
Hogan the Hunky Cactus Amigurumi
In this amigurumi crochet pattern we’ll be crocheting a hunky cactus! This cactus amigurumi pattern is designed to teach you how to make larger cactuses, a new technique for adding spikes, and an alternative flower to add on top! This tutorial is designed for crocheters with some slight experience, but includes a full length video tutorial just in case, so you never miss a stitch!
What you'll create
What you'll learn
What you'll need

Cotton Yarn
Weight

Colors

Crochet Hook
G6 / 4.00 mm

Safety Bead (x2)
8mm
Black Thread (Face)

Stuffing

Darning Needle
Abbreviations
ch
Chain Stitch
st
Stitch
slst
Slip Stitch
sc
Single Crochet
inc
Increase
invdec
Invisible Decrease
FLO/BLO
Front / Back Loops Only
dc
Double Crochet
hdc
Half-Double Crochet
bo
Bobble Stitch (4-dc bobble)
Other Useful Info
Gauge
5 Rnds and 4 sts per 1”
Size
about 5 inches long
Worked
In the Round
The Pattern

01Hunky Cactus Body
[All in Forest Green]
Magic loop
Rnd 1: sc 6 into the magic loop (6)
Rnd 2: inc in each (12)
Rnd 3: [sc 1, inc 1] 6 times (18)
Rnd 4: [sc 2, inc 1] 6 times (24)
The following Rnds are meant to give height to your cactus. You can repeat them as many times as you'd like, but I suggest at least 5 rounds to have your cactus taller than your pot.
Rnds 5-9+: sc in each st (24 x 5+)
See Section 3 to add feet.
Add face if desired.
Rnd 10: [sc 2, invdec 1] 6 times (18)
Rnd 11: [sc 1, invdec 1] 6 times (12)
Rnd 12: invdec in each (6)
Cut the yarn leaving enough to sew closed.
Stuff fully, and sew closed.
Sew on any added sections.
(Suggested: Mini and Medium Segment)
Add spikes (See Section 4).
Embroider on a butt for good luck.
02Adding Faces
To add a face, I like to start with the mouth, then add eyes using safety eyes on either end of the edges of the mouth 1 stitch away.
Simple Smile
1. Using Black thread, insert the needle from the inside of the body and exiting where you want a smile to begin. If you made feet for your cactus, try to make the smile centered with the feet.
2. Pull to the opposite corner of where you want the smile to end, and insert your needle back into the body. This will create a straight line.
3. Insert your needle to exit the body where you want the bottom of the smile to be. Go around the straight line and insert back into the body through the same stitch you last exited.
4. Double knot the two ends on the inside of the body and cut close.
Chubby Derpy Smile
1. Using Black thread insert the needle from the inside of the body and exiting where you want a one of the cheeks to begin. Go one round down and insert back into the body through the adjacent stitch. This will create one short vertical line.
2. From the inside of the body, go across to where you want the top of the opposite cheek to begin. Go one round down and insert back into the body through the adjacent stitch. You should now have 2 vertical lines.
3. Exit from the body from the center of the last vertical line made. Go around this vertical line, and across to the opposite vertical line, then back into the body.
4. Double knot the two ends on the inside of the body and cut close.
03Adding Feet
To add feet to my cactuses I suggest using 2 Bobble Stitches (aka "bo") in the last round of single crochet stitches separated by a few single crochets. This should be done in the round right before decreasing (invdec) so that they’re at the bottom of your cactus.
For this pattern, replace Rnd 7 in the Dirt Filler with the following Rnd, but be sure to switch to Green for each bobble stitch...
Rnd 7: sc 6, bo, sc 4, bo, sc 6 (18)
Bonus Video Tutorial: www.ClubCrochet.com/BOBBLE
How to Crochet a Bobble Stitch (aka "bo")
(1:13:28)04Striped Spikes
For this method we’ll be creating lines on our cacti in addition to X’s to create stripes of spikes along the outside of the cactus. This method is about the same difficulty as the X Stitch Spikes, but is a bit quicker to make. The downside is it requires some yarn in an alternate color to create a nice contrast in the lines.
