Knitting Tutorial: Tiger Kitten in Mustard Romper and Floral Cardigan – Free Knitting Pattern.

This sweet knitted tiger kitten is worked as a soft amigurumi-style doll with a cream body, black tiger stripes, oversized green eyes, a mustard romper, a floral cardigan, orange sandals, a brown crossbody mushroom bag, a yellow bow with a tiny ladybug, plus a matching straw-style hat and picnic basket accessories.

 

Please note: I strive for accuracy in every pattern, but occasional errors can happen. Thank you for understanding and for enjoying my designs.

Finished Size

The finished kitten measures about 9 inches tall from the soles of the sandals to the top of the head, not including the bow. The head is large and rounded, about 3.75 inches wide, while the body is shorter and softly pear-shaped to match the photo.

• Skill level: Confident beginner to intermediate.
• Construction: Small pieces are knitted mostly flat, seamed, stuffed, and assembled.
• Main texture: Stockinette stitch with embroidered details.
• Gauge: 7 stitches and 10 rows = 1 inch in stockinette after stuffing lightly.
• Needles: US 2, 2.75 mm straight or DPN needles.

Materials

• Sport weight or light DK yarn in warm cream for head, body, arms, legs, ears, and face.
• Sport weight yarn in mustard yellow for romper and bow.
• Sport weight yarn in ivory for cardigan and straw hat.
• Small amounts of black yarn for tiger stripes, ear tips, paws, toe lines, and facial embroidery.
• Small amounts of green, white, pale blue, pink, orange, brown, tan, red, yellow, and dark green yarn.
• US 2, 2.75 mm knitting needles.
• Fiberfill stuffing.
• Tapestry needle.
• Two 16 mm safety eyes or embroidered eyes.
• Optional small felt circles in white and green for layered eyes.
• Two small stitch holders.
• Four tiny buttons or French knots for cardigan and sandal flowers.

Abbreviations

• CO: cast on.
• BO: bind off.
• k: knit.
• p: purl.
• st/sts: stitch/stitches.
• RS: right side.
• WS: wrong side.
• kfb: knit into front and back of the same stitch.
• k2tog: knit 2 stitches together.
• ssk: slip 1, slip 1, knit slipped stitches together.
• inc: increase.
• dec: decrease.
• st st: stockinette stitch, knit RS rows and purl WS rows.
• garter stitch: knit every row.

Main Notes Before You Start

Use a tight gauge so the stuffing does not show. The kitten in the image has a rounded head, a small muzzle area, short legs, mitten-like paws, and a soft baby-animal shape. Stuff the head firmly, but stuff the arms and legs more lightly so they sit naturally.

The black tiger markings are added after knitting. This gives better control over placement and makes the face look cleaner. The stripes should sit mostly on the forehead, cheeks, ears, arms, feet, and sides of the head.

Head

Make 1 in warm cream. The head is knitted flat from the lower chin upward, then seamed down the back. Keep the center front smooth because the big eyes and small nose need a clean surface.

1. CO 10 sts.
2. Row 1: Purl all sts.
3. Row 2: K1, kfb 8 times, k1. 18 sts.
4. Row 3: Purl all sts.
5. Row 4: K1, kfb, k2, kfb, k2, kfb, k2, kfb, k2, kfb, k1. 23 sts.
6. Row 5: Purl all sts.
7. Row 6: K2, kfb, k3, kfb, k3, kfb, k3, kfb, k3, kfb, k2. 28 sts.
8. Row 7: Purl all sts.
9. Row 8: K3, kfb, k4, kfb, k4, kfb, k4, kfb, k4, kfb, k3. 33 sts.
10. Row 9: Purl all sts.
11. Row 10: K4, kfb, k5, kfb, k5, kfb, k5, kfb, k5, kfb, k4. 38 sts.
12. Rows 11 to 26: Work in st st, beginning with a purl row.
13. Row 27: P4, p2tog across as evenly as possible, ending p4. 33 sts.
14. Row 28: K3, k2tog across as evenly as possible, ending k3. 28 sts.
15. Row 29: Purl all sts.
16. Row 30: K2, k2tog across, ending k2. 22 sts.
17. Row 31: Purl all sts.
18. Row 32: K1, k2tog across, ending k1. 15 sts.
19. Row 33: P2tog across, ending p1. 8 sts.

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Cut yarn, leaving a long tail. Thread through the remaining 8 sts and pull gently. Sew the back seam from the crown down to the lower head, leaving a small opening. Stuff firmly into a round kitten head, then close the opening.

