Landon the Lion

Here’s a simple and fun crochet pattern for Landon the Lion, a lovable and cuddly lion plushie. This pattern will walk you through the basics of creating a cute lion with a fluffy mane and adorable features.

Materials:

• Yarn:
  • Yellow (Main body)
  • Orange (Mane)
  • Brown (For the ears, paws, and tail)
  • Black (For the nose and eyes)
• Hook:
  • 3.5mm (E) crochet hook (adjust based on your tension)
• Stuffing: Polyester fiberfill or any soft stuffing of your choice.
• Stitch marker: To mark the beginning of the round.
• Tapestry needle: For sewing parts together and weaving in ends.
• Safety eyes (optional, for the eyes) or you can use black yarn to stitch the eyes.

Abbreviations:

• ch: Chain
• sl st: Slip stitch
• sc: Single crochet
• inc: Increase (2 sc in the same stitch)
• dec: Decrease (single crochet 2 together)
• FO: Finish off

Lion Body (Main Color: Yellow):

1. Round 1: Make a magic ring, and work 6 sc into the ring. (6)
2. Round 2: Inc in each stitch around. (12)
3. Round 3: (Sc in next stitch, inc) around. (18)
4. Round 4: (Sc in next 2 stitches, inc) around. (24)
5. Round 5: (Sc in next 3 stitches, inc) around. (30)
6. Rounds 6-12: Sc in each stitch around. (30)
7. Round 13: (Sc in next 3 stitches, dec) around. (24)
8. Round 14: (Sc in next 2 stitches, dec) around. (18)
9. Round 15: (Sc in next stitch, dec) around. (12)
10. Round 16: Dec around. (6)
11. Stuff the body lightly with fiberfill.
12. FO and leave a long tail to sew the body closed. Use the tail to close the opening by threading it through the remaining stitches and pulling tight.

Lion Head (Main Color: Yellow):

1. Round 1: Make a magic ring, and work 6 sc into the ring. (6)
2. Round 2: Inc in each stitch around. (12)
3. Round 3: (Sc in next stitch, inc) around. (18)
4. Round 4: (Sc in next 2 stitches, inc) around. (24)
5. Round 5: (Sc in next 3 stitches, inc) around. (30)
6. Rounds 6-9: Sc in each stitch around. (30)
7. Round 10: (Sc in next 3 stitches, dec) around. (24)
8. Round 11: (Sc in next 2 stitches, dec) around. (18)
9. Round 12: (Sc in next stitch, dec) around. (12)
10. Round 13: Dec around. (6)
11. Stuff the head lightly with fiberfill.
12. FO and leave a long tail to sew the head closed. Use the tail to close the opening and secure it.

Lion Mane (Orange Yarn):

1. Round 1: Start by making a slip knot and attaching orange yarn to the base of the head (around the face).
2. Round 2: Make 3-4 chain stitches, then sc back into the first stitch of the chain. Repeat this process around the entire head. These will form the fluffy strands of the lion’s mane.
3. Work 3-4 chain stitches at a time, placing them evenly around the head for a full, mane-like effect. You may need to space them out depending on how thick you want the mane to be.
4. After you’ve created the mane, trim the strands to your desired length.

Lion Ears (Make 2):

Start with brown yarn.

1. Round 1: Make a magic ring, and work 6 sc into the ring. (6)
2. Round 2: Inc in each stitch around. (12)
3. Round 3: (Sc in next stitch, inc) around. (18)
4. FO and leave a long tail for sewing. Do not stuff.

Lion Paws (Make 4):

Start with brown yarn.

1. Round 1: Make a magic ring, and work 6 sc into the ring. (6)
2. Round 2: Inc in each stitch around. (12)
3. Round 3: (Sc in next stitch, inc) around. (18)
4. FO and leave a long tail for sewing. Do not stuff.

Lion Tail:

Start with brown yarn.

1. Round 1: Make a slip knot and chain 15-20 stitches (depending on how long you want the tail).
2. Work sc into each stitch down the chain.
3. At the end of the chain, make a small tuft of yarn by adding a few strands of yarn in orange or yellow to create the tufted end of the tail.
4. FO and leave a long tail for attaching the tail to the body.

Nose (Brown Yarn):

1. Round 1: Make a magic ring, and work 3 sc into the ring. (3)
2. FO and leave a long tail for sewing.

Assembly:

1. Attach the head to the body: Align the head with the top of the body and sew it securely into place using the tail from the head.
2. Sew on the ears: Position the ears on either side of the head and sew them on.
3. Attach the paws: Sew the paws onto the body, positioning them near the bottom of the body.
4. Attach the tail: Sew the tail to the back of the body, near the bottom.
5. Attach the nose: Sew the small nose to the front of the face.
6. Add the eyes: If using safety eyes, attach them to the head. Alternatively, you can stitch eyes with black yarn.
7. Add the mane: Sew the strands of the mane around the top and sides of the head for a fluffy look.

Final Touches:

• Weave in all the yarn ends.
• Trim the mane to shape it evenly.
• Optionally, you can add a little smile or whiskers to Landon with black yarn.

Now, Landon the Lion is complete! You’ve created a fun and cuddly lion friend to enjoy. Feel free to modify the colors and size to personalize your lion, or even add a little scarf or crown for an extra cute touch!