Amigurumi Panda Patterns: How to Crochet a Cuddly Panda

An amigurumi panda is one of the most rewarding characters you can crochet — a soft, round, black-and-white plushie that charms everyone from toddlers to grandparents, and one that uses a remarkably simple construction to look far more complicated than it really is. Pandas have a built-in advantage in amigurumi: their colour blocking does half the design work for you. Two black ears, two black eye patches, four black limbs and a white body create an instantly recognisable silhouette before you have sewn on a single detail. That is why the panda sits alongside the bear, the bunny and the elephant as a permanent fixture in every crocheter's repertoire. In this guide I will walk through what makes amigurumi panda patterns so satisfying, how to choose yarn, hooks and colours, how a panda's anatomy breaks down into simple shapes, how to pick the right safety eyes and nose for that unmistakable face, a full step-by-step construction method, creative colour variations, the mistakes that make pandas look slightly off, stuffing and finishing techniques, gift and care advice, and where to find the supplies. mucunnia.com ships worldwide with the safety eyes, noses and washers that make a panda's face look properly finished, so let us get started.

There is also something emotionally appealing about pandas that few other animals quite match. They are gentle, slightly clumsy, endlessly lovable and completely unthreatening. A crocheted panda reads as comfort rather than as a character with an agenda, which makes it one of the safest gifts you can make — appropriate for a newborn, a colleague, a grandparent or a friend going through a hard time, without any need to guess at taste. Add to that the fact that black and white photography looks striking in any light, and you have a project that is as pleasant to photograph as it is to make.

What Makes Amigurumi Panda Patterns So Irresistible

Very few animals translate into yarn as cleanly as the giant panda. The design is essentially a set of high-contrast shapes, and high contrast is exactly what the eye reads fastest from a distance. When you place a black ear against a white head, the shape registers instantly — no shading, no embroidery and no mid-round colour changes are required to communicate what the animal is. That makes the panda unusually forgiving for a beginner and unusually fast for an experienced maker who wants a satisfying weekend project.

Beyond the visual logic, pandas are simply good value as projects. They use two colours, which means two balls of yarn and no complicated colourwork. They have no long limbs to keep symmetrical and no tail to balance. Their proportions are chunky and rounded, so small irregularities disappear into the overall softness. And because pandas are so widely loved, they are one of the few amigurumi designs that sells consistently at every price point, from a three-inch keychain to a twelve-inch cuddle toy.

Here is what makes them so consistently popular:

• Instant recognisability. Two black ears and two eye patches are all it takes. The silhouette does the work for you.
• Only two colours. White and black — or cream and charcoal, which looks softer and photographs better.
• Forgiving proportions. A slightly wonky ear on a panda reads as personality rather than as a mistake.
• Simple shapes. Spheres, ovals and short tubes. No complex sculpting is required at any point.
• Endless size range. The same construction scales from a two-inch charm to a fourteen-inch cushion.
• Universal appeal. Pandas cross every age group, culture and gift occasion without any awkwardness.
• Great for using up scraps. A small panda will happily consume the last of a white cotton ball and the oddments of black.
• Excellent for learning. If you are practising sewing on limbs, placing eye patches or embroidering a mouth, a panda is the ideal canvas.
• Strong photography subject. Black and white against a coloured background is the easiest product shot there is.
• Sells well in sets. A panda family — big, medium and tiny — is a far more attractive listing than a single plushie.

If you have made a bear and found it slightly plain, a panda is the natural next step. You already know the construction; the panda simply adds the colour blocking that makes the finished object look deliberately designed.

Choosing Yarn, Hook and Colours for an Amigurumi Panda

Because a panda's charm depends entirely on crisp contrast and a clean silhouette, yarn choice matters more than it does for a busier design. Here is how to choose well:

