About This Bobby The Pencil Amigurumi Pattern
This pattern creates Bobby the Pencil, a playful amigurumi character with a smile, tongue, expressive eyes and posable arms. It uses cotton/semi-cotton yarn and small hooks to create tidy stitches and crisp color changes. The design includes step-by-step rounds for every part plus clear assembly and finishing notes to help you complete a polished toy.
You will crochet the inner mouth, tongue, body, topper and two arms, then attach eyes and sew the details. The final toy measures about 15 cm tall when made with the recommended materials.
Why You'll Love This Bobby The Pencil Amigurumi Pattern
I absolutely love this pattern because it turns a simple pencil idea into a personality-filled tiny friend. I enjoy the color-change details around the tip and topper β they make the piece really pop. The pattern includes little finishing touches (like the tongue and embroidered whites in the eyes) that bring Bobby to life. I also love that the arms are wired so you can pose him, which adds playful interaction to the finished toy. Making Bobby is satisfying and quick enough to finish in a weekend, but detailed enough to feel like a real project.
Switch Things Up
I love how easy it is to customize Bobby by changing colors β try pastel shades for a soft look or neon colors for a modern twist.
I often make a mini version by using finer yarn and a smaller hook to create a keychain-friendly pal.
I sometimes swap the plastic eyes for embroidered eyes for a softer, child-safe option.
I like to add tiny accessories like a crocheted bow tie, glasses, or a mini scarf to give Bobby character.
If you want a posable body, add thin flexible wire inside the body as well as in the arms, then wrap it securely to avoid poking.
Change the mouth expression by moving the mouth placement up or down, or make a small smile instead of the open mouth for a different personality.
Try using variegated yarn for the body to give Bobby a textured, colorful streaked look without changing colors manually.
I sometimes embroider freckles or stitches on the topper to create a worn pencil look β it adds a lot of charm.
For durability, I reinforce arm attachment points with an extra row of sewing stitches and hide the ends inside the body.
I always experiment with different eye sizes; a slightly larger eye makes Bobby look more whimsical, while smaller eyes look tidier.
Common Mistakes & How to Fix Them
β Skipping stitch markers during rounds with increases and decreases causes lost stitch counts; use a marker at the start of each round and move it every round to maintain correct counts.
β Trying to overstuff early distorts shaping and makes sewing parts difficult; stuff gradually as you go, checking shape and firmness frequently to maintain smooth curves.
β Changing colors without securing and hiding ends properly can create loose loops; carry the yarn neatly or weave and secure the color changes as shown to keep the surface tidy.
β Not checking hook size against your tension will produce the wrong size and loose stitches; test gauge and adjust to 1.75-2 mm hook as recommended for crisp amigurumi stitches.
β Forgetting to leave long tail ends for sewing results in awkward finishing; always leave long ends after small parts (mouth, tongue, arms) so you can sew them securely without adding new tails.