Owls are one of the cutest birds out there, and they are so fun to create in crochet. With their big round eyes, they symbolize wisdom and transformation, and they also make great gifts.
In this blog post, we’ve rounded up 27 free owl patterns including amigurumi and projects with owl motifs.
What is Amigurumi?
Amigurumi is a Japanese term for little crocheted or knitted stuffed toys. They frequently take the form of animals, figures, little foods, or everyday things. Its root words are “ami,” which means “knitted or crocheted,” and “nuigurumi,” which means “stuffed doll.”
How Do You Crochet a Simple Owl?
When turning any animal into a crocheted version of it, it’s important to take some of its characteristics and make them stand out so that they are easily distinguished. To crochet an owl, you would start with the basic body shape, which can be round or oval, then turn it into an owl with the details.
The most common characteristics of an owl that will make your owl amigurumi unmistakable are its large eyes, triangular beak, and the tufts of feathers on the sides of the head.
You can decide how to incorporate these design features and whether they are made with yarn/crochet, felt, or in another way (such as button eyes).
What Supplies Do You Need to Crochet an Owl?
Once you have selected a pattern you will know what weight of yarn to use. Many of these projects use DK or worsted weight yarn, but you can also use thicker blanket-type yarn to make your crochet owl projects. Whatever yarn weight the pattern suggests is what you should choose, otherwise your owl will come out a different size than expected.
In addition to your yarn, you’ll need a crochet hook in the size recommended in the pattern. Amigurumi projects are often worked with a smaller hook than would normally be used for that weight of yarn so that the stitches are firm and the stuffing inside the animal won’t show through.
Speaking of stuffing, that’s another necessity for your amigurumi owl projects. You can use fiber-fil stuffing or even poly pellets if you want to make your owl heavier. If you have a lot of yarn ends lying around you can use those as stuffing, too!
To complete your crochet project, you’ll also want a stitch marker to mark the end of the round as you go. You’ll need scissors for trimming excess yarn, and a yarn or tapestry needle to weave in ends and sew together any pieces that need it.
For embellishing the owl, you may want safety eyes or embroidery tools if you’re making it for a small child. For older kids you could also use buttons for the eyes. Or you may with to make the eyes and nose out of felt. Consult the pattern you’re using to see what extra notions you might need.
27 Free Crochet Owl Patterns
These free owl patterns include amigurumi projects and other designs that incorporate owl motifs. They’re all pretty easy to stitch even if you’re new to amigurumi. But if you need any help with the techniques in these patterns, check out our Crochet Fundamentals workshop to learn all you need to know to get started with crochet and boost your skills quickly!
Owl Amigurumi Patterns
Mr. Murasaki Crochet Owl
Designer: Mei Li, via Craft Passion
Yarn weight: (4) Worsted
Suggested yarn: Lion Brand Vanna’s Choice
Murasaki means purple in Japanese, but of course you can make this sweet, sleepy looking owl in whatever colors you have in your stash. The contrasting wings use just a tiny bit of yarn but are a great way to add a little more color to the design.
Baby Owl Ornaments
Designer: Josephine Wu, via Ravelry
Yarn weight: (4) Worsted
Suggested yarn: Lily Sugar ‘n Cream
Once you make one of these little 2-inch plushies, I’m going to bet you’ll want to make another one. And then maybe a few more! This quick and easy project is great to make in bulk and turn into keychains or ornaments to sell at craft fairs.
Day and Night Owl Crochet Pattern
Designer: Tiny Curl
Yarn weight: (3) DK
Suggested yarn: Sirdar Happy Cotton
Make a pair of owls you’ll love to snuggle any time of day with this easy pattern. The owls are made with single crochet, and the embellishments set them apart and make them ready for day or night.
Valentine Heart Crochet Owl
Designer: Repeat Crafter Me
Yarn weight: (6) Super bulky
Suggested yarn: Bernat Blanket
This super sized plush owl is the perfect gift for Valentine’s Day because of the heart on its belly, but you’ll want to keep it around for snuggles all year. The pattern includes a good tutorial on changing colors and working the heart chart.
Otis the Owl Free Pattern
Designer: The Loopy Lamb
Yarn weight: (6) Super bulky
Suggested yarn: Knit Picks Fable Fur
This pattern really relies on the yarn for the cuteness that makes it look like this owl just hatched. It’s hard to see your stitches working with this kind of yarn, but take your time and you’ll have an adorable fluffy owl in no time.
