The Rabbit Family in King Cole Merino DK - 9034 - Downloadable PDF

The Rabbit Family in King Cole Merino DK – Pattern 9034: A Detailed Summary

Pattern 9034 from King Cole is a delightful amigurumi crochet pattern titled The Rabbit Family, worked in King Cole Merino DK yarn. Designed for intermediate crochet enthusiasts, this downloadable PDF pattern guides makers through the creation of a charming family of crocheted rabbits, each constructed using classic amigurumi techniques. A donation is made to the Pink Ribbon Foundation with every King Cole pattern purchased.

What Is Being Made

This pattern produces a family of knitted rabbits worked in the popular amigurumi style — a Japanese craft tradition of making small, stuffed crocheted or knitted figures, typically animals or characters. The rabbit family likely includes multiple members at varying sizes, making this a rewarding project that results in a coordinated set of soft toy figures. These make wonderful gifts, nursery decorations, or collectible handmade toys.

Materials Used

• Yarn: King Cole Merino DK — a DK weight yarn, used in multiple colours throughout the pattern
• Colours specified: Brown (B), Cream (C), Grey (G), Pink (P), and a designated Main Colour (MC)
• Hook: A crochet hook appropriate for DK weight yarn (specific size referenced within the full pattern)
• Additional materials: Stuffing for the amigurumi figures, stitch markers to track spiral rounds

Because tension is stated as not important for this pattern, makers have flexibility in their hook size — a common feature of amigurumi patterns where the primary concern is creating a firm, tight fabric that holds stuffing securely without gaps showing.

Techniques Used

This pattern employs a range of crochet techniques well-suited to three-dimensional toy construction:

• Amigurumi construction: Working in continuous spiral rounds without turning the work at the end of each round — a hallmark of amigurumi making that creates seamless, rounded shapes ideal for stuffed figures
• Invisible colour change: Colours are changed by introducing the new yarn as the last yarn over before completing the next stitch, creating smooth, nearly invisible transitions between colours
• Carrying yarn: On rows with frequent colour changes, yarns are not cut but instead held loosely at the back of the work, reducing yarn ends to weave in and keeping the fabric tidy
• Working into top loops only: The pattern specifies working into the top loops of stitches rather than between stitches, a technique that affects the texture and definition of the finished fabric
• Stitch marking: Makers are instructed to always mark the last stitch of each round, an essential practice when working in spirals to avoid losing count

Stitches Used

• Double Crochet (dc): The primary stitch throughout the pattern — note that in UK crochet terminology, double crochet refers to what is called a single crochet in US terminology; this is the standard stitch used in amigurumi
• Chain (ch): Used for starting and structural elements within the pattern
• Increase (inc): Working 2 double crochet stitches into the same stitch to expand the fabric and create rounded, three-dimensional shapes
• Decrease (dec): Reducing 2 stitches down to 1 to shape and close sections of the figures, such as the tops of heads or the ends of limbs
• Yarn Over (YO): A fundamental action referenced within the pattern's technique instructions

Pattern Structure and Design Notes

The pattern is worked in rounds and rows, with the majority of the three-dimensional shaping achieved through spiral rounds. Each rabbit in the family is built up from individual components — such as the body, head, ears, and limbs — which are then assembled and stuffed to create the finished figures. The use of multiple yarn colours, including Brown, Cream, Grey, and Pink, allows for colour variation across the family members, giving each rabbit its own personality and appearance.