Make a charming mimic treasure chest amigurumi with clear step-by-step instructions and helpful photos. This pattern builds a hinged chest with an embroidered keyhole, eyeball, teeth strip and a poseable tongue. Youll enjoy assembly steps that give structure using optional plastic canvas or wire for a durable, display-ready finish. Perfect for dice storage, gifts, or a playful decorative piece.
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— Notes :
Info :
Repeat directions shown with asterisks to the end of the round. When working in multiples of 6 you will repeat the starred sequence the appropriate number of times. Stitches in braces or brackets go into the same space. Clean color changes take two rounds (A then B) but will look like one round when complete.
— Stitches Used (US Terms) :
Info :
magic ring. slst: slip stitch. sc: single crochet. inc: single crochet increase. dec: single crochet decrease. Picot: Ch2, slst in first ch made. BLO: Back loops only. FLO: Front loops only. hdc: half double crochet. dc: double crochet.
— Example (F) :
Info :
r1 sc 6 in magic ring (6). r2 *inc* (12). r3 *1sc, inc* (18). r4 *2sc, inc* (24). r5 *3sc, inc* (30). r7a slst around (30). r7b sc around (30). r8 2sc, inc, *4sc, inc* x5, 2sc (36). r9 5sc, {sc, hdc, sc}, 30sc (38). Stitches grouped in brackets go into the same space.
— Short Side x2 :
Round r1 :
Start with Chest: Ch10. sc across (9)
Round r2-8 :
Ch1, turn. sc across (9)
Info :
Finish off, turn, reattach at corner with Trim. (BLO). Insert hook, pull up loop, ch1 to start. (ch1 counts as the first slst of r9a). Ch2 at the corners count as one space (increases land in these).
Round r9a :
BLO: slst around, ch2 at corners (38)
Round r9b :
BLO: sc around, inc in ch2 spaces (42)
Info :
Finish off, leave a Trim tail for sewing.
— Tips for clean borders :
Info :
The border takes two rounds: Prep round A (slst around, ch2 at corners), Border round B (sc around, inc in the ch2 spaces). Keep your slsts loose so the border does not drawstring the shape.
— Long Side x2 :
Round r1 :
Start with Chest: Ch13. sc across (12)
Round r2-8 :
Ch1, turn. sc across (12)
Info :
Finish off, turn, reattach at corner with Trim. (BLO). Insert hook, pull up loop, ch1 to start. (ch1 counts as the first slst of r9a)
Round r9a :
BLO: slst around, ch2 at corners (44)
Round r9b :
BLO: sc around, inc in ch2 spaces (48)
Info :
Finish off, leave a tail for sewing.
— Bottom x1 :
Round r1 :
Start with Chest: Ch13. sc across (12)
Round r2-9 :
Ch1, turn. sc across (12)
Info :
Finish off, turn, reattach at corner with Trim. (BLO). Insert hook, pull up loop, ch1 to start. (ch1 counts as the first slst of r10a). Mark this piece so you remember it's the bottom. (it's very similar to the long sides)
Round r10a :
BLO: slst around, ch2 at corners (46)
Round r10b :
BLO: sc around, inc in ch2 spaces (50)
Info :
Finish off, leave a tail for sewing.
— Top x1 :
Round r1 :
Start with Chest: Ch13. sc across (12)
Round r2-16 :
Ch1, turn. sc across (12)
Info :
Finish off, reattach at corner with Trim. (BLO). Insert hook, pull up loop, ch1 to start. (ch1 counts as the first slst of r17a)
Round r17a :
BLO: slst around, ch2 at corners (60)
Round r17b :
BLO: sc around, inc in ch2 spaces (64)
Info :
Finish off, leave a tail for sewing. The top is made differently to curve when assembled; see Top Assembly for plastic canvas notes.
