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If you’re looking for your next charming crochet project, this bull and cow pattern is perfect for creating cuddly companions that are sure to delight. Whether you’re crafting for yourself, as a gift, or to sell, these adorable plush toys stand approximately 8-10 inches tall and are worked in soft, luxurious plush yarn.
Why You’ll Love This Pattern
This intermediate-level crochet pattern offers a rewarding challenge for crafters with basic crochet skills. The finished toys feature movable heads thanks to an innovative crocheted neck joint, giving your creations personality and charm. The pattern includes detailed written instructions, step-by-step photos, visual diagrams, and helpful video links for tricky techniques.
What makes this pattern special is its versatility. You can create both a bull and a cow from the same basic pattern, with variations in coloring and finishing details like eyelashes and spots. Plus, you can customize your creation by choosing different yarn weights – the pattern works beautifully with plush yarn for larger toys or cotton/semi-cotton yarn for smaller 4-5 inch versions.
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Materials You’ll Need
Yarn Requirements
For the Bull:
- 1 skein beige plush yarn (Yarnart Dolce 747 or Himalaya Dolphin Baby 365, 120m/100g)
- 15-25g dark brown plush yarn for horns, hooves, and details
- 5-10g milky/cream yarn for the nose
- Small amount of yellow yarn for the bell
For the Cow:
- 1 skein white plush yarn (Yarnart Dolce 741 or Himalaya Dolphin Baby 301)
- 15-25g dark brown plush yarn (or pink for a pink cow variation)
- 5-10g light beige yarn for the nose
- Small amount of yellow yarn for the bell
Additional Supplies
- 12mm black plastic safety eyes
- False eyelashes for the cow (optional but adorable)
- Transparent super glue for attaching eyelashes
- Black embroidery thread for facial features
- Synthetic fiberfill or ball hollowfiber for stuffing
- 3.5mm crochet hook (3-4mm range works)
- 2-3mm crochet hook for the bell
- 8 stitch markers
- Pins for positioning parts
- Sewing needles and thread in matching colors
Pattern Overview: Building Your Bull or Cow
Starting with the Foundation: Legs and Body
The pattern begins by crocheting four separate legs in continuous spirals. Each leg starts with the hoof color before transitioning to the main body color. This creates a natural-looking transition and adds authentic detail to your finished toy.
The belly piece is worked separately and then ingeniously joined to all four legs in a single round. This clever construction technique ensures stability and proper leg positioning. The body is then crocheted upward in a spiral, with careful shaping through strategic increases and decreases to create the characteristic rounded body shape.
Throughout the construction, you’ll stuff the toy as you go, which prevents distortion and ensures even filling. The pattern provides specific guidance on stuffing density, particularly important for areas like the legs and lower body.
Creating the Movable Head Joint
One of the most innovative features of this pattern is the crocheted neck joint that allows the head to move and rotate. This joint is worked in rounds with specific increases and decreases to create a ball-and-socket effect.
The joint must be stuffed very firmly – almost impossibly tight – to ensure the head stays securely attached while remaining movable. The pattern emphasizes this critical step multiple times, as proper stuffing here makes the difference between a floppy head and one that holds its position beautifully.
If you prefer a stationary head, the pattern offers an alternative method where you simply skip the joint construction and crochet the head directly after the neck.
Shaping the Head and Face
The head begins with a tight chain joined into a ring. The pattern recommends using a smaller hook or adding thin cotton thread for these initial rounds to ensure a snug fit against the neck joint.
The head is worked in continuous rounds with strategic placement of increases to create a pleasingly round shape. Between rounds 7 and 8, you’ll position and secure the safety eyes, spacing them 8 single crochets apart. The pattern includes helpful tips for reinforcing eye attachment using felt backing and careful placement of the locking washers.
Adding Character: Facial Features
The Nose: The oval-shaped nose is crocheted flat on front and back but rounded on the sides, creating a realistic bovine snout. It’s worked in a lighter shade than the main body color and sewn carefully to the face.
