Scuttles the Crab Free Crochet Pattern

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Scuttles the Crab Free Crochet Pattern

Scuttles Crochet CrabWe made it! This is the last pattern in our Sea Creature Keychain Collection, Scuttles the Crab! You can check out all the creatures over on our Instagram page, or check out all the other patterns here: Stella StarfishJulia Jellyfish, Inky the Squid, Ralph the Ray, and Harold the Pufferfish.

Here’s the free pattern for Scuttles:

Materials:

  • I used a Light weight cotton in red for the main colour;
  • Black crochet/embroidery thread for mouth;
  • 2.25mm hook (I use THESE hooks!);
  • Tapestry needle;
  • Safety eyes (optional);
  • Stuffing;
  • Keychain ring (optional).

If you don’t have fine or light weight yarn on hand, go ahead and use whatever you have! Your finished Scuttles will simply be a little bigger than ours. We recommend a 3.5mm hook if you’re using a worsted weight yarn.

Terms and Special Stitches (US Terminology):

MR – Magic Ring

Slst – Slipstitch

Ch – Chain

Sc – Single Crochet

Inc – Increase. Work 2 sc into the same stitch.

Dec – Decrease. Work 2 sc together. When working in the round, I use the invisible decrease.

FLO – Front loops only

Legs (make 6):

First, we will make all 6 legs and 2 claws and then join them. Work in continuous rounds.

Rnd 1: MR with 6 sc (6 sts)

Rnd 2: [Sc, inc], repeat [ ] around (9 sts)

Rnds 3 – 9: Sc around (9 sts)

Slst to next st and tie off.

Claws (make 2):

Rnd 1: MR with 4 sc (4 sts)

Rnd 2: [Inc], repeat [ ] around (8 sts)

Rnd 3: Sc around (8 sts)

Rnd 4: [Sc, inc], repeat [ ] around (12 sts)

Rnd 5: Sc around (12 sts)

Rnd 6: [Sc 2, inc], repeat [ ] around (16 sts)

Round 7-9: sc around (16 sts)

Rnd 10: [Sc 2, dec], repeat [ ] around (12 sts)

Rnd 11: [Sc, dec], repeat [ ] around (8 sts)

Stuff the claws. Continue stuffing a little after each round.

Rnd 12-15: Sc around (8 sts)

Slst to next st and tie off.

Body:

Now we will join all the legs and claws together.

**For the first round, you will sc 5 of the 9 sts around the top of each leg, and 4 of the 8 sts around each claw.**:

Rnd 1: Starting with a claw sc 4, ch 6, attach second claw and sc 4, attach first leg and sc 5, attach second leg and sc 5, attach third leg and sc 5, ch 4, attach fourth leg and sc 5, attach fifth leg and sc 5, attach last leg and sc 5 (48 sts, including ch sts)

Rnd 2: [Sc 7, inc], repeat [ ] around (54 sts)

Rnd 3: Sc around in FLO (54 sts)

Rnd 4: Sc around in Back Loops of Round 2 (54 sts)

Rnd 5: [Sc 7, dec], repeat [ ] around (48 sts)

Rnd 6: [Sc 6, dec], repeat [ ] around (42 sts)

Rnd 7: [Sc 5, dec], repeat [ ] around (36 sts)

Rnd 8: [Sc 4, dec], repeat [ ] around (30 sts)

Rnd 9: [Sc 3, dec] repeat [ ] around (24 sts)

Rnd 10: [Sc 2, dec], repeat [ ] around (18 sts)

Rnd 11: [Sc, dec], repeat [ ] around (12 sts)

Rnd 12: Dec around (6 sts)

Tie off, leaving a tail for closing. Weave tail through the front loops of each stitch, then down through the opening and out the back. Tug gently on tail to close.

Place safety eyes and sew on mouth.

Turn Scuttles over. We will now crochet the bottom of the shell.Scuttles Crochet Crab

Bottom of shell:

Rnd 1: Join yarn at first stitch of first leg. Ch 1. *Sc the first 3 sts of the leg, inc* repeat for next 2 legs, sc 4 along chains between back legs, repeat * to * for next 3 legs, sc 4 along first claw, sc 6 along chains between claws, sc 4 along second claw (48 sts)

Rnd 2: [Sc 6, dec], repeat [ ] around (42 sts)

Rnd 3: [Sc 5, dec], repeat [ ] around (36 sts)

Rnd 4: [Sc 4, dec], repeat [ ] around (30 sts)

Rnd 5: [Sc 3, dec], repeat [ ] around (24 sts)

Rnd 6: [Sc 2, dec], repeat [ ] around (18 sts).

