Table of Contents
✨ New & Improved! I first released this pattern in July 2021. In June 2026, I improved the shape of the head and ears, and added a joint that connects the body to the head (no more sewing it on!).
I’m the Husband: Let’s Interview Jess!
Hi, I’m Jonathan, the behind-the-scenes guy of the Jess Huff brand. Jess and I started her crochet business together the year we got married, ten years ago now. You won’t find me in any of the pictures or videos, but I keep a lot of the lights on around here.
I write and debug code for the website, handle all the tech gear (cameras, microphones, computers… Who knew crochet pattern design was so technical?), and fill in wherever else I’m needed—including many runs to the yarn store!
Jess just wrapped up a major redesign of one of her most popular patterns, Caroline the Cow. She wasn’t sure what to write here and asked me for ideas.
After some brainstorming, we thought it would be fun if I interviewed her about the pattern and gave you a peek behind the curtain.
So today I’ll be asking Jess about how Caroline the Cow came to be, and what’s new in this pattern update. This project was sprawled all over our bed for weeks, so I think I’m qualified to ask a few questions about it.
Let’s start at the beginning. When did you write the original cow pattern, and what was your inspiration?
I designed Caroline the Cow in June 2021, when our second baby was five months old. I remember rocking him in his bouncer with my foot while I crocheted the prototype.
At that point I’d done a lot of safari and woodland animals, and people kept asking me to branch out into farm animals. The cow has always been a crowd favorite, so I’m glad I listened!
That’s a cute memory! Before we get to the pattern update, let’s talk about the original design a bit more. Why did you choose to sew on spots instead of doing colorwork?
It was just what I knew how to do at the time! I didn’t have much colorwork experience when I originally designed the cow. When I was planning this update in early 2026, I polled my Facebook group about whether they wanted to crochet the spots with color changes while making the body.
Out of 514 votes, 62% said they prefer to make separate spots and sew them on. So what started as a limitation in my design ability turned out to be what most people wanted anyway. I love when that happens!
This update was a long time coming. What finally pushed you to get it done?
It was very much a “If You Give a Mouse a Cookie” situation. I’d actually done a first update in February 2024, but I was never happy with how the photos turned out.
After the update, the pattern started to lose popularity. I think it’s because the background in the photos looked fake. Maybe it made people think the whole pattern was fake/AI-generated? In any case, I wanted to take new photos ASAP!
Since I needed to take new photos anyway, I wanted to finally fix the head and ear shapes that had always bothered me.
…And since I was reworking the head, I decided to go ahead and implement the doll joint construction method I’d been experimenting with.
…And since I was doing all of that, it made sense to design the Highland cow version people had been requesting for years. It became a really big project!
Tell me more about the doll joint. That’s a big change!
I don’t particularly enjoy sewing amigurumi parts together, especially when something needs to be straight or symmetrical. I try to design around it when I can!
When making an animal, you can either crochet the snout and head together as one piece (front-to-back), or the head and body together as one piece (top-to-bottom). But either way, something has to be sewn on: the snout to the head, or the body to the head. I’ve always chosen to crochet the snout and head together, which means sewing the body to the head.
I hate that part! Even after a decade of making animals, I usually can’t get it straight on my first try. Sometimes it takes me over an hour.
I’d been mulling over the idea of using a doll joint for a long time, but there were two design obstacles I had to consider.
- The head/body have to be made in tandem: crochet part of the head, pause to start the body, attach the joint, then go back and finish both pieces.
- Almost all of my bodies are made bottom-to-top, but the joint requires top-to-bottom. That meant a full rework of the pattern.
It was worth every bit of the effort. The joint eliminates the head-sewing step, cutting a full hour off the project for me. The head sits perfectly every time, and it rotates! That makes the animal so much more fun to pose and play with.
It might look intimidating, but it’s actually pretty easy! I’ve included several photos of attaching the joint to guide people though.
Caroline the Cow and Holly the Highland Cow are your first two patterns to use the head joint. Are more coming?
It really depends on the feedback I get. If people prefer not to use the head joint, they always have the option to sew the body to the head. I’m interested to hear what people think!
Ready to make Caroline? Scroll down for the free pattern. And if you love her, be sure to check out her sister pattern, Holly the Highland Cow!
