37 In Free Patterns

Glow in the Dark Kodama Pattern

One day I discovered something special and unexpected. I found out that Glow-in-the-dark yarn existed! I thought it would be really fun to experiment with the yarn, and so I really racked my head to find something special to make from it.

Kodama Amigurumi Pattern Free

I am a huge fan of Hayao Miyazaki. In Princess Mononoke, the Kodamas (tree spirits) appear looking ghostly yet cute at the same time. They tilt their heads around and pop it back into place making these rattling noises. The more I thought about it, the more excited I became about what I thought would be the perfect combo of the ami and the yarn.

I went into my studio and I began making 2 different versions of the Kodamas: a sitting one, and a standing one.

The sitting one has a more round face and looks like its sitting with its knees up. The standing Kodama has a head more like an alien. The great thing about these Kodomas is that if you make the faces different, they look like different versions, so feel free to experiment with the faces!

If you don’t have Glow-in-the-dark yarn, you can still make them using any sort of yarn and it will still turn out quite spooky cute!

Check out the video here to see the Glow in the Dark Kodama in action:

Watch this video on YouTube.

I also have a Video Amigurumi Tutorial, showing how to crochet the Kodama from beginning to end:

Kodama Amigurumi Tutorial Video

Watch this video on YouTube.

Glow in the Dark Kodama

*Disclosure: This post contains affiliate links. This means I may receive a small commission if you decide to purchase anything by clicking on one of these links. Thanks for your support!

Glow in the Dark Kodama Pattern is copyrighted under the Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 3.0 License. This pattern is for personal use only.

Kodama Crochet Pattern Free

Kodama #1 – Sitting Kodama

SKILL LEVEL: Easy

CROCHET HOOK:
Size H (5 mm)
Size G (4 mm)

YARN:
Glow in the Dark Yarn

NOTIONS:
Black Felt
Yarn Needle
Stitch Marker
Fabri-Tac Glue

HEAD & BODY
Round 1: 6 sc into adjustable ring.

Round 2: 2 sc in each st around – 12 sc.

Round 3: [2 sc in next st, sc in next st] around – 18 sc.

Round 4: [2 sc in next st, sc in next 2 sts] around – 24 sc.

Round 5-8: Sc in each st around.

Round 9: [Sc dec, sc in next 2 sts] around – 18 sc.

Round 10: [Sc dec, sc in next st] around – 12 sc.

Round 11: [Sc dec, sc in next st] around – 8 sc.

Round 12: Sc in each st around.

Round 13: [2 sc in next st, sc in next st] around – 12 sc.

Round 14: [2 sc in next st, sc in next 3 st] around – 15 sc.

Round 15: Sc in each st around.

Round 16: [2 sc in next st, sc in next 4 st] around – 18 sc.

Round 17-18: Sc in each st around.

Round 19: [Sc dec, sc in next st] around – 12 sc.

Round 20: Sc dec around – 6 sc.
Fasten off, leaving a long tail.
Stuff and sew closed

LEG (make 2)
Round 1: 6 sc into adjustable ring.

Round 2-4: Sc in each st around.

Round 5: Hdc in next 4 sts, sc in next 2 sts – 6 sts.

Round 6: Sc in each st around.
Fasten off, leaving a tail.

ARM (make 2)
Note: Switch to smaller size hook – Size G (4 mm)
Round 1: 5 sc into adjustable ring.

Round 2-6: Sc in each st around.

Round 7: Sc dec in next st, sl st to fasten off – 4 sts.
Do not stuff.

ASSEMBLY
1. Stuff the HEAD and BODY.

2. Stuff the LEGS loosely. Do not stuff the ARMS.

3. Sew HEAD onto BODY. Sew LEGS into the Body 3 rows down from the top of the body. It should look as if its knees are bent and it is sitting down. Sew arms onto the side by lining it up to look like a vertical line at the side. You can sew the both hands together so they look like they’re touching or the arms can be free. See photos below.

4. Cut 3 circles of various size from black felt for the eyes and mouth. Glue the eyes and mouth on with Fabri-tac Glue. You can also embroider French knots instead.

Hands Free

Hands Together

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Kodama #2 – Standing Kodama

The standing Kodma might be a little more trickier to make because you need to join 2 different body parts by using sc. I will try and get a tutorial up on it soon.

