The cutest whale has arrived from the sea with cute little stripes on his belly! His soft squishy body is perfect for cuddling and the reverse stockinette stripes add a lovely visual and textural contrast to his smooth, cotton body.
Skill Level: Easy
Size: 13” / [33 cm] long
Gauge: 21 sts and 30 rows = 4” [10 cm] in St st after wet blocking
Materials
Yarn: Rico Design Creative Cotton Aran (100% Cotton; 93 yards [85 meters]/50 grams): 39 Royal (A, 1 ball), 60 Nature (B, 1 ball), 28 Mouse Grey (C, 1 ball)
Needles: US size 6 (4.0 mm) straight
Notions: Polyester stuffing, tapestry needle, US size 6 (4.0 mm) crochet hook
Pattern Notes
The front part of the whale is worked first as a rectangle and then stitches are picked up along each row edge to begin working the body shape.
The underbelly is worked in a stripe pattern of 4 rows in B and 2 rows in C throughout. The reverse St st side is the right side when sewing up.
Pattern
Underbelly
Using B, CO 10 sts.
Row 1: Purl.
Row 2: K1, m1, k to last st, m1, k1. (12 sts)
Row 3: P1, m1, p to last st, m1, p1. (14 sts)
Row 4: Rep Row 2. (16 sts)
Row 5: Rep Row 3. (18 sts)
Row 6: Rep Row 2. (20 sts)
Row 7: Rep Row 3. (22 sts)
Row 8: Rep Row 2. (24 sts)
Row 9: Rep Row 3. (26 sts)
Row 10: Rep Row 2. (28 sts)
Row 11: Purl.
Row 12: Rep Row 2. (30 sts)
Rows 13-33: Beg with a p row, work in St st for 21 rows.
Row 34: K1, k2tog, k to last 3 sts, k2tog, k1. (28 sts)
Rows 35-39: Beg with a p row, work in St st for 5 rows.
Row 40: Rep Row 34. (26 sts)
Rows 41-45: Beg with a p row, work in St st for 5 rows.
Row 46: Rep Row 34. (24 sts)
Rows 47-51: Beg with a p row, work in St st for 5 rows.
Row 52: Rep Row 34. (22 sts)
Rows 53-57: Beg with a p row, work in St st for 5 rows.
Row 58: Rep Row 34. (20 sts)
Rows 39-63: Beg with a p row, work in St st for 5 rows.
Row 64: Rep Row 34. (18 sts)
Rows 65-69: Beg with a p row, work in St st for 5 rows.
Row 70: Rep Row 34. (16 sts)
Rows 71-75: Beg with a p row, work in St st for 5 rows.
Row 76: K8, turn. Continue on these 8 sts to work one side of the tail.
Row 77: Purl.
Row 78: K1, m1, k to last st, m1, k1. (10 sts)
Row 79: P9, m1, p1. (11 sts)
Row 80: Rep Row 78. (13 sts)
Row 81: P12, m1, p1. (14 sts)
Row 82: Rep Row 78. (16 sts)
Row 83: Purl.
Row 84: Knit.
Row 85: P to last st, m1, p1. (17 sts)
Row 86: Knit.
Row 87: Purl.
Row 88: Knit.
Row 89: P1, p2tog, p to end. (16 sts)
Row 90: Knit.
Row 91: Purl.
Row 92: K1, k2tog, k to last 3 sts, k2tog, k1. (14 sts)
Row 93: Purl.
Row 94: Rep Row 92. (12 sts)
Row 95: Purl.
Row 96: Rep Row 92. (10 sts)
Row 97: Purl.
Row 98: Rep Row 92. (8 sts)
Row 99: Purl.
Row 100: Rep Row 92. (6 sts)
Row 101: P.
Row 102: Rep Row 92. (4 sts)
Break yarn leaving a long length of yarn. Thread through remaining sts, pull up tightly and fasten off.
Rejoin yarn to remaining 8 sts to complete second side of fin.
Row 76: K8.
Row 77: Purl.
Row 78: K1, m1, k to last st, m1, k1. (10 sts)
Row 79: P1, m1, p9. (11 sts)
Row 80: Rep Row 78. (13 sts)
Row 81: P1, m1, p12. (14 sts)
Row 82: Rep Row 78. (16 sts)
Row 83: Purl.
Row 84: Knit.
Row 85: P1, m1, p to end. (17 sts)
Row 86: Knit.
Row 87: Purl.
Row 88: Knit.
Row 89: P to last 3 sts, p2tog, p1. (16 sts)
Row 90: Knit.
Row 91: Purl.
Row 92: K1, k2tog, k to last 3 sts, k2tog, k1. (14 sts)
Row 93: Purl.
Row 94: Rep Row 92. (12 sts)
Row 95: Purl.
Row 96: Rep Row 92. (10 sts)
Row 97: Purl.
Row 98: Rep Row 92. (8 sts)
Row 99: Purl.
Row 100: Rep Row 92. (6 sts)
Row 101: Purl.
Row 102: Rep Row 92. (4 sts)
Break yarn leaving a long length of yarn. Thread through remaining sts, pull up tightly and fasten off.
Body
Using A, CO 20 sts.
