Welcome to my crochet meerkat. This is another request that I received. This is what the finished meerkat applique will look like.
There’s also a video tutorial for this pattern available on my YouTube channel at crochet meerkat tutorial.
To view this pattern for free, continue to scroll down this page. If you would like to download the ad-free version, it’s available on my Ravelry store for $1 at crochet meerkat pattern or on my LoveCrafts store at crochet meerkat pattern.
This pattern will be using US terminology. If you would like to view the UK version go to crochet meerkat pattern (UK version).
Crochet Meerkat 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
Materials Used
- Crochet cotton or wool, I used Scheepjes Maxi Sweet Treat 2 ply crochet cotton colors (404) English Tea, (179) Topaz, and (162) Black Coffee.
- A crochet hook, I used a 1mm hook.
- Scissors.
- Darning needle to weave in ends.
- Sewing thread and needle to stitch the meerkat together.
- A small clear seed bead for each eye if desired.
Size
Large meerkat (Using 8 ply crochet cotton & a 3mm hook)
15cm x 25.5cm or 6” x 10”
Medium meerkat (Using 4 ply crochet cotton & a 1.5mm hook)
9cm x 16.5cm or 3.5” x 6.5”
Small meerkat (Using 2 ply crochet cotton & a 1mm hook)
7.5cm x 13cm or 3” x 5”
Head
Using (404) English Tea work 4 ch.
Row 1: Work 2 sc in 2nd ch from hook, 1 sc in next st, 2 sc in last st. Turn. (5 sts)
Row 2: 1 ch, work 2 sc in 1st st, 1 sc in each st to last st, 2 sc in last st. Turn. (7 sts)
Row 3: 2 ch, work 2 hdc in 1st st, 1 sc in each st to last st, 2 hdc in last st. Turn. (9 sts)
Row 4: 2 ch, work 1 hdc in 1st st, 1 sc in each st to last st, 1 hdc in last st. Turn. (9 sts)
Row 5: 1 ch, work 2 sc in 1st st, 1 sc in each st to last st, 2 sc in last st. Turn. (11 sts)
Row 6: 1 ch, work 2 sc in 1st st, 1 sc in each st to last st, 2 sc in last st. Turn. (13 sts)
Row 7: 1 ch, work 1 sc in each st to end. Turn. (13 sts)
Row 8: 1 ch, work a joined sc over 1st 2 sts, 1 sc in each st to last 2 sts, a joined sc over last 2 sts. Turn. (11 sts)
Row 9: 1 ch, work a joined sc over 1st 2 sts, 1 sc in each st to last 2 sts, a joined sc over last 2 sts. Turn. (9 sts)
Row 10: 1 ch, work a joined sc over 1st 2 sts, 1 sc in each st to last 2 sts, a joined sc over last 2 sts. (7 sts) Don’t turn or fasten off.
Neatening Row
Work 1 sl st in each st around head to start of row 10, 1 sl st in each of 1st 2 sts, 1 sc in next st, 2 hdc in following st, 1 sc in next st, 1 sl st in each remaining st. Fasten off.
Head Marking
Using (179) Topaz work 4 ch.
Row 1: Work 2 sc in 2nd ch from hook, 1 sc in next st, 2 sc in last st. Turn. (5 sts)
Row 2: 1 ch, work 2 sc in 1st st, 1 sc in each st to last st, 2 sc in last st. Turn. (7 sts)
Row 3: Sl st into each of 1st 3 sts, 1 ch, work 1 sc in same st as ch and next 2 sts. Turn. (3 sts)
Row 4: 1 ch, work a joined sc over the 3 sts. Don’t fasten off.
Neatening Row
Work 1 sl st in each st around. Fasten off.
Eyes (Make 2)
Using (162) Black Coffee make a magic loop.
Row 1: 1 ch, work 2 sc in circle. Pull circle tight. Turn.
Row 2: 1 ch, work a joined sc over both sts. Fasten off.
