Crochet mallard duck- free pattern

Check out my Youtube video tutorial for this pattern here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EBsIbjG9ocE

When made with the stated yarn weight and hook size, the finished duck will be approx 8cm long and 8cm tall.

How to change colour when working in single crochet:

Change colour as you finish the last stitch of the previous colour- push hook in stitch, yarn over and pull through, pull a loop of the new colour through both loops on the hook. This completes the sc in the previous colour and changes to the new colour for the future stitches.

Materials needed:

• DK yarn in dark green, yellow, white, dark brown, beige, light brown, blue and black

• 5mm black safety eyes (I used 5mm but you can use 6mm too)

• 3mm crochet hook

• Stitch marker

• Scissors

• Stuffing

• Yarn needle for sewing

• Pins to help with sewing

Abbreviations (US crochet terms):

st- stitch

ch- chain

mr- magic ring

sl st- slip stitch

sc- single crochet

inc- increase

invdec- invisible decrease

Head- in dark green:

Rnd 1: 6 sc in mr (6)

Rnd 2: inc in every st (12)

Rnd 3: (sc in nxt st, inc) x6 (18)

Rnd 4: (sc in nxt 2 st, inc) x6 (24)

Rnds 5- 10 (6 rnds): sc in every st (24)

Insert safety eyes between rnds 6 and 7, 7 stitches apart, making sure that the stitch with the marker in it is at the back in the middle of where the eyes are.

Rnd 11: (sc in nxt 2 st, invdec) x6 (18)

Rnd 12: (sc in nxt 4 st, invdec) x3 (15) Change to white as you finish last invdec.

Rnd 13: sc in every st (15) Change to brown as you finish last st.

Rnd 14: (sc in nxt st, inc) x7, sc in nxt st (22)

Fasten off leaving tail for sewing.

Stuff the head.

Beak- in yellow:

Rnd 1: ch 5, starting in 2nd st from hook: sc in nxt 4 st, turn the corner and sc in nxt 4 st on other side of chain (8) Place marker in last st you did.

Rnd 2: inc in nxt st, sc in nxt 3 st, inc in nxt st, sc in nxt 3 st (10)

Rnds 3- 6 (4 rnds): sc in every st (10)

Fasten off leaving tail for sewing. Push short tail inside. Don't stuff, flatten the closed end and sew the open end to the face below the eyes, by picking up loops from the surface of the stitches on the head and going underneath both loops of the stitches on the beak. Fasten off and weave in end.

Body- in dark brown:

Stuff as you go

Rnd 1: 6 sc in mr (6)

Rnd 2: inc in every st (12)

Rnd 3: (sc in nxt st, inc) x6 (18)

Rnd 4: (sc in nxt 2 st, inc) x6 (24)

Rnd 5: (sc in nxt 3 st, inc) x6 (30)

Rnd 6: (sc in nxt 4 st, inc) x6 (36)

Rnds 7- 9 (3 rnds): sc in every st (36)

Rnd 10: (sc in nxt 10 st, invdec) x3 (33)

Rnds 11- 12 (2 rnds): sc in every st (33)

Change to beige as you finish last st.

Rnd 13: sc in every st (33) 

Rnd 14: (sc in nxt 9 st, invdec) x3 (30)

Rnd 15: sc in every st (30)

Rnd 16: (sc in nxt 8 st, invdec) x3 (27)

Rnd 17: sc in every st (27)

Rnd 18: (sc in nxt 7 st, invdec) x3 (24)

Rnd 19: sc in every st (24)

Rnd 20: (sc in nxt 6 st, invdec) x3 (21)

Rnd 21: sc in every st (21)

Rnd 22: (sc in nxt 5 st, invdec) x3 (18)

Rnd 23: sc in every st (18)

Rnd 24: (sc in nxt 4 st, invdec) x3 (15)

Rnd 25: (sc in nxt 3 st, invdec) x3 (12)

Rnd 26: (invdec) x6 (6)

Fasten off and close hole. Weave tail through the body and cut the yarn close to the edge of the work, use the end of your needle to push end inside.

Making sure that the colour change is on the underside of the body, sew the head to the brown part of the body by picking up loops from the surface of the stitches and going underneath both loops of the next stitch on the head. Fasten off and weave in end, trim excess and push end inside.

Wings- make 2 the same:

Don't stuff. In light brown:

Rnd 1: 6 sc in mr (6)

Rnd 2: inc in every st (12)

Rnd 3: (sc in nxt st, inc) x6 (18)

Rnd 4: (sc in nxt 5 st, inc) x3 (21)

Rnd 5- 8 (4 rnds): sc in every st (21)

Change to white as you finish the last sc of the last rnd. Keep the brown yarn attached and work the brown yarn into the back of your stitches on every round, so that it's always in the right place when you need to change back to it.

Rnd 9: sc in nxt 10 st, change to brown, sc in nxt 11 st, change to black (21)

Rnd 10: sc in nxt 10 st, change to brown, sc in nxt 11 st, change to blue (21)

Rnd 11: sc in nxt 10 st, change to brown, sc in nxt 11 st working blue in back of stitches, change to blue (21)

Cut the black and white yarns leaving short tails on each and tie them together on the inside in a double knot. Tie the other short tails in a double knot on the inside too.

Rnd 12: sc in nxt 10 st, change to brown, sc in nxt 11 st, change to black (21)

Rnd 13: sc in nxt 10 st, change to brown, sc in nxt 11 st, change to white (21)

Rnd 14: sc in nxt 10 st, change to brown, sc in nxt 11 st (21)

Cut the white, blue and black yarns leaving short tails and tie short tails in a double knot on the inside.

Rnd 15: (sc in nxt 5 st, invdec) x3 (18)

Rnd 16: (sc in nxt st, invdec) x6 (12)

Rnd 17: sc in every st (12)

Rnd 18: (invdec) x6 (6)

Fasten off leaving tail long enough to close the hole and also to weave through and use to sew it to the body. Close the hole and fasten off.

Fold and flatten the wings in half along the mid way point of the black, white and blue section, so that approx 5 stitches of each of those colours is showing on either side and it ends in the middle of the wing, with the rest being light brown. Both sides will look the same and the striped part will be at the bottom. Weave the tail through the hole you've just closed and come out near the side edge of the fold.

Sew the wings to the sides of the body making sure the striped part is at the bottom on both sides and the pointy end lines up with the pointy end of the body. Pin the wings on and then use the tail to sew around the front curved edge by picking up loops from the surface of the body and then picking up loops from the edge of the wing, then sew in a straight line in front of the striped part meeting back at the starting point, so that the sewn area is like a backwards D shape. Then weave the tail through the body and come out near the end, sew the end of the wing down with a couple of stitches. Fasten off and weave tail through body, trim excess.

The duck is finished! I'd love to see a photo of yours, you can share it with me by tagging me on instagram @laura_wilson01

Check out my Etsy shop for more patterns: https://laurawilsondesigns.etsy.com

This pattern was designed by Laura Wilson of Laura Wilson Designs. This pattern is strictly for personal, non-commercial use. Copy, distribution or commercial use of this pattern or any of its parts is not allowed. Please give credit if posting photos or selling finished item. © Laura Wilson 2026- All rights reserved.