Amigurumi Crochet Dancing Baby Groot From Guardians of the Galaxy

This is an amigurumi crochet baby Groot from the Marvel movie Guardians of the Galaxy. This is step by step pattern for a really cute stuffed baby Groot.

WARNING: This is a hard pattern and may cause procrastination, frustration, frayed yarn, and other types of crocheting inconvenience.

You must know how to crochet to make this. Specific skills are noted below.

Sc (single crochet), ch (chain stitch), slst (slip stitch), hdc (half double crochet), increasing, decreasing, and crocheting through back or front loops only.

Helpful tips and information:

This is the original pattern for Groot that I followed. However, the instructions and steps were too brief and harder to understand and I felt there were not enough pictures. The goal for this Instructable is to provide roughly the same pattern, with changes for an easier and more enjoyable experience.

Thanks to my sister ultimatecraftfan for providing some of her leftover materials and helped make this Instructable possible.

Step 1: Materials

Yes, you need tools to make this. ... who knew?

1. Brown fingering cotton yarn. I used brown Cotton Fair brand yarn, which was 1/2 acrylic, 1/2 cotton. I suggest you use 100% cotton, however, as the stitches will look more neat and uniform, and it will probably be easier in general.

2. 2 mm crochet hook

3. Green yarn or embroidery floss (for the leaves). I used green embroidery floss which worked fine, and the leaves were thinner and it was nice to look at a different material on Groot other than yarn. I'd suggest embroidery floss, but each to his own.

4. Black embroidery floss

5. Stitch marker for marking rounds.

6. Black safety eyes

7. Stuffing material. I used cotton balls, but these proved to be a little too lumpy. Polyester fiberfill may work better, but if all you got is cotton balls, you have a witness here who has used those and it turned out.

8. 0.81 mm wire

9. Pincers/pliers for cutting/bending wire

10. Yarn needle

11. Regular sewing needle with large eye

12. Scissors

13. Small flower pot (with 2 /12 inch diameter on the top)

Step 2: Crochet the Body of Groot

With crochet hook and brown yarn, crochet through back loops only.

Chain 32

Round 1: hdc in third chain from hook, hdc again, 6 sc, 14 slst, 4 sc, 4 hdc. Total: 30 stitches.

Round 2: ch 1, 6 sc, 20 slst, 4 sc. Total: 30 stitches.

Round 3: ch 1, 30 sc. 30 stitches total.

Round 4: ch 2, 4 hdc, 2 sc, 6 slst, 6 sc, 6 slst, 4 sc, 2 hdc (30)

Round 5: ch 1, 12 sc, 6 slst, 12 sc (30)

Round 6: ch 2, 4 hdc, 26 sc (30)

Round 7: ch 1, 8 sc, 14 slst, 4 sc, 4 hdc (30)

Round 8: ch 1, 30 sc (30)

Round 9: ch 1, 6 sc, 18 slst, 3 sc, 3 hdc (30)

Round 10: ch 2 4 hdc, 6 sc, 14 slst, 3 sc, 3 hdc (30)

Round 11: ch 2, 3 hdc, 23 sc, 4 hdc (30)

Round 12: ch 1, 6 sc, 6 slst, 8 sc, 4 slst, 6 sc (30)

Round 13: ch 1, 30 sc (30)

Step 3: Fold Body in Half and Crochet It Together.

Fold piece in half with Round 1 as the front and the opening on the top. Make piece into tube by crocheting Round 1 with Round 13 with 30 slst (Round 13 through back loops only). Don't fasten off. Keep the yarn on the hook at the end and go to the next step to begin the head.

Step 4: Crochet the First Round of the Head.

For both the head and hair, crochet in a continuous spiral going up without turning. For this you need the stitch marker to mark the end of each round. Crochet through both loops. Read Round 1 rules carefully as this can get tricky.

