This week I have a free crochet bee pattern for you to make a very large amigurumi bumble bee named Barnabee Bumbles. This amigurumi bumble bee is approximately 17″ tall and super cuddley. This free crochet bee pattern was designed to be easy to crochet and has nearly seamless color changes. A video tutorial is included below to show you how to do the technique that I use to make my color changes in the round almost invisible. Don’t let it’s size fool you. This pattern uses basic crochet stitches and it’s an easy pattern, accessible to beginners.
Pin this Free Crochet Bee Pattern for Later Save
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In this free pattern, I’ve used We Crochet’s Snuggle Puff cotton yarn to create my amigurumi bee. The colors Chick, Vixen and Lamb were perfect for this project and the yarn is incredibly soft which makes Barnabee Bumbles extra cuddley. Snuggle Puff is a heavy worsted/aran weight Pima Cotton/Nylon blend yarn that is very light and because it is a roving yarn, there are no issues with this yarn splitting, even with the 3.5 mm hook that this pattern calls for. I really loved using this yarn for my giant amigurumi bee and will definitely keep this yarn in mind for other amigurumi designs in future. If you want to check this yarn out, you can find it at crochet.com.
You can purchase an inexpensive ad-free printable version of this pattern in my Ravelry and Etsy shops.
Giant amigurumi bees have been trending lately and I wanted to create a crochet bee that was large in size but could be crocheted using a worsted weight yarn. Large blanket yarns aren’t accessible to everyone and can be rough on your hands when doing amigurumi. So I set to work on designing the free crochet bee pattern for Barnabee Bumbles. I considered naming Barnabee, Bee-yonce or Bumbledore but my husband said my puns were going too far lol. I can’t resist a good pun.
Anyways, giant amigurumi is really trendy right now but not everyone wants to make it with blanket yarn so I decided to make a jumbo sized crochet bee with a worsted weight yarn. This is a great way to participate in the trend but in a more cost-effective way if blanket yarn is outside your budget.
If you want to make a seriously huge amigurumi toy, then try making this with chunky yarn or blanket yarn and you would have a massive bee. In fact, I hope someone makes this guy in blanket yarn and shares it just so I could see how big he would be. My guess is it would be between 27 – 30″ tall at least and it would be epic. If I could get blanket yarn in those colours here, I’d do it just to see. He’d make an epic cuddle buddy! You can make this cute crochet bee pattern different sizes by using different yarn weights and hook combos. Just make sure that you choose a hook/yarn combo that creates a fabric with little to no holes for stuffing to possibly show through.
Although a standard bee has black stripes and yellow stripes, you don’t have to use those colors. Experiment with different colors. If you’re giving this as a gift, customize the colors to your recipient’s favourite colors to give them a cute little bee that’s just for them. It’s the perfect gift, especially in the spring season.
Other free amigurumi patterns you’ll love
Skill Level:
- Easy
Terminology:
- U.S. Terminology
Supplies:
- 3.5 mm Furls crochet hook
- 239 yds/219 m (2.96 oz/84g) of WeCrochet Snuggle Puff in Vixen
- 88 yds/81 m (1.09 oz/31g) of WeCrochet Snuggle Puff in Chick
- 74 yds/68 m (0.92 oz/26g) of WeCrochet Snuggle Puff in Lamb
- 30 mm Safety Eyes (I got my black glitter eyes from Chateau Bornais Crochet on Etsy)
- Poly-fil Stuffing
- Stitch Marker
- Tapestry Needle
- Scissors
If you’re planning on buying the materials for this project, please consider doing so through this affiliate link (or those in the supply list). It helps to support the blog at zero cost to you and allows me to continue to bring you great free crochet patterns like this one.
Abbreviations:
- BLO = Back Loop Only
- CH = Chain
- FLO = Front Loop Only
- FO = Finish Off
- MC = Magic Circle / Magic Ring
- SC = Single Crochet
- SCDEC = Single Crochet Decrease
- SCINC = Single Crochet Increase
- SL ST = Slip Stitch
- ST = Stitch
You can purchase an inexpensive ad-free PDF version of this crochet bee pattern in my Ravelry and Etsy shops.
