Free Crochet Pastel Candy Swan Ballerina Pattern
Introduction
This little pastel candy swan ballerina is a sweet, beginner-friendly amigurumi project that comes together in a single afternoon. She's made for crocheters who are comfortable with single crochet and simple increases and decreases, and who want a charming gift, a market-stall bestseller, or a tiny dancer for their own shelf. Her egg-shaped pink body, long curved neck, and round head give her a graceful swan silhouette, while the flared striped skirt in blue, yellow, green, and purple adds a playful candy-shop feel. At just 10 cm tall she fits in the palm of your hand, and her soft, firmly stuffed body with a lightly stuffed neck makes her lovely to hold and display.
Materials Needed
- Yarn: Fine (2) weight yarn, acrylic or cotton. 50 yards each of pastel pink (A), pastel blue (B), pastel yellow (C), pastel green (D), and pastel purple (E); 10 yards of orange (F) for the beak.
- Hook: 2.25 mm (US B/1) crochet hook.
- Notions: Stitch marker, tapestry needle, polyester fiberfill for stuffing, black embroidery floss and an embroidery needle for the eyes, scissors.
- Finished size: Height 10 cm (4 inches) including neck and head; width 8 cm (3 inches) across the body; skirt diameter 10 cm (4 inches).
Abbreviations
- MR – magic ring: a loop of yarn you crochet into to start a round with no hole.
- sc – single crochet: insert hook, yarn over, pull up a loop, yarn over, pull through both loops.
- inc – increase: work 2 single crochet into the same stitch.
- dec – decrease: work 2 stitches together into 1 single crochet.
- ch – chain.
- st(s) – stitch(es).
- R / Rnd – row / round.
- FO – fasten off.
Gauge
26 stitches and 28 rows = 4 inches (10 cm) in single crochet. Work a small swatch in single crochet and measure it; if your stitches are larger than this, go down a hook size so the finished swan matches the listed size.
Tips Before You Start
- Use a stitch marker in the first stitch of each round — amigurumi is worked in a continuous spiral, so rounds are not joined.
- Stuff the body firmly but the neck and head only lightly, so the neck stays upright and the head keeps its round shape.
- Keep your tension tight and even; loose single crochet lets the stuffing show through.
- Place the beak and eyes before sewing on the wings so you can check the face looks symmetrical from the front.
Step-by-Step Instructions
Body (A)
R1: MR 6 sc (6 sts).
R2: inc x6 (12 sts).
R3: [sc, inc] x6 (18 sts).
R4: [2 sc, inc] x6 (24 sts).
R5: [3 sc, inc] x6 (30 sts).
R6-12: sc in each st around (30 sts).
R13: [3 sc, dec] x6 (24 sts).
R14: [2 sc, dec] x6 (18 sts).
R15: [sc, dec] x6 (12 sts).
R16: dec x6 (6 sts). FO, leaving a tail for sewing. Stuff firmly.
Neck and Head (A)
R1: Join A to the top of the body at center back. sc 6 around the top opening (6 sts).
R2-10: sc in each st around (6 sts).
R11: inc x6 (12 sts).
R12: [sc, inc] x6 (18 sts).
R13-15: sc in each st around (18 sts).
R16: [sc, dec] x6 (12 sts).
R17: dec x6 (6 sts). FO. Stuff the neck and head lightly, then close the opening.
Beak (F)
R1: MR 4 sc (4 sts).
R2: [sc, inc] x2 (6 sts).
R3: sc in each st around (6 sts). FO, leaving a tail. Sew to the front of the head at R12-13.
Eyes
Using black embroidery floss, embroider two small eyes on the head, 2 stitches apart and 1 row above the beak.
Skirt (B)
R1: Join B to the body at R7 (middle of the body). sc 30 around (30 sts).
R2: [4 sc, inc] x6 (36 sts).
R3: [5 sc, inc] x6 (42 sts).
R4: [6 sc, inc] x6 (48 sts).
R5: [7 sc, inc] x6 (54 sts).
R6: sc in each st around (54 sts). Change to C.
R7: sc in each st around (54 sts). Change to D.
R8: sc in each st around (54 sts). Change to E.
R9: sc in each st around (54 sts). FO and weave in ends.
Wings (A) – make 2
R1: Ch 6, sc in the 2nd ch from hook and in each ch across (5 sts).
R2: Ch 1, turn, sc, dec, sc, dec (3 sts).
R3: Ch 1, turn, dec, sc (2 sts). FO, leaving a tail. Sew the wings to the sides of the body at R10-11.
Assembly and Finishing
If you worked the neck separately, sew the head to the neck with the yarn tail, using small, even stitches. Sew the beak to the front of the head at R12-13, then embroider the eyes 2 stitches apart and 1 row above the beak. Sew one wing to each side of the body at R10-11, checking they sit level. If your skirt was worked separately, attach it at R7 around the middle of the body. Weave in all ends on the wrong side, using the needle to hide the tails inside the body. Finally, gently shape the swan with your fingers and lightly steam or mist-block the skirt so it flares evenly; let it dry completely before displaying.
Pro Tips and Variations
- Swap the pastel candy palette for a single color with a contrasting skirt for a more classic look.
- Add a tiny crocheted bow or a few surface slip stitches at the waist for extra ballerina charm.
- Use a 2.0 mm hook for a smaller, firmer swan, or a 2.5 mm hook for a slightly larger one — just keep your gauge in mind.