Nose
Using (162) Black Coffee make a magic loop.
Row 1: 1 ch, work 2 sc in circle. Pull circle tight. Turn.
Row 2: 1 ch, work a joined sc over both sts. Fasten off.
Ears (Make 2)
Using (179) Topaz make a magic loop.
2 ch, work 1 dc, 4 tr, 1 dc and 1 hdc in circle. Pull circle tight. Fasten off.
Body
Using (404) English Tea work 7 ch.
Row 1: Miss 1st ch and work 1 sc in each st to end. Turn. (6 sts)
Row 2: 1 ch, work 1 sc in each st to end. Turn. (6 sts)
Row 3: 1 ch, work 1 sc in each st to end. Turn. (6 sts)
Row 4: 1 ch, work a joined sc over 1st 2 sts, 1 sc in each st to last 2 sts, a joined sc over last 2 sts. Turn. (4 sts)
Row 5: 1 ch, work 1 sc in each st to end. Turn. (4 sts)
Row 6: 1 ch, work 2 sc in 1st st, 1 sc in each st to last st, 2 sc in last st. Turn. (6 sts)
Row 7: 1 ch, work 2 sc in 1st st, 1 sc in each st to end. Turn. (7 sts)
Row 8: 1 ch, work 1 sc in each st to end. Turn. (7 sts)
Row 9: 1 ch, work 1 sc in each st to last 2 sts, a joined sc over last 2 sts. Turn. (6 sts)
Row 10: 1 ch, work 1 sc in each st to end. Turn. (6 sts)
Row 11: 1 ch, work 1 sc in each st to end. Turn. (6 sts)
Row 12: 1 ch, work 1 sc in each st to end. Turn. (6 sts)
Row 13: 2 ch, work 1 hdc in each of 1st 3 sts, 1 sc in each st to end. Turn. (6 sts)
Row 14: 1 ch, work 1 sc in each st to end. Turn. (6 sts)
Row 15: 1 ch, work 1 sc in each st to last st, 2 sc in last st. Turn. (7 sts)
Row 16: 1 ch, work 2 sc in 1st st, 1 sc in each st to end. Turn. (8 sts)
Row 17: 1 ch, work 1 sc in each st to end. Turn. (8 sts)
Row 18: 1 ch, work 1 sc in each st to end. Turn. (8 sts)
Row 19: 1 ch, work 1 sc in each st to last 2 sts, a joined sc over last 2 sts. Turn. (7 sts)
Row 20: 1 ch, work 1 sc in each st to end. Turn. (7 sts)
Row 21: 2 ch, work 1 hdc in each of 1st 3 sts, 1 sc in each st to end. Turn. (7 sts)
Row 22: 1 ch, work 1 sc in each st to end. Turn. (7 sts)
Row 23: 1 ch, work 1 sc in each st to end. Turn. (7 sts)
Row 24: 1 ch, work 1 sc in each st to end. Turn. (7 sts)
Row 25: 1 ch, work 1 sc in each st to end. Turn. (7 sts)
Row 26: 1 ch, work 1 sc in each st to end. Turn. (7 sts)
Row 27: 2 ch, work 1 hdc in each of 1st 3 sts, 1 sc in each st to end. Turn. (7 sts)
Row 28: 1 ch, work 1 sc in each st to end. Turn. (7 sts)
Row 29: 1 ch, work 1 sc in each st to end. Turn. (7 sts)
Row 30: 1 ch, work 1 sc in each st to last st, 2 sc in last st. Turn. (8 sts)
Row 31: 1 ch, work 1 sc in each st to end. Turn. (8 sts)
Row 32: 1 ch, work 1 sc in each st to end. Turn. (8 sts)
1st Leg
Row 33: 1 ch, work a joined sc over 1st 2 sts, 1 sc in next st, a joined sc over following 2 sts. Turn. (3 sts)
Row 34: 1 ch, work 2 sc in 1st st, a joined sc over last 2 sts. Turn. (3 sts)
Row 35: 1 ch, work a joined sc over 1st 2 sts, 1 sc in last st. Turn. (2 sts)
Row 36: 1 ch, work 1 sc in 1st st, a joined sc over both sts. Turn. (2 sts)
Row 37: 1 ch, work 1 sc in each st. Fasten off.
