Crochet Applique – Tiger

This Crochet Tiger Applique is a fun and playful design that’s perfect for decorating blankets, bags, sweaters, wall hangings, or children’s accessories. You can make a classic orange tiger or a sweet white tiger simply by changing the colors.

The applique is worked flat and includes separate pieces for the head, body, legs, and details, allowing you to assemble and customize your tiger exactly how you like.

Don’t forget to join my facebook group,  you can ask your questions, and share your finished projects. I will regularly ask you what pattern you would like to see next (or you can even suggest something even if I am not asking!).

I hope you enjoy this pattern and find it easy to follow. If you have any questions, feel free to write to me—I’ll do my best to help. And I would absolutely love to see your creations!

Crochet Tiger Applique

Start Here

Please read the entire pattern before starting.

• Pattern is written in US crochet terms
• This is an applique pattern, worked flat
• Use a stitch marker if helpful

Material:

• Worsted yarn in orange, black and white. (For a white tiger: white, black, and light pink)
• Small amount of black pearl cotton (mouth)
• 3.5 mm crochet hook.
• 2 black safety eyes (7.5 mm) for the eyes
• 1 black safety eye (6 mm) for the nose
• Stitch markers
• Tapestry needle

Abbreviations:

• chain (ch)
• magic ring (mr)
• single crochet (sc)
• increase (inc)
• invisible decrease (dec)
• slip stitch (sl st)
• half double crochet (hdc)
• double crochet (dc)

Yarn Used

Light worsted yarn.
Sample shown uses I Love This Cotton (Hobby Lobby) and Rico Creative Cotton for the white tiger version.

How to crochet a Tiger applique?

Head

• Work in rounds; do not turn unless specified. If needed, use a stitch marker for the first stitch of each round.

With orange yarn (or white for the white tiger) and a 3.5 mm hook:

• Round 1: 6 sc in a magic ring. (6)
• Round 2: inc 6 times. (12)
• Round 3: [1 sc in next st, 1 inc in next st] x6. (18)
• Round 4: [1 sc in next 2 st, 1 inc in next st] x6. (24)
• Round 5: [1 sc in next 3 st, 1 inc in next st] x6. (30)

Place the eyes between Rounds 2 and 3, spaced by 4 stitches.

Fasten off.

Ears (make 2) 

With orange yarn (or white) and a 3.5 mm hook:

• Round 1: 6 sc in a magic ring. (6)

Fasten off.

Sew the ears to the head over 2 stitches, spaced by 5 stitches.

Stripes (Head)

Using black yarn and a tapestry needle:

• Embroider 3 stripes at the top of the head, starting from the last round and extending over 2 rounds
• Add 3 smaller stripes on each side, just below the ears

Exact placement does not need to be precise.

Muzzle

With white yarn and a 3.5 mm hook:

• ch 5. 
• Round 1:
  Starting in the 2nd ch from the hook:
  1 sc in next 3 ch, 2 sc in last ch,
  working on the other side of the chain: 1 sc in next 3 ch. (8)
• Round 2:
  Working around the oval:
  1 inc, 1 sc in the next 2 st, 1 inc. (6)
• Round 2: 2 sc in the next st, 1 sc in the next 2 st, 2 sc in the next st. (6)

Sl st in next st.

Fasten off, leaving a long tail.

Insert the nose at the top center of the muzzle.
Remove the nose temporarily to embroider a small mouth with black pearl cotton, then reattach the nose.

Sew the muzzle to the head.

Body 

With orange yarn (or white) and a 3.5 mm hook:

• ch 7. (7)
• Row 1: starting from the 2nd ch from the hook: 1 sc in the next 6 ch. (6)
• Row 2: ch1, turn; 1 inc, 1 sc in the next 4 st, 1 inc. (8)
• Rows 3 to 9: ch1, turn; 1 sc in all st. (8)
• Row 10: ch1, turn; 1 dec, 1 sc in the next 4 st, 1 dec. (6)
• Rows 11 to 12: ch1, turn; 1 sc in all st. (6)
• Row 13: ch1, turn; 1 sc in the next 2 st, 1 dec, 1 sc in the next 2 st. (5)
• Row 14: ch1, turn; 1 sc in all st. (5)

Edging

Do not turn.
Sc evenly around the body (do not crochet too tightly).
Approx. 32 stitches.

Fasten off, leaving a long tail to sew the head.

Optional White Belly

With white yarn and a 3.5 mm hook:

• ch 5. 
• Row 1: starting from the 2nd ch from the hook: 1 sc in the next 4 ch. (4)
• Row 2: ch1, turn; 1 sc in all st. (4)
• Row 3: ch1, turn; 1 inc, 1 sc in the next 2 st, 1 inc. (6)
• Rows 4 to 5: ch1, turn; 1 sc in all st. (6)
• Row 6: ch1, turn; 1 dec, 1 sc in the next 2 st, 1 dec. (4)
• Row 7: ch1, turn; 1 sc in all st. (4)

Fasten off, leaving a long tail.
Sew to the body.

Back legs (make 2)

• Worked in rounds (feet) and then in rows (legs).

With white yarn (light pink for white tiger):

• Round 1: 5 sc in a magic ring. (5)
• Round 2: [1 inc in all st]. (10)

Change to orange yarn (or white).

• Round 3: [1 sc in the next st, 1 inc] x5. (15)

Now work in rows:

• Row 4: 1 sc in the next 3 st. (3)
• Row 5: ch1, turn; 1 sc in all st. (3)
• Row 6-7: ch1, turn; 1 sc in all st. (3)

Fasten off.

Sew the back legs behind the body so only the feet are visible from the front.

Front legs (make 2) 

With orange yarn (or white):

• Round 1: 6 sc in a magic ring. (6)
• Round 2: [1 inc in the next 3 st; 1 sc in the next 3 st]. (9)
• Row 3:  1 sl st in the next st; ch1, turn; skip the sl st and make 1 sc in the next 3 st. (3)
• Row 4: ch1, turn; make 1 sc in the next 3 st. (3)
• Rows 5-11: ch1, turn; make 1 sc in the next 3 st. (3)

Fasten off.

Embroider 4 black stripes on each leg.
Sew the front legs to the body.

Assembly

• Sew the head to the body
• Check alignment before securing tightly

🎉 Finished!

Your Crochet Tiger Applique is complete 🐯
I hope you enjoyed making it! Don’t forget to share your work — it truly encourages me to create more patterns.

Copyright Notice

All rights reserved. This pattern and all accompanying photographs are the property of Natalina Craft and are protected by copyright law. This pattern is for personal use only. Any unauthorized reproduction, redistribution, or publication of this pattern, in whole or in part, is strictly prohibited.

You are welcome to sell finished items made from this pattern in small quantities. While crediting Natalina Craft as the designer is not required, it is always greatly appreciated—especially when selling online—so others can find the original pattern. Thank you for respecting these guidelines.