Meet the I Need to Calm Down amigurumi doll, a retro glam crochet project that's equal parts fabulous and chill. Lounging effortlessly in her swim tube, this Barbiecore meets vintage poolside diva vibes crochet doll is the definition of summer relaxation.
Whether you're a Taylor Swift fan or just love stylish, personality-packed amigurumi designs, this is the perfect project to add some glam to your hook. With her voluminous curls, rhinestone sunglasses, high-waisted pink bikini, and hot pink fluffy faux fur coat, this amigurumi doll serves up all the vibes and a gentle reminder to calm down.
Project Description
One of the best parts about this amigurumi project is that her accessories are removable! The sunglasses, fur coat, and even the swim tube are all crocheted separately, so you can dress her up (or down) depending on the vibe you want. It's a fun way to add versatility and play to your finished doll.
What You Need / Materials
This post contains affiliate links. Purchasing items through these links will not incur any additional costs for you. Please refer to our disclosure policy for more information.
- Light worsted (weight #3) cotton yarn for the doll in the following colors:
- Peach (I used Hobbii Friends Cotton 8/8 in Cream #04)
- Silver (I used Hobbii Friends Cotton 8/8 in Baby Blue #75)
- Pink (I used Hobbii Rainbow Cotton 8/8 in Rose #044)
- Bright Yellow (I used Hobbii Rainbow Cotton 8/8 in Yellow #054)
- Worsted (weight #4) acrylic yarn in the following colors:
- Yellow (Try Hobbii Amigo XL in Primrose A35)
- Hot Pink (Try Hobbii Amigo XL in Pink A54)
- 3.25 mm Crochet Hook
- Safety Eyes (I used 7.0 mm)
- Jewelry Wire to make the doll poseable
- Poly-fil or any Polyester Stuffing of your choice
- Yarn Needle
- Stitch Markers
- Scissors
Prefer the PDF version?
Grab the ad-free, printable PDF pattern. Download and print at home, or view on your computer, tablet, or smartphone.Finished Size
Finished amigurumi measures approximately 16 cm (6.3 inches) in length.
Level of Difficulty
- ★★★★☆ Intermediate / Advanced
- Requires familiarity with stitches used (below), attaching plastic safety eyes, changing yarn colors, changing colors using the half-color change method, and basic sewing skills.
Stitches & Abbreviations
- st/sts - stitch/stitches
- ch - chain
- slst - slip stitch
- sc - single crochet
- sc inc - single crochet increase, 2 single crochets in one stitch
- sc dec - single crochet decrease, single crochet 2 stitches together
- hdc - half double crochet
- hdc inc - half double crochet increase, 2 half double crochets in one stitch
- dc - double crochet
- dc inc - double crochet increase, 2 double crochets in one stitch
- BLO - back loop only
- FLO - front loop only
Pattern Notes
- This pattern is written in US crochet terms.
- Complete the pieces in the specified order to ensure proper assembly later.
- I used the underside of the amigurumi hairpiece as the visible side, allowing the strands to naturally curl towards the face.
- Use the yarn under single crochet technique to achieve tighter, more aligned stitches.
- Learn how to seamlessly change color in crochet mid-row or round to create clean color transitions.
- I used a half-color changing technique to achieve cleaner lines when changing colors from one row to another (e.g., shoes, swim bottoms). Start this technique the round before the color change for a more seamless change. For example, if you are meant to use the new color in round 15, apply the half-color change technique in round 14.
- Crochet in continuous spiral rounds. Do not join at the end of each round unless otherwise stated.
- Use a running stitch marker to keep your place when crocheting in rounds.
- Use the invisible fasten-off method to create a smooth, knot-free edge that blends perfectly with your stitches.
- Optional: Use the invisible increase and invisible decrease to enhance the appearance of your amigurumi.
Free Crochet Doll Pattern
Head
Using a 3.25 mm crochet hook and peach yarn...
Round 1: Magic Circle with a base of 6 sc (6 sts)
Round 2: Sc inc in each st around (12 sts)
Round 3: [Sc, sc inc] x 6 times (18 sts)
Round 4: [Sc, sc inc, sc] x 6 times (24 sts)
Round 5: [3 sc, sc inc] x 6 times (30 sts)
Round 6: [2 sc, sc inc, 2 sc] x 6 times (36 sts)
Round 7: [5 sc, sc inc] x 6 times (42 sts)
Round 8-14: Sc in each st around (42 sts x 7 rounds)
Round 15: [5 sc, sc dec] x 6 times (36 sts)
Round 16: [2 sc, sc dec, 2 sc] x 6 times (30 sts)
Round 17: [3 sc, sc dec] x 6 times (24 sts)
Insert safety eyes between rounds 10 and 11, about 7 stitches apart. Stuff the head with polyester stuffing before the opening gets too small.
