Hello everyone, I’m sorry for missing the pattern and  tutorial for last week but the computer died and we had to get a new one. Today I’ve got the crochet lion pattern that I did have planned so I hope you enjoy this crochet lion appliqué pattern and tutorial. This is what the lion appliqué is going to look like.

Finished crochet sitting lion group portrait

If you would like to follow along with the video tutorial it’s on my YouTube channel now at Crochet Lion Tutorial.

If you would like to download the pattern it’s available on Ravelry for $1 at Crochet Lion Pattern.

This pattern is going to be using US terminology, so if you want to use the UK terminology I have the Crochet Lion Pattern (UK Version).

Crochet Lion Pattern 

Abbreviations

  • st – stitch
  • sts – stitches
  • ch – chain
  • sl st – slip stitch
  • sc – single crochet
  • hdc – half double crochet
  • dc – double crochet
  • tr – treble crochet
  • dtr – double treble crochet

Materials Used

  • Crochet cotton or wool, I used Scheepjes Maxi Sweet Treat 2 ply crochet cotton colours (208) Yellow Gold, (189) Royal Orange, (130) Old Lace, (106) Snow White and (110) Black.
  • Crochet hook, I used a 1mm hook.
  • Scissors.
  • Darning needle to weave in the ends.
  • Sewing thread and a sewing needle to stitch the lion together.

Size

Medium lion (Using 4 ply crochet cotton & a 1.5mm hook)

13cm x 10cm or 5” x 4”

Small lion (Using 2 ply crochet cotton & a 1mm hook)

9.5cm x 8.5cm or 3.75” x 3.25”

Head

Make a magic loop.

Row 1: 3 ch. Work 14 dc into loop and pull tight. Sl st into 3rd ch.
Row 2: 3 ch. Work 1 dc in same place as the ch and 2 dc into each dc around. Join with a sl st in 3rd ch.
Row 3: 3 ch, 1 dc in same place as ch *Work 1 dc in each of next 2 dc and 2 dc in following dc * repeat from * to * to end, sl st in 3rd ch.  Don’t end off.

Crochet lion 2 ply head

1st Ear

Join orange cotton 1 stitch on from join.
1 ch, work 1 sc in same place as ch, 1 hdc and 1 dc in next st, 1 hdc and 1 sc in following stitch.  Fasten off.

2nd ear

Miss 10 stitches.  Join orange cotton to next stitch.
1 ch, work 1 sc in same place as ch, 1 hdc and 1 dc in next st, 1 hdc and 1 sc in following stitch.  Fasten off.

Crochet lion 2 ply head with inner ears

Around ears

Using cotton from head work 1 sc in each stitch around ear, sl st into next 4 stitches, 3 ch, miss 1st ch, sl st into next ch and sc in following ch, sl st into same stitch on head, 3 ch, miss 1st ch, sl st into next ch and sc in following ch, sl st into same stitch on head, sl st into each st to 2nd ear.  Work 1 sc in each st of ear, sl st into head.  Fasten off.

Crochet lion 2 ply head with ears

Mane

Make a magic loop.

Row 1; 3 ch. Work 14 dc into loop and pull tight. Sl st into 3rd ch.
Row 2: 3 ch. Work 1 dc in same place as the ch and 2 dc into each dc around. Join with a sl st in 3rd ch.
Row 3: 3 ch, 1 dc in same place as ch *Work 1 dc in each of next 2 dc and 2 dc in following dc * repeat from * to * to end, sl st in 3rd ch.
Row 4: 2 ch, 1 hdc in same place as ch *Work 1 hdc in each of next 2 dc and 2 hdc in following dc * repeat from * to * to end, sl st in 2nd ch.
Row 5: (4 ch, 1 tr in same st as ch, 1 tr in each of next 2 sts, 4 ch, sl st in same place as last tr, sl st in next st) repeat around, sl st in bottom of 1st cluster.  Fasten off.

Crochet lion 2 ply mane

Body

Make a magic loop.

