Today, I have a crochet bat pattern for you! Bats have such a bad reputation as creepy, blood sucking critters. While yes, some of them can look really odd, they are actually an incredibly important part of the eco system.
Contrary to popular belief, bats won’t tangle themselves in your hair. In fact, they use a highly sophisticated sonar like system called echolocation to avoid just that! They are incredibly agile in the air and are the only mammals who can truly fly.
Bats also play a critical role as seed dispersers (which leads to reforestation) and as pollinators for many commercial crops, such as bananas, avocados and mangoes.
They also help to keep the insect population in check, which is great for farmers as it means fewer pesticides are required. Bats alone have saved the agricultural industry in the United States billions of dollars in pesticides and damage to crops.
All in all, bats promote healthy ecosystems and improve biodiversity, and for that they should be celebrated, and not feared.
So, onward to the free crochet bat pattern!
Crochet Bat Pattern requirements
C2/2.75 mm hook
Yarn needle
Stitch marker (optional)
DK Cotton yarn (such as Paintbox Yarns*) in the following colors:
Grey (e.g. Paintbox Cotton DK Granite Grey)
Purple (e.g. Paintbox Cotton DK Pansy Purple)
Pink (e.g. Paintbox Cotton DK Candyfloss Pink)
Black yarn / embroidery cotton for eye details
White yarn / embroidery cotton for fangs
View my recommendations for my favourite tools on Amazon
*Paintbox Yarn Cotton DK: 50g (1.75oz), 125m (137yds), 100% cotton, 8 ply (less than 1 ball of each color is required for this square)
NOTES
- Finished size: 13cm square using the hook and yarn suggested and is compatible with my other animal granny squares.
- This pattern uses US terminology (view conversion chart and abbreviations)
- If you are looking for a plain square to use alongside the crochet bat pattern, consider either the Solid Granny Square or the Polka Dot Square.
- Don’t know how to do the magic ring? Head over to my tutorial.
- A low cost, printer friendly, ad free version of this pattern (which includes extra photographs and tips!) is available in my Etsy store.
Special stitches
Picot: ch 2, slst into 2nd st from hook
Crochet Bat Pattern
Rnd 1: Starting with Grey, mr 6 sc, slst to close the rnd (6)
Rnd 2: ch 3 (counts as a dc), 3 dc in next 5 st, 2 dc in last st, slst into 3rd ch of initial ch 3 to close the rnd (18)
Rnd 3: ch 3 (counts as a dc), dc into next st. *Dc in next st, 2 dc in next st. Repeat from * 8 times, slst into 3rd ch of initial ch 3 to close the rnd (26)
Rnd 4: ch 3 (counts as a dc). *2 dc in next st, 2 dc in next st, dc in next st. Repeat from * 8 times, 3 dc into the last st, invisible join to close the rnd. Fasten off and weave in ends. (44)
Rnd 5: work each st of this round into blo. Attach Purple in the circle with a standing dc (or ch 3). *2 dc in next 2 sts, dc in the next 2 sts. Repeat from * 10 times, dc in last 3 st, slst into 3rd ch of initial ch 3 to close the rnd. (64)
Rnd 6: ch 5 (counts as tr + ch 2) and tr into the same st, *tr into the next st, dc into the next 2 sts, hdc into the next 2 sts, sc into the next 5 sts, hdc into the next 2 sts, dc into the next 2 sts, tr into the next st, into the same st (tr + ch 2 + tr), repeat from * 3 more times, leaving out the (tr + ch 2 + tr) in the last repeat . Slst into the 3rd ch of initial ch 5 to close. (68, 4 x ch-2-sp)
Rnd 7: slst into ch-2-sp. Into ch-2-sp, ch 3 (counts as a dc) dc + ch 2 + 2 dc, *dc into the next 17 sts, into the ch-2-sp (2 dc + ch 2 + 2 dc). Repeat from * 3 more times, leaving out the (2 dc + 2 ch + 2 dc) in the last repeat. Slst into first st of rnd to close (84, 4 x ch-2-sp)
Rnd 8: ch 3 (counts as a dc), dc in the next st, *into the ch-2-sp (2 dc + ch 3 + 2 dc), dc into the next 21 sts. Repeat from * 3 more times, leaving out the last 2 dc in the last repeat. Slst into the 3rd ch of the initial ch 3 to close. (100, 4 x ch-3-sp)
Rnd 9: ch 3 (counts as dc), dc in the next 3 sts, *into ch-2-sp (2 dc + ch 3 + 2 dc), dc in the next 25 st. Repeat from * 3 more times, leaving out the last 4 dc in the last repeat. Fasten off with an invisible join and weave in ends. (116, 4 x ch 3)
Head (grey)
Rnd 1: Starting with Grey, mr 6 sc, slst to close the rnd (6)
Rnd 2: ch 3 (counts as a dc), 3 dc in next 5 st, 2 dc in last st, slst into 3rd ch of initial ch 3 to close the rnd (18)
Rnd 3: ch 3 (counts as a dc), dc into same st. * Dc in next st, 2 dc in next st. Repeat from * 8 times, invisible join to close rnd (26)
Fasten off and weave in ends
Left Wing (grey)
R1: ch 13, sk 1, work into back bumps, sc in next 5 sts (this is the top of the wing), sk 2, sc in next 5 sts (10)
R2: Work this row in FLO; ch 1, turn, sc in next 4 st, sk 1, sc in next 4 st, sk last st (8)
R3: Work this row in BLO; ch 1, turn, sc in next 5 sts, slst in next 3 st (8)
R4: Work this row in FLO; ch 1, turn, slst in next 3 sts, sc in next 4 st, sk 1 st (7)
R5: Work this row in BLO; ch 1, turn, sc in next 3 st, slst in next 4 sts (7)
R6: Work this row in FLO; ch 1, turn, slst in next 4 st, sc in next 2 st (6)
R7: Work this row in BLO; ch 1, turn, sc, into same st [sc, picot, sc], slst in next 3 st (6)
To make the right wing, work the same as the left wing, but all BLO rows are now FLO and all FLO rows are now BLO. (for step by step, head over to the ad free pattern)
Ear (x 2, grey)
Into mr [sc, 2 hdc, dc, ch 1, dc, 2 hdc, sc], pull ring closed and fasten off.
Crochet bat square: Assembly and details
- Using pink yarn, embroider the details onto the ears and nose of the crochet bat square.
- Stitch the ears to the head.
- Using black and white yarn / embroidery thread, stitch a mouth and small fangs (see video below for tutorial on how to embroider the eyes).
- Stitch the head and wings onto the body.
- Weave in any remaining ends and block square.
If you enjoyed this crochet bat pattern, then head over here to find more animal square patterns!
Happy stitching!