HEAD
Round 1: 6 sc into adjustable ring.

Round 2: 2 sc in each st around – 12 sc.

Round 3: [2 sc in next st, sc in next st] around – 18 sc.

Round 4: [2 sc in next st, sc in next 2 sts] around – 24 sc

Round 5: Sc in each st around.

Round 6: [Sc dec, sc in next 2 sts] around – 18 sc.

Round 7: Sc in each st around.

Round 8: [Sc dec, sc in next 4 sts] around – 15 sc.

Round 9-10: Sc in each st around.

Round 11: [Sc dec, sc in next 3 sts] around – 12 sc.

Round 12: [Sc dec, sc in next st] around – 8 sc.
Fasten off, leaving a long tail.

LEGS and BODY
Round 1: 4 sc into adjustable ring.

Round 2: 2 sc in each st around – 8 sc.

Round 3-7: Sc in each st around.
Fasten off.

You have created LEG A. Repeat Rounds 1-7 to create LEG B, but do not fasten off. Join LEGS A and B by joining across 2 sts of both LEG A and LEG B with sc. (Another option: You may create the 2 legs first and then sew them together across 2 sts) You should now have 12 sts around when the legs are combined. We will now work on the body.

Round 8: [2 sc in the next st, sc in next 3 sts] around – 15 sc.

Round 9-14: Sc in each st around.

Round 15: [Sc dec, sc in next 3 sts] around – 12 sc.

Round 16: [Sc dec, sc in next st] around – 8 sc.
Fasten off.

ARMS (make 2
Note: Switch to smaller size hook – Size G (4 mm)
Round 1: 6 sc into adjustable ring.

Round 2-6: Sc in each st around.

Round 7: [Sc dec, sc in next st] around – 4 sc.
Fasten off, leaving a tail. Do not stuff.

ASSEMBLY
1. Stuff everything except for the ARMS.

2. Sew HEAD onto BODY. Sew ARMS onto Body near neck.

3. Cut 3 circles of various size from black felt for the eyes and mouth. You can also embroider French knots instead.

4. Glue eyes and mouth on with Fabri-tac glue. Glue the eyes lopsided (not symmetrical) to give it that Kodama look!

If you enjoyed this Kodama pattern, please check out my larger Kodama Amigurumi Pattern.

Kodama Amigurumi - Large and small sized.  They also rattle!

Kodama - Tree Spirits

Kodama Crochet Pattern Free

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37 Comments

  • Reply
    Glow in the dark yarn! « Hazelbot Crochet
    December 12, 2010 at 7:59 am

    […] is also a review of another brand and pattern for glow in the dark Kodama over at Ami […]

  • Reply
    chassy
    January 18, 2011 at 1:23 am

    so for the kodama’s body and head, we use the H hook??

    • Reply
      Ami Amour
      January 18, 2011 at 1:41 am

      Yes, that is correct.

      • Reply
        chassy
        January 27, 2011 at 4:22 am

        thanks!:) i wasnt sure at first but now thanks a bunch!!:) i looove ur other amigurumis too! *squeals* maybe you should sell them at another animecon youre going to:D

        • Reply
          Ami Amour
          January 27, 2011 at 4:31 am

          Thanks! I will be at Anime LA this year with my amigurumis ^^ It’ll be my fourth year!

          • chassy
            January 29, 2011 at 11:08 pm

            wow 🙂 you know im asian too:) well, vietnamese but i wanted to go to another animecon to sell my amis but they wouldnt tell me how to register for me to get my own panel at one. sooo i gave up. but i do hope to see more of ur creations:) i wanted to buy a pattern for one of your amis but im not allowed to use my parents credit card on here:/

  • Reply
    Fellow Amigurumi Maker :3
    March 5, 2011 at 10:08 pm

    Very nice! 🙂 I love Princess mononoke, and amigurumi’s, therefore why not put them together! 🙂 I have one question though, do you make the head with the H hook, and the rest of the body with the G hook?

    • Reply
      Ami Amour
      March 14, 2011 at 12:44 am

      I make everything with the H hook and the legs and arms are made with the G hook. I do this because when the rounds have small amount of stitches, I find it easier to use a smaller hook.