Round 1: Chain 1. Insert stitch marker on the chain on your hook and crochet 30 stitches in this row. You can’t fit 30 stitches onto this one row, however, so this is where you’ll need to increase, which is super easy. Crochet 2 sc in each spacing between ribs and in each rib. Since this will only give you 26 stitches, you’ll need to increase not once, but twice in two of the biggest spaces. When you are done, you will have reached the end of the round and your hook will now encounter the stitch marker.

Step 5: Crochet the Whole Head.

Round 2: Slip stitch marker onto the first chain on your hook (you’ll do this every beginning of the row). Sc in each stitch: 30 stitches.

Round 3: Increase then 4 sc. Repeat this 6 times for a total of 36 stitches. When you increase, simply sc twice in the next stitch (2 sc in one stitch, then move on to 4 sc) x2. Easy!

Round 4: 8 sc, increase, 8 sc and increase again, 12 sc, increase two more times, then 12 sc. Total stitches: 40

Round 5 - Round 9: sc in each stitch (40)

Step 6: Start Decreasing on the Head (this Helps It Circle Up).

For the next rounds, you're going to decrease on the head. This is how you decrease: insert hook in stitch and yarn over like you’re making a sc, then insert hook into next stitch so that you have three loops on your hook. Yarn over, and pull loop through all three loops on hook. That's just one stitch in the space of two, and that is 1 decrease.

Round 10: 8 sc, then decrease three times, 10 sc, then decrease three times, 10 sc = 34 Round 11: 9 sc. Decrease then 4c twice, decrease again, 9 sc, decrease once again = 30

Round 12 - Round 15: sc in each stitch (30) Round 16: (decrease then 3 sc) six times (24)

Round 16: Decrease then 3 sc. Repeat this six times. (24)

Step 7: Start the First Round of Hair.

Now for the hair. You’ll be crocheting through the front loops only now. Use the stitch marker.

Round 17

Spike 1: ch 5, crochet 4 slst down chain, 2 slst (see first picture)

Spike 2: ch 8, crochet 7 slst down chain, 2 slst [see second picture]

Spike 3: ch 6, crochet 5 slst down chain, 2 slst.

Now repeat spikes 1-3 three more times, and you should have a total of 12 spikes in all.

Spike 13: ch 8, crochet 7 slst down chain.

Grab your stuffing material and stuff the head. Your Groot will begin to take shape!

Step 8: Finish the Rounds of Hair.

Hold it right there. Things get a little tricker now. Now you’ll crochet in only the back stitches. You can do it!

Round 17 (2): Leave your stitch marker in the beginning for the row. Sc, sc2tog (same as decrease), sc again. Do this five more times and you'll have 18 stitches in all. This is the beginning of the closing up of the head. Stitchin’ Groot up.

Now you’ll start to see a pattern. We’re going to go around twice now to complete Round 18. First we’ll go around with the hair again, and then around finishing it up like in Round 17 and decreasing. Now crochet in front loops only.

Round 18: Update stitch marker.

Spike 1: Ch 8, crochet 7 slst down chain, slt.

Spike 2: ch 6, crochet 5 slst down chain. 2 slst.

Repeat Spike 2 again 6 more times and you’ll have 12 spikes in total

Step 9: Close Up the Head.

Now then, if you got mixed up like I did and you ended up with repeating spike 2 more like seven times and end up with only 11 or 13 stitches when you get to your stitch marker, there’s no problem at all. All you gotta do is keep crocheting in a circle until the head of your Groot is all closed up.

Round 18 (2): Update stitch marker and sc, sc2tog six times, and end up with around 12 stitches.

Round 19: ch 6, crochet 5 slst down chain. 2 slst. Repeat this six times in all.

Round 19 (2): sc2tog 6 times. I didn’t even finish this row because it got closed up so fast! Now you’ll just sow it up with your crochet hook and fasten off. Or you can fasten off and use your yarn needle to sew up the top, depending on how much space you need to sew up. I just use my crochet hook.

