I’m sharing the seventh pattern in the Toy Box Crochet Along with CAL Central Crochet. To fit the Farm Friends theme, I designed the crochet donkey pattern for Bernardo Burro! Bernardo Burro is a beginner-friendly crochet donkey pattern with lots of progress photos to help you with assembly. Bernardo Burro is a perfect size for bringing along on adventures!
This post contains affiliate links. I may receive compensation (at no added cost to you) if you make a purchase using these links. Yarn for the sample was generously provided by Lion Brand.
I’m sharing this crochet donkey pattern for the Toy Box Crochet Along with CAL Central Crochet! To join the Toy Box Crochet Along:
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Scroll down for the free crochet donkey pattern for Bernardo Burro. One of my favorite farm animals is the donkey, also known as a burro in Spanish. Donkeys have been used as working animals for over 5,000 years! When I saw this super soft Feels Like Butta yarn in Charcoal and Pale Grey, I knew I had the right colors to make my very own little crochet donkey pattern. (You can get Feels Like Butta online at Lion Brand | Wool Warehouse UK.)
Sometimes, I like to make big, huggable toys, but for Bernardo Burro, I wanted to make a portable farm friend that you (or your favorite kiddo) can bring on an adventure and tote around in your pocket.
If you make your own Bernardo Burro, I’d love to see it! Share your progress and questions by tagging me on Bluesky as @UndergroundCrafter, Facebook as @UndergroundCrafter, or on Instagram as @ucrafter. You can also share a picture in the Underground Crafters Facebook group. Sign up for my weekly newsletter and get a coupon code for your choice of one of my premium patterns and private access to my vault of subscriber goodies. Plus, you’ll never miss one of my free patterns again!
Add Bernardo Burro to your favorites or queue, or buy the ad-free PDF on Ravelry.
Bernardo Burro
Crochet Donkey Pattern by Underground Crafter
This crochet donkey pattern is just the right size for bringing on adventures! This is a beginner-friendly project with limited sewing. Bernardo Burro is the seventh pattern in the Toy Box Crochet Along with CAL Central Crochet.
Finished Size
- Approximately 6.5” (16.5 cm) tall (after stuffing) from top of head to feet; approximately 8″ (20.5 cm) tall (after stuffing) from tip of ears to feet.
Materials
- Lion Brand Feels Like Butta yarn (100% polyester, 3.5 oz/100 g, 218 yd/199 m) – 1 skein each in 129AE Pale Grey (CA) and 150D Charcoal (CB), or approximately 25 yd (23 m) in CA and 80 yd (73 m) in CB in any medium weight, polyester yarn.
- Buy Feels Like Butta online at Lion Brand | Wool Warehouse UK.
- US Size E-4/3.5 mm crochet hook, or any size needed to obtain correct gauge.
- Yarn needle.
- Locking stitch markers.
- I used the MECHEER crochet hook set including yarn needles, stitch markers, scissors, measuring tape, and case.
- 8 mm black safety eyes – 1 pair.
- Fiber filling.
Gauge
- Exact gauge is not critical for this pattern. Stitches should be small so fiber filling doesn’t show through.
Abbreviations Used in This Pattern
- BL – back loop only – Fiber Flux has a helpful video tutorial demonstrating how to identify the back loop on crochet here.
- CA – Color A
- CB – Color B
- ch – chain
- FL – front loop only – A helpful video demonstrating how to identify the front loop is available below.
- If you can’t see the front loop video above, click HERE to watch it on YouTube.
- invdec – invisible decrease – Insert hook in front loop only of each of next 2 sts, yo and draw up a loop, yo and draw through 2 loops. Planet June has helpful photo and video tutorials for the invisible decrease here.
- pm# – place stitch marker#
- rm# – remove stitch marker#
- Rnd(s) – Round(s)
- RS – right (front) side
- sc – single crochet
- sl st – slip stitch
- st(s) – stitch(es)
- WS – wrong (back) side
- yo – yarn over
- [] Repeat instructions within brackets as indicated.
Pattern Notes
- Oombawka Design Crochet has helpful photo and video tutorials for starting with the magic adjustable ring here.
- A helpful video tutorial for the embroidery back stitch for embellishment on crochet is available at the end of this pattern.
- A helpful video demonstrating how to change colors in single crochet is available below.
- If you can’t see the video above demonstrating how to change colors in single crochet, click HERE to watch it on YouTube.