Stuff Scuttles. Continue to stuff a little after each round.

Rnd 7: [Sc 1, dec], repeat [ ] around (12 sts)

Rnd 8: Dec around (6 sts)

Tie off, leaving a tail for closing. Weave tail through the front loops of each stitch, then down through the opening and out the side. Tug gently on tail to close. Once the opening is closed, poke the tail back into the piece using the back of your tapestry needle.

Add a loop to the back of Scuttles, or to the top of one of his claws and attach a keychain to make a sweet bag charm, or simply attach the jump ring right through one of the stitches.

Enjoy!

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21 thoughts on “Scuttles the Crab Free Crochet Pattern

    1. Unfortunately, we don’t! But if we expand the collection in the future, we will be sure to add a clam to the list!

    1. In Round 3 of the body, you crochet in the front loops only and then go back and crochet round 4 in the back loops only, creating the ridge.

      1. I think there’s something missing here. You say to ‘go back’ and do rnd 4 in the back loops. Do you mean that at the end of tend 3 to TURN and crochet in the back loops? Because as written, it doesn’t say to turn. I completed this as it is written, without a turn, and while it results in a defined ridge, in your picture it looks as if you have indeed crocheted into those back loops, as you have a thick ridge, where I have only a tiny ridge composed Only of the unused front loops that remain from doing rnd 4 without turning, if that makes any sense. If I put lots of stuffing he fills out and the ridge is even less noticeable. Something isn’t adding up for me. If I could attach a photo you might be able to see how mine differs.

        I don’t want to rip him apart as I’ve already tucked in the tail from the top piece, so I might try adding a row of sc to the loops and see if it looks better. But I really think there is something different between the photo and the pattern as is. Thoughts?

        PS. Your patterns are adorable btw ☺️

        1. Hi Charlotte,

          No, you do not need to turn. But I think I see where the confusion is coming from. Round 3 of the body is worked in the front loops only of round 2. Thus, round 3 will be the ridge around the crab. In round 4, you should be crocheting into the back loops of Round 2, *not* round 3, as the pattern seems to indicate (it says “previous round” when it should say “round 2”). Thus, both loops of the stitches of round 3 create the distinct ridge.

          I have adjusted the pattern. Hope that helps!

          Jillian

  1. Hi. Thanks so much for your patterns – they’re all so cute! Just wondering whether you had any tips to keep Scuttles’ shell more dome-like while keeping his underside a little flatter? Is there a reason Scuttles is worked from the middle, rather than from the top of his shell? Thank you!

    1. Hi Yvonne,
      The top shell is naturally more domed shaped because it increases to 54 stitches for a couple of rounds before decreasing again, whereas the bottom shell is straight decreases from 48 sts. You will have more stuffing in the top shell, making it rounder.

      Scuttles is worked from the middle to eliminate sewing. The entire piece is crocheted together, rather than having to sew the legs and claws on later.

  2. Hi there, this pattern looks so cute but I’m struggling to understand where to put my stitches once I get to round 2 of the body…I currently have a long string of legs and claws! Is it multiple SCs into each leg and the chain stitches? Sorry if I’m being dense haha!

    1. im having the same problem. and i misunderstood the first secon of the body so i made an extra 6 and 4 stitches on one side of each leg and claw. do we attach the legs together in a circle? What happens to the open end of the legs? its very confusing.

  3. I am having the same issue as the commenter above. I do not have 48 sts after attaching the legs – 5+6+6+4+4+4+4ch+4+4+4=45?
    Then do I attach to the first claw to make a circle!

    1. Hi Shannon, 4 + 6ch + 4 + 15 sts for first 3 legs + 4ch + 15 sts for last three legs = 48 sts. You will work in continuous rounds, so continue to round 2.

      1. I figured it out and went ahead and made a second one cause I loved it so much! Thank you 😊

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