Let’s crochet an easy amigurumi cow together!
Cleo the crochet cow is a cute and cuddly addition to our Juna Series of free crochet animal patterns. With her colourful tank top and her big smile, she would make a wonderful addition to any nursery.
This crochet cow has been in the making for a while now! When we started the Juna crochet animal series, I knew I crochet a cow for the collection because I just love cows. They’re so cute! Plus, my not-so-secret dream is to one day live on a farm (although I’m such a city girl!) and so toy cows are a lovely reminder of that.
I began designing this cow pattern a few months ago, initially playing with colour changes for the spots. However, I wasn’t happy with how that turned out and got distracted with other designs and left poor Cleo on the drawing board. However, I picked her up again at the end of last year and am so glad I did! Cleo is the cutest plush cow ever – and one that I want to crochet over and over again!
We also have an adorable cow crochet baby rattle that you can pair with Cleo for the sweetest crochet baby gift!
About this Crochet Cow Pattern
This pattern is easy and a great pattern for beginners (although if you’re a beginner, I would recommend not using black as the accent colour, as it’s hard to see when you’re starting out – and if you do decide to use it, I recommend investing in a head lamp!). The cow is crocheted mostly in one piece, with her legs, head, and body crocheted together – and we even have an option in which you can crochet on the arms of your cow to limit sewing! So all you have to do is sew on the ears, horn, muzzle, and tail!
This amigurumi cow can be completely customised – it is fun to play with the colours of her tank top. Plus, although I have crocheted her in the traditional black and white colours, you can play with the colours of your cow! One of our wonderful pattern testers crocheted a really cute cow in light brown with dark brown spots. You could even make a crochet strawberry cow from TikTok – by crocheting pink spots for her!
I really like the shape of Cleo’s spots. I decided to crochet spots that are both big and small to show the variety of shapes of cows’ spots.
This cow stands at approximately 8 inches and was crocheted with DK yarn and a 2.75 mm hook. However, you can use any yarn with the relevant hook – the size of your finished cow plushie will just vary somewhat.
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Crochet Cow Free Pattern
This pattern is for your personal use only and cannot be sold, copied, or reproduced in anyway without permission from the designers. You may sell finished objects made from this pattern but please give credit to chaicoffeecrochet.com as the pattern designers.
Tools & Materials You Will Need to Crochet a Cow
- Yarn: You need less than 100 grams of DK yarn in white and a small amount in black, beige, and five colours for the tank top. I used light pink, light yellow, light green, turquoise, and light orange.
- 2.75 mm crochet hook
- Tapestry needle
- Stitch marker
- Polyfill stuffing
- Two 10 mm safety eyes or you can crochet eyes for children under 3
- Embroidery thread: A small amount of black for eyelashes, nostrils, and mouth
Easy Crochet Cow: Crochet Stitches and Abbreviations
This pattern is written in US terms and crocheted in a spiral unless stated otherwise.
Sl st: slip stitch
SC: single crochet
INV DEC: invisible decrease
INC: two SC in the same stitch
BLO: back loops only
HDC: Half double crochet
HDC INC: two HDC in the same stitch
DC: Double crochet
DC INC: two DC in the same stitch
Finished size: Approximately 8 inches tall.
How to Crochet your Cow
Muzzle
Tip: The base shape of the muzzle is an oval, so we will be crocheting around chain, rather than a magic circle as we usually do with amigurumi. If you are new to crocheting around a chain, we have a tutorial on how to crochet an oval for amigurumi.
Using light pink yarn.
Round 1: Chain 10. Starting in the second chain from the hook, 8 SC, 3 SC in the next chain as your work turns. Now continue on the other side of the chain. 7 SC and INC in the last chain (20)
Round 2: INC, 7 SC, (INC) in each of the next three stitches, 7 SC, (INC) in each of the next two stitches (26)
Round 3-5 (3 rounds): SC around (26)
Fasten off and leave a long tail for sewing.
Arms (make 2)
Begin with black yarn
Round 1: 6 SC into a magic circle (6)
Round 2: INC in each stitch around (12)
Round 3: (5 SC, INC) twice (14)
Round 4-5 (2 rounds): SC around (14)
Round 6: (5 SC, INVDEC) twice (12)
Change to white yarn.
Stuff the bottom of the arms lightly.
Round 7: (4 SC, INVDEC) twice (10)
Round 8-16 (9 rounds): SC around (10)
Tip: If you want to attach the arms using crochet when you make the body (it’s a really easy no-sew way!), see our tutorial on crocheting arms to your amigurumi to see how to finish off the arms.
If you prefer to sew the arms to your cow, fasten off and leave a long tail for sewing. Do not stuff the rest of the arm.
Legs (make 2)
Stuff legs lightly as you go.
Begin with black yarn.
Round 1: 6 SC into a magic circle (6)
Round 2: INC in each stitch around (12)
Round 3: (SC, INC) six times (18)
Round 4: (2 SC, INC) six times (24)
Round 5: SC around BLO (24)
Change to white
Rounds 6-12 (7 rounds): SC around (24)
Fasten off for the first leg.
Repeat rounds 1-12 for the second leg but don’t fasten off. Continue with the body.
Body
Now we will join the legs. If you are unfamiliar with how to join them in Round 13, we have a tutorial on how to join legs.
Round 13: Sl st into the first unworked stitch of the first leg. SC in the remaining 23 stitches of the first leg and the 24 stitches of the second leg. (48)
Round 14-19 (6 rounds): SC in each stitch around (48)
Change to light orange.