Christmas Owl Free Crochet Pattern
Designer: Amirguroom Toys
Yarn weight: (6) Super bulky
Suggested yarn: Himalaya Dolphin Baby
This owl pattern has a lot of different parts, but it’s definitely worth the effort to pull it all together. Make it a Christmas owl with the included Santa hat pattern, or leave the hat off for an owl friend for all seasons.
Jip the Owl
Designer: Woolytoons, via Ravelry
Yarn weight: (1) Super fine
Suggested yarn: Knit Picks Comfy Fingering
This sweet little owl has a lot of cute details, including eyes made of crochet, felt, and a safety eye! If you’re making this for a baby or young child, use embroidery to make both eyes for extra safety.
Owl Amigurumi Free Crochet Pattern
Designer: Carmen Crochet
Yarn weight: (6) Super bulky
Suggested yarn: Himalaya Dolphin Baby
This super plush owl is rather realistic looking, with lots of great details, but it’s still pretty quick to stitch up. If you want a smaller owl you can try making this one with lighter weight yarn.
Baby Owl Free Pattern
Designer: Little Muggles
Yarn weight: (4) Worsted
Suggested yarn: Lion Brand Vanna’s Choice
The striped body on this owl makes it a perfect stash buster, but you can make yours a solid color if you’d rather. This free crochet pattern includes a video tutorial if you need more help.
Simple and Sweet Owl Crochet Pattern
Designer: bit O whimsy
Yarn weight: (4) Worsted
Suggested yarn: Lily Sugar ’n Cream
This little owl is not only a great stash busting project for your yarn stash, it’s also great for using a bit of leftover fabric from your sewing stash! Of course the fabric belly is optional but it’s so cute we don’t know why you wouldn’t want to include it.
Crochet Owl Family Amigurumi Pattern
Designer: Repeat Crafter Me
Yarn weight: (4) Worsted
Suggested yarn: Lion Brand Vanna’s Choice
This little owl family would be a lovely baby shower gift for new parents having their first little owl. They’d be perfect for anyone with a bird or woodland theme, or just to use as toys if not decoration. They’re all made the same way just in different sizes to make the whole family.
Nesting Rainbow Owls
Designer: Moji Moji Design
Yarn weight: (3) DK
Suggested yarn: Lion Brand 24/7 Cotton DK
These colorful owls come out about 3 inches tall and are very quick and easy to stitch. You can also make them a little nest to live in (the pattern for the bowl and leaves is included in the download).
Free Owl Amigurumi Pattern
Designer: The Bunny Studio
Yarn weight: (4) Worsted
Suggested yarn: Lion Brand Vanna’s Choice
This design was actually inspired by the crochet owl family above in terms of the technique for shaping the head. But with its bow tie and blush rounds, this dapper owl is totally doing its own thing.
Crochet Owl Home Decor Patterns
It’s fun to add owls to your home decor with these projects for blankets, pillows, appliques and more. Make them as gifts for the owl lover in your life or to complete the decor in an owl or animal-themed nursery.
Red Heart Crochet Owl Pillow
Designer: Repeat Crafter Me, via Yarnspirations
Yarn weight: (4) Worsted
Suggested yarn: Red Heart Super Saver
This simple pattern only uses basic shapes to create the owl so it’s an easy project even for new stitchers. This free crochet owl pattern would be great to make for a baby’s room or for a bigger kid to use when lounging around the house.
Free Crochet Owl Applique Pattern
Designer: Annie Design Crochet
Yarn weight: (3) DK
Suggested yarn: Sirdar Happy Cotton
This sleepy owl crochet motif you can be used to decorate a variety of projects. It would work as an applique on a pillow or blanket, on a kid’s hat, or maybe even as a tiny pocket! You could also add a pin back and wear it as a pin or add it to your bag.
Rainbow Owl Granny Square
Designer: Passionate Crafter
Yarn weight: (3) DK
Suggested yarn: Sirdar Happy Cotton
These large owl granny square style blocks are so fun to make in every color of the rainbow, or choose pastel colors, or those that match the nursery theme. Combine these blocks to make a sweet and colorful blanket for baby!
Crochet Baby Owl Lovey Blanket
Designer: MJ’s Off the Hook Designs
Yarn weight: (4) Worsted
Suggested yarn: Knit Picks Brava Worsted
This free crochet pattern was originally worked with minis, but you can use a solid color for the blankie part or leftovers from your stash. The blanket is worked separately (a video tutorial is included) and then the owl head is worked and attached to the blanket portion.