Embroidered Details: Using black thread, you’ll embroider the mouth line, nostrils, and eyebrows. For the bull, you’ll add embroidered eyelashes. For the cow, you can glue on false eyelashes for an extra-feminine touch, then embroider over the base with matching yarn to create realistic eyelids.
Horns and Ears: The horns are worked in a spiral, tapering to fine points by switching to a smaller hook in the final rounds. The pattern includes slightly different horn sizes for the bull versus the cow. The ears are worked flat in an oval shape, then folded and sewn in half before being attached to the head.
Finishing Touches
Spots: For a traditional spotted cow, the pattern includes instructions for small and large circular spots worked in contrasting colors. Arrange them however you like across the body for a custom look.
The Tail: Created by tying short yarn pieces around a longer strand, the tail features a fluffy brush at the end. Multiple knots create the characteristic long, thin cow tail.
The Fringe: A topknot of yarn between the horns adds texture and personality to your finished toy.
The Bell: A tiny crocheted bell on a yellow chain completes the pastoral look. This small detail is worked with finer yarn and a smaller hook.
Helpful Techniques and Tips
Color Changes
The pattern uses smooth color changes to transition between different yarn colors, particularly noticeable where the hooves meet the legs. Video links demonstrate how to make these transitions nearly invisible, giving your toy a professional finish.
Stuffing Strategy
Proper stuffing cannot be overstated in this pattern. The designer provides specific guidance for each section:
- Legs should be firm but not rock-hard
- The body should be well-stuffed with attention to maintaining the rounded shape
- The neck joint requires extremely firm stuffing
- The head should be evenly stuffed to maintain its spherical shape
Troubleshooting the Head Joint
The pattern includes a dedicated troubleshooting section if your finished head feels loose on the joint. Solutions include adding more fiberfill through the crochet stitches and reinforcing the first round of the head by sewing through it with strong thread.
Customization Ideas
This versatile pattern invites creativity:
Yarn Choice: While designed for plush yarn, you can use cotton, semi-cotton, or any yarn you prefer. Just note that different yarn weights will produce different-sized finished toys.
Color Variations: Create a traditional brown bull, a classic black-and-white cow, a trendy pink cow, or any color combination you imagine.
Spot Placement: Arrange spots in traditional patterns or create your own unique design.
Expression: The positioning of eyebrows and the choice between embroidered or false eyelashes dramatically changes your toy’s personality.
Understanding the Pattern Format
The pattern uses standard crochet abbreviations and is written round-by-round with stitch counts in parentheses. Each major section is clearly numbered and contains:
- Written instructions
- Stitch counts
- Process photos
- Links to video demonstrations for complex techniques
- Helpful tips and warnings
The pattern works in continuous spirals rather than joined rounds, creating seamless construction. Stitch markers help you track your place, with specific guidance on maintaining proper marker placement and making adjustment stitches when needed.
Skill Level and Time Investment
This pattern is rated as intermediate difficulty. You should be comfortable with:
- Basic crochet stitches (single crochet, half double crochet, double crochet)
- Working in the round
- Increasing and decreasing
- Changing colors
- Basic sewing and assembly
Expect to spend several hours to a few days completing your toy, depending on your crochet speed and the time you spend on finishing details. The result is a charming, huggable toy with personality and professional-looking construction.
Final Thoughts
This bull and cow pattern offers an engaging project that results in an heirloom-quality toy. The combination of clear instructions, visual aids, and innovative construction techniques makes it accessible for intermediate crocheters while providing enough detail to ensure success.
The movable head joint is a standout feature that adds play value and character to the finished toy. The extensive finishing details – from embroidered facial features to the tiny crocheted bell – create a polished, professional appearance.
Whether you’re making a gift for a child, creating nursery décor, or building your handmade inventory, these adorable bovine buddies are sure to bring smiles. The satisfaction of completing such a detailed, expressive project makes every stitch worthwhile.
Happy crocheting, and may your stitches be smooth and your stuffing be firm!
Remember it later!
Planning to try this soon? Pin it for a quick find later!