2nd Leg
Join (404) English Tea to 3rd last st at bottom of body.
Row 1: 1 ch, work a joined sc over same st as ch and next st, 1 sc in last st. Turn. (2 sts)
Row 2: 1 ch, work a joined sc over the 2 sts. Turn. (1 st)
Row 3: 1 ch, work 1 sc in st. Turn. (1 st)
Row 4: 1 ch, work 1 sc in st. Turn. (1 st)
Row 5: 1 ch, work 1 sc in st. Don’t fasten off.
Neatening Row
Work 1 or 2 sc in each st around the meerkat’s body and legs. Sl st into top of 1st st. Fasten off.
Meerkat’s Right Side
Join (179) Topaz 3 sts down from neck.
Work 1 sc in each of next 9 sts, 1 hdc in following st, 15 ch, miss 2 ch, work 1 dc in each of next 3 ch, (a joined dc over following 2 sts) 2 times, 1 dc in each of next 2 sts, a joined dc over following 2 sts, 1 hdc in each of last 2 sts. Sl st in body at bottom of the hdc. Fasten off.
Meerkat’s Right Leg
Join (179) Topaz 5 sts up from the bottom of leg stump.
Work 1 sl st in each of next 4 sts, 11 ch, 3 dc in 3rd ch from hook, 2 dc in next st, 1 dc in each of following 2 sts, 1 tr in each remaining ch, sl st into other side of leg stump, 1 sc in same st as sl st, sl st in next st. Fasten off.
Meerkat’s Left Leg and Side
Join (179) Topaz to inside end st of leg stump.
12 ch, work 3 dc in 3rd ch from hook, 3 ch, sl st in same st as dcs. sl st in next st, 3 ch, 1 dc in each remaining ch, 1 dc in each of next 4 sts along the side, 2 tr in next st, 1 tr in each of following 4 sts, 1 dc in each st to the point on side of body, 1 hdc in point, 1 dc in next st, 1 tr in each st to 4 sts down from neck, 1 dc in next st, sl st in following st. Fasten off.
Arm
Using (179) Topaz make a magic loop.
Row 1: 3 ch, work 2 dc in circle, pull circle tight and turn.
Row 2: 3 ch, work 1 dc in each st. Turn. (2 sts)
Row 3: 3 ch, work 1 dc in each st. Turn. (2 sts)
Row 4: 3 ch, work 1 dc in each st. Turn. (2 sts)
Row 5: 3 ch, work 1 dc in each st. Turn. (2 sts)
Row 6: 3 ch, work a joined dc over the 2 sts and 1 dc in last st. Turn. (2 sts)
Row 7: 2 ch, work 1 hdc in 1st st, 1 dc in last st. Turn.
Row 8: 3 ch, work 1 dc in 1st st, 1 hdc in last st. Turn.
Row 9: 3 ch, work a 4 dc cluster over the 2 sts. Fasten off.
Tail
Using (179) Topaz work 25 ch.
Work 1 hdc in 3rd ch from hook, 1 dc in each of next 4 sts, a joined dc over following 2 sts, 1 dc in next st, a joined dc over following 2 sts, 1 dc in each st to end. Fasten off.
To Make Up
Weave in ends. Stitch the head marking to the top of the head.
Sew the beads to the eyes.
Attach the eyes to the head.
Stitch the nose to the head.
Embroider on a mouth.
Sew the ears to the head.
Embroider markings on hands and feet.
Stitch the head to the body.
Sew the right arm down.
Attach the left arm.
Stitch the tail in behind the Meerkat’s body.
And there’s the finished meerkat applique. I’ve also made it in different sizes and colors.
I hope that you’ve enjoyed the pattern.
