Blue whale
By Teresa Alvarez (September 2013) About copyright: It's really something great when people like what I have designed. You can sell the final item or whatever you like, but it would be nice to reference where you found the pattern! If there is anything you do not understand or there are any mistakes, please, send me a message! As you can see in the way I write, English is not my first language. So, you could come across some mistakes and grammatical inconsistencies?. Sorry and my apologies! This file describes how to crochet a whale using two colors: blue and white. I really love amigurumis. Basic shapes that with some touches change into something absolutely different. Many toys are very small for my liking. I know they are intended for children, but soft toys can be big and huggable. This whale is quite big (16.5" width) but soft and lovable. I really admire people that are good at sewing, I'm not and that is the reason I'm always looking for ways and tricks that allow me the minimum sewing ... So, I crocheted the tail and the upper part of the body, then they are joined and from that point three rows in blue, change to white and finish the whale!
ABOUTYARN:
The yarn is Canada from Katia (Spanish manufacturer). Yardage: 3.5 ounces (100 grams) and 82 yards (75 meters). Number of skeins: 2 blue and 0.2 white. ABOUTGAUGE: It is not important, as far as you are consistent with your tension. ABOUTHOOK: 6 mm hook Remember that when making amigurumis, stitches should be tight.
YOU WILL NEED:
Yarn for the whale. Two safety eyes. Stuffing. Tapestry needle.
ABOUTCROCHETTERMS:
I've followed the US terminology. Stitch: st Chain: ch Slip stitch: sl st Single crochet: sc Sc2tog: decreasing two sc (i.e., 2 st become 1) NOTE: I've made all the decreases as invisible decreases
PATTERN:
All the pattern is worked in spirals, so do not join at the end/beginning of a row. The toy is worked almost in one piece. I reckon it is not very comfortable to crochet because of the size!
Tail
The tail has two humps, that when joined form the tail. Stuff as you go, I think it's easier! 1st Hump: Round 1: magic ring, 3 sc (alternatively, 2 ch and 3 sc in 2nd ch from hook). Round 2: 2sc in each st of round 1 (6sts) Round 3: sc in each st across Round 4: [2sc in next st, 1sc in next st] repeat 3 times (9 sts) Round 5: [2sc in next st, 1sc in next 2st] repeat 3 times (12 sts) Round 6: [1sc in next st ,2sc in next st, 1sc in next 2st] repeat 3 times (15 sts) Round 7: sc2tog, sc in next 6st, sc2tog, sc in next 5st (13sts) Round 8: sc2tog, sc in next 4st, sc2tog, sc in next 5st (11sts) (Fasten off, only the first hump) 2nd hump: repeat rounds 1-8 of 1st hump and do not fasten off Round 9: we join both humps, so sl st in next 3sts and sc in each st across (16sts)
): decrease 2 stitches (one at each outer side) and sc in each remaining st: (14sts)
Round 11: decrease 2 stitches (one at each outer side) and sc in each remaining sts (12sts) Round 12: decrease 2 stitches (one at each outer side) and sc in each remaining sts (10sts) Round 13: decrease 2 stitches (one at each outer side) and sc in each remaining sts (8sts) Round 14: sc in each st across (8sts) (I find easier to stuff the tail now) Round 15: two increases evenly spaced and sc in remainins sts. (10sts) Round 16: two increases evenly spaced and sc in remainins sts. (12sts) Round 17: two increases evenly spaced and sc in remainins sts. (14sts) Round 18-22: sc in each st across (14sts) Round 23: two increases evenly spaced and sc in remainins sts. (16sts) Round 24: sc in each st across (16sts) Round 25: one increase and sc in remaining sts (17sts) Round 26: sc in each st across (17sts) Fasten off
Head and body Using blue
We work a base chain and crochet at both sides. Ch6, Round 1: 2sc in 2nd ch from hk, sc in next 3st, 3sc in next st, (working in the other side of the base ch., sc in next 3sts, sc in what was orifiginally the 2nd ch from hk (12st) Round 2: 3sc in next sts, sc in next 5sts, 3sc in next sts, sc in next 5st (16sts) Round 3: [2sc in next st, sc in next st] repeat 8 times (24 sts) Round 4: [2sc in next st, 1sc in next 3st] repeat 6 times (30 sts) Round 5: [1sc in next 2st., 2sc in next st, 1sc in next 2st] repeat 6 times (36 sts) Round 6: [2sc in next st, sc in next 5st] repeat 6 times (42 sts) Round 7: [sc in next 3st., 2sc in next st, 1sc in next 3st] repeat 6 times (48 sts) Round 8: [2sc in next st, sc in next 7st] repeat 6 times (54 sts) Round 9: [sc in next 4st., 2sc in next st, 1sc in next 4st] repeat 6 times (60 sts) Round 10: [2sc in next st, sc in next 9st] repeat 6 times (66 sts) Round 11-20: sc in each st across (66 sts) Round 21: join tail and body. Remember the body has a slight oval shape. We join together body and tail at the outer side of the oval. From the top, we see the two parts of the tail that were joined together and now, we join the tail with the body Sl st in 6 sts of body and tail. Sc in remaining stitches (71sts) Round 22: [sc2tog using invisible decrease, sc in next 10st], repeat 5 times, [sc2tog using invisible decrease, sc in next 9st] (66 sts) Round 23: [sc in next 3st, sc2tog using invisible decrease, sc in next 6st], repeat 6 times (60 sts) Round 24: [sc2tog using invisible decrease, sc in next 8st], repeat 6 times (54 sts) Round 25: [sc in next 2st, sc2tog using invisible decrease, sc in next 5st], repeat 6 times (48 sts) Round 26: change to white [sc in next 3st, sc2tog using invisible decrease, sc in next 3st], repeat 6 times (42 sts) Round 27: [sc2tog using invisible decrease, sc in next 5st], repeat 6 times (36 sts) (Stuff whale as you go. Place eyes as in pictures) Round 28: [sc in next st, sc2tog using invisible decrease, sc in next 3st], repeat 6 times (30 sts) Round 29: [sc2tog using invisible decrease, sc in next 3st], repeat 6 times (24 sts) Round 30: [sc in next st, sc2tog using invisible decrease, sc in next st], repeat 6 times (18 sts) Round 31: [sc2tog using invisible decrease, sc in next st], repeat 6 times (12 sts) Round 32: [sc2tog using invisible decrease], repeat 6 times (6 sts) (finish stuffing) Fasten off and weave ends
I haven't embroidered a mouth! If you feel that the tail tends to drop, you can sew it to the body:
