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The fourth pattern in my Tropical Beach Mini Amigurumi Patterns series is this cute crab! Honestly crabs kinda freak me out in real life, they just have a few too many legs and remind me too much of a certain other animal with eight legs… plus the whole scuttling motion. Shudder. But as long as they’re not underfoot at the beach, I can admire them from afar! And I do love a good plush crab. <3 Like my sea turtle, this crab would be great in a child’s playset, or you could hang it from a mobile in an ocean-themed nursery. You could also crochet him with thick blanket yarn and embroider on his eyes to make a bigger and more cuddly version for a small child!
My Mini Crab Amigurumi Pattern is available for free in this post, or you can purchase an ad-free PDF copy for a few dollars in my shop, on Etsy, or on Ravelry. If you have the means, please consider grabbing a copy of the PDF version! You will get an awesome premium version of the pattern, plus you will be supporting me so I can keep designing patterns for you. Click here for more details!
Download an Ad-Free PDF Copy of the Mini Crab Amigurumi Pattern
Do you like my Mini Crab Amigurumi Pattern? If so, please consider purchasing a copy of the premium PDF version for a small cost. The premium crochet pattern PDF is available for purchase on my website pattern shop, Ravelry, and Etsy, and includes 15 pages of pictures and detailed instructions to make your very own Mini Crab.
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– Ad-free & professionally formatted PDF of the pattern instructions, perfect for printing or downloading to your mobile devices
– Extra making-of photos not included in the free version below
– Two patterns in one! The PDF includes both the normal Crab & the Christmas Crab patterns. A Bobble Stitch photo tutorial (for the Santa hat) is also included.
In addition to the benefits above, your support will be greatly appreciated and will help me to continue designing and offering these free patterns to you!
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Tropical Beach Mini Amigurumi Series
Wondering who are the little cuties hanging out with my crab at the beach above? That’s my Mini Flamingo Floatie and my Mini Sea Turtle! They and my Crab are all part of my Tropical Beach Mini Amigurumi pattern series. Click below to learn more about the other patterns in this series, and to find some special bundle deals!
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Mini Crab Amigurumi Pattern
Crabs can be a bit scary looking, with all those legs and their scuttling movements, but this cute little crab really just wants to be everyone’s friend! Won’t you give him a home?
Skill Level
Beginner
Finished Dimensions
Approx. 4″ x 3.5″
Supplies Needed
- DK weight/#3 yarn (Paintbox Yarns Simply DK or similar): Red
- Size C / 2.75mm crochet hook – I highly recommend the ergonomic Clover Amour hooks
- Two 8mm black safety eyes
- Fiberfill stuffing
- Yarn needle
- Scissors & pins
- Stitch marker – I recommend locking stitch markers
Optional Keychain:
- Keychain: I purchased mine on Amazon, they have a 1” split key ring, a short chain, and an open jump ring.
- Pliers
Optional Santa Hat:
- DK weight/#3 yarn (Paintbox Yarns Simply DK or similar): White
- A length of red ribbon or yarn for the hanger
Terms & Abbreviations
All details below are based on US crochet terms.
- Mc: Magic Circle
- Ch: Chain
- Sl: Slip Stitch
- Sc: Single Crochet
- Inc: Increase
- Dec: Decrease – I recommend using the Invisible Decrease
Optional Santa Hat:
- Dc: Double Crochet
- Bobble Stitch
Pattern Notes
You will be working in a continuous spiral throughout. Use a stitch marker and do not join rounds or turn (unless otherwise stated).
When reading the pattern, (_,_)*x means that you repeat the instructions in the bracket “x” number of times. For example, (Sc 1, Inc)*6 means to repeat (Sc 1, Inc) 6 times. The number in brackets at the end of each row is the total number of stitches you will have when you finish that row.