To start, with a long strand of alternate colored yarn threaded on a needle (I like using a different shade of Green), insert on the bottom of your cactus through a stitch adjacent to the final 6 stitches in the base. Exit from 1 of the 6 final stitches.
Go all the way up the cactus and insert into one of the 6 stitches at the top of your cactus, try using the stitch that is most parallel to the base stitch. Exit from one of the adjacent 6 stitches at the top.
Now go all the way to the base, and insert back into the bottom through one of the remaining 5 stitches on the base (try to work into a parallel stitch to the top), and exit through one of the remaining 4 stitches.
As you work these lines, try to keep a relative tension so they are not too loose and wobbly, nor too tight and pulling the cactus in.
Go all the way to the top and continue this method using all 6 stitches at the top and base to create 6 lines around your cactus.
Finish this part by inserting into the final stitch on the base, and exiting from where your tail end was left. Double knot the two ends, cut close, and stuff the knot into the piece using the back of your needle.
Now, using a method similar to the X Spikes, create white Xs along the lines working up and down using white or black yarn threaded on a needle. Try to maintain a similar distance between Xs, and try to make sure each X for each stripe is lined up in a similar round.
Continue this until each line includes Xs and finish up by pulling the yarn end through where the tail end was left. Double knot the two ends, cut close, and stuff the knot into the piece using the back of your needle.
05Flower Bulb
[All in Flower Color]
Ch 10
Row 1: Skip the first ch, working into each ch down, slst 1, sc 1, hdc 1, dc 3, hdc 1, sc 1, slst 1 (9)
Rows 2-11:turn, ch 1, working in the BLO, slst 1, sc 1, hdc 1, dc 3, hdc 1, sc 1, slst 1 (9 x 10)
In the following Row we’ll be connecting the flower bulb together while simultaniously working our last Row of stitches.
To do this, prior to each stitch, remove your hook and insert it into the last ch from before Row 1.
Yarn over with the loose loop and pull through the ch.
Continue the Row as instructed by slst 1 into the BLO of the first st.
Remove the hook from the loop, insert into the next ch and pull the loop through. Continue with this method until you’ve crocheted all the sts in Row 12.
Row 12: turn, ch 1, working in the BLO, slst 1, sc 1, hdc 1, dc 3, hdc 1, sc 1, slst 1 (9)
Cut the yarn and pull through. Using the original tail end, sew the top of the bulb closed by threading around the edge of each row and pulling tight. Then insert back into the center and out the open bottom.
Use this tail end to center the bulb while sewing onto your cactus. Use the final tail end to sew the bulb onto the cactus using the edges of the open end. Make sure to stuff fully before finishing sewing onto the cactus!
06Medium Pot
This pot is designed to fit crocheted pieces with 24 stitches in diameter (ie. Hunky Cactus Body)
[All in Beige or Pot Color]
Magic loop
Rnd 1: sc 6 into the magic loop (6)
Rnd 2: inc in each (12)
Rnd 3: [sc 1, inc 1] 6 times (18)
Rnd 4: [sc 2, inc 1] 6 times (24)
Rnd 5: Working in the FLO, slst in each (24)
Rnd 6: ch 1, working in the unused BLO from Rnd 4, sc in each st (24)
Rnd 7: [sc 7, inc 1] 3 times (27)
Rnd 8: sc in each (27)
Rnd 9: [sc 8, inc 1] 3 times (30)
Rnd 10: sc in each (30)
Repeat Rnd 10 for added height if desired.
Rnd 11: Working in the FLO, slst in each (30)
Cut the yarn, pull through, and hide the end
in the first slst made in Rnd 11.
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1 thought on “Hogan the Hunky Cactus Amigurumi”
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The step for adding the feet might be for a different cactus? It talks about the dirt layer and says there should be 18 stitches. I don’t see a dirt layer and I think we are at 24 stitches at that point. It looks like the video has the correct count, 8 sc, bo, 6sc, bo, 8sc. Otherwise, having lots of fun with this series!