• Worsted-weight cotton is the ideal choice. It is smooth, matte, holds its shape and shows the stitch definition that keeps the black-and-white shapes sharp.
• A cotton-acrylic blend is a fine compromise if you want a softer finish or a wider colour range. You lose a little crispness but gain a slightly more cuddle-friendly surface.
• Acrylic alone works well for large cuddle pandas, where softness matters more than definition, and it is the cheapest option if you plan to make several.
• Avoid fuzzy, eyelash, boucle and mohair yarns. Fluff blurs the boundary between the black patches and the white body, which destroys the entire visual effect.
• Choose cream rather than stark white for the body. Pure white yarn can look slightly harsh and shows every speck of dust. A soft cream, ivory or oatmeal reads as white while looking warmer and more premium.
• Choose charcoal rather than jet black for the patches. True black can look flat and lifeless in photographs, while a deep charcoal or soft black retains visible stitch texture and photographs beautifully.
• Keep a high contrast between the two colours. If your cream and your charcoal are too close in value, the panda will look washed out and slightly confusing from a distance.
• Work with a hook one to two sizes smaller than the label suggests. For worsted cotton, 2.75 to 3.5 mm produces the dense, opaque fabric that amigurumi needs. If you can see light or stuffing through the fabric, go down a size.
• Match your tension across both colours. Black yarn can feel slightly thicker or grippier than cream, and some makers naturally work one more tightly. Check your gauge on both before starting the body.
• Plan your stuffing before you begin. A panda should be firm enough to hold its shape but soft enough to squeeze. Buy good quality fiberfill in one piece rather than reusing lumpy leftovers.

One practical habit that saves a lot of frustration: make a small test sphere in both colours before you commit to the full project. It takes fifteen minutes and it tells you immediately whether your gauge is tight enough, whether the two colours read well together, and whether your chosen eyes will look right at that scale.

The Anatomy of an Amigurumi Panda: Head, Body, Ears and Limbs

The reason a panda is such a good project for a confident beginner is that it is built from just five simple shapes. Understand each one and you can crochet any panda at any size without ever following a pattern again.

The Head

The head is a slightly flattened sphere — essentially a ball worked in even rounds with a gentle taper at the bottom where it joins the body. It should be the widest part of the whole plushie. A panda head that is too small makes the finished toy look like a bear; a head that is properly generous is what creates the soft, chubby look people associate with pandas. Work the head first, because its finished size determines the correct size for every other piece.

The Eye Patches

The eye patches are the single most important design element, and they are surprisingly easy. Each patch is a small flat oval worked in the round or in rows, then sewn onto the face at a slight outward tilt. The tilt is what gives the panda its gentle, slightly sad expression. Patches that sit perfectly upright look severe; patches angled a few degrees outward look kind. Always pin both patches before sewing either one, and check the face from a distance of at least a metre.

The Body

The body is an egg shape — wider at the base, gently narrowing toward the shoulders. Work it in the round with even increases to the widest point and then a slow decrease. Most makers make the body slightly wider than it is tall, which creates the round, sitting posture that reads as a panda rather than a standing bear. If you plan to seat the panda rather than stand it, flatten the base by working a few rounds without increasing so the bottom sits level.

The Ears

Panda ears are small, rounded and almost semicircular. They are usually made as flat circles or shallow cups, then folded slightly and sewn to the top corners of the head. Position them wider apart than you think — pandas have ears set to the sides of a very broad head, not on top like a bear's. This one adjustment makes an enormous difference to how convincingly the finished toy reads.

The Limbs

Four short, chunky tubes. Panda arms and legs are noticeably stubbier than a bear's, which is part of what makes the animal look so appealingly solid. Work each limb as a simple cylinder with a rounded end, keep them short, and stuff them lightly so they stay soft rather than stiff. Sew the arms just below the neck and the legs at the base of the body, angled slightly outward so the panda looks relaxed rather than rigid.

Sizing Your Amigurumi Panda: From Keychain to Cuddle

One of the great pleasures of a two-colour design is how easily it scales. The same five shapes will work at any size as long as you keep the proportions consistent. Here is a practical guide:

• Two to three inches (keychain size). Worked in sport-weight cotton on a 2 mm hook. Use 4 to 5 mm eyes, or embroider the face entirely. Perfect for bag charms, party favours and market impulse buys.
• Four to five inches (palm size). The most popular size for gifts. DK or worsted cotton on a 2.5 to 3 mm hook, with 6 to 8 mm eyes. Fits in a coat pocket and sits neatly on a desk.
• Six to eight inches (shelf size). The classic display plushie. Worsted cotton on a 3 to 3.5 mm hook, with 9 to 12 mm eyes. This is the size most patterns are written for.
• Ten to fourteen inches (cuddle size). Worked in bulky or chenille yarn on a 4 to 5 mm hook, with 15 to 18 mm eyes. These take significantly more yarn and stuffing, but they are the version people buy for babies and for their own beds.
• Micro panda (under two inches). Thread-weight cotton on a 1.25 to 1.5 mm hook. Extremely fiddly, extremely cute, and best attempted only after you have made at least one larger panda.