Round 18: [Sc, sc dec, sc] x 6 times (18 sts)
Round 19: [Sc, sc dec] x 6 times (12 sts)
Round 20: Sc BLO in each st around (12 sts)
Round 21-23: Sc in each st around (12 sts x 3 rounds)
Cut and fasten off. Stuff firmly and push rounds 20-23 inside the head to create a tunnel and a hole for the neck to go into later.
Arms (make 2)
Using a 3.25 mm crochet hook and peach yarn...
Round 1: Magic Ring with a base of 6 sc (6 sts)
Round 2-8: Sc in each st around (6 sts x 7 rounds)
Cut and fasten off.
Legs and Body
Using a 3.25 mm crochet hook and silver yarn...
Round 1: Magic ring with a base of 5 sc (5 sts)
Round 2: Sc inc in each st around, slst join to the first st, ch 1 (does not count as a stitch) (10 sts)
Round 3: Sc BLO in each st around (10 sts)
Change to peach yarn...
Round 4: 2 sc dec, 6 sc (8 sts)
Round 5-8: Sc in each st around (8 sts x 4 rounds)
Round 9: 4 sc, 4 sc BLO (8 sts)
Round 10: 4 sc, 4 sc FLO of round 8 (8 sts)
Round 11-13: Sc in each st around (8 sts x 3 rounds)
Cut and fasten off the first leg.
Repeat rounds 1-13 to make a second leg. Do not cut or fasten off.
Round 14: 4 sc around the leg, change to pink yarn, ch 2, change back to peach yarn, 8 sc around the other leg, change to pink yarn, 2 sc along the ch, change back to peach yarn, 4 sc on the first leg to finish the round (4 sc + 2 ch + 8 sc + 2 sc + 4 sc = 20 sts)
Change to pink yarn...
Round 15: 4 sc, 2 sc along the other side of the chain made in round 14, 6 sc, sc inc, 4 sc, sc inc, 2 sc (22 sts)
Round 16: Sc in each st around (22 sts)
Round 17: 11 sc BLO, 11 sc (22 sts)
Round 18: 11 sc FLO of round 16, 2 sc, sc dec, 3 sc, sc dec, 2 sc (20 sts)
Round 19: 10 sc BLO, 10 sc (20 sts)
Round 20: 10 sc FLO of round 18, 10 sc (20 sts)
Change to peach yarn...
Round 21: Sc, finish the sc with pink yarn. 9 sc using the half color change method with pink yarn on top, finish the last sc with peach yarn. 10 sc with peach yarn (20 sts)
Round 22: Sc, 9 sc BLO, 10 sc (20 sts)
Round 23: 6 sc around the first arm, 10 sc around the body, 6 sc around the second arm, 10 sc around the remaining sts on the body (32 sts)
Insert wire into the amigurumi doll's arms and legs to make it poseable and fill it with polyester stuffing before decreasing around for the neck.
Round 24: Sc dec in each st around (16 sts)
Round 25: Sc dec in each st around (8 sts)
Round 26-30: Sc in each st around (8 sts x 5 rounds)
Cut and fasten off with a tail. Insert the long neck from the body into the tunnel on the bottom of the head and secure it with a few stitches so the head can still turn.
Bikini Top
Using a 3.25 mm crochet hook and pink yarn...
Row 1: Join to the FLO of round 21 of the body, [Slst, hdc, dc inc, hdc] x 2 times, slst (11 sts)
Cut and fasten off with a longer strand to finish off the details of the bikini top.
Ears (make 2)
Using a 3.25 mm crochet hook and peach yarn...
Round 1: Magic ring with a base of 3 sc (3 sts)
This would make a small semi-circle that would resemble the ear. Sew the ears approximately 7 stitches to the side from where you inserted the safety eyes.
Hair
Using a 3.25 mm crochet hook and yellow yarn...