- A helpful video demonstrating joining with a whipstitch seam is available below.
- If you can’t see the whipstitch seam video above, click HERE to watch it on YouTube.
- EverydayHairInspiration has a helpful video tutorial demonstrating how to braid here.
Pattern Instructions
Head
- With CA, start at the muzzle of the Head with a magic adjustable ring (see Pattern Notes).
- Rnd 1: Ch 1, 6 sc in ring, tighten magic ring to close, pm1 in last st to mark position, move marker up each Rnd. (6 sts)
- Rnd 2: 2 sc in each st around. (12 sts)
- Rnd 3: Sc in each st around.
- Rnd 4: Repeat Rnd 3 once.
- Rnd 5: [2 sc in next st, sc in next st] around, rm1, fasten off CA. (18 sts)
- Rnd 6: Join CB with sl st to any st on Rnd 5, ch 1, sc in same st and each st around, pm1 in last st to mark position, move marker up each Rnd.
- Rnd 7: [2 sc in next st, sc in next 5 sts] around. (21 sts)
- Rnds 8-10: Repeat Rnd 3, 3 times.
- Rnd 11: Repeat Rnd 3 once, remove crochet hook and pm1 in loop of last st to prevent unravelling. Position safety eyes 3 stitches apart on Rnd 10. When satisfied with positions, secure by attaching washers firmly inside.
- Cut 1 piece of CA, approximately 18″ (46 cm) long. Thread yarn needle with CA. Use embroidery back stitch (see Pattern Notes) to create nostrils on Rnd 4, positioned below eyes. Embroider smile, starting on Rnd 1. Fasten off and knot yarn on inside of Head.
- Stuff Head firmly with fiber filling, rm1 from loop and return crochet hook to loop. Pm1 on last st of Rnd 11 to mark position, move marker up each Rnd.
- Rnds 12-13: Repeat Rnd 3 twice.
- Rnd 14: [Invdec, sc in next 5 sts] around. (18 sts)
- Rnd 15: [Invdec, sc in next 4 sts] around. (15 sts)
- Rnd 16: [Sc in next st, invdec] around, rm1, fasten off CB with long yarn tail (approximately 12″/30.5 cm long) for seaming. (10 sts)
- Stuff Head firmly with fiber filling. Thread yarn needle with CB yarn tail and seam closed with whipstitch (see Pattern Notes). Weave in ends on inside of Head.
Ears (Make 2)
- Starting at center with CA, ch 9.
- Row 1: (RS) Turn, skip 1 ch, sc in next 7 ch, 3 sc in next ch, pm1 in second of 3 sts, turn to work along underside of foundation chain, sc in unworked side of next 7 ch, changing to CB in last yo of final sc (see Pattern Notes), fasten off CA. (17 sts)
- Row 2: (WS) Turn, ch 1, sc in first st and each st across to marked st, 3 sc in marked st, pm1 in second of 3 sts, sc across. (19 sts)
- Row 3: (RS) Turn, ch 1, slstBL in first st and each st across to marked st, 3 sc in marked st, rm1, slstBL across, fasten off CB with long yarn tail (approximately 12″/30.5 cm long) for seaming. (21 sts)
- Thread yarn needle with CB yarn tail, fold base of Ear, seam with whipstitch (see Pattern Notes) to keep Ear folded.
- Use whipstitch to seam first Ear to Head, approximately 4 Rounds above first eye. Repeat with second Ear. Weave in yarn tails on inside of Head.
First Leg
- With CA, start at the base of the Leg with a magic adjustable ring (see Pattern Notes).
- Rnd 1: Ch 1, 6 sc in ring, tighten magic ring to close, pm1 in last st to mark position, move marker up each Rnd. (6 sts)
- Rnd 2: 2 sc in each st around. (12 sts)
- Rnd 3: [2 sc in next st, sc in next st] around, rm1, fasten off CA. (18 sts)
- Rnd 4: Join CB with slstBL to any st on Rnd 3, ch 1, scBL in same st and each st around, pm1 in last st to mark position, move marker up each Rnd.
- Rnd 5: [Invdec, sc in next st] around. (12 sts)
- Rnd 6: Sc in each st around.
- Rnds 7-12: Repeat Rnd 6, 6 times.
- Rm1, fasten off CB, stuff firmly with fiber filling.
Second Leg
- Repeat as for First Leg through Rnd 12. Do not fasten off. Do not remove marker 1. Stuff firmly with fiber filling.
