Whale Amigurumi Free Crochet Pattern

Hello, friends!

Have I got a whale of a project for you today! (Ha ha!) Actually, this is not the pattern I had intended to release this week but I ran into, erm, complications on my other current WIP (read: I ran out of yarn and my local Michael’s didn’t have the colour-way I needed and so I had to order yarn online and I’m still waiting for it 😩).

In any event, it will only be a few short weeks until the majestic humpback whales make their way back to the coasts of Newfoundland and Labrador so this project is still pretty timely for me! I usually go on a whale watching tour every year, so I *whaley* can’t wait for iceberg/whale watching season to arrive again soon.

What do you think of Dapper Whale? I’m pretty much in love with his little moustache and top hat. I suddenly feel the need to add moustaches to all of my amigurumi creations.

These whales would make a super sweet addition to any nursery as a wall hanging or on a mobile! Or simply to play with, cuddle or gift to your whale-loving friend.

Let’s get started! (Or Pin for later!)

As usual, this pattern is made in the same style as our Ragdoll patterns; separate pieces worked in flat rows and then joined together to give them that unique 2-D look. Our Whales have either 4 or 5 pieces, depending on which one you’re making.

This pattern incorporates a small amount of tapestry crochet as well (rows 3 to 5) so I’ve included a section to explain the tapestry crochet technique if you’re unfamiliar with it.

The finished measurements are approximately 20x20cm/8×8″.

I encourage you to read everything thoroughly before beginning, particularly if you don’t have a lot of experience with tapestry crochet.

Here’s what I used:

**If you’d prefer a downloadable or printable version of this pattern, an inexpensive, formatted, and ad-free PDF can be purchased HERE.**

• 3.5mm and 2.25mm hook (I use THESE hooks!);
• For the Blue Whale:
• • Bernat Handicrafter in Blue Jeans (50g);
  • Bernat Handicrafter in Off White (less than 50g);
  • Bernat Handicrafter in Overcast for top hat (less than 50g);
  • Bernat Handicrafter in Black Licorice for top hat (less than 50g)
• For the Pink Whale:
• • Bernat Handicrafter in Camomile (less than 50g);
  • Bernat Handicrafter in Coral Rose (50g);
  • Bernat Handicrafter in Robin Egg (less 50g);
• Black crochet thread for moustache, mouth and eyelashes;
• 12mm Safety eyes;
• Stuffing;
• Tapestry needle

Reading this Pattern and Colour Changes:

Everything on the body is worked in single crochet stitches (the spout, top hat and moustache use various stitches). So, in order to indicate the colour-changes on the body panels, I have omitted the usual “sc” in front of the stitch counts in any lines with colour-changes (rows 3 to 5) and I’ve used the associated colour letter instead. For example, “Binc” means to work a sc increase in Blue yarn (or whatever you’re using as your main colour). “B1, W25” means to work the next 1 sc in Blue and the next 25 sc in White (or whatever your contrasting colour is), and so on.

Due to the colour-changes, you will have at least two skeins or balls of yarn attached to your project at once.

The bonus part of the colour-changes in an amigurumi is that you don’t have to worry about what the back of your panels look like! This is why I carry my yarn on the back instead of carrying it inside the stitch as you go. It prevents any colours from bleeding through where they shouldn’t. As long as you always carry your yarn on the back of your panel, you won’t have to weave in any ends and you’ll have a beautiful smooth front with clear lines and colours.

When changing colours, you will insert your hook into the stitch for the last stitch of Colour A and pull up a loop. Then, with Colour B, yarn over and complete the stitch by pulling through both loops with Colour B. Drop your working yarn in Colour A and continue with Colour B. You will pick your Colour A working yarn back up again on the way back in the next row when you need it.

*Make sure to always drop your yarn on the WRONG side of your panel!* When you’re working on odd-numbered rows, your right side will be facing you. When you’re working on even-numbered rows, the wrong side will be facing you. And vice versa when you’re working on the back panel! So, when you are working on a row where the wrong side of the panel is facing you, you will have to make a conscious effort to pull your yarn toward you to the wrong side of the panel when dropping your yarn during a colour-change. This is because it will naturally drop to the side furthest away from you if you don’t.

