Underground Crafter Debuts Free Cat Plushie Pattern for International Crochet Month Blog Hop

Marie Segares, who publishes under the name Underground Crafter, released "It's Called Catitude" on March 7, 2026, a crochet cat plushie pattern that lands as the eighth entry in the 4th Annual International Crochet Month Blog Hop. The pattern is free on her blog permanently, though a limited-window promotion sweetened the deal further: an ad-free PDF was available via coupon code through 10:00 a.m. Eastern on March 9, 2026. After that window closed, the ad-free PDF remained available on Ravelry for $5.45 USD.

Segares describes the finished plushie in terms that will resonate with anyone who's ever packed a WIP for a long drive: "It's big enough for cuddles and hugs, but small enough to take along on a road trip." The stuffed cat measures approximately 6.5 inches (16.5 cm) tall, and the pattern is rated Easy on Ravelry, with Segares noting it "can be crocheted and assembled in an afternoon."

On the materials side, the pattern calls for Big Twist Value yarn in three colorways: Medium Gray (CA), Ivory (CB), and Magenta (CC). Big Twist Value is a 100% acrylic, aran-weight yarn that runs 380 yards (347 m) per 6 oz (170 g) skein, and the actual yardage per color is quite modest: roughly 25 yards in CA, 15 yards in CB, and 10 yards in CC. If Big Twist isn't in your stash, any medium-weight yarn works. The hook is a US F-5 (3.75 mm), and you'll also need locking stitch markers, fiber fill, a yarn needle, and one pair of 15 mm green cat safety eyes.

Two techniques get specific callouts in the pattern: a whipstitch seam for joining, with a video tutorial included, and the invdec (inverse decrease) as a special stitch, covered by both written instructions and a video tutorial. Gauge is listed as 18 sc over 4 inches (10 cm), though Segares notes that exact gauge isn't critical here. The real concern is stitch tightness: stitches need to be snug enough that fiber filling doesn't peek through.

The International Crochet Month Blog Hop is an annual coordinated release series timed to March, and this is its fourth year running. Segares confirmed the pattern's place in the lineup directly in the blog post, stating: "This pattern is forever free on my blog, but the PDF version is available for free download with coupon code through 10am Eastern on March 9, 2026 as part of the 4th Annual International Crochet Month Blog Hop."

The Ravelry listing for "It's Called Catitude" already shows one completed project and two comments since publication. For makers who want to share their finished plushies, Segares is tagging on Bluesky as @UndergroundCrafter, Facebook as @UndergroundCrafter, and Instagram as @ucrafter, with the Underground Crafters Facebook group as an additional spot for sharing in-progress photos and questions. The blog post also carries an affiliate disclosure noting that some purchase links may generate compensation at no added cost to buyers.