Whichever size you choose, resist the temptation to mix scales. A head from one size and limbs from another will look subtly wrong even if you cannot immediately say why. Decide the finished height first, then scale every piece proportionally.

Choosing Safety Eyes for Your Amigurumi Panda

The eyes decide whether your panda looks sweet, sleepy, startled or slightly unsettling. This is the detail worth slowing down for, and it is where most beginner pandas go wrong.

• Size relative to the head. For a panda head about three inches across, 9 to 12 mm eyes are the sweet spot. Smaller eyes look realistic but slightly cold; larger eyes look cartoonish and cute.
• Placement matters more than size. Set the eyes fairly low on the face and about one eye-width apart. Eyes placed high and wide apart read as adult and slightly odd; eyes placed low and close read as young and appealing.
• Classic black is the traditional panda look. A pair of glossy black safety eyes inside the black patches is exactly what the animal calls for, and the glossy finish catches light so the face looks alive rather than flat.
• Consider clear or glitter finishes for a modern twist. Clear eyes can be painted from behind with nail polish to create custom colours, and a subtle sparkle finish gives a panda a magical, storybook quality that photographs very well.
• Always fit the matching washer. Press the washer on until it clicks and cannot be pulled off by hand. This is what makes a safety eye safe, and it is also what stops an eye from loosening after months of handling.
• Trim the post if it pokes through. On small pandas, the eye post can intrude into the stuffing area. Trim it flush with the washer using sharp flush cutters, then bury the cut end inside.
• For children under three, embroider instead. Two tight satin stitches per eye in black embroidery floss creates a completely soft, completely secure face. A panda made this way is genuinely baby-safe and still unmistakably a panda.
• Do the tug test. Pull firmly on each eye before the panda leaves your hands. It takes two seconds and it is the single most important safety habit in amigurumi.

A small trick worth trying: fit the eyes into the patches before you sew the patches to the head. Working on a flat patch is far easier than working on a curved face, and you can check the eye placement without fighting the stuffing.

Noses, Muzzles and the Face of Your Amigurumi Panda

The panda face is a study in restraint. The eye patches do most of the work, which means the nose and mouth should be small, dark and quiet. Anything larger and the face starts to look like a cartoon rather than a panda.

• Use a small safety nose for the crispest result. A safety nose in black or dark brown gives an instant, perfectly shaped snout that embroidery struggles to match at small scale, and it presses on with a washer just like a safety eye.
• Position the nose low and centred. Place it roughly a third of the way up from the bottom of the face, directly between and slightly below the eyes.
• Keep the muzzle subtle. If you add a muzzle, work it as a very shallow cream oval and place it so it barely protrudes. A prominent muzzle turns a panda into a bear.
• Embroider the mouth rather than adding a component. A single small downward curve, or a delicate "w" shape, is enough. Two or three stitches total.
• Consider a very small smile. A gentle upward curve makes the panda look content; a downward curve makes it look melancholy. Neither is wrong — just choose deliberately.
• Add blush for extra charm. Two soft pink circles applied with a cotton bud and a little blush powder, or embroidered in pale pink yarn, soften the face beautifully.
• Leave the eye patches plain. Do not outline them, do not add eyebrows, and do not add highlights. The contrast is the design.
• Check the face at arm's length. Step back, hold the head up and squint. If the expression reads clearly from a metre away, it will read clearly up close as well.

One habit that separates polished pandas from amateur ones: pin the entire face — patches, eyes, nose and mouth — before sewing any of it. You can rearrange pins endlessly and cheaply. Unpicking sewn patches leaves visible holes in the cream yarn that never quite disappear.

Step-by-Step: How to Crochet an Amigurumi Panda

Here is a reliable construction sequence for a classic sitting panda at roughly six to eight inches. Exact stitch counts depend on your yarn and hook, but the order of operations is what produces a clean, well-proportioned result.

