Easy amigurumi whale: a first crochet animal

This whale is the amigurumi ball stretched into an egg, plus three tiny flat pieces. If you've made the ball, you already know every technique here.

All pieces are worked in a continuous spiral. Don't join rounds; move a stitch marker up to the first stitch of each round instead.

#Materials

• Worsted weight cotton: about 35 yd in blue, plus a little black for the eyes
• 3.5 mm (E-4) hook
• Fiberfill, stitch marker, yarn needle
• Optional: two 9 mm safety eyes (not for babies or toddlers)

#Abbreviations

• MR: magic ring
• sc: single crochet
• inc: 2 sc in the same stitch
• dec: invisible decrease (see the ball pattern for how)
• (...) x6: repeat 6 times

#Body

Rnd 1: 6 sc in MR. (6)

Rnd 2: Inc in each st around. (12)

Rnd 3: (Sc 1, inc) x6. (18)

Rnd 4: (Sc 2, inc) x6. (24)

Rnd 5: (Sc 3, inc) x6. (30)

Rnd 6: (Sc 4, inc) x6. (36)

Rnds 7–14: Sc in each st around. (36)

If you're using safety eyes, insert them now between Rnds 9 and 10, about 8 stitches apart.

Rnd 15: (Sc 4, dec) x6. (30)

Rnd 16: Sc in each st around. (30)

Rnd 17: (Sc 3, dec) x6. (24)

Rnd 18: (Sc 2, dec) x6. (18)

Stuff firmly.

Rnd 19: (Sc 1, dec) x6. (12)

Rnd 20: Dec x6. (6)

Fasten off, weave the tail through the front loops of the last 6 stitches and pull closed. The narrow end is the back of the whale.

#Fins and tail flukes (make 4)

Rnd 1: 6 sc in MR. (6)

Rnd 2: (Sc 1, inc) x3. (9)

Rnds 3–4: Sc in each st around. (9)

Don't stuff. Flatten the piece and sc across the opening through both layers (4 sc). Fasten off with a long tail for sewing.

#Assembly

1. Fins: sew one fin to each side of the body at Rnd 12, angled slightly backwards.
2. Tail: sew two flukes together at their flat ends in a V shape, then sew the point of the V to the closed back end of the body.
3. Face: if you didn't use safety eyes, embroider two small eyes with black yarn. Add a smile with a few backstitches below them.

Next, try a whole animal with legs: our crochet dog pattern uses the same rounds.