Resources
Photo Tutorials
Video Tutorials
Caroline the Cow
Height: 14 inches (36cm) standing Skill Level: Intermediate Crochet Terms: USCaroline loves grazing in the pasture, smelling the daisies, and frolicking in the sunshine with all her farm friends. From horn to hoof, she’s certified Grade A adorable!
Supplies
- 3.5mm (E-4) hook or size needed to obtain gauge
- Stitch markers
- Scissors
- Fiber fill
- Yarn needle
- (1) 45mm doll joint
- Straight pins
- (2) 15mm safety eyes
273 yards of acrylic (weight 4) yarn:
Notes
Steps to Complete Pattern
- Crochet the Horns
- Crochet the Ears
- Crochet the Start of the Head
- Crochet the Start of the Body
- Attach the Head to the Body with a Doll Joint
- Crochet the Remainder of the Head
- Sew the Horns to the Head
- Sew the Ears to the Head
- Crochet the Arms
- Crochet the Legs
- Crochet the Remainder of the Body
- Add Cloven Hooves to the Limbs
- Crochet the Spots
- Sew the Spots to the Body
- Crochet the Tail
- Sew the Tail to the Body
Abbreviations
- BLO – crochet in the back loop only
- ch – chain
- dc – double crochet
- dec – combine two stitches into one with an invisible decrease
- FLO – crochet in the front loop only
- hdc – half double crochet
- inc – complete two single crochets within the same stitch
- sc – single crochet
- sk – skip
- sl st – slip stitch
- st(s) – stitch(es)
- *sc x* – repeat the instructions between asterisks (*) the indicated number of times
- [sc x, *x* 2 times] – complete the stitches listed in the brackets the indicated number of times in order
- (sc x) – attach a body part while completing the stitches inside parentheses as instructed by the pattern
- {x,y} – complete the stitches listed in curly brackets within the same stitch
General Instructions
- This pattern is worked in continuous rounds without joining.
- Use a stitch marker to mark the end of each round. Move the marker up each round.
- Work all stitches in both loops unless the pattern instructs otherwise.
- This pattern is worked from the top down. Some pieces are crocheted separately and either sewn on after finishing or crocheted directly into the body as you work.
- The head and body sections of this pattern are worked in tandem so that they may be connected with a doll joint. This means you will move between crocheting the head and the body simultaneously.
- To avoid cutting and rejoining your working yarn, use separate skeins of yarn for the head and body. If you use a single skein for both sections, you will need to cut the yarn and rejoin it when moving between sections.
- Before starting the project, review the list of video tutorials mentioned below.
Pattern Gauge
30 sts by 5 rounds in sc = 2 inches (5cm)
Work rounds 01 – 05 of Leg and measure across the diameter of the circle. Piece should measure 2 inches (5cm) across.
Note: Using the same yarn brand for all colors will ensure that all parts of the pattern match gauge once gauge is obtained.
Video Tutorials
I’ve made lots of video tutorials that will be referenced throughout this pattern. They will be marked with a clickable play button symbol. A full list of tutorials can be found in the video tutorials section of the pattern web page.
Instructions
Horns (make 2)
With gray yarn:
01. start 6 sc into a Magic Ring [6]
02. sc in each st around [6]
03. inc, sc 4, inc [8]
04. sc in each st around [8]
05. inc, sc 6, inc [10]
06. sc in each st around [10]
07. inc, sc 8, inc [12]
08. sc in each st around [12]
Fasten off, leaving an 18-inch (46cm) yarn tail. Stuff the horns. The horns are now ready to sew onto the head at a later step.
Ears (make 2)
Bottom Side of Ear – with pink yarn:
01. Chain 5 Start: inc in 2nd ch from hook, sc 2, sc 5 in last ch. Working on opposite side of chain base: sc 2, sc 3 in last ch [14]
02. inc, sc 4, *inc* 3 times, sc 4, *inc* 2 times [20]
03. [inc, sc 6, *inc* 2 times, sc] 2 times [26]
04. [inc, sc 8, *inc, sc* 2 times] 2 times [32]
Fasten off, leaving a 6-inch (15cm) yarn tail. Create an Invisible Finish, then secure with a knot on the back of the work. Trim each yarn tail short (~1in / ~2.5cm).