1. Crochet the head first. Start with a magic ring, work six single crochet into it, and increase in even rounds until the head reaches its widest point. Work several even rounds to give the head its fullness, then decrease gradually to close the bottom.
2. Stuff the head firmly but not rock-hard. Add fiberfill in small wisps rather than one large handful, pushing it into the edges with the blunt end of your hook. A head that is stuffed evenly holds a round shape; a head stuffed in one lump develops flat spots.
3. Close the head. Use an invisible decrease for the final rounds and gather the last stitches closed, then weave the tail through the centre. Do not cut the tail yet — you may want it for attaching the head to the body.
4. Crochet the body. Work a magic ring and increase to the widest point, then work even rounds and decrease slowly toward the shoulders. Leave the top opening slightly narrower than the head so the join disappears.
5. Stuff the body firmly. Aim for a body that is dense at the base so the panda sits up rather than slumping. If you want extra stability, place a flat washer or a small circle of stiffened felt in the base before stuffing.
6. Make the ears. Work two small flat circles or shallow cups. Leave a long tail on each for sewing, and press them gently into a slight fold so they look like rounded panda ears rather than flat discs.
7. Make the four limbs. Work four short cylinders with rounded ends, keeping them deliberately stubby. Stuff them lightly — a stiff arm looks unnatural on a soft panda.
8. Make the eye patches. Work two small ovals, either flat in rows or as shallow cups in the round. Keep them symmetrical and check them against each other before you continue.
9. Attach the patches to the head. Pin both patches first, tilting them slightly outward, and check the expression from a distance. When you are happy, sew around each patch with small, even stitches in cream thread so the stitching disappears.
10. Fit the eyes. Push each eye post through the centre of a patch, then press the washer on firmly from inside the head. Fit the nose in the same way, checking the vertical placement against the eyes.
11. Embroider the mouth. Add a small curved mouth in black or dark brown embroidery floss. Keep it minimal and take one stitch at a time so you can stop before it becomes too heavy.
12. Join the head to the body. Pin the head in place, checking that the panda sits level and that the neck line looks natural from the front and the side. Sew all the way around with a firm whip stitch, then go around a second time.
13. Attach the limbs. Pin the arms just below the neck and the legs at the base, angled slightly outward. Sew each limb with a double pass so it can withstand hugging, and check that all four are at matching heights.
14. Attach the ears. Sew the ears to the top corners of the head, set wider apart than feels natural. A panda's ears sit to the sides of a very broad head, not on top like a bear's.
15. Do the final check. Hold the panda up to a light, tug every component firmly, and look for any gaps where stuffing might show through. Fix anything that moves before the panda goes anywhere.

The step most makers rush is the placement of the patches and the ears, and it is the step that decides whether the finished toy looks like a panda or like a bear with dark spots. Pin everything, step back, and only then pick up your needle.

Colour Variations and Creative Ideas to Try

Once you have made one classic panda, the design opens up in every direction. The two-colour structure is a framework, not a rule, and some of the most popular panda designs on the market are anything but black and white.

• Pastel panda. Soft blush pink patches with a cream body, or mint green with ivory. Pastel pandas are hugely popular as baby gifts and nursery decor.
• Reverse panda. A charcoal body with cream patches. The inversion is immediately eye-catching and works beautifully in photographs.
• Sparkle panda. Glitter or shimmer yarn for the patches, matte cream for the body. The contrast between finishes gives a subtle magical quality.
• Sleepy panda. Embroider closed, curved eyes instead of using safety eyes. This is the safest option for babies and arguably the cutest of all.
• Panda with a scarf. Add a simple striped scarf in a bright accent colour. It takes twenty minutes and turns a plain panda into a seasonal gift.
• Panda in a hoodie. Work a small hood in a contrasting colour and dress the panda. Hoodie pandas are one of the most requested variations for teenagers.
• Panda keychain. The same construction at two inches, with a split ring or a small crochet ring attached at the top. These sell faster than any other size at markets.
• Panda family set. Three pandas at three different sizes in matching colours. Sets command a better price than singles and make an impressive gift.
• Giant floor panda. Worked in chenille or super bulky yarn on a 5 mm hook, this becomes a decorative floor cushion. It uses a lot of yarn and stuffing, and it is enormously satisfying.
• Panda with a hat. A tiny beanie in a seasonal colour makes a lovely holiday version and adds almost no extra work.

If you are making pandas to sell, the key insight is that the classic version is the anchor product and the variations are the upsell. Keep one classic panda in every listing photograph so buyers instantly understand what the design is, then offer the variations as choices.