Join Legs
- Rnd 13: Pm2 to join sixth st on Second Leg with st on First Leg, pm3 to join seventh st on Second Leg with next st on First Leg (photo 1), sc in next 5 sts on Second Leg, join with sc through both legs in sts marked by pm2, rm2 (photo 2), sc in next 10 sts on First Leg (photo 3), join with sc through both legs in sts marked by pm3, rm3 (photo 4), sc in next 5 sts on Second Leg, pm1 in last st to mark position (photo 5), move marker up each Rnd. (22 sts)
Shape Body
- Rnd 14: [2 sc in next st, sc in next st] around. (33 sts)
- Rnd 15: Sc in each st around.
- Rnd 16: Sc in next 4 sts, [2 sc in next st, sc in next st] 4 times, sc in next 21 sts. (37 sts)
- Rnd 17: Sc in next 22 sts, [invdec, sc in next st] 4 times, sc in next 3 sts. (33 sts)
- Rnd 18: Sc in next 22 sts, [invdec, sc in next st] 3 times, sc in next 2 sts. (30 sts)
- Rnd 19: [Invdec, sc in next 4 sts] 4 times, sc in next 6 sts. (26 sts)
- Rnd 20: Repeat Rnd 15 once.
- Rnd 21: [Invdec, sc in next 11 sts] around. (24 sts)
- Rnd 22: Repeat Rnd 15 once.
- Rnd 23: [Invdec, sc in next 4 sts] around. (20 sts)
- Rnd 24: Repeat Rnd 15 once, remove crochet hook, pm1 in loop to avoid unravelling. Flatten Body with larger portion at front, pm2 and pm3 at sides with 9 sts between as shown in the photo below.
- Rm1 from loop and return crochet hook to loop, sc in next st and each st across to st before marker2, pm1 in last st worked to mark position, move marker up each Rnd.
Form Arm Holes
- Rnd 25: [Ch 4, skip 2 sts, sc in next 8 sts] around, removing markers 2 & 3 as you work, remove crochet hook, pm1 in loop to avoid unravelling. Stuff Body firmly with fiber filling. (16 sts + 2 Arm Holes)
Continue to Shape Body
- Rm1 from loop and return crochet hook to loop, pm1 in last st worked to mark position, move marker up each Rnd.
- Rnd 26: [InvdecBL twice over next 4 ch, sc in next 8 sts] around. (20 sts)
- Rnd 27: Repeat Rnd 15 once.
- Rnd 28: [Invdec, sc in next 3 sts] around. (16 sts)
- Rnd 29: [Invdec, sc in next 2 sts] around, rm1, fasten off CB with long yarn tail (approximately 18″/46 cm long) for seaming. (12 sts)
- Stuff Body firmly with fiber filling.
First Arm
- Rnd 1: While facing body from neck towards toes, join CB with slstFL to first ch in either ch-4 Arm Hole, ch 1, scFL in each of 4 ch, 2 sc in each of 2 skipped sts on Body, pm1 in last st worked to mark position, move marker up each Rnd. (8 sts)
- Rnd 2: Sc in each st around.
- Rnd 3: [2 sc in next st, sc in next st] around. (12 sts)
- Rnds 4-6: Repeat Rnd 2, 3 times. Fasten off CB.
- Rnd 7: Join CA with sl st to any st on Rnd 6, ch 1, sc in same st and each st around.
- Rnd 8: [Invdec, sc in next st] around. (8 sts)
- Rnd 9: [Invdec, sc in next st] around, rm1, fasten off CA with long yarn tail (approximately 8″/20.5 cm long) for seaming. (4 sts)
- Thread yarn needle with CA from yarn tail, whipstitch Rnd 9 closed to finish Arm.
Second Arm
- Repeat as for First Arm on opposite side.
Finishing
- Thread yarn needle with CB from yarn tail on Body, join Head to Body with whipstitch seam (see Pattern Notes).
- To form Tail, cut 3 pieces of CB, each approximately 18″ (46 cm) long. Using crochet hook, attach yarn at back of Body, approximately 3 Rounds above Leg join.
- Fold yarn in half to create 6 strands. Braid tail (see Pattern Notes) for approximately 1″ (2.5 cm). Fasten off yarn with about 2″ (5 cm) remaining. Use strand of yarn to tie a knot at the end of braid so it doesn’t unravel. Trim Tail as necessary.
