Cute Crochet Bee Pattern (Free Beginner Amigurumi)

There is a reason a tiny crochet bee shows up at almost every craft fair table – it is small, quick, made from scraps you probably already have, and impossibly cute once it has a face. This little amigurumi bee is worked as one simple striped oval, with a pair of small wings and a stitched-on face added at the end. It is a wonderful project for using up short lengths of yellow and black yarn that are not quite enough for anything bigger, and it comes together in a single sitting. If you have made any round amigurumi shape before, or even if this is your first, you already have everything you need to start.

Materials

– A small amount of yellow cotton yarn (about 10-15 yards) for the body stripes – A small amount of black cotton yarn (about 8-12 yards) for the body stripes – A scrap of white yarn for the wings (just a yard or two) – 3.5mm crochet hook – Polyester fiberfill stuffing – Stitch marker – Yarn needle – Scissors – A short length of black yarn or embroidery floss for the face

Abbreviations used in this pattern: MR (magic ring, an adjustable loop your first round of stitches works into), sc (single crochet), inc (increase – 2 sc worked into the same stitch), dec (decrease – 2 stitches worked together as one, using the invisible decrease below), st/sts (stitch/stitches), and rnd (round).

A quick reminder on amigurumi basics before you begin: this whole bee is worked in a continuous spiral of sc, not in joined rounds, so keep your stitch marker in the first stitch of every round and slide it up each time you complete one, since there is no slip stitch marking where a round ends. Cotton yarn also works up beautifully at a smaller gauge, so reach for a 3.5mm hook here even if your yarn label suggests something larger – a hook one size down from the label keeps the fabric tight enough that stuffing never peeks through, and it gives the bee’s stripes a clean, crisp edge.

For the invisible decrease used at the end: insert your hook into the front loop only of the next stitch, then the front loop only of the following stitch, yarn over, and pull through all 3 loops on your hook at once.

The Body

Work the whole body in a continuous spiral, changing colors as noted. To change color, work the last stitch of the old color until 2 loops remain on your hook, then finish that stitch by pulling the new color through both loops.

– Rnd 1 (yellow): MR, 6 sc into the ring. (6 sts) – Rnd 2 (yellow): Inc in each st around. (12 sts) – Rnd 3 (yellow): *Sc 1, inc* repeat around. (18 sts) – Rnd 4 (black): Sc in each st around, no increases. (18 sts) – Rnd 5 (black): Sc in each st around. (18 sts) – Rnd 6 (yellow): Sc in each st around. (18 sts) – Rnd 7 (yellow): Sc in each st around. (18 sts) – Rnd 8 (black): *Sc 1, dec* repeat around. (12 sts) – Rnd 9 (black): Dec in each st around. (6 sts)

Before you close the last round, stuff the body firmly through the small remaining opening, using the blunt end of your yarn needle to push stuffing right up into the rounded ends. Fasten off, leaving a long tail, and cinch the last 6 stitches closed by weaving your tail through their front loops and pulling snug, then weave in the end.

The Wings (make 2)

Work these flat, in white yarn.

– Chain 8. – Sc in the 2nd chain from the hook and in each chain across. (7 sc) – Without turning, sc into the unused loops along the bottom of the same starting chain, working back toward where you began. (7 sc) – Slip stitch to your first sc to close the oval, then fasten off, leaving a tail for sewing.

This gives you a small, flat oval shape – a simple wing without any increase or decrease stitches to track.

Assembly

Weave in all loose ends except the two wing tails. Lay the bee body flat with the yellow head stripes at one end and the black tail tip at the other. Position the two wings side by side on the upper back, just behind the head stripes, and sew each one in place through its base with the leftover tail, angling them out slightly like a bee at rest.

For the face, thread a needle with black yarn or embroidery floss and stitch two small dot eyes onto the front of the yellow head section, spaced a little apart. Add two or three short straight stitches just above the eyes for tiny antennae, and finish with a small curved smile beneath them if you like a happy expression.

Tips for a Sweet Little Bee

– Batch your stripes. Since the color changes happen every round or two, it helps to have both colors within reach rather than cutting yarn each time – just carry the color you are not using loosely up the inside of the body. – Stuff before you close, not after. The opening at Rnd 9 is small, so pack the stuffing in during Rnd 8 and Rnd 9 rather than waiting until the hole is too tight to work with. – Keep the wings small and flat. A wing that is too puffy will not sit right on the rounded body, so skip stuffing them entirely. – Save this one for scraps. Because it uses such small amounts of yarn, this is the perfect pattern to empty out your leftover yellow and black before starting something new.

The Payoff

A whole handful of these little bees can be made from what is probably already sitting in your scrap basket, and each one takes barely an evening. Pin one to a bag, sit a few in a bowl on a shelf, or box a set up as a gift, and you will see exactly why this tiny striped amigurumi keeps selling out at craft fairs. Once you have made your first, the second one goes twice as fast.

Frequently asked questions

Can I use worsted weight yarn instead of cotton for this bee?

Yes, though cotton gives the crispest stitch definition for those clean stripe lines. With worsted weight, go up to a 4.0mm hook so the fabric stays firm enough that stuffing won’t peek through.

Why does the color change between yellow and black look sloppy on my bee?

The pattern switches colors by finishing the last stitch of the old color with the new one, so if you pick back up on the wrong stitch the join will jump. Carry the color you’re not using loosely up the inside instead of cutting it each time.

How do I keep the wings from puckering when I sew them on?

Since the wings are flat single-crochet ovals with no shaping, sew through only their base stitches rather than pulling the tail across the whole wing, and angle them slightly outward rather than laying them flat.

Should I use safety eyes or embroidery for the face?

Embroidered eyes work better here since the head section is small. A couple of straight stitches in black yarn or floss give you more control over placement than snapping in safety eyes on such a tiny surface.

How many bees can I make from one skein of yarn?

Since each bee only uses about 10 to 15 yards of yellow and 8 to 12 yards of black, a single standard skein can usually stretch to several bees, which is why this pattern is built to use up scrap ends.

— NoraEvery pattern hand-tested