  • Reply
    Leah
    March 12, 2011 at 6:51 am

    Could you knit this also?

    • Reply
      Ami Amour
      March 14, 2011 at 12:49 am

      Unfortunately I’m not a very good knitter and have no idea how to create knit patterns, so I can’t help you there. I’d just look up chick knitting patterns online or you should learn to crochet, it’s fun! And Eggy is a perfect basic crochet pattern to start off with =D

  • Reply
    wynibear
    March 20, 2011 at 8:03 pm

    Hi Sharon!

    So I did what you said and picked up the needle again… The sitting kodama was my first project back into crochet and it came out surprisingly well! :o) I’ll send you a picture through e-mail when I get a chance. Thanks for the inspiration and once again, it was a pleasure meeting you at PMX 2010!

    Blessings,
    Winnie – the staffer whose brother bought her the gray Totoro hat 😉

    • Reply
      Ami Amour
      March 20, 2011 at 8:33 pm

      Wyni, it’s so good to hear from you! Yes, do send me the photo. I’d love to see it. I was thinking of starting a fan gallery for projects made from my patterns too. Glad you picked the needlearts back up again. Amigurumis are especially addicting because they’re fast and fun.

      • Reply
        Kelli
        February 14, 2012 at 9:19 am

        Pleasing to find smoeone who can think like that

  • Reply
    Molly Kiely
    June 6, 2011 at 3:58 pm

    Adorable — thank you for posting. I think I might skip the glow-in-dark yarn though and put rattles inside… ; )

  • Reply
    Hollie
    June 14, 2011 at 4:53 pm

    Hi! I saw your video and loved your creations. I’m much of a knitter and know some crochet, but its so cut that I’m working on knitting it. I see the glow-in-the-dark one in your video. I like when there hands are together. thank u for showing these on youtube! they’re cute and creative. I also like when there eyes are closed, too. How do u make the eyes and mouth? Thanks! 😀

  • Reply
    Hollie
    June 14, 2011 at 5:02 pm

    nevermind… i see how to do the eyes and mouth. How do u french knot?

    • Reply
      Ami Amour
      July 9, 2011 at 12:04 am

      I don’t usually do a french know. I just like to use felt and glue it on. There’s many ways to do the eyes. Hope you figured it out!

  • Reply
    Mary Rose
    August 6, 2011 at 9:58 pm

    hi, thanks so much for sharing the pattern. can you also share the pattern for no face? heheh… i’m a big fan of miyazaki too..especially his film My Neighbor Totoro.. i love your pictures

  • Reply
    Yyesha
    November 4, 2011 at 10:46 pm

    Hi,

    I just started crocheting and was wondering about the abbreviations. I know what sc is but wat is dec? Please let me know so ’cause I really want to try crocheting a kodama as my first project.

    Thanks,
    Yyesha
    (^_^)v

    • Reply
      Ami Amour
      November 4, 2011 at 10:49 pm

      Hi Yyesha, dec means decrease. Another way that people say it is sc2tog (single crochet 2 together). I think there’s lots of tutorials online for a sc dec (single crochet decrease) so I hope that helps out! Best of luck to you!

  • Reply
    Yyesha
    November 8, 2011 at 6:47 am

    Yeah!! I did it! Sharon, I added a mow-hawk on my kodama, I want to send you a picture of my in progress mow-hawk kodama. Where should I send it? Email me if you can. (^_^)v

  • Reply
    Valia
    January 12, 2012 at 3:01 pm

    I can’t even begin to explain to you how excited i was when i found out your videos on YouTube!
    A lovely good-looking amigurumi, and it’s a Kodama, and it’s glowing in the dark!
    Seriously, when i find the right yarn, i’m gonna knit all day long until i get a whole forest of Kodama….
    Thanks again for sharing,
    a dream comes true thanks to you!

  • Reply
    Michal
    February 12, 2012 at 7:58 am

    Hi,
    thanks for your nice explanation on how to make crochet kodamas –> you saved my life as my 4 year old daughter wanted to have some and I learned here how to make them 🙂 now I’m my daughter’s hero hehe
    Thanks a lot again
    Michal

  • Reply
    Byakko
    June 12, 2012 at 10:54 am

    Thank you very much, I love Miyazaki’s amigurumi *-*

  • Reply
    Lynn
    July 11, 2012 at 6:34 pm

    I just finished my first amigurumi ever (the mushroom) and wanted to try to make the kodama too. But I don’t know what hdc means.

