Who doesn’t love the Minions? They’re tiny, adorable and hilarious. The Despicable Me movies are a must-see if you haven’t already. My son Benjamin loves the Minions so I decided to make him one for Christmas this year. It’s my pleasure to get to share this Minion free crochet pattern with you as well!

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This Minion free crochet pattern’s inspiration comes from Stuart Minion. Technically, Stuart’s hair lays down flat on his head (which you could definitely do with this guy too!), but I couldn’t resist giving him a fluffy little twit on top.

This free pattern is supported by ads on my blog. You can find the 9-page PDF printable, ad-free Minion pattern on my Etsy shop here.

Minion Free Crochet Pattern Notes & Tips:

This Minion free crochet pattern is written in US terms. If needed, you can find a handy term conversion chart right here in my Resource Library. I recommend giving the pattern a read-through before you begin so you can visualize the big picture and consider any specific notes for help along the way! The printable pattern in my Etsy shop comes with DOZENS of in-the-making photos for each step of the way as well.

Size & Gauge:

Size: This Minion will end up being 10″ tall.

Gauge: 4”x4” of single crochet = 14 stitches x 18 rows. Ultimately with toys, gauge doesn’t matter. It won’t have to fit someone’s body or a specific space. My patterns will include the size of the finished toy based on the yarn and hook I use. But if you want it smaller or bigger, just use a bigger yarn and hook! Just remember, when crocheting toys, crochet tightly and choose a hook one size smaller than the yarn size recommends in order to avoid holes between each stitch where the stuffing will show through.

Yarn & Stuffing:

Yarn: Take your choice of yarn! Choose colors that bring you joy and fibers that feel good between your fingers. I use 100% cotton yarn because I make these toys for my kids and need them to be functional. Cotton is natural, washable, soft, and relatively inflexible so the toys don’t stretch and sag – even after being thrown across the house, down the stairs and adventured through every part of the garden!

It’s very important for me to use only sustainable and eco-friendly yarn so I feel good about the impact I’m making on the environment with my craft. This is why I choose organic cotton versus conventional cotton. With this pattern, however, I shopped my stash because I have a bunch of yarn from years ago, before I started using only sustainable yarn. This pattern doesn’t take much yarn and I had all the colors I needed! Yay!

That said, in the materials list below I list the yarn I used for this pattern, even though I don’t normally recommend using conventional cotton.

Stuffing: Stuff more than you think you should. Not enough for the stitches to stretch and show holes, but enough to make the toy stiff and able to withstand the rough trials of toy life. The filling will compress a bit over time. I encourage you to use an alternative to poly-fill (unless it’s recycled!). Try using leftover yarn scraps and snippets or old non-donate-able clothes and materials cut into strips.

The Legal Stuff:

This pattern is for PERSONAL USE ONLY. This pattern or parts of it may not be reproduced, resold, distributed, published, altered, translated, posted or shared without authorization. You can sell your finished items provided that you credit Off the Beaten Hook as the designer using this verbiage, “This pattern was designed by Lindsey Roe and Off the Beaten Hook. http://www.offthebeatenhook.com” Thank you for your respectfulness!

Despicable Me and MINIONS are protected trade marks and copyright of Universal Studios. This pattern is my creative interpretation of those lovable characters, but the character is not my own invention.

Materials you will need:

• Lily Sugar ‘N Cream Solids (100% Cotton / Medium / Worsted)
  • SUNSHINE – 1 ball
  • HOT BLUE – 1 ball
  • BLACK – leftovers
  • OVERCAST – leftovers
  • WHITE – leftovers
  • BROWN – leftovers
• Crochet Hook Size: 4.00 mm
• Tapestry Needle
• Stitch Markers
• Scissors
• Stuffing
• OPTIONAL: buttons if you’d like to use them to embellish the trouser straps

Abbreviations used in the Minion free crochet pattern:

ch – chain
st – stitch
hk – hook
sl st – slip stitch
sc – single crochet
fsc – foundation single crochet
BLO – back loop only
inc – increase
dec – decrease
(…) x – repeat instructions indicated number of times
[…] – number of stitches in row/round

The Pattern

EYE:

NOTE: The eye is worked in rounds – to minimize seeing the color changes, you will join and chain at the end of each round. Join with a slip st, and pull in the new color in with the chain.

Start with black yarn

Rnd 1: st 6 in a magic circle [6]

Switch to brown yarn

Rnd 2: inc in each st around [12]

Switch to white yarn

Rnd 3: (sc, inc) x6 [18]

Rnd 4: (sc 2, inc) x6 [24]

Fasten off and snip leaving a long tail for sewing.

GOGGLE & STRAP:

NOTE: The goggle and strap are are worked as separate pieces – each beginning with a chainless foundation single crochet. If needed, you can find a video tutorial of how to make a chainless foundation single crochet in the resource library.

GOGGLE:

Row 1: fsc 28, join ends into a ring

Row 2-5: sc around [28]

Fasten off and snip leaving a long tail for sewing on. Fold ring in half, curling it into a double sided ring. Row 3 will end up being the center/top.

STRAP:

Row 1: fsc 54, join ends into a ring

Row 2: sc around [54]

Wait to fasten off strap until you’ve made and stuffed the head to be sure it is long enough to wrap around the head.

