Free Crochet Whale Pattern for Beginners
This crochet whale pattern was born when I received some gorgeous blue and gray yarns in a subscription box I was reviewing. I just instantly felt they were destined to become a whale, and I quickly set to work making one.
This pattern is designed to be quick and easy to crochet, but if you’ve got any questions just pop them in the comments box at the bottom of this page.
What You’ll Need
I used the following to make my whale:
- 50g blue worsted weight merino wool yarn
- 50g cream worsted weight merino wool yarn
- 4mm crochet hook
- Yarn needle
- Pins
- Pipe cleaners
- Toy safe stuffing
- Stitch markers
The Stitches
You are going to crochet your whale in rounds, using these basic crochet stitches:
- Magic circle
- sc – single crochet
- 2sc – two single crochets in the same stitch
- sc2tog – use one single crochet to join two stitches
The Main Body and Head
Begin with your blue yarn and 4mm crochet hook.
Round 1
Make a magic circle of six stitches (6)
Round 2
2sc x 6 (12)
Round 3
(1sc, 2sc) x 6 (18)
Round 4
(1sc x 2, 2sc) x 6 (24)
Round 5
1sc x 24 (24)
Round 6
(1sc x 3, 2sc) x 6 (30)
Round 7
(1sc x 4, 2sc) x 6 (36)
Round 8 – 9
1sc x 36 (36)
Round 10
(1sc x 5, 2sc) x 6 (42)
Round 11 – 18
1sc x 42 (42)
Round 19
(1sc x 5, sc2tog) x 4, 1sc x 14 (38)
Round 20
1sc x 38 (38)
Round 21
(1sc x 4, sc2tog) x 4, 1sc x 14 (34)
Round 22
1sc x 34 (34)
Round 23
(1sc x 3, sc2tog) x 4, 1sc x 14 (30)
Round 24
1sc x 30 (30)
Insert safety eyes. Sit your crochet on a desk, with the magic circle end facing you. Count back 13 rounds, and place each eye about two stitches up from the desk.
Round 25 – 26
1sc x 30 (30)
Round 27
(1sc x 3, sc2tog) x 6 (24)
Round 28 – 29
1sc x 24 (24)
Round 30
(1sc x 2, sc2tog) x 6 (18)
Round 31
1sc x 18 (18)
Stuff your whale so far, being careful not to distort the position of the eyes or over stuff.
Round 32
(1sc, sc2tog) x 6 (12)
Round 33 – 39
1sc x 12 (12)
Insert a pipe cleaner into the whale, pushing it approximately half way through the body, leaving about a cm protruding. You’ll crochet around that as you continue.
Round 40
sc2tog x 6 (6)
Round 41 – 43
1sc x 6
Hand sew closed, and hide the yarn tail inside your whale.
The Underside
You are going to need your cream yarn and 4mm crochet hook for this section. It’ll be made in the same way as the body, but you are not going to stuff it, and flatten it when it’s complete.
Round 1
Make a magic circle of six stitches (6)
Round 2
2sc x 6 (12)
Round 3
1sc x 12 (12)
Round 4
(1sc, 2sc) x 6 (18)
Round 5
(1sc x 2, 2sc) x 6 (24)
Round 6 – 10
1sc x 24 (24)
Round 11
(1sc x 2, sc2tog) x 6 (18)
Round 12 – 15
1sc x 18
Round 16
(1sc, sc2tog) x 6 (12)
Round 17 – 21
1sc x 12 (12)
Round 22
sc2tog x 6
Round 23 – 25
1sc x 6, then hand sew to close.
You can now flatten your whale’s underside and pin it to the position where you want it to sit.
Hold the whale’s blue body upside down, and count down an even number of stitches from each eye to position the gray piece evenly.
Sew around the perimeter of the gray section using gray yarn, tightly working in and out of each stitch to firmly secure it in place.
Tail Fins
You will be using your blue yarn again for the tail fins. Make two fins, and we’ll sew them together and onto the tail section of the body to finish them.
Round 1
Make a magic circle of eight stitches (8)
Round 2 – 5
1sc x 8 (8)
Round 6
2sc, 1sc x 3, 2sc, 1sc x 3 (10)
Round 7
1sc, 2sc, 1sc x 4, 2sc, 1sc x 3 (12)
Round 8 – 9
1sc x 12
Lay both fins on the desk in front of you, and sew the ending point of the fins together. This will enable you to sew them in place more easily.
I recommend now pinning the fins where you would like them before sewing them on. Align one each side of the tail section of the body.
Side Fins
Continue to work in your blue colored yarn for these pieces.
Round 1
Make a magic circle of eight stitches (8)
Round 2 – 3
1sc x 8 (8)
Round 4
2sc x 8 (16)
Round 5 – 7
1sc x 16 (16)
Round 8
Flatten the shape, leaving the last stitch you made at one of the corners. Now work along the edge single crocheting the two sides together. You’ll make eight stitches in total.
Line up the edge of each fin with the thinner end of the underside of the whale, and sew them on using your blue yarn.
