Knit your little ones a cuddly autumn pal with this cute hedgehog pattern!

Our knitted hedgehog is a real softie! With no prickles or loose parts, he’s perfect for even the littlest babies to cuddle with

Angela Turner

Published: November 3, 2022 at 6:10 am

Our cute little hedgehog is snuffling about looking for someone to hug. Could that person be you? Or is it a special someone in your life you knit for?

Our hedgehog is knitted from the spines of his bum through to the tip of his nose. His eyes are embroidered on after you’ve finished knitting. The twinkle in his eyes is the result of a couple of carefully placed stitches in white yarn.

Our pattern is easy to knit and lovely to touch, with his spikes made from stocking stitch with purl row ridges.

His simple shape and knitted and embroidered eyes make him suitable for babies. He has no sharp or loose toy parts, meaning newborns can cuddle him!

We’re getting more hedgehogs in our gardens as people value wild spaces more than astro-turf backyards. If you don’t have one, why not knit one instead? You can encourage them IRL by leaving piles of logs and compost heaps undisturbed for the bugs that they feed on.

While you’re waiting for the real thing to visit your garden, here’s Angela Turner’s free hedgehog knitting pattern.

Hedgehog knitting pattern

Ready to start making? See the full shopping list for what you’ll need to make the knitted hedgehog

Things you’ll need to know when making the knitted hedgehog

This pattern uses standard UK knitting abbreviations. See our knitting abbreviations article for a full list.

Knitted according to our pattern, the finished knitted hedgehog wil measure about 15cm long, with a diameter of about 27cm at his widest point.

The colours of Sirdar Baby Bamboo yarn originally used or this pattern have now been discontinued, so we’ve suggested alternatives for you.

Hedgehog knitting pattern shopping list

Stylecraft Naturals Bamboo & Cotton DK in Nutmeg – Buy from Lovecrafts

Stylecraft Naturals Bamboo & Cotton DK in Natural – Buy from Lovecrafts

3mm knitting needles

Black or grey yarn odments

White sewing cotton

Cast on your hedgehog at his spiny bum

You will need:

Stylecraft Naturals Bamboo and cotton DK - Nutmeg (Shade 7147)
Stylecraft Naturals Bamboo and cotton DK - Natural (Shade 7146)
3mm knitting needles
Toy stuffing

Step 1

Using yarn A and 3mm (UK 11, US 2/3) needles, cast on 8 sts.
Row 1 Inc in every st. 16 sts

Step 2

Next row K1, p1 to end.
Next row K1, p1 to end.

Increasing stitches to shape your hedgehog’s body

Step 1

Next row Inc in every st. 32 sts
Next row Knit.
Next row K1, p1 to end.
Next row K1, p1 to end.

Step 2

Next row (K1, inc in next st) to end. 48 sts
Next row Knit.
Next row K1, p1 to end.
Next row K1, p1 to end.

Step 3

Next row (K2, inc in next st) to end. 64 sts
Next row Knit.
Next row K1, p1 to end.
Next row K1, p1 to end.

Knitting to lengthen your hedgehog’s body

Step 1

Next row Knit.
Next row Knit.
Next row K1, p1 to end.
Next row K1, p1 to end.

Step 2

Rep last 4 rows until body measures 10cm, ending with 4th row.
Next row K8, K2tog to last 8 sts, k8. 40 sts
Next row Knit.

the knitted hedgehog is seen from the side. You can see the shaping on his head towards his pointy nose

Knitting your hedgehog’s head

Step 1

Change to yarn B.
Next row K5, k2tog, k4, k2tog, k14, k2tog, k4, k2tog, k5. 36 sts
Next (and every alt) row Purl.

Step 2

Next row K4, k2tog, k4, k2tog, k12, k2tog, k4, k2tog, k4. 32 sts
Next row K4, k2tog, k3, k2tog, k10, k2tog, k3, k2tog, k4. 28 sts
Next row K3, k2tog, k3, k2tog, k8, k2tog, k3, k2tog, k3. 24 sts
Next row K3, k2tog, k2, k2tog, k6, k2tog, k2, k2tog, k3. 20 sts
Next row K2, k2tog, k2, k2tog, k4, k2tog, k2, k2tog, k2. 16 sts
Next row K2, k2tog, k1, k2tog, k2, k2tog, k1, k2tog, k2. 12 sts
Next row K1, k2tog, k1, k2tog twice, k1, k2tog, k1. 8 sts

Amigurumi crochet hedgehog

If you can hook as well as cast on, check out our amigurumi hedgehog crochet pattern .

Finishing the main body by knitting your hedgehog’s nose

Step 1

Change to length of dark grey yarn.
Next row K2tog to end. 4 sts
Next row Purl.

Step 2

Cut yarn and thread through sts. Gather round cast-on sts and pull up tightly.

Sewing the seams in your knitted hedgehog

Step 1

With the right side of knitting facing inwards, sew a 10cms seam starting from the hedgehog’s nose. Pull up the stitches from the nose tightly and secure.

Step 2

Sew face seam then along back, leaving a 4cm gap.

Adding toy stuffing in your knitted hedgehog

Step 1

Turn your knitting right side out and stuff with filling. Insert the toy filling a little at a time, not on one big lump.

Making the eyes of your knitted hedgehog

Step 1

Use a length of black yarn to cast on 2 stitches.

Step 2

Knit 2 together.

Step 3

Cut yarn and thread through stitches.

Step 4

Repeat to make the second eye.

Attaching the eyes of your knitted hedgehog

Step 1

Pin both eyes in position about 3cm back from the nose with about 2cm in between them.

Step 2

Thread the tail ends through hedgehog and pull through gap in seam.

Step 3

Pull the ends up gently then knot together.

Embroidering the eyes of your knitted hedgehog

Step 1

Use a length of white sewing thread to work a couple of small straight sts on top of each other in the top right of each eye.

Finishing making your knitted hedgehog

Step 1

Sew the remaining seam, adding a little more filling if needed.

Step 2

Tie in all loose ends.

Download the hedgehog knitting pattern

If you’d like printer-friendly version of this patterns or want one that can be easily saved to your desktop, we have created this PDF version for you. Click to download the hedgehog knitting pattern.

Safe knits for babies

Make sure your knits are safe for all babies by keeping shapes simple and avoiding parts that could come off. Kids love to pull on things and put bits in their mouths.

Take a few simple things into account when planning your projects to make sure they are safe for all ages to cuddle!

What to think about when knitting for babies

We’ve got seven things to consider when you are knitting for babies. Check out our knitting for children tips to make sure your projects are safe for all ages.

Knitting pattern designer

Angela Turner is a knitting pattern designer. Her work has been published in many knitting magazines, including Knit Today, Simply Knitting an Craftseller magazines. Find more of her designs on her Ravelry store where her user name is knitting, or on her Etsy store, Angela Turner Designs