Amigurumi Doves

These love birds

would make sweet
decorations for bridal
or baby showers!

Pattern copyright 2010 by Karla Fitch. Please do not reproduce or copy this pattern without express written permission from the creator.
 Amigurumi Doves
These sweet little doves would make a lovely decoration on the head table at a wedding celebration
or a tender gift for a new mom-to-be. Change the colors to match the bride’s maid colors or baby’s
new room!

MATERIALS

• Worsted weight yarn in main color (about 2 oz) and complementary color (about 10 yards).
You will also need a small amount of yellow yarn for the beak (see pattern notes for specific
yarns used)
• Fiber fill
• 2 6mm plastic doll eyes (optional)
• Size G crochet hook
• Yarn needle
• Stitch marker

STITCHES AND ABBREVIATIONS USED IN THIS PATTERN:

CH chain stitch
SC single crochet
HDC half double crochet
DC double corchet
DECR decrease
ST stitch
STS stitches
MM move marker
FO finish off

For the project shown in the photographs, I used Caron Simply Soft yarn in White (MC) and Light
Country Blue (CC). The Darker dove shown on the cover uses Caron Simply Soft in Light Country Blue
(MC) and Caron Simply Soft Heather in Deep Teal Heather (CC). The beak on both birds was done in
Caron Simply Soft in Sunshine.

Note: When determining whether to use buttons or other small embellishments, keep in mind
the age of the intended recipient. Doll eyes and other decorations may pose a choking hazard for
children under three. A safer alternative for the very young is to sew eyes and any other decorations
using embroidery thread or yarn.
 PART 1: HEAD

The head portion is made in one piece by creating a circle

and then bringing the sides up into a bowl shape. The entire
piece is worked in a continuous spiral, so be sure to use a
stitch marker to identify your round.

Round 1: With MC, CH 2. 6 SC in second chain from hook.

Place stitch marker in the last SC to mark the end of the
round.
Round 2: 2 SC in each ST around (12 SC). MM.
Round 3: *2 SC in first ST, 1 SC in next. Repeat from *
around (18 SC). MM.
Round 4: *2 SC in first ST, 1 SC in each of next 2 STS.
Repeat from * around (24 SC). MM.
Figure 1: Head
Rounds 5-10: SC in each ST around (24 SC). MM.
Round 11: *2 SC in first ST, 1 SC in each of next 3 STS. Repeat from * around (30 SC). MM.

For round 12, break off MC and fasten CC.

Round 12: Working in outside loops, *2 SC in first ST, 1SC in each of next 4 STS. Repeat from *
around (36 SC) FO.

PART 2: BODY

Like the head, the dove’s body is made in a spiral. Once you
reach the tail, you will flatten out the piece and begin working
in rows.

Round 1: With MC, CH 2. 6 SC in second chain from hook.

Place stitch marker in the last SC to mark the end of the
round.
Round 2: 2 SC in each ST around (12 SC). MM.
Round 3: *2 SC in first ST, 1 SC in next. Repeat from *
around (18 SC). MM.
Round 4: *2 SC in first ST, 1 SC in each of next 2 STS.
Repeat from * around (24 SC). MM.
Round 5: *2 SC in first ST, 1 SC in each of next 3 STS. Figure 2: Body
Repeat from * around (30 SC). MM.
Round 6: SC in each ST around (30 SC). MM.
Round 7: *2 SC in first ST, 1 SC in each of next 4 STS. Repeat from * around (36 SC). MM.
Round 8: SC in each ST around (36 SC). MM.
Round 9: *2 SC in first ST, 1 SC in each of next 5 STS. Repeat from * around (42 SC). MM.
Round 10-14: SC in each ST around (42 SC). MM.
Round 15: *DECR over first 2 STS and SC in each of the
next 5 STS. Repeat from * around (36 SC). MM.
Rounds 16-17: SC in each ST around (36 SC). MM.
Round 18: *DECR over first 2 STS and SC in each of the
next 4 STS. Repeat from * around (30 SC). MM.
Rounds 19-21: SC in each ST around (30 SC). MM.
Round 22: *DECR over first 2 STS and SC in each of the
next 3 STS. Repeat from * around (24 SC). MM.
Rounds 23-24: SC in each ST around (24 SC). MM.