Muzzle Shaping

The muzzle is not a separate large piece in the photo. It is a soft shaped area made with embroidery tension. This keeps the kitten’s face smooth and rounded.

1. Thread a long cream yarn tail through the back of the head.
2. Bring the needle out below the center of the eyes, about 7 rows above the lower chin.
3. Take a small stitch 3 sts to the left, pull gently, then return through the back of the head.
4. Repeat on the right side to create two soft cheek dimples.
5. Do not pull too tightly. The face should stay round and baby-like.

Body

Make 1 in warm cream. The body is mostly hidden by the mustard romper and cardigan, but it gives the doll its soft upright form.

1. CO 12 sts.
2. Row 1: Purl all sts.
3. Row 2: K1, kfb 10 times, k1. 22 sts.
4. Row 3: Purl all sts.
5. Row 4: K2, kfb, k4, kfb, k4, kfb, k4, kfb, k4, kfb, k2. 27 sts.
6. Rows 5 to 18: Work in st st.
7. Row 19: P5, p2tog, p5, p2tog, p5, p2tog, p5. 24 sts.
8. Row 20: Knit all sts.
9. Row 21: P4, p2tog, p4, p2tog, p4, p2tog, p4, p2tog. 20 sts.
10. Row 22: Knit all sts.
11. Row 23: P3, p2tog across, ending p3. 16 sts.
12. Row 24: Knit all sts.
13. Row 25: P2, p2tog across, ending p2. 12 sts.

BO, leaving a long sewing tail. Seam the back and lower edge. Stuff so the bottom is rounded but not bulky. Sew the head to the body with the head slightly tilted forward, matching the soft seated pose in the image.

Legs

Make 2 in warm cream. These legs are short and cylindrical, with the feet angled forward so the orange sandals sit clearly at the bottom.

1. CO 12 sts.
2. Rows 1 to 4: Work in st st.
3. Row 5: K4, kfb 4 times, k4. 16 sts.
4. Rows 6 to 11: Work in st st.
5. Row 12: K2, k2tog across, ending k2. 12 sts.
6. Rows 13 to 16: Work in st st.
7. BO, leaving a long tail.

Seam each leg. Stuff the feet firmly and the upper legs lightly. Sew the legs to the lower body with a gap of about 3 sts between them. Angle the toes slightly outward to match the photo.

Arms

Make 2. The arms are cream with black paw tips. Start with black for the paw, then change to cream for the sleeve-hidden arm.

1. With black yarn, CO 8 sts.
2. Rows 1 to 4: Work in st st.
3. Change to cream.
4. Row 5: K1, kfb 6 times, k1. 14 sts.
5. Rows 6 to 17: Work in st st.
6. Row 18: K1, k2tog across, ending k1. 8 sts.
7. BO, leaving a long tail.

Seam and stuff lightly. Sew each arm to the upper sides of the body after the cardigan is placed, so the sleeves can sit over the tops of the arms naturally.

Ears

Make 2 outer ears in cream and 2 inner ears in pale pink or light tan. The ears are triangular with black edging at the top, like the image.

Outer Ear

1. With cream, CO 12 sts.
2. Row 1: Knit all sts.
3. Row 2: Purl all sts.
4. Row 3: Ssk, k8, k2tog. 10 sts.
5. Row 4: Purl all sts.
6. Row 5: Ssk, k6, k2tog. 8 sts.
7. Row 6: Purl all sts.
8. Row 7: Ssk, k4, k2tog. 6 sts.
9. Row 8: Purl all sts.
10. Row 9: Ssk, k2, k2tog. 4 sts.
11. Row 10: Purl all sts.
12. Row 11: Ssk, k2tog. 2 sts.
13. Row 12: P2tog. 1 st.
14. Fasten off.

Inner Ear

1. With pale pink or tan, CO 8 sts.
2. Rows 1 to 2: Work in st st.
3. Row 3: Ssk, k4, k2tog. 6 sts.
4. Row 4: Purl all sts.
5. Row 5: Ssk, k2, k2tog. 4 sts.
6. Row 6: Purl all sts.
7. Row 7: Ssk, k2tog. 2 sts.
8. Row 8: P2tog. 1 st.

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Sew each inner ear to an outer ear. Embroider the top outer edge with black yarn using short satin stitches. Sew ears to the head between rows 22 and 29, about 8 sts apart at the crown. Curve the bases slightly forward.

Tiger Stripe Embroidery

The stripes make the kitten recognizable. Use black yarn split into a thinner strand if your yarn is thick. Keep the stitches slightly raised, but not bulky.

