The Pattern

Plush crochet amigurumi alien with big black eyes sitting inside its grey and green flying saucer
Free Pattern by Sweet Softies

Pocket Alien & UFO Amigurumi

This little set from Sweet Softies pairs a wide-eyed alien with a matching flying saucer, and the alien sits perfectly inside the UFO when it is done. It is a no-sew make, so the head and body flow together in one continuous piece and there are no fiddly seams to close up at the end. That is what makes it such a satisfying quick project.

The pattern comes in two sizes, a big set with a 3.5 inch alien and a 3 inch UFO, and a smaller set just right for a keychain or bag charm. It works up in super bulky chenille velvet yarn, so the stitches come out soft and plush. It is a fast little make you can finish in an afternoon.

Ready to start?

This free pattern is by Sweet Softies, released as part of their 2025 Creator Challenge. The full written instructions, round counts, and step photos are all on their blog.

Get the Free Pattern →

What You'll Need

The supply list is short, and you only need a small amount of yarn for the whole set.

  • Yarn Super bulky weight 6 chenille velvet yarn in a few colors. Sweet Softies used Hobbii Toucan in white, light grey, dark grey, and green. The velvet texture is what gives the alien its soft, plushy look.
  • Hook 5mm crochet hook. A touch smaller than the yarn label suggests, which keeps the fabric tight so no stuffing peeks through the stitches.
  • Safety eyes 12mm plastic safety eyes. Placed between rounds five and six, about five stitches apart. You can embroider the eyes instead if you are making this for a baby or toddler.
  • Stuffing Polyester fiberfill. You will only need a little since these are pocket sized. Stuff the head and body firmly but not so much that the stitches stretch.
  • Extras Yarn needle and scissors. For closing the body and weaving in your ends. A stitch marker or scrap of yarn helps you track the start of each round.

Tips Before You Start

A few things worth knowing that make this little alien come together smoothly.

1

Mark the start of every round

The whole body is worked in continuous rounds with no joins, so it is easy to lose your place. Sweet Softies likes a scrap of yarn for this because it is cheap and easy to move up as you go. Drop a marker in the first stitch of each round and the shaping will stay on track.

2

Velvet yarn can be slippery, so go slow

Chenille velvet yarn is gorgeous and soft, but it loves to hide your stitches and can worm or split if you crochet too loosely. Work at an even, slightly firm tension and count often. If you have never used velvet before, this small project is a friendly place to get the feel for it.

3

Place the eyes before you close the head

Add the 12mm safety eyes after round seven, while you still have an opening to reach inside and snap the backings on. Once the head is stuffed and closed you cannot add them. A safety eye insertion tool makes the backings go on much more easily than fighting them by hand.

4

Use the invisible decrease on the wider rounds

Working your decreases through the front loops only keeps the fabric smooth and hides any little gaps. Sweet Softies switches to a regular decrease on the very tight final rounds where it is easier to manage. Both methods are shown in the tutorial, so use whichever feels comfortable.

5

Make the small size for a keychain

The pattern includes a smaller 3 inch alien that is the perfect size to clip onto a bag or set of keys. Since the whole set uses so little yarn, it is a great stashbuster, and once you have made one you will want to whip up a whole crew in different colors.