Round 20: SC around (48)
Round 21: SC around in BLO (48)
Change to light yellow
Round 22-23 (2 rounds): SC around (48)
Change to green
Round 24-25 (2 rounds): SC around (48)
Change to turquoise.
Round 26-27 (2 rounds): SC around (48)
Change to light orange.
Round 28: SC around (48)
Change to white
Round 29: SC around BLO (48)*
*If you are crocheting on the arms for your cow, you will attach them in Round 29. See the tutorial on how to crochet on the arms for instructions. If you are planning on sewing on the arms, you will sew them on once we are done with the body.
Round 30-41 (12 rounds): SC around (48)
At this point, stuff the muzzle and sew it on between rounds 30 and 37, approximately. Insert the eyes between rounds 37 and 38 approximately 11 stitches apart, centred to the muzzle. Once you are happy with the placement, remove the eyes and embroider on eyelashes. Then reinsert the eyes and put on the washer. Stuff the body.
Round 42: (6 SC, INVDEC) six times (42)
Round 43: (5 SC, INVDEC) six times (36)
Round 44: (4 SC, INVDEC) six times (30)
Round 45: (3 SC, INVDEC) six times (24)
Round 46: (2 SC, INVDEC) six times (18)
Round 47: (SC, INVDEC) six times (12)
Round 48: INVDEC six times (6)
Fasten off. Insert needle in front loop of each stitch and pull tight to close. Embroider on the nostrils and a smile on the muzzle.If you haven’t attached the arms yet, sew them on between Rounds 29 and 30.
Shirt frill
Using light orange yarn.
Turn your cow upside down and attach the yarn to the front loops left from Round 20.
Chain 1. (3 HDC in the same stitch, sl st in the next stitch) twenty-four times around. Sl st to the first HDC in the round.
Fasten off and weave in the ends.
Straps (make 2)
Using light orange yarn
Chain 7 and fasten off, leaving a long tail for sewing.
Sew the straps on each side of the front of the shirt, around the arm and attached to the back.
Horns (make 2)
Using beige yarn.
Round 1: 4 SC into a magic circle (4)
Round 2: SC around (4)
Round 3: (SC, INC) twice (6)
Fasten off and leave a long tail for sewing. Sew the horns on the head of your cow, approximately 3 rounds from the top.
Ears (make 2)
Make one in black and one in white.
Round 1: 6 SC into a magic circle (6)
Round 2: (SC, INC) three times (9)
Round 3: (2 SC, INC) three times (12)
Round 4: (3 SC, INC) three times (15)
Round 5-6 (2 rounds): SC around (15)
Round 7: (3 SC, DEC) three times (12)
Round 8: (2 SC, DEC) three times (9)
Round 9: (SC, DEC) three times (6)
Fasten off and leave a long tail for sewing.
Flatten the ear and sew it closed. Sew the ears on at approximately 7 rounds from the top of the head of your cow on either side.
Tail
Use white yarn.
Row 1: Chain 12
Row 2: Starting from the second chain from the hook, 11 SC
Fasten off and leave a long tail for sewing.
Cut three strands of black yarn, approximately 3 inches in length. Fold them in half and latch them through the end of the tail. We have a tutorial on how to latch hair if you are doing it for the first time. Cut the stands so they are approximately a quarter inch each. Trim the tail to your desired length.
Sew the tail on between Round 19 and 20 of your cow, under the frill.
Crochet Cow Spots
Large Spots (make 2)
Use black yarn
Round 1: 6 SC into a magic circle (6)
Round 2: INC in each stitch around (12)
Round 3: (SC, HDC, DC INC, HDC) three times. Sl st to the first SC. (15)
Fasten off and leave a long tail for sewing. Sew one on the front of your cow and one on the back, anywhere you like.
Small Spots (make 2)
Use black yarn
Round 1: 6 SC into a magic circle (6)
Round 2: (SC, HDC INC) three times. Sl st to the first SC. (9)
Fasten off and leave a long tail for sewing.
Sew one on the front of your cow and one on the back, anywhere you like.
Your amigurumi cow is now complete! We hope you enjoyed this free crochet cow pattern! We would love to see your crocheted cow, so share them on our Facebook group Amigurumi with Chai Coffee Crochet or tag us on Instagram @chaicoffeecrochet We like to share a selection of makes from our patterns in our stories and highlights.
If you enjoyed this pattern, why not try some of the other animals in our Juna series?
How do you crochet a small cow?
If you would like to crochet a small cow, we have the cutest pattern for you! Our small crochet cow pattern takes just two hours to make and is so cute! You could also use a thinner yarn and a smaller hook to crochet Cleo the cow.
How long does it take to crochet this cow?
While exactly how long it takes to crochet this cow depends on how fast you crochet, typically Cleo the cow can be crocheted in five to six hours. If you’re a beginner, it will likely take you longer to crochet but as you become experienced, this cow will work up in no time!
Is it easy to crochet this cow?
This cow is really easy to crochet. It uses basic stitches and the construction of the base is very simple. You do need to know how to change colours for amigurumi, make a magic circle, learn invisible decreases, and how to crochet around a chain.
What is the easiest animal to crochet?
While this entire series is easy to crochet, the easiest animals to crochet are Flippy the crochet frog and Bixie the crochet bunny. Check out all the animals in the Juna series of easy crochet animal patterns.
