Minigurumi Marine Life

Louie's Loops

Medium difficulty

Medium

~15 minutes per minigurumi

PDF

Video

Lefty

In this series of patterns we’ll be crocheting a school of micro marine life! These amigurumi patterns are all less than 100 stitches each, feature no sewing (besides sewing closed), and can each be made in around 15 minutes or less! The micro crochet critters are slightly more advanced due to their mini nature, but because they only feature a small amount of stitches, they are very easy to make many times in one sitting to help overcome some of the more advanced stitches needed.

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Main Video Lefty

What you'll learn

What you'll need

Cotton Yarn

Weight

Colors

Main Color
White
Crochet Hook Size G6 / 4.00mm

Crochet Hook

G6 / 4.00 mm

Safety Bead (x2)

6 mm

Stuffing

Darning Needle

Abbreviations

ch

Chain Stitch

st

Stitch

slst

Slip Stitch

sc

Single Crochet

inc

Increase

invdec

Invisible Decrease

FLO/BLO

Front / Back Loops Only

dc

Double Crochet

hdc

Half-Double Crochet

Other Useful Info

Gauge

5 Rnds and 5 sts per 1”

Size

about 1 inch long for each mini

Worked

In the Round (without turning)

- Season 8 -

Get some sand in your stitches with this new season inspired by beaches and shores!

The Pattern

Use the checkboxes to track your progress
(1:23) The time codes match to the pattern video

01Octopus Minigurumi

Scroll down for alternative tentacle options!

[All in Main Color]
Magic loop

Rnd 1: sc 8 into the magic loop (8)

Rnd 2: [sc 3, inc 1] 2 times (10)

Rnd 3: sc in each st (10)

Rnd 4: [sc 3, invdec 1] 2 times (8)

Rnd 5: Working in the FLO, [slst 1, ch 2, slst 1] in each st around (8 tentacles)

Add eyes into Rnd 3, sts 5 and 8. They should be 3 sts apart.

Stuff very slightly, cut the yarn and pull through. Sew closed using the
tail end.

Sewing Closed


In these minigurumi crochet patterns I utilize a different method for sewing closed than I do for most of my amigurumi to securely sew closed the additional stitches in the last Rnd.
Begin first by pulling the original tail end from the beginning of your project through a stitch on the back of your piece. This will be used to double knot to the tail end you’ll be using to sew closed to complete the project securely.
To sew closed, thread the cut tail end onto a needle and begin weaving in and out of all the unused BLO from Rnd 4. You’ll be going in through the stitches from the outside in for the first, then from the inside out in the next, repeating that process for each stitch around until arriving at the end. Pull tight to close fully, and sew the end into the center and out from where you left the other tail end to knot together. Knot both ends together and hide the end into the body.

Alternative Tentacles


Both the Octopus and Squid minigurumi crochet patterns include 8 adorable tentacles in the last Rnd. I have found a variety of different ways to make these tentacles, all of which I love as much as the next, so I wanted to include a few variations for you! To incorporate these, simply replace the final Rnd of stitches with the alternative tentacle Rnd.

Bubble Tentacles
This method makes small little bubble like balls around the body for cute little tentacles!

Rnd X: Working in the FLO, [slst 1, ch 1, hdc 1, slst 1] in each st around (8 tentacles)

Long Tentacles
This method lets you make the tentacles as long as you want! My preferred amount is around 7 chains long but you can make them even longer!

Rnd X: Working in the FLO, [slst 1, ch 5 to 8, skip the first, slst in each ch down, slst 1 in
connecting FLO] in each st around (8 tentacles)

02Squid Minigurumi

See previous section for alternative tentacle options

[All in Main Color]
Magic loop

Rnd 1: sc 8 into the magic loop (8)

Rnd 2: [sc 3, inc 1] 2 times (10)

Rnd 3: sc in each st (10)

Rnd 4: [sc 3, invdec 1] 2 times (8)

Frill A: Work slsts across to the opposite side of the body. Start in the same st and up the side of the body to the top. To help guide your stitches, try to work into the inc sts on either side of the body. There should be 8 slsts total.

mp = Mini Picot (ch 2, slst 1 in the BLO of the 2nd ch from the hook)
hdcinc = Half-Double Crochet Increase (2 hdc in one st)

Frill B: Ch 1, turn, working into the slsts made back across the top of your squid, slst 1, sc 1, hdc 1, hdcinc 1, mp, hdcinc 1, hdc 1, sc 1, slst 1 (10 sts, 1 mp in the frill)

Rnd 5: Working in the FLO, [slst 1, ch 2, slst 1] in each st around (8 tentacles)

Add eyes into Rnd 3, sts 5 and 8. They should be 3 sts apart.

Stuff very slightly, cut the yarn and pull through. Sew closed using the tail end.

03Jellyfish Minigurumi

[All in Main Color]
Magic loop

Rnd 1: sc 8 into the magic loop (8)

Rnd 2: [sc 3, inc 1] 2 times (10)

Rnd 3: sc in each st (10)

Rnd 4: Working in the FLO, [slst 1, ch 1, slst 1] in each st around (10 frills)

Rnd 5: Working in the unused BLO from Rnd 3,
[{slst 1, ch 6 to 8, skip the first ch and slst in each remaining ch down, slst 1 in the same st},
slst 1 in next] repeat 5 times around (5 tentacles with 1 slst between)

Add eyes into Rnd 2 or 3, sts 5 and 8. They should be 3 sts apart.

