Smiley Whale

Free Smiley Whale crochet tutorial by Elena Cherchik @echerchik.

With this pattern, you can crochet a plush baby whale. Any yarn and a matching crochet hook will work for this amigurumi. The author recommends Kartopu Nubuk yarn. This tutorial also includes a knitting pattern for the whale's clothing. You can use the toy as a keychain.

Materials and Tools

• Kartopu Nubuk yarn
• Thread for embroidering the smile
• Crochet hook
• Knitting needles
• Safety eyes
• Toy stuffing
• Needle for sewing parts
• Scissors

Abbreviations

• MR - magic ring
• ch - chain stitch
• sc - single crochet
• dc - double crochet
• inc - increase
• dec - decrease
• (...) x n - repeat n times

Plush Baby Whale Amigurumi Crochet Pattern

Body

Rnd 1: 6 sc in MR
Rnd 2: inc x 6 (12)
Rnd 3: (1 sc, inc) x 6 (18)
Rnd 4: (2 sc, inc) x 6 (24)
Rnd 5: (3 sc, inc) x 6 (30)
Rnd 6: (4 sc, inc) x 6 (36)
Rnd 7: (5 sc, inc) x 6 (42)
Rnd 8-14: 42 sc (even)
Rnd 15: 12 sc, (1 sc, dec) x 6 times, 12 sc (36)
Rnd 16-18: 36 sc (even)
Rnd 19: (4 sc, dec) x 6 (30)
Rnd 20-21: 30 sc (even)
Rnd 22: (3 sc, dec) x 6 (24)
Rnd 23-25: 24 sc (even)
Rnd 26: (4 sc, dec) x 4 (20)
Rnd 27-29: 20 sc (even)
Rnd 30: 5 sc, dec, 6 sc, dec, 5 sc (18)
Rnd 31: 18 sc (even)
Rnd 32: (7 sc, dec) x 2 (16)
Rnd 33: 16 sc (even)
Rnd 34: 3 sc, dec, 6 sc, dec, 3 sc (14)
Rnd 35: 14 sc (even)
Rnd 36: (dec, 5 sc) x 2 (12)
Rnd 37: 12 sc (even)
Rnd 38: dec, 10 sc (11)
Rnd 39: 3 sc, dec, 6 sc (10)
Rnd 40: 6 sc, dec, 2 sc (9)
Rnd 41: 9 sc (even)

Stuff the whale as you crochet. By this stage, it should be fully stuffed.

Rnd 42: dec, 5 sc (8)
Do not finish this round all the way. It is important that your last stitch is on the whale's side. You may need to make 3-4 sc after the decrease, or possibly all 7 sc.
Rnd 43: work 4 sc through both loops
The whale is now fully stuffed. The tail is crocheted in turning rows. Make one chain at the start of each row.
Rnd 44: inc, 2 sc, inc (6)
Rnd 45: inc x 2, 2 sc, inc x 2 (10)
Rnd 46: 2 ch, 1 dc, dc inc, 1 dc, skip 1 stitch, 2 sc, skip 1 stitch, 1 dc, dc inc, 1 dc (10)
Rnd 47: 2 ch, 1 dc, dc inc, 1 dc, 1 sc, skip 1 stitch, 1 sc, skip 1 stitch, 1 sc, 1 dc, dc inc, 1 sc (12)

The tail is done, hide the yarn end.

Fins (2 pieces)

Rnd 1: 6 sc in MR
Rnd 2: 1 sc, inc, 2 sc, inc, 1 sc (8)
Rnd 3: 2 sc, inc, 2 sc, inc, 2 sc (10)
Rnd 4-7: 10 sc (even)

Do not stuff. Sew in place.

Sweater for the Baby Whale

Use a chain of ch stitches to measure the required stitch count for the sweater around the whale, starting from the lower tail area. It is best if the count is divisible by 4.

I got 24 stitches, but your stitch count may be different.

Transfer the stitches to knitting needles and distribute 6 stitches per needle. Knit the first couple of rows in 1x1 ribbing (1 knit / 1 purl). Then knit using only knit stitches. Since the whale gets wider toward the top, start increasing: on each needle knit 3, YO, knit 3.

Knit the next 1 or 2 circular rows in knit stitches. Try the sweater on periodically and make increases until you reach the underarm area below the fins. For me, increasing only 2 times was enough, and I ended up with 8 stitches on each needle.

Try the sweater on the whale and determine how many stitches you need to bind off for the fin openings so you can put the sweater on.

I got 4 stitches for each fin.

Knit:

• Needle 1: k2, bind off 4, k2
• Needle 2: k8
• Needle 3: k2, bind off 4, k2
• Needle 4: k8

We formed openings for the fins. Now cast these stitches back on:

• Needle 1: k2, cast on 4, k2
• Needle 2: k8
• Needle 3: k2, cast on 4, k2
• Needle 4: k8

Try it on. Next, knit 1 or 2 circular rows in knit stitches. Now we need to close the front of the sweater and start shaping the hood by moving the work onto 1 needle. I have 8 stitches on the front needle, but that is not enough for the sweater front, so I add 2 stitches from each side needle. Knit: k6, bind off 12.

Then knit on two needles in knit and purl rows. I get 20 stitches on the needle.

Now knit straight for the required number of rows, trying it on from time to time. I got 16 rows.

Hood

Knit the hood using the same principle as knitting a heel flap. For this, divide the stitch count by 3. My 20 stitches are not divisible by 3, so I split them as 7-6-7. We will not knit each row all the way to the end.

Knit: 12 knit (7+5), k2tog (6th stitch + 1 from the second group of 7), turn. Slip 1 stitch, 4 purl, p2tog, turn. Slip 1 stitch, 4 knit, k2tog, turn. Repeat until only 6 stitches remain on the needle.

Visor

Now knit the visor. Work it in knit and purl rows, increasing each row by 2 stitches by picking them up from the sides of the hood. I increased to 14 stitches, 4 stitches from each side. That means I knitted 4 rows, adding 2 stitches from one side at the end of each row.

Then bind off all visor stitches and crochet the hood edge with sc so the edges look even and neat.

Ears for the Hat (2 pieces)

Crochet and sew on the ears. I crochet the ears so they hold their shape.

For the bear version, I make 5 sc in a magic ring, ch, turn the work, and make 5 increases. You can crochet the ears your own way and make ears for any animal you like.