Top Side of Ear – Ear 1 with white yarn; Ear 2 with black yarn:
01. Chain 5 Start: inc in 2nd ch from hook, sc 2, sc 5 in last ch. Working on opposite side of chain base: sc 2, sc 3 in last ch [14]
02. inc, sc 4, *inc* 3 times, sc 4, *inc* 2 times [20]
03. [inc, sc 6, *inc* 2 times, sc] 2 times [26]
04. [inc, sc 8, *inc, sc* 2 times] 2 times [32]
Do not fasten off.
Joining Bottom & Top Sides of Ears: Place bottom and top sides of ear with wrong sides together. Join the pieces by placing one sc through both loops of Top Side of Ear and FLO of Bottom Side of Ear in each st around (see Figure 1).
Ch 1, turn, fold the ear in half and sc through the first and last four sts of the round (see Figure 2). Fasten off, leaving an 18-inch (46cm) yarn tail. The ears are now ready to sew to the head at a later step.
Start of the Head
With pink yarn:
01. Chain 7 Start: inc in 2nd ch from hook, sc 4, sc 5 in last ch. Working on opposite side of chain base: sc 4, sc 3 in last ch [18]
02. inc, sc 6, *inc* 3 times, sc 6, *inc* 2 times [24]
03. inc, sc 8, *inc* 2 times, sc, inc, sc 8, *inc* 2 times, sc [30]
04. [inc, sc 10, *inc, sc* 2 times] 2 times [36]
05. [inc, sc 12, inc, sc 2, inc, sc] 2 times [42]
06. [inc, sc 14, *inc, sc 2* 2 times] 2 times [48]
07. [inc, sc 16, inc, sc 3, inc, sc 2] 2 times [54]
08. sc 39, switch to white yarn: sc 15 [54]
09. sc in each st around [54]
10. *sc 2, dec, sc 3, dec* 6 times [42]
11. *sc 5, dec* 6 times [36]
12. sc 4, inc, *sc, inc* 5 times, sc 21 [42]
13. sc 3, inc, *sc 6, inc* 5 times, sc 3 [48]
14. *sc 3, inc* 6 times, sc 24 [54]
15. sc 4, inc, *sc 8, inc* 5 times, sc 4 [60]
16 – 19. sc in each st around [60]
Creating a Hole for the Neck Joint: Create a hole for the neck joint as you crochet the next round.
20. sc 50, ch 2, sk 2 sts, sc 8 [60]
At the end of the round, the hole should appear centered on the bottom of the head (see Figure 3). If the hole appears off center, redo the round and adjust the placement of the hole as necessary.
21 – 25. sc in each st around [60]
Remove your hook and insert a stitch marker into the working loop to keep it from coming undone. Pause and complete rounds 01 – 04 of the body.
Start of the Body
With white yarn:
01. start 12 sc into a Magic Ring, tighten the ring around the post of the doll joint, then remove it (joint post must fit into this hole at a later step) [12]
02. *sc, inc* 6 times [18]
03. sc, inc, *sc 2, inc* 5 times, sc [24]
04. *sc 3, inc* 6 times [30]
Remove your hook and insert a stitch marker into the working loop of the body to keep it from coming undone.
Attaching the Head to the Body with a Doll Joint: Insert the post end of the doll joint into the head, and exit the post through the hole (see Figure 4). Push the post through the start of the body’s Magic Ring, ensuring the head and body are right sides together (see Figure 5).
Place the washer over the post (see Figure 6), then place the locking piece over the post until it clicks (see Figure 7).
Once secured, pause your work to finish crocheting the head.
Remainder of the Head
Remove the stitch marker from the working loop at the end of round 25 of the head, insert your hook, then continue with white yarn:
26. with white yarn: sc 4, dec, *sc 8, dec* 5 times, sc 4 [54]
27. *sc 7, dec* 6 times [48]
28. sc 3, dec, *sc 6, dec* 5 times, sc 3 [42]
29. *sc 5, dec* 6 times [36]
30. sc 2, dec, *sc 4, dec* 5 times, sc 2 [30]
Stuff the head.