Colour legend:

B – Blue (or dark pink/whatever your main body colour is!)

W – White (or light pink/contrasting colour!)

Stitches and Special Terms:

Ch – Chain

Slst – Slipstitch

Sc – Single crochet

Inc – Increase. Work 2 sc in the same st.

Dec – Decrease. Work a regular sc decrease.

Hdc -Half double crochet

Dc – Double Crochet

Tc – Triple Crochet

BLO – Back Loops Only

Body (make 2 panels) starting in Off White and 3.5mm hook:

The panels are worked from the bottom up. Ch 1 and turn at the end of each row.

Row 1: Ch 26, sc across (25 sts)

Row 2: Inc, sc 22, inc twice (28 sts)

Now we will start the colour-work of the belly.

Row 3: Binc, B1, W25, [W1, B1] in last st (30 sts)

Row 4: B3, W20, B6, Binc (31 sts)

Row 5: B14, W9, B8 (31 sts)

The remaining rows are completed in all blue (or whatever you’re using as the main colour).

Row 6: Inc, sc 30 (32 sts)

Now we will start the tail, so you’ll be crocheting only 4 sts before chaining 1 and turning.

Row 7: Sc 4 (4 sts)

Row 8: Dec, sc 2 (3 sts)

Row 9: Sc across (3 sts)

Row 10: Sc 2, inc (4 sts)

Row 11: Inc, sc 2, inc (6 sts)

Row 12: Inc, sc 4, inc (8 sts)

Now we will start the first fin, so you’ll be crocheting only half way across this section before chaining 1 and turning. We’ll go back to complete the second fin later.

Row 13: Inc, sc 3 ( 5 sts)

Row 14: Dec, sc 3 (4 sts)

Row 15: Sc 2, dec (3 sts)

Row 16: Dec, sc 1 (2 sts)

Tie off. Position your work so that the fin you just completed is on the left, as shown in the third picture below. Join your Blue yarn and repeat rows 13 to 16 for second fin.

Skip 3 stitches from the base of the tail and join your Blue yarn in the fourth stitch, as shown in the pictures above.

Row 1: Sc 25 (25 sts)

Row 2: Sc 23, dec (24 sts)

Row 3: Dec, sc 22 (23 sts)

Row 4: Sc across (23 sts)

Row 5: Dec, sc 21 (22 sts)

Rows 6-11: Sc across (22 sts)

Row 12: Dec, sc 18, dec (20 sts)

Row 13: Sc across (20 sts)

Row 14: Dec, sc 16, dec (18 sts)

Row 15: Dec, sc 14, dec (16 sts)

Row 16: Dec twice, sc 10, dec (13 sts)

Tie off. Repeat all of the above for the second panel, except make sure you carry your yarn for the colour-changes on the opposite side as you did for the first panel.

Top Hat (make 2 panels) starting in Overcast and 3.5mm hook:

Row 1: Ch 12, in third ch from hook, hdc 10 (10 sts)

Tie off. Join black yarn in the third st.

Row 2: In BLO, sc 6 (6 sts)

Switch to Overcast for remaining rows.

Row 3: Sc across (6 sts)

Row 4: Inc, sc 4, inc (8 sts)

Rows 5-6: Sc across (8 sts)

Row 7: Inc, sc 6, inc (10 sts)

Tie off. Repeat rows 1-7 for second panel and put them aside for assembly later.