— Top Side x2 :
Round r1 :
Start with Chest: 3sc in magic ring (3)
Round r2 :
ch1, turn. *inc* (6)
Round r3 :
ch1, turn. *1sc, inc* (9)
Round r4 :
ch1, turn. *2sc, inc* (12)
Round r5 :
ch1, turn. *3sc, inc* (15)
Info :
Turn, reattach with Trim. Use a long starter tail to do r6a. Then use the master strand to do r6b without turning.
Round r6a :
BLO slst across (15)
Round r6b :
BLO *4sc, inc* (18)
Info :
Finish off, leave a tail for sewing.
— Handles x2 :
Round r1 :
Start with Trim: Ch8. Start in second ch from hook: 2sc, inc, inc, inc, 2sc (10)
Info :
Finish off, leave a tail for sewing.
— Mouth Top :
Round r1 :
Start with Mouth: Ch14. sc across (13)
Round r2-15 :
sc across (13)
Info :
Finish off. Reattach and work along raw edge. There's no row of slst's to keep clean because it's the same color.
— Mouth Top - Sides :
Round r1 :
Sc across (15). ch1, turn.
Round r2 :
Dec, dec, dec, 3sc, dec, dec, dec (9). ch1, turn.
Round r3 :
Dec, dec, 1sc, dec, dec (5). ch1, turn.
Round r4 :
Dec, 1sc, dec (3)
Info :
Finish off. Repeat Sides r1-4 on the other raw edge. The shape will curl like a boat to fit inside the top. Leave one tail for sewing.
— Long Brace :
Round r1 :
Make with Trim: Ch32. Start in second ch from hook: 30sc, {1sc, ch1, 1sc, ch1, 1sc} in last ch. Continue along other side of chain: 30sc
Info :
Finish off, leave a tail for sewing. Optional: If you want to use wire to flip the eye up (instead of a button), cut a short piece of wire and bend it to fit the shape. On r1, start sc'ing around wire at about 18 sc in. Continue sc'ing around the wire to the same spot on the other side. Bend two short prongs out at 90 degrees to plug into the top. Trim excess.
— Mouth Bottom :
Round r1 :
Start with Mouth: Ch5. Start in third chain from hook: 2sc, {3sc} in last ch. Continue around other side of ch: 2sc, {3sc} in ch2 space (10)
Round r2 :
2sc, inc, inc, inc, 2sc, inc, inc, inc (16)
Round r3 :
3sc, inc, inc, 1sc, inc, inc, 3sc, inc, inc, 1sc, inc, inc (24)
Round r4 :
4sc, inc, inc, 3sc, inc, inc, inc, 5sc, inc, inc, 3sc, inc, inc, 1sc (32)
Round r5 :
5sc, inc, inc, 5sc, inc, inc, inc, 7sc, inc, inc, inc, 5sc, inc, inc, 2sc (40)
Round r6-9 :
sc around (40)
Round r10 :
6sc, inc, inc, 7sc, inc, inc, 9sc, inc, inc, 7sc, inc, inc, 3sc (48)
Round r11-15 :
sc around (48)
Round r16 :
BLO: 11hdc, {1hdc, ch1, 1hdc}, 9hdc, {1hdc, ch1, 1hdc}, 13hdc, {1hdc, ch1, 1hdc}, 9hdc, {1hdc, ch1, 1hdc}, 2hdc
Info :
The ch1's of r16 are the corners. Finish off, leave a tail for sewing. This piece is wrong-side-out so when you look inside you see the right side.
— Keyhole :
Round r1 :
Make with Trim: 6sc in magic ring (6)
Round r3 :
*1sc, inc* (18)
Info :
Finish off, leave a tail for sewing. Optional: If you want a button to flip the eye up instead of wire, make a small secure loop when weaving tails. With black, embroider a keyhole shape on the face of this piece.
— Eyeball :
Round r1 :
Start with Mouth: 5sc in magic ring (5)
Info :
Cut yarn, pull tail through. Do an invisible finish. Change to white, leave a starting tail to embroider shine.