Common Mistakes That Make a Panda Look Off

Most disappointing pandas fail for one of a handful of predictable reasons. All of them are easy to avoid once you know what to look for.

• Ears placed on top like a bear's. This is the most common mistake by far. Panda ears belong on the sides of a broad head, not on the crown.
• Eye patches that are too small. Timid patches make the panda look like a raccoon. Be generous — the patches should be a prominent, deliberate part of the face.
• Patches sewn perfectly upright. A slight outward tilt is what gives the panda its gentle expression. Upright patches look stern.
• Gauge too loose. If you can see the stuffing through the fabric, the panda will look scruffy no matter how well it is assembled. Go down a hook size.
• Overstuffing the head. A rock-hard head distorts the eye patches and makes the eyes sit at odd angles. Stuff firmly but stop when the shape is round.
• Limbs sewn at mismatched heights. Measure or count stitches rather than eyeballing, or the panda will look slightly lopsided in every photograph.
• Under-stuffing the base. A panda that slumps forward cannot be displayed sitting up, which is how most people want to display them.
• Stark white yarn. Pure white looks harsh and shows every speck of dust. Cream is almost always the better choice.
• Adding too much face detail. Eyebrows, highlights, outlines and a large mouth all compete with the patches. Let the contrast speak.
• Skipping the tug test. Every loose eye is a safety problem waiting to happen. Test everything before it leaves your hands.

If you look at a finished panda and feel that something is subtly wrong without being able to name it, the answer is almost always the ears or the eye patches. Adjust those two elements and the whole face snaps into focus.

Stuffing and Shaping for a Squishy Finish

Stuffing is the invisible craft that separates a professional-looking plushie from a homemade one. It is also the step most makers treat as an afterthought.

• Use small wisps, never handfuls. Add fiberfill in pieces about the size of a cotton ball, pushing each one into place before adding the next. This prevents lumps and gives a smooth, even surface.
• Use the blunt end of your hook. A hook handle or a chopstick lets you push stuffing right into the edges without damaging the fabric.
• Stuff the base most firmly. The bottom of the body needs density to support the panda's weight. The head and limbs should be softer.
• Keep the limbs light. Overstuffed limbs stick out stiffly and make the panda look posed rather than relaxed.
• Check the shape as you go. Squeeze and roll the piece between your hands every few rounds of stuffing. You will feel flat spots long before you see them.
• Do not overstuff the head. When the fabric starts to stretch and the stitches separate, you have gone too far. Back off slightly and reshape.
• Add weight for stability. A flat washer or a small bag of poly pellets in the base of the body transforms how the panda sits and makes it feel substantial in the hand.
• Reshape at the end. Roll the finished panda gently between your palms and press the face into shape with your fingers. This final massage smooths any remaining irregularities.

If your panda develops a visible flat spot, it is usually because the stuffing was pushed in as one mass. Unpick the closing stitches, remove the stuffing, and redo it in smaller pieces. It is a fifteen-minute fix that makes a permanent difference.

Finishing Touches That Bring a Panda to Life

The last ten percent of the work is what makes people ask how you made it. These are the details worth adding.

• Brush the surface lightly. A soft brush or a gentle pass with a lint roller removes loose fibres and gives the yarn a smooth, even finish.
• Trim stray fibres. Snip any fuzz or long fibres with small sharp scissors, especially around the black patches where contrast is everything.
• Steam the ears and limbs. A light pass with an iron held a few inches above the surface relaxes the stitches and gives shapes a crisper edge.
• Bury every tail. Change direction as you weave in each end so nothing can work loose, then trim flush. On a gift or a sale item, no ends should be visible anywhere.
• Add a signature tag. A small woven or printed label sewn into a seam makes a handmade plushie feel like a real product.
• Photograph it on a coloured background. A mustard, sage or dusty pink backdrop makes the black-and-white contrast pop in a way that a white background never will.
• Give it a name. A named panda sells better, gifts better and gets kept longer. It sounds trivial and it genuinely works.

One more finishing idea worth trying: make a tiny companion accessory — a bamboo stalk, a small honey pot or a little knitted scarf. A panda holding something is instantly more charming than a panda sitting alone, and the accessory takes under half an hour.

Gifting, Displaying and Caring for Your Finished Plushie

A panda is one of the most giftable things you can make, and a little care keeps it looking new for years.