• Forehead: Add 4 short vertical stripes between the ears. Make the center stripe 5 rows long and the side stripes 3 to 4 rows long.
• Left cheek: Add 2 small angled stripes near the outer eye, each 3 sts wide.
• Right cheek: Add 3 small angled stripes, with the lowest stripe curving toward the smile line.
• Ears: Add black edging around the upper point of each ear.
• Arms: Add one black band just above each paw if visible below the cardigan sleeve.
• Feet: Add 3 black toe lines on each foot, showing through the sandal opening.

Eyes and Face

The kitten in the photo has large glossy green eyes with white outer circles and black pupils. You may use safety eyes with felt layers, or embroider the eyes fully for a softer toy.

1. Place the eyes between rows 15 and 18 of the head, about 8 sts apart.
2. For each eye, cut a white oval about 20 mm wide and a green circle about 16 mm wide.
3. Place the green circle over the white oval, then add a black safety eye or black stitched pupil at the center.
4. Use black yarn to stitch one small highlight curve at the upper outer edge if desired.
5. Embroider a tiny pink nose over 3 horizontal sts, centered 3 rows below the eyes.
6. Use black thread to make one short vertical mouth line down from the nose.
7. Add two tiny curved smile stitches, one on each side of the vertical line.
8. Embroider closed eyebrow curves above each eye using a single strand of black yarn.

Mustard Romper

The romper is knitted separately in mustard yellow and fitted around the body. It has short legs, a high bib, and shoulder straps. The texture is smooth stockinette, with a small ribbed edge at the leg openings.

Romper Front and Back

1. With mustard yarn, CO 34 sts.
2. Rows 1 to 3: K1, p1 rib across.
3. Rows 4 to 12: Work in st st.
4. Row 13: K8, BO 4 sts for center crotch gap, k18, BO 4 sts, k8.
5. Place the first and last 8 sts on holders for leg backs. Continue on center 18 sts for the front bib.
6. Row 14: Purl 18 sts.
7. Row 15: K2, ssk, k10, k2tog, k2. 16 sts.
8. Row 16: Purl all sts.
9. Row 17: K2, ssk, k8, k2tog, k2. 14 sts.
10. Rows 18 to 24: Work in st st.
11. Rows 25 to 27: K1, p1 rib across.
12. BO.

Romper Back Upper Piece

1. Return the two groups of 8 sts to the needle, joining yarn across the back with 2 new cast-on sts between them. 18 sts.
2. Rows 1 to 8: Work in st st.
3. Rows 9 to 11: K1, p1 rib across.
4. BO.

Romper Legs

1. Pick up 16 sts around one lower leg opening.
2. Rows 1 to 3: K1, p1 rib.
3. Rows 4 to 8: Work in st st.
4. BO loosely.
5. Repeat for the second leg opening.

Romper Straps

1. CO 4 sts with mustard yarn.
2. Work 18 rows in garter stitch.
3. BO.
4. Make a second strap the same way.

Wrap the romper around the body. Sew the back seam neatly. Sew the straps from the back upper edge over the shoulders to the front bib. Add two tiny mustard or brown stitches at the bib corners to imitate buttons.

Floral Cardigan

The cardigan is ivory with short sleeves, open front edges, and blue floral embroidery with green stems and yellow flower centers. It should sit loosely over the mustard romper.

Cardigan Body

1. With ivory yarn, CO 42 sts.
2. Rows 1 to 3: Knit all sts for garter hem.
3. Row 4: K4, p34, k4.
4. Row 5: Knit all sts.
5. Repeat Rows 4 and 5 until the piece measures 2 inches from CO edge, ending after a WS row.
6. Next row: K10 for right front, BO 4 sts for armhole, k14 for back, BO 4 sts for armhole, k10 for left front.

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Right Front

1. Work on first 10 sts only.
2. Row 1: Purl 6, knit 4 front band sts.
3. Row 2: Knit all sts.
4. Row 3: Purl 6, knit 4.
5. Row 4: K2tog, knit to end. 9 sts.
6. Row 5: Purl 5, knit 4.
7. Row 6: K2tog, knit to end. 8 sts.
8. Rows 7 to 10: Keep front band in garter and remaining sts in st st.
9. BO.

Back

1. Work on center 14 sts.
2. Rows 1 to 8: Work in st st.
3. Row 9: K2, k2tog, k6, ssk, k2. 12 sts.
4. Row 10: Purl all sts.
5. BO.

