If you love amigurumi, you might already know Mr. Tendrils and Carlos. Mr. Tendrils is a pumpkin with arms, legs, and a lovely smile, and Carlos is a corn on the cob with a sombrero and a removable husk. Both are fun to make, and they’re especially fitting for fall. 🍂
We’ve seen quite a few of these little guys made by our customers, and we love looking at their photos in our Etsy reviews and in Instagram posts. It’s always interesting to see how the same pattern can turn out a little differently depending on the yarn choice and the personal touches each crocheter adds. We’ve also had lovely feedback about the patterns being easy to follow, which is always nice to hear!
Both patterns are suitable for advanced beginners who already have some experience with amigurumi. Carlos is completely no-sew, while Mr. Tendrils is almost no-sew, as only his stem needs to be sewn on.
Mr. Tendrils, the Crochet Pumpkin
Mr. Tendrils is a cuddly little pumpkin. He also looks lovely as a fall decoration, whether you put him out for Halloween or keep him around for Thanksgiving. Of course, there’s always the possibility that a child will pick him up and run off with him instead of leaving him on display! 😄
The written crochet pattern is detailed and almost no-sew, as you only need to sew on the stem.
Mr. Tendrils is about 6.3 inches (16 cm) tall without his legs, and his diameter is approximately 6.7 inches (17 cm). We made him with bulky-weight chenille yarn and a 5 mm (size H) crochet hook.
We translated the pattern into German recently, so it’s now available in both English and German.
Carlos, the Crochet Corn
Carlos has become a favorite with many of our customers. We’ve seen many of their finished versions in Etsy reviews and on Instagram, and some have even told he’s their favorite plushie. One person even named their version CORN-elius, which we thought was pretty funny! 😄
Carlos is completely no-sew, so you don’t need to sew his arms and legs on. We also added a Santa hat to the pattern later, so you can swap his sombrero for it when Christmas comes around. 🙂
Carlos measures approximately 9.4 inches (24 cm) tall. We made him with bulky-weight plush yarn and a 5 mm (size H) crochet hook.
His pattern is also available in both English and German.
A Few Tips for Making Crochet Plush Toys for Children
If you’re making one of these toys for a child, there are a few things worth keeping in mind when choosing your materials.
Plush yarn (also known as chenille yarn) is soft and cuddly, which makes it a lovely choice for stuffed toys. However, some yarns tend to shed more than others, so we’d recommend choosing a good-quality yarn, especially if you’re making a toy for a young child.
Of course, you can use regular yarn, too. Just keep in mind that the finished toy may be smaller, depending on the yarn weight and hook size you may use. It will also feel much firmer and stiffer than one made with plush yarn. Since you need to crochet tightly to keep the stuffing from showing through, the fabric becomes quite dense, and the finished toy won’t feel as soft and cuddly.
When it comes to stuffing, choose fiberfill made for stuffed toys, preferably one that can be washed if needed. Try to stuff your amigurumi firmly and evenly so it holds its shape. The filling can compress with use, and if the toy isn’t stuffed firmly enough, it may start to lose its shape over time.
And there’s one more thing we’d like to mention: plastic safety eyes. Despite their name, we don’t feel comfortable using plastic safety eyes for toys intended for little ones who still put things in their mouths. The plastic washer on the inside is supposed to hold the eyes in place, but they can still come loose if they’re pulled or chewed on, and a detached eye can be a choking hazard.
For young children who still put toys in their mouths, we’d recommend embroidering the eyes instead. They can look just as cute, and you don’t have to worry about a small plastic part coming loose.
We also wouldn’t recommend using superglue to secure the pieces of plastic safety eyes. Superglue can damage the plastic and make it brittle, so the pieces may actually become more likely to break apart over time.
If you’re making a toy for a little one, embroidered eyes are the option we’d choose.
If you’d like to make Mr. Tendrils or Carlos, you can find both patterns in our shops below.
Looking for more crochet ideas for fall? 🍂
→ 2 Crochet Owl Patterns for Fall: Owl Coasters & Forest Owl Amigurumi