Pattern Instructions
Body
Using red:
Round 1: Sc 6 in a a Magic Circle
Round 2: Inc*6 (12)
Round 3: (Sc 1, Inc)*6 (18)
Round 4: (Sc 2, Inc)*6 (24)
Round 5: (Sc 3, Inc)*6 (30)
Round 6: (Sc 4, Inc)*6 (36)
Rounds 7-10: Sc around (36)
Round 11: (Sc 4, Dec)*6 (30)
Insert safety eyes now, between rows 8 and 9 and approx. 5 stitches apart.
Round 12: (Sc 1, Dec)*10 (20)
Start stuffing and continue to stuff until the body is finished.
Round 13: Dec*10 (10)
Round 14: Dec*5 (5)
Finish off and close up the hole. Weave in all ends.
Arms/Claws (Make 2)
Using red and leaving a long end:
Round 1: Ch 6
Round 2: Join to the first Ch with a Sc to form a circle. Sc into the remaining 5 chain stitches. (6)
Rounds 3-6: Sc around (6)
Round 4: Inc*2, Sc 1, Dec, Sc 1 (7)
Round 5: Sc 1, Inc*2, Sc 4 (9)
Round 6: Sc 2, Inc*2, Sc 5 (11)
Round 7: Sc 3, Inc*2, Sc 6 (13)
Round 8: Sc 4, Inc*2, Sc 7 (15)
Round 9: (Sc 2, Inc)*5 (20)
Round 10: Sc around (20)
Round 11: Sc 18, Dec (19)
Stuff the arm. Continue to stuff the claws as you make them.
Continue on without cutting to make Claw 1:
Claw 1
Round 12: Dec, Sc 4, skip next 8 stitches, Sc into next stitch, Sc 4 (10) (See Figure 1 below)
Round 13: Sc 8, Dec (9)
Round 14: Dec, Sc 5, Dec (7)
Round 15: Dec, Sc 3, Dec (5)
Finish off and close up the hole.
Claw 2
Next you will attach yarn to the arm and make the second claw. Stuff the claw as you go.
Using red and leaving a long end:
Round 1: Join with a Standing Sc (see below) to the first unworked stitch. This is your first stitch of the round. Continuing clockwise: Sc 1, Dec*2, Sc 2 (6) (See Figure 2 below)
*Standing Sc: Make a slip knot on your hook and insert your hook into the stitch. Then complete the Sc as normal: Yarn over, pull through, yarn over, pull through both loops on your hook.
Round 2: Sc into the first stitch of Round 1. (this will create a hole between the claws, but don’t worry!). Complete the rest of the round: Sc 1, Dec, Sc 2 (5)
Finish off and weave in the end at the tip of the second claw. Add a bit more stuffing through the hole between the claws if needed.
Thread the leftover long end from the start of Round 1 of the second claw onto your yarn needle. Use this end to sew up the hole between the claws.
Front Legs (Make 2)
Using red:
Round 1: Sc 6 in a Magic Circle
Rounds 2-7: Sc around (6)
Finish off, leaving a long end. Stuff the leg.
Middle Legs (Make 2)
Using red:
Round 1: Sc 6 in a Magic Circle
Rounds 2-6: Sc around (6)
Finish off, leaving a long end. Stuff the leg.
Back Legs (Make 2)
Using red:
Round 1: Sc 6 in a Magic Circle
Rounds 2-5: Sc around (6)
Finish off, leaving a long end. Stuff the leg.
Assembling the Crab
Pin the arms and legs to the crab as per Figure 3 below. Make sure that the arms are evenly spaced on either side of the eyes, with about 2 stitches of space between each eye and arm. The top of the arms should be even with the line above the eyes.
Pin the front legs (the longest ones) just behind the arms, then the middle and back legs closely grouped behind them. The gap between the two back legs should be aligned with the gap between the eyes.
Once you are happy with the placement of the limbs, sew them securely to the body and weave in all ends. Read on if you’d like to make your crab into a keychain or a Christmas ornament, otherwise you’re done!
Optional: Adding a Keychain
To create a yarn loop for attaching the keychain:
Using red: Ch 11, then Sc into 2nd Ch from hook and Sc into the remaining 9 stitches (10)
Cut the yarn, leaving a long end.