Left Front

1. Work on final 10 sts.
2. Row 1: Knit 4 front band sts, purl 6.
3. Row 2: Knit all sts.
4. Row 3: Knit 4, purl 6.
5. Row 4: Knit to last 2 sts, k2tog. 9 sts.
6. Row 5: Knit 4, purl 5.
7. Row 6: Knit to last 2 sts, k2tog. 8 sts.
8. Rows 7 to 10: Keep front band in garter and remaining sts in st st.
9. BO.

Sleeves

1. Make 2. With ivory yarn, CO 18 sts.
2. Rows 1 to 3: Knit all sts.
3. Rows 4 to 12: Work in st st.
4. Row 13: K2, k2tog across, ending k2. 14 sts.
5. Row 14: Purl all sts.
6. BO.

Sew shoulder seams. Sew sleeves into the armholes. Seam sleeve undersides. Place cardigan on the kitten before permanently attaching the arms if you want the sleeves to sit naturally.

Cardigan Floral Embroidery

• On each front panel, embroider 2 green stems from lower hem upward, each about 6 rows tall.
• Add 3 blue lazy-daisy petals around each stem top.
• Add one yellow French knot in the center of each flower.
• Place one flower near the lower front and one flower near the upper chest on each side.
• Add 2 small green leaf stitches beside each stem.

Orange Sandals

The sandals are orange with an open toe, a front strap, an ankle strap, and a tiny yellow flower on each outer side. They are sewn directly over the cream feet.

Sandal Sole

1. Make 2 with orange yarn. CO 8 sts.
2. Row 1: Knit all sts.
3. Row 2: Kfb, k6, kfb. 10 sts.
4. Rows 3 to 8: Knit all sts.
5. Row 9: K2tog, k6, k2tog. 8 sts.
6. BO.

Toe Strap

1. CO 4 sts with orange yarn.
2. Work 14 rows in garter stitch.
3. BO.
4. Sew each end to the sides of the sole, leaving the cream toes visible.

Ankle Strap

1. CO 3 sts with orange yarn.
2. Work 20 rows in garter stitch.
3. BO.
4. Wrap around the ankle and sew in place.

Embroider 3 black vertical toe lines on each visible cream foot. Add a small yellow flower with 4 lazy-daisy stitches to the outer side of each sandal strap.

Yellow Bow

The bow sits on the kitten’s upper right side near the ear. It is mustard yellow and has a tiny red ladybug sewn in the center.

1. With mustard yarn, CO 10 sts.
2. Rows 1 to 12: Knit every row.
3. BO.
4. Weave yarn around the center and pull tightly to pinch the bow.
5. Wrap the center 6 times with mustard yarn and secure at the back.

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Tiny Ladybug

The ladybug is small, red, and round with black details. It sits on the bow center, slightly toward the top.

1. With red yarn, CO 5 sts.
2. Rows 1 to 3: Work in st st.
3. Row 4: K2tog, k1, k2tog. 3 sts.
4. Cut yarn, pull through remaining sts, and seam into a tiny dome.
5. Use black yarn to embroider a center line and 2 dots on each side.
6. Add a small black head with 3 satin stitches.

Sew the ladybug to the bow. Sew the bow to the kitten’s head near the right ear, angled slightly upward like the image.

Brown Crossbody Bag

The bag is a small brown pouch worn across the body with a long strap. The front has a tiny red mushroom with white spots and a cream stem.

Bag Body

1. With medium brown yarn, CO 14 sts.
2. Rows 1 to 16: Work in garter stitch.
3. BO.
4. Fold the lower edge up 6 rows to form a pocket.
5. Sew both side seams.
6. Fold the top flap down over the pocket.

Bag Strap

1. With brown yarn, CO 3 sts.
2. Knit every row until the strap measures 11 inches.
3. BO.
4. Sew one end to each upper side of the bag.

Mushroom Applique

1. With red yarn, CO 6 sts.
2. Row 1: Knit all sts.
3. Row 2: Purl all sts.
4. Row 3: Ssk, k2, k2tog. 4 sts.
5. Row 4: Purl all sts.
6. BO.
7. With cream yarn, CO 3 sts and knit 4 rows for the stem.
8. Sew the stem under the red cap.
9. Add 3 tiny white French knots on the red cap.

Sew the mushroom to the front flap of the bag. Place the strap from the kitten’s left shoulder across to the right hip, so the bag rests on the front lower body.

Straw-Style Hat with Blue Tie

The hat is a separate round accessory placed beside the kitten in the image. It is ivory with a raised brim and a blue ribbon tied into a bow.

