastic safety eyes, and securely fasten and reinforce the eye bumps and legs, since these are all small attached parts that carry a choking risk if they come loose. Adult supervision is recommended for young children with any small-parts toy. See our guide to attaching safety eyes for more detail.
How do I get the big bulging frog eyes?
Crochet two small rounded bumps separately, stuff them very lightly, and sew them to the top of the head first. Then insert the safety eyes through both the bump and the head fabric together, so each eye sits raised on top of its own little bump rather than flat against the head.
How do I bend the legs into a sitting position?
After sewing a leg on at the hip, fold it at the point where a knee would be and take one small tacking stitch through both layers of the fold to hold it bent. This pinch-and-tack technique creates the crouched, sitting-frog pose without needing any wire or extra shaping in the crochet itself.
How long does this amigurumi frog take to make?
Between the head, body, two eye bumps, and four legs, plus the sewn-on belly patch, most confident beginners finish this frog over two to three sessions, roughly 3 to 4 hours of crochet time plus assembly.
What's the best stuffing for an amigurumi frog?
Polyester fiberfill is the standard choice for amigurumi because it stays soft, keeps its shape, and is washable and hypoallergenic, unlike natural fiber stuffing that can clump or felt with handling over time.
Can I make the frog bigger or smaller?
Yes. To scale it up, add one more increase round to the head and body before the straight rounds and one more decrease round at the end, and scale the eye bumps and legs up with one extra round each. For a smaller frog, do the reverse.
Why do my frog's eyes look flat instead of bulging?
This usually means the eye bumps were skipped or stuffed too lightly to hold any shape. Make sure each bump has at least a small amount of stuffing before you insert the safety eye through it, since the bump is what lifts the eye above the surface of the head.
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