Adding the Safety Eyes: Using straight pins, mark location of eyes 25 stitches apart between rounds 15 & 16, centered above the Chain 7 Start. (see Figure 8).
Replace straight pins with safety eyes, then secure backings (see Figure 9).
Indenting the Eyes: Using an 18-inch (46cm) strand of white yarn and a yarn needle, indent the eyes by adding tension between them (see Figure 10). To view a tutorial, watch my Indent Eyes 2.0 video.
31. *sc 3, dec* 6 times [24]
32. sc, dec, *sc 2, dec* 5 times, sc [18]
33. *sc, dec* 6 times [12]
Finish stuffing.
34. *dec* 6 times [6]
Close with an Ultimate Finish.
Sewing the Horns to the Head: Using straight pins, mark location of horns 15 stitches apart between rounds 21 & 22, inline with the eyes (see Figure 11).
Using the attached yarn tails and a yarn needle, sew the horns to the head centered over the marked stitches. Hide the remaining yarn tails inside the work (see Figure 12).
Sewing the Ears to the Head: Using the attached yarn tails and a yarn needle, sew the ears to the head next to and just below the horns. Hide remaining yarn tails inside the work (see Figure 13).
Arms (make 2)
With gray yarn:
01. start 6 sc into a Magic Ring [6]
02. inc in each st around [12]
03. *sc, inc* 6 times [18]
04. sc, inc, *sc 2, inc* 5 times, sc [24]
Tip: Use my Jogless BLO method when starting round 05.
05. BLO: sc in each st around [24]
06 – 07. sc in each st around [24]
08. switch to white yarn: sc in each st around [24]
09. sc 11, dec, sc 11 [23]
10. sc in each st around [23]
11. sc 21, dec [22]
12. sc in each st around [22]
13. sc 10, dec, sc 10 [21]
14. sc in each st around [21]
15. sc 19, dec [20]
16. sc in each st around [20]
17. sc 9, dec, sc 9 [19]
18. sc in each st around [19]
19. sc 17, dec [18]
20. sc in each st around [18]
21. sc 8, dec, sc 8 [17]
22. sc in each st around [17]
23. sc 15, dec [16]
24 – 25. sc in each st around [16]
26. *sc 2, dec* 4 times [12]
Fasten off, leaving a 12-inch (30cm) yarn tail. Stuff the arm. Press the final round together and Slip Stitch Closed, then hide the remaining yarn tail inside the work. The arms are now ready to attach as you crochet the body at a later step.
Legs (make 2)
With gray yarn:
01. start 6 sc into a Magic Ring [6]
02. inc in each st around [12]
03. *sc, inc* 6 times [18]
04. sc, inc, *sc 2, inc* 5 times, sc [24]
05. *sc 3, inc* 6 times [30]
Tip: Use my Jogless BLO method when starting round 06.
06. BLO: sc in each st around [30]
07 – 08. sc in each st around [30]
09. switch to white yarn: sc in each st around [30]
10. sc 14, dec, sc 14 [29]
11. sc 27, dec [28]
12. sc 13, dec, sc 13 [27]
13. sc 25, dec [26]
14. sc 12, dec, sc 12 [25]
15. sc 23, dec [24]
16. sc 11, dec, sc 11 [23]
17. sc 21, dec [22]
18. sc 10, dec, sc 10 [21]
19. sc 19, dec [20]
20. sc 9, dec, sc 9 [19]
21. sc 17, dec [18]
22. *sc 7, dec* 2 times [16]
23. *sc 2, dec* 4 times [12]
Fasten off, leaving a 12-inch (30cm) yarn tail. Stuff the leg. Press the final round together and Slip Stitch Closed, then hide the remaining yarn tail inside the work. The legs are now ready to attach as you crochet the body at a later step.
Remainder of the Body
Remove the stitch marker from the working loop at the end of round 04, insert your hook, then continue with the body:
Attaching the Arms: Attach the arms as you crochet the next round. To view a tutorial, watch my Attach Arms video.