Special Techniques:
- Invisible Join: FO leaving a tail that is at least 5 – 6 inches in length. Thread the tail onto a tapestry needle. Place the tapestry needle through the top of the 2nd ST from front to back and pull through. Place tip of needle into top of the last ST of the round, under the back loop of the stitch, and pull through to the back of the work. Weave in the end. Check out my invisible join tutorial.
Learn to do the Invisible Join to get Nearly Invisible Color Changes used in my Free Crochet Bee Pattern:
Finished size:
- Approximately 17” tall from top of antennae to bottom of bee.
Gauge:
- 8.5 sts x 12 rows = 2 inches
NOTES:
- This pattern is worked in a continuous spiral. Do NOT join at the end of each row, except where indicated. A stitch marker is used to mark the first stitch of the round and moved up with each subsequent round.
- For a cleaner SCDEC, do your SCDEC under the front loops only of each stitch rather than under both loops. This is often referred to as an invisible decrease (inv dec). Check out my HERE.
- Gauge is not vital to the project, but it may affect the amount of yarn needed for the project as well as the size of your finished toy.
Disclaimer:
Feel free to sell the item created by this pattern but please provide pattern credit back to me when posting online, and please provide a link to my blog: https://theloopylamb.com. Please do not resell, distribute, duplicate, or share this pattern in any printed or digital form, or claim this pattern as your own original design. Please do not use my photos when selling your finished items. This pattern is for your own personal use and should not be mass produced.
Free Crochet Bee Pattern: Barnabee Bumbles
Bee Body:
Round 1: Using Vixen, make a MC and SC 6 into the MC. (6)
Round 2: SC around (6)
Round 3: (SCINC) x 6 (12)
Round 4: SC around (12)
Round 5: (SCINC, SC) x 6 (18)
Round 6: SC around (18)
Round 7: SC, SCINC, (SC 2, SCINC) x 5, SC (24)
Round 8: SC around (24)
Round 9: (SC 3, SCINC) x 6 (30)
Round 10: SC 2, SCINC, (SC 4, SCINC) x 5, SC 2 (36)
Round 11: (SC 5, SCINC) x 6 (42)
Round 12: SC 3, SCINC, (SC 6, SCINC) x 5, SC 3 (48)
Round 13: (SC 7, SCINC) x 6 (54)
Round 14: SC 4, SCINC, (SC 8, SCINC) x 5, SC 4 (60)
Round 15: (SC 9, SCINC) x 6 (66)
Round 16: SC 5, SCINC, (SC 10, SCINC) x 5, SC 5 (72)
Round 17: (SC 11, SCINC) x 6 (78)
Round 18: SC 6, SCINC, (SC 12, SCINC) x 5, SC 6 (84)
Rounds 19 – 26: SC around (84)
FO using invisible join. Attach Chick to first ST of last round.
Round 27: Working in BLO, SC around (84)
Rounds 28 – 37: SC around (84)
FO using invisible join. Attach Vixen to first ST of last round.
Round 38: Working in BLO, SC around (84)
Rounds 39 – 48: SC around (84)
FO using invisible join. Attach Chick to first ST of last round.
Round 49: Working in BLO, SC around (84)
Rounds 50 – 57: SC around (84)
Round 58: SC 6, SCDEC, (SC 12, SCDEC) x 5, SC 6 (78)
Round 59: (SC 11, SCDEC) x 6 (72) – Start stuffing and continue to add stuffing as you work.
FO using invisible join. Attach Vixen to first ST of last round.
Round 60: Working in BLO, SC 5, SCDEC, (SC 10, SCDEC) x 5, SC 5 (66)
Round 61: (SC 9, SCDEC) x 6 (60)
Round 62: SC 4, SCDEC, (SC 8, SCDEC) x 5, SC 4 (54)
Round 63: (SC 7, SCDEC) x 6 (48)
Round 64: SC 3, SCDEC, (SC 6, SCDEC) x 5, SC 3 (42)
Round 65: SC 3, SCINC, (SC 6, SCINC) x 5, SC 3 (48)
Round 66: (SC 7, SCINC) x 6 (54)
Round 67: SC 4, SCINC, (SC 8, SCINC) x 5, SC 4 (60)
Round 68: (SC 9, SCINC) X 6 (66)
Round 69: SC 5, SCINC, (SC 10, SCINC) x 5, SC 5 (72)
Round 70: (SC 11, SCINC) x 6 (78)
Round 71: SC 6, SCINC, (SC 12, SCINC) x 5, SC 6 (84)
Rounds 72 – 88: SC around (84) – Insert eyes into Round 85 with 8 STs between them
Round 89: SC 6, SCDEC, (SC 12, SCDEC) x 5, SC 6 (78)
Round 90: (SC 11, SCDEC) x 6 (72)
Round 91: SC 5, SCDEC, (SC 10, SCDEC) x 5, SC 5 (66)
Round 92: (SC 9, SCDEC) x 6 (60)
Round 93: SC 4, SCDEC, (SC 8, SCDEC) x 5, SC 4 (54)
Round 94: (SC 7, SCDEC) x 6 (48)
Round 95: SC 3, SCDEC, (SC 6, SCDEC) x 5, SC 3 (42)
Round 96: (SC 5, SCDEC) x 6 (36)
Round 97: SC 2, SCDEC, (SC 4, SCDEC) x 5, SC 2 (30)
Round 98: (SC 3, SCDEC) x 6 (24)
Round 99: SC, SCDEC, (SC 2, SCDEC) x 5, SC (18)
Round 100: (SC, SCDEC) x 6 (12)
Round 101: (SCDEC) x 6 (6)
Finish stuffing, stuffing firmly. FO, weaving the tail through the FLO of Round 101 to cinch the top closed. Weave in ends.
You may find this tutorial on doing the ultimate finish helpful here:
Antennae (Make Two)
Round 1: Using Vixen, make a MC and SC 6 into the MC. (6)
Round 2: (SCINC) x 6 (12)
Round 3: (SC, SCINC) x 6 (18)
Rounds 4 – 7: SC around (18)
Round 8: (SC, SCDEC) x 6 (12)
Round 9: (SCDEC, SC 2) x 3 (9) – Start stuffing and continue to add stuffing as you work.
Rounds 10 – 15: SC around (9)
Finish stuffing, stuffing firmly. FO leaving a long tail to sew onto the top of the head. Sew onto the head of your bee.
Wings (Make Two)
Round 1: Using Lamb, make a MC and SC 6 into the MC. (6)
Round 2: (SCINC) x 6 (12)
Round 3: (SC, SCINC) x 6 (18)
Round 4: SC, SCINC, (SC 2, SCINC) x 5, SC (24)
Round 5: (SC 3, SCINC) x 6 (30)
Round 6: SC 2, SCINC, (SC 4, SCINC) x 5, SC 2 (36)
Round 7: (SC 5, SCINC) x 6 (42)
Round 8: SC 3, SCINC, (SC 6, SCINC) x 5, SC 3 (48)
Rounds 9 – 15: SC around (48)
Round 16: SC 3, SCDEC, (SC 6, SCDEC) x 5, SC 3 (42)
Round 17: (SC 5, SCDEC) x 6 (36)
Round 18: SC 2, SCDEC, (SC 4, SCDEC) x 5, SC 2 (30)
Round 19: SC around (30)
Round 20: (SC 3, SCDEC) x 6 (24)
Round 21: SC around (24)
Round 22: SC, SCDEC, (SC 2, SCDEC) x 5, SC (18)
Round 23: SC around (18)
Round 24: (SC, SCDEC) x 6 (12)
Round 25: SC around (12)
Round 26: (SCDEC) x 6 (6)
FO leaving a long tail. Flatten the piece, do NOT stuff. Weave the tail through the FLO of Round 26 to cinch the hole closed and use the tail to sew the wings to the back of your bee.
That’s it! I hope you love your new adorable bee! While you’re here, check out another free amigurumi pattern:
Disclaimer:
Feel free to sell the item created by this pattern but please provide pattern credit back to me when posting online, and please provide a link to my blog: https://theloopylamb.com. Please do not resell, distribute, duplicate, or share this pattern in any printed or digital form, or claim this pattern as your own original design. Please do not use my photos when selling your finished items.
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