Round r3a :
BLO slst around (10)
Round r3b :
*1sc, inc* - work through BLO of both colors (15)
Info :
Finish off, leave a tail to sew to keyhole. With a strand of black, embroider a slit pupil (3 passes). Use white tail to embroider a shine over it (1 pass). Knot and trim tails. Sew to back of Keyhole through BLO of white into the back bars of Trim. Stuff before closing (this is the only piece with stuffing).
— Invisible Finish :
Info :
Skip first stitch. Insert hook under both loops from the back. Pull tail through. Insert hook under BLO of last stitch of the round, from the back, pull tail through. Adjust tension as needed for a seamless finish.
— Teeth :
Round r1 :
Start with White: Ch22. Start in second ch from hook. slst, *[ch3, slst, 1sc], slst in next, slst in next*
Info :
Finish off. Change to Tongue. Work r2 across other side as shown. Pull up a loop here to start.
Round r2 :
*BLO slst, slst, sc*, slst, slst, slst (22)
Info :
The sc's here are worked around the entire piece going between the teeth. They do not occupy a loop of the starting chain. Do not skip or miss a ch for the next slst. Finish off, leave a tail for sewing. Pin and sew the tongue to the back of the mouth. Pin and sew teeth strip along the mouth/head seam. Sew through BLO of the gums.
— Tongue :
Round r1 :
Make with Tongue: Ch32. Start in second ch from hook: 30sc, {1sc, ch2, 1sc} in last ch. Continue along other side of chain: 30sc
Round r2 :
ch1, turn. 31sc, {4sc} in ch2 space. Continue along other side of chain: 31sc
Info :
Finish off, leave a Tongue tail for sewing. With Mouth, reattach in center at bottom. Slst going through the tongue. Work up to the tip. Finish off.
— Long Brace Assembly (Trim) :
Info :
Make the Long Brace and optionally insert wire as described. Pin the long Brace over the chest and sew through the back bars of the chest. There will be a little overhang. Sew through back bars for a decorative look and to attach the keyhole/eyeball.
— Bottom Assembly :
Info :
For a strong structure use 7-count plastic canvas on the back of every chest piece (optional). Plastic canvas comes in a stiff and flexible version; flexible is better for the curved top. Trace the canvas to fit within the back bars of stitches for seam allowance. My measurements (holes, length x height): Short sides x2: 20 x 16. Long sides x2: 25 x 16. Bottom x1: 25 x 18. Sewing thread makes attaching canvas easier. Lay pieces out in formation, note direction of rows. Use safety pins or stitch markers to hold them together while you sew. Sew BLO to BLO with a whip stitch.
— Top Assembly :
Info :
Continue with the plastic canvas sewing. My measurements for canvas (holes) Top sides x2: a semi circle 17 wide and 8 tall. Top x1: 25 x 26. The top is made differently because we want it to curve; the plastic piece will appear too short when laid flat. Start by sewing down one of the short edges, then use a hair tie or a piece of yarn to hold the shape in a bend while you sew the rest. When bent the plastic piece should be the perfect size. Safety pin the sides to the top. Sew BLO to BLO with a whip stitch.
— Mouth Assembly :
Info :
Center the teeth and pin them in place. Sew them to the mouth bucket through the BLO of the gums to the BLO of the mouth. Mark the back center of the mouth, then pull it out to sew the tongue in. Push back inside after sewing.
— Chest Assembly :
Info :
Use safety pins or round markers to line the top up with a long side. Sew BLO to BLO on the one hinged side and finish off. If using wire in your Brace plug the bent ends into the chest between the fabric and the plastic and internally bend them. Sew the Keyhole/Eyeball to the end of the Brace so the Keyhole flips up to reveal the Eyeball. If you are using buttons flip the Eyeball up, mark where the loop lands, sew a button, then sew 4-6 more buttons along the brace for decoration and camouflage.
This adorable Mimic chest is a playful amigurumi project that doubles as a tiny treasure box and dice holder. It combines simple rectangular panels with whimsical details like teeth, tongue, and an embroidered eyeball for personality. Use optional plastic canvas or wire to make it sturdy and long-lasting while keeping it delightfully mischievous. 🧶🗝️