Rows 1-26: Beg with a k row, work in St st for 26 rows. Break yarn.
Row 27: Pickup and k19 sts along right side row edge of work, k across 20 sts on needle, pickup and k19 sts down the left-hand row edge of work. (58 sts)
Rows 28-32: Beg with a p row, work in St st for 5 rows.
Row 33: K17, k2tog, ssk, k16, k2tog, ssk, k17. (54 sts)
Rows 34-38: Beg with a p row, work in St st for 5 rows.
Rows 39: K16, k2tog, ssk, k14, k2tog, ssk, k16. (50 sts)
Rows 40-44: Beg with a p row, work in St st for 5 rows.
Row 45: K15, k2tog, ssk, k12, k2tog, ssk, k15. (46 sts)
Row 46-50: Beg with a p row, work in St st for 5 rows.
Row 51: K14, k2tog, ssk, k10, k2tog, ssk, k14. (42 sts)
Row 52-56: Beg with a p row, work in St st for 5 rows.
Row 57: K13, k2tog, ssk, k8, k2tog, ssk, k13. (38 sts)
Rows 58-62: Beg with a p row, work in St sts for 5 rows.
Row 63: K12, k2tog, ssk, k6, k2tog, ssk, k12. (34 sts)
Row 64-68: Beg with a p row, work in St st for 5 rows.
Row 69: K2tog, k9, k2tog, k8, k2tog, k9, k2tog. (30 sts)
Row 70-74: Beg with a p row, work in St st for 5 rows.
Row 75: K2tog, k7, k2tog, k8, k2tog, k7, k2tog. (26 sts)
Row 76-78: Beg with a p row, work in St st for 3 rows.
Row 79: K2tog, k5, k2tog, k8, k2tog, k5, k2tog. (22 sts)
Rows 80-82: Beg with a p row, work in St st for 3 rows.
Row 83: K2tog, k3, k2tog, k8, k2tog, k3, k2tog. (18 sts)
Row 84-86: Beg with a p row, work in St st for 3 rows.
Row 87: K3, (k2tog) twice, k4, (k2tog) twice, k3. (14 sts)
Rows 88-90: Beg with a p row, work in St st for 3 rows.
Row 91: K1, m1, k6, turn.
Continue on these 8 sts to work first half of tail.
Row 92: Purl.
Row 93: K1, m1, k to last st, m1, k1. (10 sts)
Row 94: P9, m1, p1. (11 sts)
Row 95: Rep Row 93. (13 sts)
Row 96: P12, m1, p1. (14 sts)
Row 97: Rep Row 93. (16 sts)
Row 98: Purl.
Row 99: Knit.
Row 100: P to last st, mn1, p1. (17 sts)
Row 101: Knit.
Row 102: Purl.
Row 103: Knit.
Row 104: P1, p2tog, p to end. (16 sts).
Row 105: Knit.
Row 106: Purl.
Row 107: K1, k2tog, k to last 3 sts, k2tog, k1. (14 sts)
Row 108: Purl.
Row 109: Rep Row 107. (12 sts)
Row 110: Purl.
Row 111: Rep Row 107. (10 sts)
Row 112: Purl.
Row 113: Rep Row 107. (8 sts)
Row 114: Purl.
Row 115: Rep Row 107. (6 sts)
Row 116: Purl.
Row 117: Rep Row 107. (4 sts).
Break yarn leaving a long length of yarn. Thread through remaining sts, pull up tightly and fasten off.
Rejoin yarn to remaining 7 sts with RS facing.
Row 91: K6, m1, k1. (8 sts)
Row 92: Purl.
Row 93: K1, m1, k to last st, m1, k1. (10 sts)
Row 94: P1, m1, p9. (11 sts)
Row 95: Rep Row 93. (13 sts)
Row 96: P1, m1, p12. (14 sts)
Row 97: Rep Row 93. (16 sts)
Row 98: Purl.
Row 99: Knit.
Row 100: P1, m1, p to end. (17 sts)
Row 101: Knit.
Row 102: Purl.
Row 103: Knit.
Row 104: P to last 3 sts, p2tog, p1. (16 sts)
Row 105: Knit.
Row 106: Purl.
Row 107: K1, k2tog, k to last 3 sts, k2tog, k1. (14 sts)
Row 108: Purl.
Row 109: Rep Row 107. (12 sts)
Row 110: Purl.
Row 111: Rep Row 107. (10 sts)
Row 112: Purl.
Row 113: Rep Row 107. (8 sts)
Row 114: Purl.
Row 115: Rep Row 107. (6 sts)
Row 116: Purl.
Row 117: Rep Row 107. (4 sts)
Break yarn leaving a long length of yarn. Thread through remaining sts, pull up tightly and fasten off.
Eye (make 2)
Using B and crochet hook, ch 2.
Rnd 1: Work 8 sc in 2nd ch from hook.
Sc to first sc. Fasten off.
Finishing
Seam Underbelly to Body around all edges, with RS of A facing outwards and reverse St st of Underbelly facing outwards, leaving a gap for stuffing. Stuff well, taking care to push stuffing into Tail and to shape Head and Body.
Sew remaining seam closed.
Sew eyes to either side of head, using the photo as a guide, with C to work a few small sts in the center of each eye.