• New baby gift. Make the sleepy version with embroidered eyes and a cream body. Completely soft, completely safe, and instantly treasured.
• Nursery decor. A shelf panda in pastel colours fits almost any nursery scheme. Pair it with a matching bunny or elephant for a set.
• Desk companion. A palm-sized panda sits neatly beside a monitor and is the most popular office gift there is.
• Get-well gift. Something soft to hold during a difficult time. The panda's gentle expression makes it particularly well suited to this.
• Dust regularly. Yarn collects dust. A soft brush or a lint roller once a month keeps the cream body looking fresh.
• Spot clean rather than soak. Dab marks with a damp cloth and a little mild soap, then air dry away from direct heat.
• Hand wash only when necessary. Cool water, gentle detergent, squeeze without wringing, reshape while damp and dry flat on a towel.
• Keep out of direct sunlight. Strong sun fades yarn over months, and cream yarn yellows noticeably.
• Check the eyes and nose periodically. Press each one to confirm it is still seated, and give the limbs a gentle tug. This is especially important on a toy used by a child.
• Reshape after storage. If the panda has been packed away, steam it lightly and massage the head back into shape. It recovers within minutes.

Displayed well, a panda can anchor a whole shelf. Try one large panda flanked by two smaller ones in a contrasting colour, or a single palm-sized panda on a stack of books. Because it is soft and light, it is also the easiest decor to rearrange whenever you want a change.

Frequently Asked Questions About Amigurumi Panda Patterns

What size eyes should I use for an amigurumi panda?

For a head about three inches across, 9 to 12 mm eyes look right. Small pandas of two to three inches take 4 to 6 mm, and large cuddle pandas of twelve inches take 15 to 18 mm. Always judge the size against the head rather than working from a fixed number.

How much yarn does an amigurumi panda use?

A six-to-eight-inch panda typically uses around 150 to 220 yards in total — roughly 100 to 150 yards of cream and 50 to 70 yards of charcoal. Small keychain pandas use well under 50 yards, so they are excellent scrap projects.

Why does my panda look like a bear?

Almost always because of the ears. Panda ears should be set to the sides of a broad head rather than on top, and the eye patches should be generous and slightly tilted. Adjust those two features and the panda reads correctly immediately.

Can I make an amigurumi panda for a baby?

Yes, and it is one of the best animals for a baby gift. Embroider the eyes and nose entirely in yarn or floss instead of using plastic components, keep all limbs short and firmly sewn, and avoid any long loops or strings.

Is a panda harder to crochet than a bear?

Not meaningfully. The construction is nearly identical; the panda simply adds two flat eye patches and changes the ear placement. If you can crochet a bear, you can crochet a panda on your very next project.

How do I keep the black and white from bleeding or looking muddy?

Choose colours with a clear difference in value, work at a tight gauge, and avoid fuzzy yarns. If you are using non-colourfast cotton, wash the black yarn separately before you begin, or work with a yarn you know is stable.

How long does a panda take to crochet?

A palm-sized panda takes most makers four to six hours spread across a few evenings. A large cuddle panda can take twelve to fifteen hours. Assembly, not crochet, is usually the slowest part.

Can I sell amigurumi pandas I make from a pattern?

Usually yes — most designers allow the sale of finished items, though some ask for credit or restrict mass production. Always check the individual designer's terms, and price your work by time rather than by yarn cost.

Do I need a pattern, or can I design my own panda?

Once you understand the five shapes — head, body, ears, limbs and eye patches — you can design any panda at any size. Start from a pattern, note the proportions, and then scale them to whatever size you want.

Where to Buy Supplies for Your Next Panda

Everything you need for a whole family of pandas is available in a single order. mucunnia.com ships worldwide with black safety eyes in every size, clear safety eyes that can be custom-painted, glitter safety eyes for a magical finish, safety noses, washers and crochet rings, so you can gather all the findings for a set of pandas at once and get straight to the fun part.

An amigurumi panda is the rare project that is simple enough for a confident beginner, fast enough to be repeated, and appealing enough to sell. Choose cream rather than stark white, keep the gauge tight, set the ears to the sides of a broad head, tilt the eye patches just slightly, and stuff the base firmly so the panda sits up proudly. Whether you make a single palm-sized panda for a friend or a whole family for a market table, you will end up with something soft, charming and unmistakably panda — and you will almost certainly want to make a second one straight away.