11 rounds · filed under dense · 3 of them
Amigurumi · added 7 Oct 2026
Crochet a Stella Lou amigurumi with a stuffed belly
Single crochet builds a dense, tight-stitched amigurumi Stella Lou doll with a stuffed belly and felt nose.
- Skill
- Intermediate
- Time
- 4-6 hours
- Hook
- 1.8 mm
- Yarn
- Fingering
- Rounds
- 7
About this pattern
Single crochet holds this fabric close and dense, leaving almost no gap between stitches once the hook pulls through. Starting from a magic ring of 6sc, each round packs stitches tight enough that stuffing stays put instead of pressing through to the surface. The head grows in six-stitch jumps - 12, then 18, then 24 - with every increase landing in the same six spots round after round, so the surface stays smooth rather than puckering at any one point.
R7 the circle reaches 48 stitches and stops widening, so R8 onward works straight up into a rounded dome instead of a flat disc, carrying that shape through the color rounds at R9 and R10 and on to R22. The belly attaches at round 6, while the ears - just one round each, made twice - stay small and close to the head rather than standing proud. Stuff the nose separately before fixing it in place, then set the finished head and body up as a keychain charm for a bag or a set of keys.
The swatch in numbers
- Rounds
- 7
- Parts
- 5
- Level
- Intermediate
- Time
- 4-6 hours
- Hook
- 1.8 mm
- Yarn
- Fingering
The yarn and the hook
- MengWaWa Pink #43
- Purple #15
- White #2
- Light Blue #18
- 1.8mm crochet hook
- Scissors
- Needle
- Tweezers
- Stuffing
Stitches, spelled out
ch chain; st stitch; sl st slip stitch; sc single crochetDense; inc increase.
Tension and hand-feel
After closing R3, count the stitches around: the round should hold 24, which confirms the six increase points from R1 and R2 are still landing in the right places before the head grows further.
If the count runs high or low at that stage, undo back to R1 and reset the spacing of the increases rather than letting R5 and R7 try to compensate for it later.
Head (Start with Purple Yarn)
Magic Ring: 6sc (6). Sl st and ch 1 to close and start the next round.
R5
R7
Ears (Make 2)
Magic Ring: 6sc.
R1
How the texture is built
- The six increase points set in R1 repeat through R2, R3, R5, R6 and R7, with one more plain stitch worked between them each time (sc, inc, sc, inc...), so the disc gains a steady six stitches per round and stays flat instead of rippling at the edge.
- Once R7 closes at 48 stitches, R8 works even with no increases at all - the point where the head stops widening and the wall turns to build the dome's straight side before the color rounds begin at R9.
Putting the pieces together
If you swap the yarn
| Fingering-weight cotton | Closest match to the 1.8mm hook called for here - stitches stay small and crisp, the finished Stella Lou keeps the same compact size, and the fabric holds its shape well enough to skip extra stuffing in the Ears. |
|---|---|
| DK-weight cotton or acrylic blend | Needs a larger hook, around 2.5mm, to keep the single crochet tight enough for stuffing; the finished head and body come out noticeably bigger than the original 48-stitch round suggests, so expect to use more stuffing to fill the extra volume. |
| Worsted-weight acrylic | Requires sizing up the hook further and produces a looser, softer fabric with more drape - fine for a cuddly plush, but the small details like the triangular felt nose will need to scale up to stay in proportion. |
Colorways
- White body, purple patches Swap the main color: work the Head and the plain rounds through R8 in White #2, then bring in Purple #15 for the patch stitches at R9 and R10 where the pattern calls for a color change, keep the Ears in Light Blue #18, and finish the nose in Pink felt as before.
Washing and blocking
Spot clean rather than submerge the finished piece - the dense single crochet fabric holds water in the stuffing longer than it shows on the surface, which can leave the belly and head feeling damp well after the outside looks dry.
Reshape the dome of the head and the small Ears by hand while still slightly damp, smoothing the round toward its original curve rather than letting it dry flat from being pressed in a bag.
Store away from heavy items that could flatten the stuffed head or crush the felt nose, since the tight stitch gauge keeps its shape but will not spring back if compressed for long.
When it does not look right
- the head looks lumpy or uneven around R5 to R7 instead of a smooth curve
- The six increase points are bunching together instead of spacing evenly through the (2sc, inc, 2sc) and (3sc, inc, 3sc) sequences - place a stitch marker at each of the six increase spots before starting the round so they stay aligned from round to round.
- the Ears flop instead of holding a shape against the head
- just one round each, the Ears have little structure on their own - tuck a small pinch of stuffing behind each one before sewing it on, or back it lightly so it sits up rather than folding flat.
Close-ups
Questions people ask
Why does the belly attach at round 6 instead of after the head is finished?
round 6 the head is still a relatively flat, manageable disc, which makes it easier to position the belly piece accurately before the rounds above it close the shape into a dome. Attaching it later, once the head has grown past R7, would mean working around a much more curved and less accessible surface.
What does the 1.8mm hook size tell you about the yarn to use?
A 1.8mm hook is sized for a fine, thread-like yarn, which is what keeps the single crochet stitches small and the finished Stella Lou compact. Swapping to a thicker yarn means sizing the hook up to match, which will change the finished dimensions.
Are the eyes sewn on with thread or set in as safety eyes?
The assembly steps call for 6mm safety eyes inserted directly into the head, with black thread used afterward to embroider the eyelashes. No separate crocheted eye piece is involved.
How is the nose shaped and attached?
Pink felt is cut into a triangular nose shape rather than crocheted, then the mouth is embroidered onto the face and the nose is glued in place if it needs extra hold. Stuffing goes into the nose during assembly, separate from the main body stuffing.
New patterns, as they are filed
One short email when a batch lands, with the feel of each.