These plump little bees sit comfortably in the palm of your hand and bring a friendly touch to any bookshelf or child’s nursery. Using just a few yards of leftover worsted weight yarn, you can finish one in a single afternoon while listening to a podcast or enjoying a quiet cup of coffee. This project suits beginners who want to practice their tension in continuous spirals and those who need a quick gift for a friend. You will learn how to transition seamlessly between colors and shape the body with simple increases and decreases for a soft, rounded finish.

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Why You’ll Love This Pattern

This simple amigurumi bee is a fantastic project for using up small amounts of leftover yellow and black yarn. Because it is worked in a continuous spiral, you avoid the hassle of joining rounds and hiding messy seam lines. The small scale makes it a quick project that can be completed in a single afternoon, making it a reliable choice for last-minute gifts or craft fair inventory. Its compact shape holds up well even with frequent handling by children.

I managed to whip up three of these bees for my daughter’s mobile using the yarn scraps I had in my basket. The pattern is very easy to follow and the final shape is perfectly plump.

— Sarah, amigurumi hobbyist

Pattern Overview & Skill Level

Skill Level: Beginner
Approximate Time: 1 to 2 hours
Construction: Worked in continuous rounds from the head to the tail, with wings crocheted separately and sewn on.
Finished Dimensions: Approximately 3 inches long and 2 inches wide.

Materials & Supplies Needed

Yarn: Worsted weight (#4) acrylic or cotton blend. You will need approximately 20 yards of yellow and 10 yards of black.
Hook Size: 3.5 mm (E-4) for a tight gauge that prevents stuffing from showing through.
Notions: Tapestry needle, stitch markers, polyester fiberfill stuffing, and two 6mm black safety eyes.
Safe yarn substitutions: You may use DK weight yarn with a 3.0 mm hook for a smaller bee, or bulky weight yarn with a 5.0 mm hook for a larger, plush version. Note that changing yarn weight will alter the size and require more or less stuffing accordingly.

Stitch Guide & Abbreviations (US Terms)

MR: Magic ring
ch: Chain
sc: Single crochet
inc: Increase (2 sc in the same stitch)
dec: Decrease (sc 2 stitches together through front loops only)
sl st: Slip stitch
st(s): Stitch(es)

Step-by-Step Pattern Instructions

Bee Body

Work in continuous rounds. Place a stitch marker at the start of each round to keep track of your progress.

Rnd 1: With yellow yarn, 6 sc in MR (6 sts).
Rnd 2: 2 sc in each st around (12 sts).
Rnd 3: (1 sc, inc) repeat 6 times (18 sts).
Rnd 4: (2 sc, inc) repeat 6 times (24 sts).
Rnd 5-7: sc in each st around (24 sts).
Rnd 8: With black yarn, sc in each st around (24 sts).
Rnd 9: With black yarn, sc in each st around (24 sts).
Rnd 10: With yellow yarn, sc in each st around (24 sts).
Rnd 11: With yellow yarn, sc in each st around (24 sts).
Rnd 12: With black yarn, sc in each st around (24 sts).
Rnd 13: With black yarn, sc in each st around (24 sts).
Rnd 14: With yellow yarn, (2 sc, dec) repeat 6 times (18 sts). Attach safety eyes between Rnd 3 and Rnd 4, approximately 4 stitches apart. Begin stuffing the body firmly.
Rnd 15: (1 sc, dec) repeat 6 times (12 sts).
Rnd 16: dec 6 times (6 sts). Fasten off, leaving a long tail for closing. Use the needle to weave the tail through the front loops of the remaining 6 stitches and pull tight to close.

Wings

Make two.

Rnd 1: With white yarn, 6 sc in MR (6 sts).
Rnd 2: 2 sc in each st around (12 sts).
Rnd 3: sc in each st around (12 sts).
Rnd 4: (dec) repeat 6 times (6 sts).

Fasten off and leave a tail for sewing. Flatten the wings and sew them onto the back of the bee, centered over the black stripes.

Care & Washing Instructions

Hand wash your finished bee in cool water using a mild liquid soap.
Gently squeeze out excess water with a towel, do not wring or twist the piece.
Lay flat on a clean surface in the shade to air dry completely, reshaping if necessary while damp.

Pro Tips & Common Mistakes to Avoid

Maintain consistent tension: Keep your stitches tight to ensure the stuffing does not poke through the gaps, which is common in amigurumi projects.
Use a stitch marker: Because this pattern is worked in a continuous spiral, always move your marker to the first stitch of the current round to avoid losing your count.
Weave in ends securely: Use your tapestry needle to run the yarn tail back and forth through the interior of the bee body before trimming, ensuring it won’t pull out over time.
Adjusting size: You can make the bee longer by adding more yellow and black stripe repetitions between Rnd 5 and Rnd 13, but keep in mind this will increase your total yarn consumption.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I use cotton yarn instead of acrylic?

Yes, cotton yarn is an excellent choice for amigurumi because it has less stretch and produces very defined, clean stitches that hold the shape of the bee well.

Are the safety eyes safe for infants?

Safety eyes are secured with a washer, but they can be a choking hazard for young children. If you are making this for a baby, embroider the eyes with black thread instead.

How do I make the bee larger?

You can increase the size by using a heavier weight yarn like bulky or super bulky, paired with a hook that is one size smaller than recommended on the yarn label to maintain a tight fabric.

Am I allowed to sell bees made from this pattern?

You are welcome to sell finished items created from this pattern, provided you credit the designer. Please note that you may not sell or redistribute the pattern text itself.

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Your finished bee looks charming tied to a gift box or buzzing among a collection of soft toys. Try working this in a soft cotton yarn for a smoother, tighter look or switch to a fuzzy chenille yarn for an extra cozy texture that is soft to the touch. I would love to see how your colors turned out, so feel free to share a photo of your work online. Check out the rest of the blog for more quick weekend projects to keep your hands busy and your home decorated.