Mini Crochet Whale
This whale starts at the nose and tapers to the tail in one piece, then gets its personality from a cream belly patch, two little side fins and a pair of tail fins. It is a friendly next step after a first one-piece amigurumi.
- Skill level
- Easy
- Finished size
- About 4 in (10 cm) long including the tail
- Yarn weight
- Medium / Worsted
- Hook
- 3.5 mm (US E-4)
- Time
- About 2½ hours
- Terminology
- US terms
Gauge: Not critical. Work tightly enough that stuffing does not show through.
On this page
About this pattern
The body grows from a magic ring to a round head, stays even for a few rounds, then decreases steadily into a narrow tail. All the shaping uses ordinary single crochet increases and decreases, so the challenge is in neat assembly rather than new stitches.
Small parts need to be sewn on firmly. If you are making the whale for a baby, embroider the eyes instead of using safety eyes and check that every piece is secure before gifting.
Why you'll love it
- Simple, satisfying shaping with increases and decreases
- Small parts that add lots of character
- Uses less than a single skein of yarn
- A sweet baby shower or nursery gift
Materials
Worsted-weight yarn in blue
About 30 yd (27 m)
Worsted-weight yarn in cream
For the belly
About 5 yd (4.5 m)
3.5 mm (US E-4) crochet hook
8 mm safety eyes
Or embroider the eyes for children under 3
2
Polyester fiberfill, stitch marker, tapestry needle
Abbreviations
- ch
- chain
- sc
- single crochetUK: dc
- inc
- increase — work 2 stitches in the same stitch
- dec
- decrease — work 2 stitches together
- sl st
- slip stitchUK: ss
- st(s)
- stitch(es)
- rnd(s)
- round(s)
- [ ]
- repeat the instructions inside the brackets the number of times stated
This pattern uses US terms. Convert US ↔ UK terms
Stitches used
Notes before you start
- The body and fins are worked in continuous spiral rounds — don’t join rounds.
- Place the safety eyes before the body gets too narrow to reach inside.
- The belly is worked around both sides of a short foundation chain.
Free pattern
The pattern
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Tick rows and rounds as you finish them — your progress is saved on this device.
Body
Use blue. Start at the nose.
Eyes: Insert the safety eyes between Rnds 7 and 8, about 9 stitches apart, low on the sides of the head. For a child under 3, skip the safety eyes and embroider the eyes with black yarn instead, before the body is closed.
Tail fins (make 2)
Use blue.
Side fins (make 2)
Use blue.
Belly
Use cream.
Assembly
Finishing
Tips
- Use pins or locking stitch markers to position every part before sewing — small shifts change the expression a lot.
- Stuff in small pieces so the body stays smooth and round.
- A slightly smaller hook gives tighter stitches if stuffing peeks through.
- For babies and children under 3, embroidered eyes are safer than safety eyes. Sew the fins and belly on very securely too.
Variations
- Ocean friends
- Make whales in several blues and grays for a nursery mobile.
- Water spout
- Sew three short loops of pale blue yarn to the top of the head.
- Chunky whale
- Use bulky yarn and a 5 mm hook for a larger, huggable whale.
Common questions
Is this whale safe for babies?
For babies and toddlers, embroider the eyes instead of using safety eyes, sew every part on very securely and supervise play.
Can I use this as a bath toy?
Stuffed toys don’t dry well inside, so this whale is best kept out of the bath.
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