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Add a touch of whimsey to your projects with this free crochet pattern for an adorable crochet owl!

This easy owl applique pattern allows you to play with different colors, making each owl truly unique. Whether you’re making it for yourself or as the perfect gift for an owl lover, these little cuties are so much fun to make. 

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Read below to create your own little flock of delightful crochet owls with this free pattern!

Materials Needed

For my crochet owl applique, I used a cotton DK yarn – Paintbox Cotton DK, for the body. It gave the owl a lovely texture and weight. I used a 3 mm crochet hook.

The eyes were made from a lighter fingering/4 ply cotton – Scheepjes Cotton 8, which resulted in a neater, more defined appearance. However, you’re not bound to these specific yarn weights. It is a great way to use up small amounts of stash yarn as you will only need a little bit of yarn. Just make sure to match your yarn weight with the appropriate hook.

In my experience, using a slightly smaller hook than typically recommended, like a 3mm crochet hook, creates a firmer gauge that really makes the details pop. 

Lastly, don’t forget a tapestry needle for sewing the pieces together and embroidering the intricate details that make our crochet owls come to life! You could also use a safety eye if you prefer.

Customize Your Crochet Owl 

One of the best things about this crochet owl applique is its versatility. You can play with different colors to give your finished owl its own unique character. 

You can also add personal touches like embellishments, or change up the colors. Your imagination is your only limit! 

See the image of the cute little owls below for some ideas to to add a different look to your owl. 

The sleepy owl is the cutest thing! You can find a photo tutorial for the sleepy eyes below. 

  • This adorable owl will make a charming addition to a variety of items. 
  • You can spruce up a plain bag 
  • Add a sweet touch to crochet blankets for a baby shower gift. 
  • Add a cute crochet owl to a hat for a little girl or boy. 
  • The crochet owls can transform any home decor project, like a pillow into a personalized piece that’s sure to be treasured

Sleepy Owl Crochet Pattern

The pattern is in US crochet terms with UK terms in Abbreviations.

Abbreviations (US terms)

Ch                Chain

SC                Single crochet

DC               Double crochet

Rep              Repeat

Sl st             Slip stitch

Abbreviations (UK terms)

Ch                Chain

DC               Double crochet

TR                Treble crochet

Rep              Repeat

Sl st             Slip stitch

Materials

  • I used a cotton DK yarn (Paintbox Cotton DK) for the body of the owl, and a fingering/4 ply cotton (Scheepjes Cotton 8) for the eyes. You can of course, use any weight you like but I find the lighter weight yarn makes a neater eye.
  • Whatever yarn weight you use, just make sure to use the matching hook. A smaller hook than recommended works best to give a firm gauge
  • 3mm crochet hook
  • Yarn needle to sew pieces together and embroider the details

It makes a much neater finish to the circles, if you use an invisible join (you can find a tutorial on google – note to self to make a tutorial!)

Body of owl

Round 1: Magic ring, ch 2 (counts as 1 dc), 11 dc into ring. Pull centre to close tightly. Join to top of 1st dc (just after ch 2. It stops the gap on next row!) – 12 dc

Round 2: Ch 2, 1 dc in same st, 2 dc in each st around. Join to top of 1st dc – 24 dc

Round 3: Ch 1 (counts as 1 sc), 2 sc in next st, (1 sc in next st, 2 sc in next st) repeat around. Join to beg ch 1, fasten off yarn – 36 sc

Place 2 markers (I use scraps of yarn) to help later when attaching wings. Add marker to any stitch, skip 15 sts and add 2nd marker to next st.

Eyes (make 2)

You can use a contrast colour for round 2 if you like

Round 1: Magic ring, ch 2 (counts as 1 dc), 11 dc into ring. Join with sl st to 1st dc (as before, the dc after ch2) – 12 dc

Round 2: Ch 1 (counts as 1 sc), 2sc in next st, (1 sc in next st, 2 sc in next st) repeat around. Join to beg ch 1, fasten off yarn leaving a long tail for attching later.

Wings

Join yarn in marker on left side of owl body.

Ch 1, 1 sc in same st, 2 hdc in next st, 2 dc in next st, [1 dc, ch 2, sl st] in next st, fasten off.

Working on other side of owl body, join yarn in st 4 sts before marker.

Ch 2, 1 dc in same st, 2 dc in next st, 2 hdc in next st, [1 sc, ch 1, sl st] in next st (marked stitch), fasten off.

Sleepy Eyes

Using black yarn, make back sewing stitches just inside round 2 on eye, to form the shape of the ‘sleepy eye’. See picture for details.

Place both eyes on body and sew into place with white yarn.

Beak

Using yellow yarn, make a few up and down stitches between the eyes, and 2 or 3 stitches across the top of the beak to form the shape. See picture for details. Weave in all threads.

Adding details to the Crochet Owl

Sometimes I add a few more little stitches in a contrast colour to the body to look like feathers…just a detail that can also be included if you want.

See the following picture for some more ideas for making crochet owls. I made little wings (ch 7, sl st into 2nd ch from hook, sc, hdc, dc, dc, tr into remaining chains, fasten off) and sewed them onto the body.

The owl on the right has little black circles sewn on to the eyes. Have fun experimenting!

Find more Free patterns here

*Please note this post may contain affiliate links, you are not charged any extra if you use these links. However if you purchase something using the link I get a very small reward to help me continue providing Free patterns. Thank you!

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I hope you enjoy this Free pattern!

If you make this pattern, be sure to tag me in your photos so I can see it too, @anniedesigncrochet or #anniedesigncrochet  – I can’t wait to see what colours you use!

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