At this point, it’s a good idea to stuff the body. Make sure Figure 3: Stuffing the body

you stuff the dove firmly, since the fluff will move in to fill the
space made by the remaining 3 rounds.
Round 25: *DECR over first 2 STS and SC in each of the next 2 STS. Repeat from * around (18 SC).
MM.
Round 26: SC in each ST around (18 SC). MM.
Round 27: *DECR over first 2 STS and SC in the next ST. Repeat from * around (12 SC).

At this point, you will begin working on the tail. Temove the
stitch marker and flatten the 12 stitches together so that you
have 6 pairs of 2 stitches.
Row 1: CH 1. Working through the double thickness, make 6
SC STS (6 SC). CH 1 and turn.
Row 2: Work 2 SC in the first ST, and SC in each of the next
4 STS. Work 2 SC in the last ST (8 SC). CH 1 and turn.
Rows 3-6: SC across (8 SC). CH 1 and turn.
Row 7: Work 2 SC in the first ST, and SC in each of the next
6 STS. Work 2 SC in the last ST (10 SC). CH 1 and turn.
Row 8: SC across (10 SC). CH 1 and turn.
Row 9: DECR over first 2 STS, and SC in each of the next 6 Figure 4: Row one of the tail
STS. DECR over the last 2 STS (8 SC). CH 1 and turn.
Row 10: SC across (8 SC). CH 1 and turn.
Row 11: DECR over first 2 STS, and SC in each of the next 4 STS. DECR over the last 2 STS (6 SC).
CH 1 and turn.
Row 12: DECR over first 2 STS, and SC in each of the next 2 STS. DECR over the last 2 STS (4 SC).
FO.
 PART 3: LEFT WING TOP

Row 1: CH 4. SC in second CH from hook and in each ST

across (3 SC). CH 1 and turn. Mark the facing side as the
right side.
Row 2: Work 2 SC in first ST and 1 SC in the next. Work 2
SC in the last ST (5 SC). CH 1 and turn.
Row 3: Work 2 SC in the first ST, and SC in each of the next
3 STS. Work 2 SC in the last ST (7 SC). CH 1 and turn.
Row 4: Work 1 SC in each of the first 5 STS. Work 2 SC in
each of the remaining STS. (9 SC). CH 1 and turn.
Row 5: SC in each ST across (9 SC). CH 1 and turn.
Row 6: Work 1 SC in each of the first 6 STS. Work 2 SC in
next and 1 SC in following ST. Work 2 SC in remaining ST (11
Figure 5: Left wing top
SC). CH 1 and turn.
Row 7: SC in each ST across (11 SC). CH 1 and turn.
Row 8: Work 1 SC in each of the first 8 STS. Work 2 SC in next and 1 SC in following ST. Work 2 SC
in remaining ST (13 SC). FO.

PART 4: RIGHT WING TOP

Row 1: CH 4. SC in second CH from hook and in each ST

across (3 SC). CH 1 and turn. Mark the facing side as the
right side.
Row 2: Work 2 SC in first ST and 1 SC in the next. Work 2 SC
in the last ST (5 SC). CH 1 and turn.
Row 3: Work 2 SC in the first ST, and SC in each of the next
3 STS. Work 2 SC in the last ST (7 SC). CH 1 and turn.
Row 4: Work 2 SC in each of the first 2 STS. Work 1 SC in
each of the reminaing 5 STS. (9 SC). CH 1 and turn.
Row 5: SC in each ST across (9 SC). CH 1 and turn.
Row 6: Work 2 SC in first and 1 SC in following ST. Work 2
SC in the next ST and 1 SC in each of the remaining 6 STS.
Figure 6: Right wing top
(11 SC). CH 1 and turn.
Row 7: SC in each ST across (11 SC). CH 1 and turn.
Row 8: Work 2 SC in first and 1 SC in following ST. Work 2 SC in the next ST and 1 SC in each of the
first 8 STS. (13 SC). FO.
 PART 5: FEATHERS

The wing and tail feathers are all constructed with the same
basic technique. You begin with a chain and work your first
row as you slowly increase the stitch height. Jut before you
finish the row, you will work a cluster with three of the tallest
stitch and then join the last cluster stitch to the last CH.

After this, you will rotate your work 180 degrees so that you
are working in the backs of the foundation chains. Work the
cluster, decrease the stitch height, and finish off.