The keychains I purchased consist of a split ring attached to a chain, and a separate open jump ring. If you have something similar, follow my instructions for attaching an open jump ring to your crab.
If you have a keychain where the jump ring is already closed and can’t be easily opened, then skip to my instructions for attaching a closed jump ring to your crab.
If you have an OPEN jump ring on your keychain:
Join the yarn into a loop and stitch it securely to the crab.
To attach the keychain, insert the open jump ring through the chain of the keychain and then through the yarn loop you just made. Use pliers to close the jump ring tightly.
If you have a CLOSED jump ring on your keychain:
Do not sew the chains into a loop or stitch it to the crab yet. First, run the yarn through the jump ring. Then you can go ahead and sew the yarn into a loop and stitch it securely to your crab.
Optional: Turn your crab into a Christmas ornament!
Want to turn your crab into a festive Christmas ornament so he can hang out on your tree during the holidays? Read on to find the Santa Hat pattern.
Bobble Stitch Instructions
The Bobble Stitch is used to create the first row of the Santa hat. The stitch consists of your desired number of Double Crochets (4 Dc in this case) worked into a single stitch and secured by one loop, to create a texture that pops out from your work
Step 1: Yarn over, insert hook into the stitch where you are going to make the bobble. Yarn over, draw up a loop – this is like the beginning of a normal Double Crochet. You will now have three loops on your hook.
Step 2: Yarn over, pull yarn through the first two loops only. You will now have two loops on your hook.
Step 3: Next, instead of finishing the Double Crochet like you normally would, yarn over and insert the hook back into the stitch. Yarn over, draw up a loop, then yarn over and pull through only the first two loops again. You will now have three loops on your hook.
Step 4: Repeat step 3 two more times until you have five loops on your hook.
Step 5: Yarn over and pull through all 5 loops on your hook. This will complete the bobble!
Santa Hat
Using white:
Round 1: Ch 24, making sure to leave a long end of yarn at the start (you will use it later to sew the hat to the head). Slip stitch to the first ch to form a circle.
Round 2: Ch 3 (counts as first Dc of your first bobble), Bobble Stitch (3 Dc), Sl 1. For the remaining Bobble Stitches, you will make 4 Dc per bobble: (Bobble Stitch 1, Sl 1)*11 (24)
Using red:
Rounds 3-4: Sc around (24)
You will Sc into the top of the first bobble from Round 2 – skip the initial Ch 3.
Round 5: (Sc 6, Dec)*3 (21)
Round 6: Sc around (21)
Round 7: (Sc 5, Dec)*3 (18)
Round 8: Sc around (18)
Round 9: (Sc 4, Dec)*3 (15)
Round 10: Sc around (15)
Round 11: (Sc 3, Dec)*3 (12)
Round 12: Sc around (12)
Round 13: (Sc 2, Dec)*3 (9)
Round 14: Sc around (9)
Round 15: (Sc 1, Dec)*3 (6)
Round 16: Sc around (6)
Round 17: Dec*3 (3)
Switch to white to make the top ball. Leave a long red tail.
Round 18: Inc*3 (6)
Round 19: Inc*6 (12)
Rounds 20-22: Sc around (12)
Stuff ball and continue stuffing as you finish the last round.
Round 23: Dec*6 (6)
Finish stuffing the ball and close up the hole.
Sew the hat to the top of the crab’s head using the long white end from the start of Round 1.
Fold the hat back and use the red end from Round 17 to stitch it into place. Weave in all ends.
Finally, thread a length of red yarn or red ribbon through the top of the hat and tie it into a knot (or a nice bow!). Then this cute little crab can hang out on your Christmas tree!
I hope you enjoy this pattern, and if you have any questions please don’t hesitate to comment below or email me.
And if you made your own Mini Crab I would love to see a picture on Instagram! Make sure to tag me so I don’t miss it, @waywardpineapplecreations.
© Wayward Pineapple Creations | Julia Simpson This pattern and all related images are copyright protected. You may sell items made from my patterns, but please do not copy/paste, distribute, or alter the pattern and claim it as your own.
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