Water Spout (make 2 panels) in Robin’s Egg and 3.5mm hook:

Row 1: Ch 4, sc across (3 sts)

Rows 2-4: Sc across (3 sts)

Row 5: Inc, sc, inc (5 sts)

Rows 6-7: Sc across (5 sts)

Row 8: Ch 4, sc 3 along chs, sc 5 along row (8 sts)

Row 9: Ch 4, inc in fist ch, sc 2 along rem chs, sc 7 along row, inc in last st (13 sts)

Row 10: Sc across (13 sts)

Row 11: Dec, sc 9, dec (11 sts)

Row 12: Dec, hdc, dc, slst, dc, tc 2, dc, dec (9 sts)

Tie off. Repeat rows 1-12 for second panel. Place both panels together, matching up all sides, then join the panels by ch 1 and sc around both panels. Stuff when you’ve crocheted about two-thirds of the way around. Continue crocheting around. Top up stuffing as you go. Slst to first st to close. Tie off and poke the yarn tails back inside the piece.

Moustache (make 1) using doubled-up Black Crochet Thread and 2.25mm hook:

I used THIS pattern by Marie at the Makes and Takes blog to crochet the moustache. To make the moustache the size I was looking for, I used Bernat Handicrafter Crochet Thread No. 5, doubled it up and used a 2.25mm hook.

Move on to assembly below!

Assembly:

Step 1: Face

Here are all the pieces you now have for assembly:

The first thing we need to do is add our facial features to the front panel.

Sew on your moustache and insert 12mm safety eyes. I also used Coral Rose to add cheeks to Dapper Whale. Or, stitch on a mouth and eyelashes using black crochet thread.

Step 2: Body

Cut a length of Overcast yarn approximately 30cm/15″ long if you’re doing the top hat, or a length of Robin’s Egg yarn if doing the water spout. Set these aside for later.

Place the two body panels together, matching up all sides.

**Make sure the front of your whale is facing you as you crochet around the outside.**

Starting on the left side of the head, begin attaching the panels together by chaining one and single crocheting around the outside of the panels in your main colour.

Dapper Whale Assembly

If your whale is facing left, like Dapper Whale, you will crochet down the side of the body, then switch to Off-White when you get to the belly. Crochet across the bottom, switch back to blue yarn and continue up around the first fin. You will want to stuff the first fin now, because it will be difficult to stuff later when the tail is closed up. Continue to crochet around second fin. Stuff fin. Crochet up the side of the body and stop. Stuff your whale. Continue crocheting around, topping up stuffing as you go. Close with a slst to first st and tie off. Poke the yarn tails back inside the piece.

To add the top hat, you will put the two panels together, matching up all sides, then join the panels together by chaining 1 and crocheting around the piece in Overcast, starting in the top left-hand corner. Crochet down the side and stop.

With a length of yarn that you set aside earlier, place the panels over the whale (one panel on each side with the whale in between) and attach by sewing through all three pieces; the back hat panel, the whale, and the front hat panel. Tie the yarn tails in a knot inside the panels of the hat to secure.

Continue crocheting around the hat.  (Sc, ch, sc) in each corner of the brim and the top of the hat. When you get to the bottom of the hat, simply crochet in the stitches of the front panel only, since this portion is already sewn shut.

Close with a slst to first st. Tie off. With your tapestry needle, poke the yarn tail back inside the piece.

Pink Whale Assembly

If your whale is facing right, like the Pink Whale, you will crochet down the side of the body, and continue up around the first fin. You will want to stuff the first fin now, because it will be difficult to stuff later when the tail is closed up. Continue to crochet around second fin. Stuff fin.

Continue to crochet across the bottom, switching to Camomile/contrasting colour yarn when you get to the belly. Switch back to pink yarn and crochet up the side of the body and stop. Stuff your whale.

If you are adding a water spout, you will add it now. With the length of yarn that you set aside earlier, place the water spout between the panels and attach by sewing through all three pieces; the back  panel, the spout, and the front panel. Tie the yarn tails in a knot inside the panels to secure.

Continue crocheting around, topping up stuffing as you go. When you get to the water spout, simply crochet in the stitches of the front panel only, since this portion is already sewn shut.

Close with a slst to first st. Tie off. With your tapestry needle, poke the yarn tail back inside the piece.

That’s it! Enjoy!

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