    • Reply
      Ami Amour
      July 11, 2012 at 6:38 pm

      Hi Lynn, congrats on your first amigurumi! I’d love to see how it came out. Hdc means half double crochet. What you do is yarn over, go into the stitch, pull out, you should have 3 loops on your hook, yarn over, and pull through all 3 stitches. Look up half double crochet tutorial on youtube and you’ll be able to see it better. Hope that helps!

  • Reply
    Princess-Rufflebutt
    December 20, 2012 at 7:38 pm

    Is it okay if I make a few of these to sell among my own patterns at an anime convention? I know a lot of people would just go ahead and do it, but I wanted to get your permission if possible because I have a really bad, nagging, conscience. XD If it’s not okay, there’s no hard feelings. I have plenty of other things that are my own creations to sell.

  • Reply
    Princess-Rufflebutt
    December 20, 2012 at 7:38 pm

    Is it okay if I make a few of these to sell among my own patterns at an anime convention? I know a lot of people would just go ahead and do it, but I wanted to get your permission if possible because I have a really bad, nagging, conscience. XD If it’s not okay, there’s no hard feelings. I have plenty of other things that are my own creations to sell.

  • Reply
    The Vault: Part 2 | ReveDreams.com
    November 24, 2013 at 4:00 pm

    […] implied I did right away in one of my very first blog posts here, I ambitiously set out to stitch a kodama for my brother-in-law. This was in my second month of crocheting, and it went rather […]

  • Reply
    Lily
    January 23, 2014 at 11:12 am

    Hello !
    I really like your little Kodama !
    Could you tell me the size of the yarn ? (
    Thank you 🙂

  • Reply
    kalima40
    June 7, 2014 at 11:30 pm

    Me encantan los kodamas!!! Son geniales!!! Gracias por el patrón para hacerlos!! ^_^ Aunque soy algo torpe… podrías hacer un video tutorial para confeccionarlos?

  • Reply
    Glow in the dark yarn, Kodama, and WIP. | The Dragon's Cave
    October 2, 2014 at 11:40 pm

    […] it. I’ve been looking for Glow in the Dark yarn for a while, ever since I saw a pattern for Kodama (Okay, maybe I didn’t look THAT hard for Glow in the Dark yarn… but you know, I do look […]

  • Reply
    JOAN BRACKEN
    August 5, 2015 at 2:54 am

    So cute. My daughter in law wants me to make her these. Thank you for the pattern, but where do I get the glow in dark yarn. None of my hobby or yarn stores carry it. Thanks again……….

  • Reply
    Ami Amour
    August 5, 2015 at 3:49 am

    Hi Joan, unfortunately I think most places are out of stock on this glow in the dark yarn, but you might find an occasional skein for sale on ebay. You can try using these vinyl glow in the dark yarn from JellyYarns.com: http://www.jellyyarns.com/yarns.shtml#glow instead, but the yarn is stiff so it’s pretty brutal on the hands. I’ve made one from it and quite liked how it came out though. It’s a lot more stiffer and harder than yarn, so the completed object feels a bit more like a sculpture or vinyl toy rather than a plush. If you get a chance to finish the amigurumi though, I’d love to see it!

  • Reply
    Soot Sprite Amigurumi Pattern - Ami Amour
    June 3, 2018 at 11:02 pm

    […] to making your little helpers! And if you’re a fan of Studio Ghibli, be sure to check out my Kodama pattern as well. Happy […]

  • Reply
    Adam
    March 21, 2020 at 3:42 pm

    What yarn are you using for the non glow and the dark sprite? I like it it looks really nice and thick. Do you have a link to amazon or joanns?

    • Reply
      Ami Amour
      March 21, 2020 at 3:52 pm

      I like to use the Red Heart Super Saver for the worsted weight, acrylic yarn, and also for Soot Sprites, I’ll use the Lion Brand Fun Fur. You should be able to find my Amazon affiliate link under the supplies section on my Soot Sprite page I believe!

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