Row 1: 3 ch, 4 dc, 3 tr, 5 dc, 3 tr, sl st in 3rd ch.
Row 2: 3 ch, 1 dc in same place as ch, 2 dc in each of next 4 dc, 2 tr in each of next 3 tr, 2 dc in each of next 5 dc, 2 tr in each of next 3 tr, sl st in 3rd ch,
Row 3: 3 ch, 1dc in same place as ch, *Work 1 dc in each of next 2 sts and 2 dc in following st * repeat from * to * to end, sl st in 3rd ch.
Row 4: 1 ch, work 1 sc in each st around.  Sl st into ch.  Don’t end off.

Crochet lion 2 ply body

Tail

16 ch miss 1st ch and work 1 sc in each of next 4 ch, 2 sc in each of next 2 ch, 1 sc in next 3 ch, 2 joined sc over next 4 sts.  1 sc in each st to end.  Fasten off.

Crochet lion 2 ply body with tail

End of tail

Join orange cotton to wrong side of end of tail.

Row 1: 2 ch, 3 hdc in same place as ch.  Turn.
Row 2: 4 ch sl st in next st, 5 ch sl st in next st, 4 ch sl st in last st.  Fasten off.

Crochet lion 2 ply body with tail end

Muzzle

Make a magic loop.
2 ch, 3 hdc, 1 dc, 1 tr, 1 dc, 4 hdc, 1 dc, 1 tr and 1 dc into circle.  Pull circle tight and sl st into 2nd ch.

Row 2: 1 ch, 1 sc in same place, 1 sc in each of next 3 sts, 1 sc and 1 hdc in next st, 1 dc and 1 tr in next st, 1 tr and 1 dc in following st, 1 hdc and 1 sc in next st, 1 sc in each of next 3 sts, 1 sc and 1 hdc in next st, 1 dc and 1 tr in next st, 1 tr and 1 dc in next st, 1 hdc and 1 sc in next st.  Sl st in ch.  Fasten off.

Crochet lion 2 ply muzzle

Front Legs (Make 2)

6 ch.

Row 1: Work 1 dc in 4th ch from hook and 1 dc in each ch to end.

Work 5 more rows of 3ch and dc increasing 1 st each row until you have 6 dc and then continue over the 6 dc.

Crochet lion 2 ply front legs

Paws

Join cream cotton to 1st st on thicker end of leg.
(3 ch, 1 dc in same place as ch, 1 dc in next st, 3 ch, sl st in same place as last dc, sl st in next st) repeat twice leaving out the sl st in next st on the 2nd repeat.  Fasten off.

Crochet lion 2 ply front leg paws

Back paws (Make 2)

Make a magic loop.
(Work 3 ch, 2 dc, 3 ch, sl st into circle) twice.  Pull circle tight.  Fasten off.

Crochet lion 2 ply back paws

Nose

Make a magic loop.
2 ch and 1 joined hdc into circle.  Pull tight and fasten off.

Crochet lion 2 ply nose

Outer Eye (Make 2)

Make a magic loop.
2 ch, 8 hdc into circle.  Pull circle tight and join with a sl st in 2nd ch.  Fasten off.

Crochet lion 2 ply outer eyes

Inner Eye (Make 2)

Make a magic loop.
1 ch 4 sc into circle.  Pull circle tight and join with a sl st in ch.  Fasten off.

Crochet lion 2 ply inner eyes

To Make Up

Weave in ends.  Join inner eye to outer eye.

Crochet lion 2 ply eyes

Attach the nose onto the muzzle as shown and embroider on a mouth.

Crochet lion 2 ply muzzle with nose

Sew muzzle and eyes onto head.

Crochet lion 2 ply head with muzzle

Crochet lion 2 ply head with eyes

Attach the head to the mane.

Crochet lion 2 ply head with mane

Sew the back paws to the body as shown.

Crochet lion 2 ply body with back paws

Attach the front legs to the body.

Crochet lion 2 ply body with front legs

Join the head to the body.

Finished crochet lion 2 ply landscape

I hope that you’ve enjoyed the crochet lion. If you’ve liked this pattern you may also like my crochet easy elephant, crochet giraffe and crochet zebra.

Finished crochet easy elephant pattern 2 ply landscape

Finished crochet giraffe landscape

Finished crochet zebra landscape