Owl Granny Square Crochet Pattern
Designer: Repeat Crafter Me
Yarn weight: (4) Worsted
Suggested yarn: Lion Brand Vanna’s Choice
Here's another cute owl granny square that you can use for all sorts of projects. The original was a bunting for a baby shower that turned into a nursery decoration, but you can also combine squares to make a pillow or blanket, or use them as pockets on another project.
Bonbon the Owl
Designer: Snappy Tots
Yarn weight: (2) Sport
Suggested yarn: Lion Brand BonBons
This colorful owl was intended as a Mason jar cozy, which can be used to hold all sorts of supplies and made to hang or sit on a counter. If you don’t have the tiny balls called for in the pattern, use any leftovers or similar weight.
Colorful Owl Ornaments
Designer: Fairfield World
Yarn weight: (4) Worsted
Suggested yarn: Lion Brand Vanna’s Choice
These little owls were meant to be Christmas ornaments, but if you decorate for other holidays you can make them in lots of different colors to use on holiday trees throughout the year. Use bright colors for more whimsy, or more natural colors if that’s your vibe.
Accessories with Crochet Owl Motifs
These sweet bags and other projects with owl designs are sure to delight the owl lover in your life.
Blue Dreams Owl Purse
Designer: Olya T
Yarn weight: (3) DK
Suggested yarn: Cascade Yarns Ultra Pima
Accessorize your kid's outfit with this cute little crochet owl purse! It uses a range of simple stitches including single, half double, and double crochet, and V stitches to make the owl’s belly.
Colorful Owl Pouch
Designer: 1 Dog Woof
Yarn weight: (4) Worsted
Suggested yarn: Lily Sugar ‘n Cream
Use little bits of stash and a tiny bit of time to make a pint-sized pouch (or several!). These would be great for holding your earbuds or crochet notions, or as a coin purse.
Crochet Sleepy Owl Mask
Designer: Repeat Crafter Me
Yarn weight: (4) Worsted
Suggested yarn: Lion Brand Vanna’s Choice
Sleep masks are so cute to make for kids and kids at heart alike, and this owl themed mask would be perfect for a sleepover or to give as a gift with coordinating pajamas.
Owl Hat Crochet Patterns
Owls are such fun creatures to stitch, of course they are also great animals to use on hat projects. These owl hat crochet patterns are as fun to stitch as they are to wear.
Free Owl Hat Crochet Pattern
Designer: Daisy Cottage Designs
Yarn weight: (4) Worsted
Suggested yarn: Lion Brand Vanna’s Choice
This colorful earflap hat has all the cute details to make it an owl and a few more for extra cuteness. The pattern is offered in toddler size for free on the blog; expanded sizing is available in a pattern for purchase.
Crochet Owl Hat Pattern
Designer: Repeat Crafter Me
Yarn weight: (4) Worsted
Suggested yarn: Lion Brand Vanna’s Choice
This owl hat was originally made for newborns but has since been expanded to sizes up to adult by popular demand. Have a hoot stitch up owl hats of different colors for everyone in the family!
Owl Crochet Hat Free Pattern
Designer: Jenny and Teddy
Yarn weight: (4) Worsted
Suggested yarn: Knit Picks Color Mist
This pattern is sized for newborns through babies up to a year of age. It’s quick and easy to stitch as it uses single crochet stitches for all the different pieces.
Colorful Owl Beanie Pattern
Designer: All Things Bright and Beautiful Crafts
Yarn weight: (4) Worsted
Suggested yarn: Lion Brand Vanna’s Choice
I love the green eyes on this little hat, which is sized for newborns. It’s quick to whip up at those times in your life when it seems like there’s a baby shower every weekend!
Want to Learn More about Crocheting Amigurumi?
Amigurumi is such a fun genre of crocheting, and you can make just about anything using these methods, from animals to food to characters from pop culture.
Learn more about the techniques needed to make successful amigurumi in our Amigurumi Workshop. Here you’ll also find skill-building patterns that will make it easier for you to develop your own amigurumi designs if you want!
Looking for More Quick-to-Stitch Projects?
Most of the patterns in this owl crochet pattern collection are very quick to stitch, such that you can finish a project in a day or two.
If you’re looking for more speedy projects to stitch, check out our Done in a Day pattern bundle. It’s a deeply discounted collection of 90 of our best-selling patterns, all of which you can crochet in a day or so.
I just spent the day crocheting and I couldn’t agree more about the cuteness of owls! Your collection of free crochet owl patterns is amazing, thank you so much for sharing!