See video at (1:05:23) for instructions for adding a simple smile!

Stuff very slightly, cut the yarn and pull through. Sew closed using the tail end.

04Seahorse Minigurumi

[All in Main Color]
Magic loop

Rnd 1: sc 8 into the magic loop (8)

Rnd 2: [sc 3, inc 1] 2 times (10)

Rnd 3: sc 3, fin (ch 3, sc 2 and slst 1 in 3rd ch), sc 7, fin (10 +2 fins)

Rnd 4: Working around the fins so they are on the outside, sc3, invdec 1, sc 1, nose (dc2tog in same stitch), sc 1, invdec 1 (8 including nose)

Add eyes 1 st away from the nose on either side. Specifically into Rnd 3 or 3, sts 5 and 9. They should be 4 sts apart.

Rnd 5: sc 4, invdec 1, sc 2 (7)

Rnd 6: sc 1, invdec 1, sc 4 (6)

Sc 1, tail (ch 7, skip first, slst in each ch down).

Stuff very slightly. Cut the yarn and pull through. Sew closed by working the end through the FLO of each st around in the last Rnd, and make sure to work into the end of the tail to curl it in.

05Whale Minigurumi

Scroll down to learn how to make alternative whales like orcas and dolphins!

[Starting in Main Color]
Magic loop

Rnd 1: sc 8 into the magic loop (8)

Rnd 2: [sc 3, inc 1] 2 times (10)

Rnd 3: sc in each st (10)

Rnd 4: sc 1, tail (ch 4, skip first, sc 1, hdc 1, slst 1, ch 3, skip first, sc 1, hdc 1, slst in original ch to connect), sc 2, fin (ch 3, skip first, sc 1, hdc 1), sc 6, fin, sc 1 (10 +1 tail and 2 fins)

[Change to White for the belly]

Rnd 5: Working around the tail and fins so that they are on the outside, sc in each st (10)

Rnd 6: [sc 3, invdec 1] 2 times (8)

Add eyes into Rnd 3, sts 5 and 8. They should be 3 sts apart.

Stuff very slightly, cut the yarn and pull through. Sew closed using the tail end.

Alternative Whale Options


There are a few additions to your whale you can do to customize it further turning the base pattern into an orca, dolphin, or narwhal! Most are cosmetic additions to be sewn onto the face before sewing closed, which we'll talk about in the next section, but first let's learn how to add an additional dorsal fin by slightly changing Rnd 2 in the base pattern.

Dorsal Fin Addition
You can add a dorsal fin (back fin) to your whale to make it a porpoise like a dolphin or
orca! To do this we’ll replace the first stitch in Rnd 2 with a stitch I made up!

Step 1: Start like normal, work the start of a single crochet into the first stitch by pulling a loop through.

Step 2: Yarn over, and insert into the center of the magic loop. Yarn over again and pull a loop through the center of the magic loop. There should be 3 loops on your hook.

Step 3: Yarn over and pull through 2 loops only. There now should be 2 loops on the hook.

Step 4: Chain 2 leaving one loop on the hook.

Step 5: Yarn over and pull through the last 2 loops on the hook to finish the stitch.

Work the rest of the round as normal as if you've just made the first single crochet. When you
get to Round 3, work around the stitch

Now let’s discuss some minimal embroidery additions you can do to make your whale distinctly and orca or dolphin. Add these embroidery additions after Rnd 6 before sewing closed.

Orca Customizations:
Before adding the eyes, embroider on a small white patch using White yarn threaded on a need between the stitch where the eye will go and the adjacent stitch towards the back (where to tail is). I like to repeat 3 times to make a solid white spot and double knotting on the inside to secure. Repeat for both eye spots before adding the safety eyes.
You can also add a similar white spot on the back above the tail and just under the dorsal fin.

Dolphin Customizations:
To make your whale a dolphin, besides adding a dorsal fin, you’ll also want to embroider on a small snout to the front using your Main Color. After adding the eyes, thread a strand of Main Color yarn on a needle. Exit from the inside just under where the eyes were added (Rnd 4 st 8) and enter back into the body 2 sts away under the opposite eye (Rnd 4 st 6). Repeat 3 - 4 times to create a small nose. Double knot on the inside and cut close.

Narwhal Customizations:
To add a narwhal horn, after adding the eyes but before sewing closed, cut a pipe cleaner in half and then half again. Fold in half and twist together leaving about 1/2 of an inch untwisted. Insert the two untwisted ends into adjacent stitches between the eyes. Twist together the ends on the inside and bend them up to hide fully.

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2 thoughts on “Minigurumi Marine Life”

  1. I used the written pattern for the dorsal fin and the first step says to start the single crochet which leaves you with two loops. In the next step you add two loops and you say you should have three loops on the hook but I got four. Did I miss something?

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