05. with white yarn, attach the first arm: (sc 6), sc 9, attach the second arm: (sc 6), sc 9 [30]
06. sc 2, inc, *sc 4, inc* 5 times, sc 2 [36]
07. sc in each st around [36]
08. *sc 5, inc* 6 times [42]
09. sc in each st around [42]
10. sc 3, inc, *sc 6, inc* 5 times, sc 3 [48]
11. sc in each st around [48]
12. *sc 7, inc* 6 times [54]
13. sc in each st around [54]
14. sc 4, inc, *sc 8, inc* 5 times, sc 4 [60]
15 – 21. sc in each st around [60]
22. sc 4, dec, *sc 8, dec* 5 times, sc 4 [54]
23. *sc 7, dec* 6 times [48]
24. sc 3, dec, *sc 6, dec* 5 times, sc 3 [42]
Attaching the Legs: Attach the legs as you crochet the next round. To view a tutorial, watch my Attach Legs video.
25. sc 7, attach the first leg: (sc 6), sc 9, attach the second leg: (sc 6), sc 14 [42]
At the end of the round, the legs should appear centered below the arms. If your legs appear off center, redo the round and adjust the placement of the legs as necessary.
26. dec, *sc 3, dec* 8 times [33]
Stuff the body.
27. sc 2, *sc, dec, sc 2, dec* 4 times, dec, sc [24]
28. sc, dec, *sc 2, dec* 5 times, sc [18]
29. *sc, dec* 6 times [12]
Finish stuffing.
30. *dec* 6 times [6]
Close with an Ultimate Finish.
Finishing the Hooves: Using an 18-inch (46cm) strand of gray yarn and a yarn needle, create cloven hooves for each limb. Leaving a 6-inch (15cm) beginning tail, pass the needle through the center of the magic ring of the hoof, then out through the top. Repeat this process two to three times, pulling the yarn tightly with each pass. Secure the beginning and ending tails with a knot, then hide the tails inside the work. Repeat for all limbs.
To view a tutorial, watch my Cloven Hooves video.
Small Spots (make 2)
With black yarn:
01. start 6 sc into a Magic Ring [6]
02. inc in each st around [12]
03. hdc, [{dc 2} in same st, hdc, {sl st, hdc} in same st, dc] 2 times, {dc 2} in same st, dc, {hdc, sl st} in same st [18]
Fasten off, leaving an 18-inch (46cm) tail. Create an Invisible Finish. Secure with a knot on the back of the work, leaving the remaining yarn tail intact. The Small Spots are now ready to sew to the body at a later step.
Large Spots (make 2)
With black yarn:
01. start 6 sc into a Magic Ring [6]
02. inc in each st around [12]
03. *sc, inc* 6 times [18]
04. sc, inc, *sc 2, inc* 5 times, sc [24]
05. sc, hdc 2, {dc 2} in same st, dc 2, hdc, {hdc, sc} in same st, sl st, hdc, dc, {dc 2} in same st, hdc, sl st, hdc, {dc 2} in same st, dc 3, {hdc, sc} in same st, inc, sc 2, sl st [30]
Fasten off, leaving an 18-inch (46cm) tail. Create an Invisible Finish. Secure with a knot on the back of the work, leaving the remaining yarn tail intact. The Large Spots are now ready to sew to the body at a later step.
Sewing on the Spots: Using the photos as an example, pin (one) Small Spot and (one) Large Spot to the front of the body. Sew each spot in place. Repeat for the back of the body.
To view a tutorial, watch my Invisible Stitching video.
Tail
With white yarn:
01. start 6 sc into a Magic Ring [6]
02 – 08. sc in each st around [6]
Fasten off, leaving a 12-inch (30cm) yarn tail. Do not stuff the tail. Press the final round together and Slip Stitch Closed. Using a yarn needle, thread the yarn tail through the tail and out the Magic Ring.
Adding the Tail Tuft: With black yarn, on end of tail that was slip stitched closed:
01. join with a sl st to first st, {ch 6, sl st} in same st, *{sl st, ch 6, sl st} in next st* 2 times [24]
Fasten off and hide the black yarn tails inside the work. To view a tutorial, watch my Tail Tuft video.
Sewing on the Tail: Using the attached yarn tail and a yarn needle, sew the tail centered 11 rounds back from the Ultimate Finish on the back side of the body. Secure with a knot, then hide the remaining yarn tail inside the work.