Round 1: Magic ring with a base of 6 sc (6 sts)
Round 2: Sc inc in each st around (12 sts)
Round 3: [Sc, sc inc] x 6 times (18 sts)
Round 4: [Sc, sc inc, sc] x 6 times (24 sts)
Round 5: [3 sc, sc inc] x 6 times (30 sts)
Fringe / Front Curls
Strand 1: Ch 9, from 2nd ch from hook, 8 sc. Slst into next st on Round 5 (8 sts)
Strand 2: Ch 16, from 2nd ch from hook, sc, [hdc, hdc inc] x 7 times. Skip 1 on Round 5, slst into next (1 sc + 21 hdc = 22 sts)
Strand 3: Ch 22, from 2nd ch from hook, sc, [hdc, hdc inc] x 10 times. Skip 1 on Round 5, slst into next st (1 sc + 30 hdc = 31 sts)
Strand 4: Ch 16, from 2nd ch from hook, sc, [hdc, hdc inc] x 7 times. Skip 1 on Round 5, slst into next st (1 sc + 21 hdc = 22 sts)
Strand 5: Ch 9, from 2nd ch from hook, 8 sc. Slst into next st on Round 5 (8 sts)
Note: Strands 3 and 4 are wrapped together to create a larger curl at the front.
Right Side
Strand 6: Ch 12, from 3rd ch from hook, 10 hdc. Skip 1 on Round 5, slst into next st (10 sts)
Back of Hair
Strand 7-14: Ch 14, from 3rd ch from hook, 12 hdc. Skip 1 on Round 5, slst into next st (12 sts x 8 strands)
Left Side
Strand 15: Ch 12, from 3rd ch from hook, 10 hdc. Skip 1 on Round 5, slst into next st (10 sts)
Left Side Curls
Strand 16-17: Ch 21, from 2nd ch from hook, 20 sc. Slst into next st on Round 5 (20 sts x 2 strands)
Cut and fasten off with a long strand to sew down each strand of hair to the head.
Curls on the Back / Faux Hawk
Using a 3.25 mm crochet hook and yellow yarn...
Strand 1-4: Ch 31, from 2nd ch from hook, 10 sc, 20 hdc. Do not cut. Continue crocheting the next strand (30 sts x 4 strands)
Cut and fasten off with a tail. Sew one end of the faux hawk girls to the center of the magic circle on the wig and then down the back of the head.
Hot Pink Faux Fur Coat
Using a 3.25 mm crochet hook and hot pink yarn...
Row 1: Ch 20, from 2nd ch from hook, 19 sc (19 sts)
Row 2: Ch 1, turn, sc FLO into each st across (19 sts)
The line created by crocheting in the FLO will be on the “outside” of the fur coat.
Row 3: Ch 1, turn, sc in each st across (19 sts)
Row 4: Ch 1, turn, 2 sc, ch 4, skip 4, 7 sc, ch 4, skip 4, 2 sc (19 sts)
Row 5-11: Ch 1, turn, sc in each st across (19 sts x 7 rows)
Row 12: Ch 1, 11 sc up the edge, ch 1, 19 sc on the other side of the foundation ch, ch 1, 11 sc down the edge on the other side (3 ch + 40 sc sts)
Hot Pink Faux Fur Coat Sleeves
Using a 3.25 mm crochet hook and hot pink yarn...
Round 1: Sc join to the sleeve opening made in Row 4 of the coat, 3 sc, sc into space between Rows 3 and 4, 4 sc, sc into space between Rows 3 and 4 on the other side of the sleeve hole (10 sts)
Round 2-5: Sc in each st around (10 sts x 4 rounds)
Cut and fasten off invisibly.
Inflatable Swim Tube / Donut
Using a 3.25 mm crochet hook and bright yellow yarn...
Ch 36, slst join to the first ch
Round 1: Sc in each ch around (36 sts)
Round 2: [5 sc, sc inc] x 6 times (42 sts)
Round 3: [3 sc, sc inc, 3 sc] x 6 times (48 sts)
Round 4: [7 sc, sc inc] x 6 times (54 sts)
Round 5: [4 sc, sc inc, 4 sc] x 6 times (60 sts)
Round 6: [9 sc, sc inc] x 6 times (66 sts)
Round 7: [5 sc, sc inc, 5 sc] x 6 times (72 sts)
Round 8-10: St in each st around (72 sts x 3 rounds)
Round 11: [5 sc, sc dec, 5 sc] x 6 times (66 sts)
Round 12: [9 sc, sc dec] x 6 times (60 sts)
Round 13: [4 sc, sc dec, 4 sc] x6 times (54 sts)
Round 14: [7 sc, sc dec] x 6 times (48 sts)
Round 15: [3 sc, sc dec, 3 sc] x 6 times (42 sts)
Round 16: [5 sc, sc dec] x 6 times (36 sts)
Stuff firmly as you close up the donut-shaped inflatable swim tube.
Round 17: Slst BLO to the foundation ch (36 sts)
Cut and fasten off invisibly.
Prefer the PDF version?