HEAD & BODY:

NOTES:

• The head & body are worked in continuous rounds – do not join after each round
• Begin with yellow yarn

Rnd 1: st 6 in a magic circle [6]

Rnd 2: inc in each st around [12]

Rnd 3: (sc, inc) x6 [18]

Rnd 4: (sc 2, inc) x6 [24]

Rnd 5: (sc 3, inc) x6 [30]

Rnd 6: (sc 4, inc) x6 [36]

Rnd 7: (sc 5, inc) x6 [42]

Rnd 8: (sc 6, inc) x6 [48]

Rnd 9: (sc 7, inc) x6 [54]

Rnd 10-26: sc around [54]

• ADD HAIR: Cut 6 strands of black yarn, 8″ each. Fold in half and pull one at a time to the inside in between rounds 1 & 2, plus one more straight through the center of the magic circle. Tie off to one another on the inside. Trim as desired.
• EYE: Sew the eye to the center of the head over rounds 11-19.
• GOGGLE & STRAP: Sew the goggle directly over the eye. Add the strap around the head, and sew along at several places to secure.

Switch to blue yarn…

Rnd 27: sl sl around [54]

Rnd 28-30: sc around [54] Place Rnd 28 in between the top two loops of the sl st from Round 27

Rnd 31: (sc 7, dec) x6 [48]

Rnd 32: (sc 6, dec) x6 [42]

Rnd 33: (sc 5, dec) x6 [36]

Rnd 34: (sc 4, dec) x6 [30] STUFF

Rnd 35: (sc 3, dec) x6 [24]

Rnd 36: (sc 2, dec) x6 [18] STUFF

Rnd 37: (sc, dec) x6 [12]

Rnd 38: dec around [6]

Sl st in the next st and snip, leaving a long tail. Pull the tail through the final 2 loops. Using the yarn end and a tapestry needle, thread the yarn through the front loop only of the remaining 6 stitches and pull tightly to close. Bring the yarn to the inside and back out one of the side walls. Snip cleanly with the surface.

LEGS – make 2:

NOTES:

• The legs are worked from the bottom of the foot up
• The foot starts with a chain and is crocheted around both sides of the chain, and on up the leg

Using the black yarn, begin by chaining 5

Rnd 1: inc in 2nd ch from hk, sc 2, inc. Continue working on other side of the chain: inc, sc 2, inc [12]

Rnd 2: inc, sc 4, inc 2, sc 4, inc [16]

Rnd 3: BLO sc around [16]

Rnd 4: sc 6, dec 2, sc 6 [14]

Rnd 5: sc 5, dec 2, sc 5 [12]

Switch to blue yarn

Rnd 6-10: sc around [12]

Stuff and sew onto body/pants over rounds 33-36.

ARMS – make 2:

NOTE: The arms are worked in continuous rounds (do not join rounds) using the yellow yarn

Rnd 1: st 4 in a magic circle [4]

Rnd 2: inc around [8]

Rnd 3-14: sc around [8]

Fasten off leaving a long tail for sewing.

HANDS & GLOVES – make 2:

NOTES:

• The hands/gloves are worked in continuous rounds from the wrist down to the fingers, using black
• The fingers are worked individually onto the glove in continuous rounds

Leave a long starting tail and chain 10. Sl st to join into a ring and ch 1.

Rnd 1: sl st around [10]

Rnd 2: BLO sc around [10]

Rnd 3-4: sc around [10]

Rnd 5: (inc, sc 4) x2 [12]

Using stitch markers, split the round into fingers – each finger will have 4 stitches.

Picking up where you left off, begin making the first finger…

Rnd 6: sc 2, then join to opposite side of glove with a sc to close the round for the 1st finger, sc in next st, completing the first row of the finger.

Rnd 7-8: sc around [4]

Sl st and snip leaving a long tail. Using the yarn tail and a tapestry needle, weave the yarn through the front loop of the remaining 4 stitches and pull tightly to close. Bring yarn to inside.

Rejoin black yarn in the next available st, and repeat Rnd 6-8 for the 2nd and 3rd fingers. Pull all yarn tails to the inside except for the starting tail which you will use to sew on. Put glove onto hand and using a tapestry needle, pass the yarn back and forth several times under Rnd 1 to secure the glove onto the arm.

BIBS & STRAPS – make 2:

NOTES:

• The bibs and straps are worked in turning rows using the blue yarn – chain 1 and turn at the end of each row
• The turning chain does not count as a stitch

TROUSER BIBS:

Row 1: fsc 13, ch 1, turn

Rnd 2-3: sc across [13]

Fasten off leaving a long tail for sewing. Sew the bibs onto the center front and back, lining the first row of the bib over the first round of the blue pants (round 27).

TROUSER STRAPS:

Row 1: fsc 20

Fasten off and snip leaving a very long tail for sewing on. Sew the straps onto the corners of the bibs, but wait to finish off the strap securing until after you sew on the arms – then you’ll know exactly where the strap should be sewn up over the shoulder. If using the optional buttons for the straps, sew those on now.

FINALLY, FINISH UP YOUR MINION FREE CROCHET PATTERN:

• Stuff the arms lightly and sew them to the sides at round 21.
• Pull the trouser straps up over the shoulder and finish securing on by using a tapestry needle and taking several stitches all along it from out to in, out to in.
• Using black yarn, embroider on the mouth.
• Clean up, bringing all yarn tails to the inside and snipping clean with the surface.
• Stop, admire your skills and enjoy your Minion! Well done!

I would love to see your completed MINION. Please post pictures on instagram and tag me @offthebeatenhook and use #offthebeatenhook. Cheers!

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