I know this is hard, especially when the stuffing and hairs get in the way … but you’re almost done! It’s all downhill from here.

Step 10: Now for the Eyes and Mouth and Stuff the Body.

Next you’re going to take your needle and black embroidery floss and made the mouth. You can take a look at the picture where I marked the middle of the mouth with the stitch marker and you can eyeball where you want the mouth, or you can specific and have the mouth on the sixth row of the head and 13 stitches wide.

Now you’ll sew on those safety eyes. Easy peasy. You may need a needle with a smaller eye to fit it through the eyes. A little lopsided, I know, but still cute!

Now take your stuffing material and stuff the body/trunk.

Step 11: Crochet the Arms.

Time to crochet the arms. Crochet the whole piece through the back loops only and turn piece after finishing row, back and forth.

Ch 25.

Round 1: slst 24 stitches.

Round 2: 3 hdc, 17 sc, ch 7 (27 stitches)

Round 3: crochet along chain. slst, 5 slst, 17 sc, 3 hdc (24 stitches)

Round 4: ch 2, 3 hdc, 5 sc, ch 5 (25 stitches)

Round 5: crochet along the chain. 7 slst, 3 sc, 6 slst, 5 sc, 3 hdc (24 stitches)

Now fold the piece in half so that Round 1 is in the front and crochet 19 slst up. Sew up the hole where the arm meets the hand. Then whip stitch down to the place where the arm will meet the body and cut off, leaving a long tail to sew onto the body later.
Next, get the wire. I used 0.81 mm wire. Slip it up through the arm and cut off one inch at the bottom, so that this can stick into the body once you sew it up. Using a real sewing needle (you’ll need one with a larger eye to fit the yarn through) stitch up the arm to the body.

Make a second arm and repeat through all steps. Sew it up.

Step 12: Slip a Wire Through Groot So He Can Stay the Way You Bend Him.

Next you’re going to assemble the Groot. Cut a piece of wire more than half the size of Groot. Tie the ends of the wire into loops (see picture). This may be a little hard, and this is why I don’t recommend using cotton balls; I used cotton balls, and the wire was not able to go through, so I had to take the cotton balls out, put the wire through, and then restuff the body. It still works, but this is the harder way.

Step 13: Crochet the Leaves (make Four).

Now you're going to crochet the green leaves.

Now make the leaves. You’ll need four of them. Switch to the green yarn (I used embroidery floss).
Ch 5. slst, 2 sc, and 3 hdc in the last chain. Pull the yarn end to get the first chain tight, and keep crocheting around, like a circle. 2 sc, 2 slst, chain 3. Repeat and make three more. Sew the four leaves onto the two arms and two sides of the head.

Step 14: Crochet the Soil Ball.

Now it’s time for the soil ball, and it is crocheted to fit a pot that is 2 ½ inches on the top. Crochet in a continuous spiral, so you’ll need your stitch marker, and crochet through both loops. You’re actually going to crochet the ball onto the bottom of the baby Groot.

Round 1: Insert hook into the bottom piece of Groot. Make slip knot with your yarn and thread it through your hook. Yarn over and make your first sc. Increase with single crochets around the edge until you reach your stitch marker with 36 sc. [picture]

Round 2: Increase in next stitch (2 in 1) then 5 sc. Repeat this six times and you should have 42 stitches.

Round 3: 2 sc, increase in next stitch (2 in this stitch), 4 sc. Repeat this 6 times for 48 stitches.

Round 4-9: sc in each stitch: 48 Round 10: Decrease, 6 sc. Repeat this 6 times for a total of 42 stitches.

Round 11: 2 sc, decrease, 3 sc. Repeat this 6 times for a total of 36 stitches.

Round 12: 4 sc, decrease. Repeat 6 times for a total of 30 stitches.

Round 13: sc, decrease, 2 sc. Repeat 6 times for a total of 24 stitches.

Round 14: 2 sc, decrease. Repeat 6 times for a total of 18 stitches.