Figure 7: Feather technique

Figure 8: Set of wing feathers

Long Feather (Make 2 in MC and 2 in CC)

Row 1 (Out): CH 12. Work 1 SC in each of the first 3 STS. Work 1 HDC in each of the next 3 STS.
Work 1 DC in each of the next 2 STS. 3 DC in next ST and join with SL to the last CH.

Rotate work 180 degrees.

Row 1 (In): Skip first CH and work 3 DC in next ST. Work 1 HDC in each of the next 3 STS. Work 1
SC in each of the remaining 3 STS. FO, leaving a tail for sewing.

Medium Feather (Make 4 in MC)

Row 1 (Out): CH 9. Work 1 SC in each of the first 4 STS. Work 1 HDC in each of the next 2 STS. 3
HDC in next ST and join with SL to the last CH.

Rotate work 180 degrees.

Row 1 (In): Work 3 HDC in next ST. Work 1 HDC in each of the next 2 STS. Work 1 SC in each of the
remaining 4 STS. FO, leaving a tail for sewing.

Small Feather (Make 4 in MC)

Row 1 (Out): CH 7. Work 1 SC in each of the first 4 STS. Work 3 HDC in next ST and join with SL to
the last CH.

Rotate work 180 degrees.

Row 1 (In): Work 3 HDC in next ST. Work 1 SC in each of the remaining 4 STS. FO, leaving a tail for
sewing.
 PART 6: BEAK

Round 1: With yellow, CH 2. 4 SC in second chain from hook. Place stitch marker in the last SC to
mark the end of the round.
Round 2: SC in each ST around (4 SC). MM.
Round 3: *2 SC in first ST, 1 SC in next. Repeat from * around (6 SC). FO, leaving a tail for sewing.

PART 7: WING ASSEMBLY

Each wing uses a wing top, 1 long feather, 2 medium feathers

and two small feathers.

1. With the right sides facing up, attach the long feather
to the base of the wing. See Figure 8 for feather
placement.
2. Attach the first medium feather next to the long
feather.
3. To get the feathers to lay flat, turn the piece to the
wrong side and whip stitch the medium feather to
the long feather.
TIP: It looks more realistic if you layer the feathers
a little. I try to put the long feather at “the bottom”
and each feather after is slightly on top of the Figure 8: Feather placement

last. See Figure 9 for an example of the layering

technique.

4. Continue to add the feathers (first the other medium

feather and then the two small ones) by repeating
steps 2 and 3.
5. Once you have finished one wing, repeat the process
to make the second wing.

Figure 9: Layering technique

PART 8: HEAD ASSEMBLY

1. Line the beak up so that the knot at the bottom of

the beak is parallel with the knot at the base of the
head. and stitch the beak in place (seeFigure 10).
2. Look at the head from the side once the beak is
attached to determine the eye position. The top of
the eye should line up with the top of the beak, as
shown in Figure 11.
3. Place the second eye on the opposite side of the
head in roughly the same position.
4. Align the knot at the bottom of the head with the
center of the first round from the body (see Figure
12). Stuff the head and stitch in place.

Figure 10: Beak position

Figure 11: Eye position Figure 12: Head position

PART 9: FINISHING

1. Attach the two long feathers in the complementary

color (CC) at the top of the tail.
TIP: To ensure that the tail feathers sit flat, you can
attach the bottoms of the feathers to the top of the
tail.

Figure 13: Attach tail feathers.

 2. Stitch the wings to the back of the dove as shown in
Figure 14.

Enjoy your finished dove!

Figure 14: Wing position

“MIXING UP” THE PATTERN

Pigeons and doves constitute the bird family Columbidae within the order Columbiformes, which
include some 300 species of near passerines. In general parlance the terms “dove” and “pigeon”
are used somewhat interchangeably. In ornithological practice, there is a tendency for “dove” to be
used for smaller species and “pigeon” for larger ones, but this is in no way consistently applied, and
historically the common names for these birds involve a great deal of variation between the terms
“dove” and “pigeon.” This family occurs worldwide, but the greatest variety is in the Indomalaya and
Australasia ecozones. Young doves and pigeons are called “squabs.”

-- Taken from Wikipedia [ http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Columbidae ]

There are many different varieties of doves/pigeons

to inspire you. Here are just a few of the ones that
caught my eye: