Penny the Bunny Cactus Crochet Pattern

If you don’t have a green thumb but you love plants, crochet your own cactus with this free crochet bunny cactus pattern.  I have a bunny ears cactus that I love and when I went to make a plush toy crochet version, I took the bunny ears part literally and the result is super cute cactus named Penny the Bunny cactus. 

This easy crochet cactus pattern is accessible for beginner crocheters because it uses basic stitches.  

These crochet cacti make great gifts (particularly during the Easter season) to the plant lady (or lad) in your life and kids think they are so much fun as well.  The best thing about amigurumi cacti is just how low maintenance they are. 

What Type of Yarn Should I Use For This Pattern?

I used a worsted weight (4) acrylic yarn for making my cactus but you can substitute another worsted weight yarn of your preference.  

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Disclaimer:

This pattern is for personal use only and not for mass production. Feel free to sell the item created by this free crochet pattern but please provide pattern credit back to me when posting online, and please provide a link to my Etsy Shop: theloopylamb.com.  Please do not resell, distribute, duplicate, or share this pattern in any printed or digital form (including video tutorials), claiming this pattern as your own original design.  Please do not use my photos when selling your finished items.   

Skill Level:

• Intermediate

Crochet Terminology:

• US Terms

Materials:

• (E) 3.5 mm Crochet Hook
  
  
• Worsted Weight Yarn (4) in Green, Brown, White, Pink and Red.  I’m using Bernat Premium in Spring Green, Red, White and Pink  for the cactus body, bow and ears.  I’m using Loops and Thread Impeccable in Chocolate Brown for the soil.
  
  
• 6 mm Safety Eyes
  
  
• Polyester Stuffing
  
  
• Scissors
  
  
• Tapestry Needle / Yarn Needle
  
  
• Stitch Marker
  
  
• Pink Embroidery Thread
  
  
• Black Embroidery Thread

Abbreviations:

• CH: chain
  
  
• BLO: back loop only
  
  
• FO: fasten off
  
  
• DC: double crochet
  
  
• MC:    magic circle / magic ring
  
  
• HDC: half double crochet
  
  
• HDCINC: half double crochet increase / 2 half double crochet stitches in the same stitch
  
  
• SC: single crochet
  
  
• SCINC: single crochet increase / 2 single crochet stitches in the same stitch
  
  
• SCDEC: single crochet decrease
  
  
• SLST: slip stitch
  
  
• ST(s): stitch (es)
  
  

Measurement: 

• Approximately 5.5” tall from bottom of soil to top of head once assembled (ears not included in measurement)
  

Notes:

• No matter your skill level, I always suggest that you read through the pattern from beginning to end before beginning your work just to be sure you don’t have any questions that might cause frustration in the midst of your project.
  
  
• Instructions within the brackets () are to be repeated the number of times specified next to the brackets.
  
  
• Use the invisible decrease when working in rounds to help make decrease stitches less noticeable.  Check out my invisible decrease tutorial here.

Penny the Bunny Cactus – Free Crochet Cactus Pattern

SOIL

Worked in continuous rounds.

Row  1:  Using  brown  yarn,  make  a  MC  and  SC  6  into  the  MC (6)

Row  2:  (SCINC)  x  6  (12)


Row  3:  (SCINC,  SC  1) x 6  (18)

Row  4:  SC,  SCINC,  (SC  2,  SCINC) x  5,  SC  1  (24)

Row  5:  (SCINC,  SC  3) x  6  (30)

Row  6:  SC  2,  SCINC  (SC  4,  SCINC) x  5,  SC  2  (36)

Rows  7  –  16:  SC  around  (36)

Row  17:  SC  2,  SCDEC,  (SC  4,  SCDEC) x  5,  SC  2  (30) ) – start stuffing, adding more stuffing as you progress.

Row  18:  (SCDEC,  SC  3)  x  6  (24)

Row  19:  SC,  SCDEC,  (SC  2,  SCDEC) x  5,  SC  1  (18)

Row  20:  (SCDEC,  SC)  x  6  (12)

Row  21:  (SCDEC)  x  6  (6)

FO leaving along tail.  Thread yarn tail onto tapestry needle and weave tail through the FLO of the last round. Pull tail to cinch hole closed. Weave  in  ends.

Cactus Body

Using green yarn and leaving a long tail, CH 20.

Row 1: SC in the 2^nd chain from the hook and in each chain across.  CH1 and turn. (19)

Row 2: SC in the first stitch.  SC in the back loop of the next 17 stitches.  SC under both loops of the last stitch (19)

Repeat row 2 until the piece measures 16 cm.

FO, leaving a long tail. 

Work a running stitch along the long side of the cactus, working into the row ends.  Pull the yarn tight to close the cactus (like a drawstring). 

Without fastening off, seam the two short sides together by putting the needle through the bottom loop of both stitches to recreate the ribbing effect for the seam. Insert the safety eyes with two ridges between them. Stuff firmly. 

Work a running stitch along the open edge and pull tightly to close the cactus completely.  Secure and weave in your ends.  Sew onto soil.

Ears (make 2 in pink (inner ear) and 2 in white (outer ear))

CH 11 (in pink for inner ear, and white for outer ear).

Row 1: SC in the 2^nd CH from the hook.  SC 6.  HDC 2, HDC 5 in the last CH.  Working on the other side of the chain, HDC 2, SC 7.  CH 1 and turn.(23)

Row 2: SC 7, HDC 2, HDCINC x 5, HDC 2, SC 7.(28)  FO.

Ear Assembly:

To assemble the ears, we are going to crochet through the stitches of both ear pieces (one pink and one white).  Take a pink ear and a white ear and put the two wrong sides together.  

Attach the white yarn in the first stitches of both the pink and white pieces.  SC in the first stitch of both pieces.  SC 6, HDC 2, (HDCINC) x 10, HDC 2, SC 7.  FO with long tail to secure the ear to the head.  Repeat with remaining ear pieces to create the second ear.

Secure each ear to the head of the cactus approximately an inch to an inch and a half apart.

Bow

Row 1: Using red yarn, CH 11.  DC 2 in the 3^rd CH from the hook.  DC, HDC, SC, SL ST, SC, HDC, DC, DC 5 in the last CH.  Working on the other side of the chain, DC, HDC, SC, SL ST, SC, HDC, DC, DC 2 in the last CH.  Join with a SL ST. (23)

Row 2:  CH 1.  SC 5, SL ST, SC 11, SL ST, SC 5. Join with a SL ST to the first stitch.  (23)

FO and weave in ends.  Using a long piece of red yarn approximately 15” long, secure the end to the back, center point of the bow and wrap the yarn around the center of the box a few times. 

When done wrapping, secure the yarn in the back and use the remaining length of yarn to sew the bow onto the head.

Finishing Your Crochet Bunny Cactus

Using the pink embroidery thread, embroider a nose.  Using the black yarn, embroider some eyelashes next to each eye.

Place the completed toy in a plant pot or container of your choice.

How Do I Resize This Pattern?

You can make this pattern bigger or smaller by using a different yarn weight and hook combination.  For a jumbo cactus, use Bernat Blanket Yarn and a 8mm hook. For a tiny cactus, try a dk or fingering weight yarn and a 2mm crochet hook.  

When making yarn substitutions, choose whatever mm crochet hooks that will create a tight fabric with no holes in it.

Want to try another cactus character? Try one of these free crochet cactus patterns:
Randy the Reindeer Cactus
Saint Prickolaus Cactus Cuddler
Saint Prickolaus
Stanley the Cactus Snowman

I’d love to see your crochet cactus! Share your adorable crochet bunny cactus with me on social media by tagging me @theloopylamb or using #theloopylamb in your posts.

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