Grab the ad-free, printable PDF pattern. Download and print at home, or view on your computer, tablet, or smartphone.Sunglasses
The sunglasses were cut out from 3mm basswood using my xTool M1 laser cutter. While I know not everyone has access to a laser cutter, it's been an incredible tool for adding fine, custom details to my handmade creations.
To make this more accessible, I've included both the [xTool XCS file] and [SVG files], so you can recreate the sunglasses using any material of your choice (i.e., cardstock, wire, acrylic, wood, foam sheets, or even felt)
After cutting them out, I painted the frames a slightly darker blue than the lenses with acrylic paint. After the paint was dry, I glued the pieces together.
To attach the sunglasses to the doll, I used wire to make a pair of eyeglasses and glued it to the back of the sunglasses. The extended sunglass temples are gently hooked behind the doll's ears to keep them in place without additional support.
Later on, I found the perfect tiny rhinestones and ended up adding them to the sunglasses for that extra sparkle. I also found some mini rhinestone heart charms in earrings for the doll! See the updated version here.
Inspiration Behind the Crochet Design
I really need to calm down because I'm beyond excited to share my latest amigurumi project, which is also my all-time favorite amigurumi doll to date!
This amigurumi doll was inspired by Taylor Swift's iconic look from her "You Need to Calm Down" music video. I loved the visuals of this music video, especially the scene where she's sitting in a yellow inflatable swim tube in a small swimming pool, wearing a hot pink fur coat, sipping a drink while her RV is literally on fire in the background. Her relaxed yet fierce attitude amidst the chaos is something we can all relate to at times.
I initially thought about making a standing Taylor Swift amigurumi doll, just like all my other crochet dolls, but I just really wanted to capture this scene as-is. To achieve this, I had to sculpt the crochet amigurumi to create bends, particularly to the knees and torso.
The technique involves crocheting in the back loop only for half the stitches in the round, leaving the front loop exposed. Then, in the next round, I would crochet as normal until I reach the unworked front loops and work my stitches into the unworked front loops of the earlier round. This approach reduces a round of stitches on one side and, therefore, would create a slight bend in the crocheted piece.
I also added a metal wire frame inside the doll for structure and poseability, allowing her to sit cross-legged in that effortlessly chill position.
After assembling all the pieces and adding the final touches, the Taylor Swift crochet doll turned out exactly as I imagined. Maybe even better! She's vibrant, fun, and slightly rebellious, and I'm incredibly proud of her!
Whether you're a Taylor Swift fan or just appreciate a fabulous crochet doll, I hope you'll enjoy making her as much as I enjoyed designing her. Love her or not, there's no denying this doll is just too darn cute!
You Might Also Like...
- Taylor Swift Amigurumi Doll with Added Rhinestones: Add some sparkle to your stitches with this glamorous Taylor-inspired doll, perfect for Swifties and bling lovers alike!
- Enchanted Princess Amigurumi Doll: A dreamy, fairytale-inspired crochet doll with sweet details and soft pastel vibes.
- Wonderstruck Amigurumi Doll Crochet Pattern: Inspired by Taylor's dreamy Speak Now era, this elegant doll is full of romantic details and nostalgic charm.
Share Your Creation with Me!
Did you make this project? I'd love to see it! Please share it with me on Instagram and/or use the #onceuponacheerio hashtag.
What's Next?
📌 PIN THIS POST to your Pinterest board so you can come back to it later!
💬 LEAVE A COMMENT, I’d love to hear from you!
🔗 ADD THIS PATTERN to your Ravelry queue or favorites!
👋 FOLLOW ME on Instagram and Facebook so you don’t miss a thing!
This is an original crochet pattern written by Juli Anne of Once Upon a Cheerio. Please do not claim this crochet pattern as your own. If you wish to share this crochet pattern, you may link to this blog post, but please do not reprint it on your site. You may keep a copy for personal use, but please DO NOT sell or distribute the crochet pattern.
Disclaimer: We are not affiliated, associated, authorized, endorsed by, or in any way officially connected with Taylor Swift, her management, or any related entity. Taylor Swift and related names, likenesses, and brands are trademarks or intellectual property of their respective owners. Please reserve this crochet pattern and the finished product for personal use ONLY.
I've enjoyed your patterns for awhile now but this one I'm sure will get me Grandma points! I've been crocheting for over 50 years and still learned from this pattern. Thanks so much for sharing your art with us!
Thank you so much! Your comment made me so happy! <3
Love the Taylor Swift doll and pattern. I have made the Sadness and Joy amigurumi dolls from your site already, and they are so cute. Your instructions are excellent! The TS pattern is very clear - although challenging but can't wait to try :) Thanks for sharing your wonderful ideas, patterns and creativity
Post a Comment