Hat Crown

1. With ivory yarn, CO 8 sts.
2. Row 1: Purl all sts.
3. Row 2: Kfb in every st. 16 sts.
4. Row 3: Purl all sts.
5. Row 4: K1, kfb across. 24 sts.
6. Row 5: Purl all sts.
7. Row 6: K2, kfb across. 32 sts.
8. Rows 7 to 12: Work in st st.
9. Row 13: K3, kfb across. 40 sts.
10. Rows 14 to 16: Knit every row for a ridged brim base.

Hat Brim

1. Row 17: K4, kfb across. 48 sts.
2. Rows 18 to 22: Knit every row.
3. BO loosely.

Seam the back. Gather the cast-on edge tightly to close the crown. Flatten and shape the hat into a shallow bonnet. Use tan yarn to embroider 6 spoke lines from the crown center to the brim, imitating the radial straw texture in the photo.

Blue Ribbon

1. With blue yarn, CO 3 sts.
2. Knit every row for 16 inches.
3. BO.
4. Wrap around the base of the crown and tie into a bow at the front.

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Picnic Basket

The small basket is tan with brown handles and contains tiny fruit shapes. It sits beside the kitten. Use a firm gauge so the basket holds its rectangle shape.

Basket Base and Sides

1. With tan yarn, CO 18 sts.
2. Rows 1 to 6: Knit every row.
3. Rows 7 to 18: Work in st st.
4. Rows 19 to 24: Knit every row.
5. BO.
6. Fold into a shallow box shape with the garter sections forming the base and upper rim.
7. Sew the side edges to make a basket about 1.5 inches wide.

Basket Handles

1. With brown yarn, CO 3 sts.
2. Knit every row for 18 rows.
3. BO.
4. Make a second handle the same way.
5. Sew each handle to the inside edges of the basket, arching upward.

Fruit Pieces

• Red apple: CO 6 sts in red, work 4 rows in st st, gather into a ball, stuff lightly, and add a green stitch on top.
• Yellow lemon: CO 5 sts in yellow, work 4 rows in st st, gather tightly into an oval.
• Green pear: CO 6 sts in green, work 5 rows in st st, gather, stuff lightly, and pinch the top narrow.
• Leaf sprigs: With dark green yarn, make 3 small straight stitches rising from the basket.
• Check cloth: Knit a 10-st by 6-row rectangle in white. Embroider red diagonal lines to make a gingham corner cloth.

Place the fruit pieces inside the basket and stitch them down so they remain visible above the rim. Sew the gingham cloth over one front corner.

Optional Tail

The photo focuses on the front of the kitten, so the tail is mostly hidden. Add a small curved tiger tail if you want the back to look complete.

1. With cream yarn, CO 8 sts.
2. Rows 1 to 22: Work in st st.
3. BO, leaving a long tail.
4. Seam into a tube and stuff very lightly.
5. Embroider 4 black bands around the tail.
6. Sew to the back of the romper opening, curving slightly to one side.

Final Assembly and Facial Detailing

1. Sew the head firmly to the body, keeping the face centered and slightly tilted forward.
2. Sew the legs to the lower body before dressing the doll.
3. Dress the body in the mustard romper and secure the straps.
4. Place the cardigan over the shoulders, then sew the arms so the sleeves sit smoothly.
5. Add the sandals over the feet and embroider the visible toe lines.
6. Sew on the bow and ladybug near the right ear.
7. Place the crossbody bag strap from shoulder to hip and tack it at the back neck and side waist.
8. Check the eye placement, nose, mouth, eyebrow curves, and cheek shaping before fastening all yarn ends.

Care Notes

Spot clean the kitten with cool water and mild soap. Do not soak if you used felt eyes, glued pieces, or safety eyes with layered details. Press gently with a towel and reshape while damp.

Quick Checklist Before You Finish

• The head is round, large, and firmly stuffed.
• The eyes are oversized, green, glossy, and evenly placed.
• The black tiger stripes are balanced on the forehead and cheeks.
• The mustard romper has short legs, a bib, and straps.
• The ivory cardigan has blue flowers, green stems, and yellow centers.
• The orange sandals show cream toes with black toe lines.
• The bow has a red ladybug centered on it.
• The brown bag has a red mushroom on the flap.
• The hat, basket, fruit, and gingham cloth match the accessory style in the image.

Detailed Cleaning and Preservation Guidelines

Store the finished kitten away from direct sunlight to protect the cream yarn, mustard romper, and embroidered flowers. Keep the hat and basket in a small breathable bag when not displayed. If the doll becomes dusty, use a soft brush and clean in the direction of the knitted stitches.

For long-term display, support the head and body so the neck seam does not stretch. Avoid hanging the doll by the bag strap or bow. Small embroidered details can be refreshed later with matching yarn if they flatten after handling.