Hello, how you doing? How’s your week been? How am I you say? Well I’ve just been finishing off the last few touches to a free pattern for you!

How do you fancy a pattern for a giant narwhal?! I’m hoping you’ve said yes…because over Christmas that’s what I made for my daughter. She loves it and so I thought you might do too.

Every year I try to crochet my girls a little something, they always love these makes and it’s lovely to see the enjoyment they get out of them. This year I’m not quite sure how the conversation came about but it ended up some how with me agreeing to make my seven year old a narwhal, and not just a small narwhal, a GIANT one!

Narwhals are just such interesting creatures aren’t they! There are none in captivity (apparently any attempts to keep them have been unsuccessful) and this obviously lends to the mythical intrigue about the animal I’m sure!

Did you know they are dubbed as the unicorn of the sea as apparently in medieval times their tusks (which is actually a tooth) were passed off as actual unicorn horns – maybe this is why they seem kind of magical! They are just so fascinating and mysterious that I thought who wouldn’t want to crochet a cuddly plushie one!

I have actually always wanted to have a go at making a giant amigurumi but giant things usually take lots of time and use giant amounts of yarn. So what I needed was big yarn and a big hook!

You may remember that Marriner Yarns kindly sent me some yarn to try out last year (read about that here). In the pack was some variegated Mermaid Super Chunky which I thought might work out nicely.

They’d sent me one ball of Marshmallow in the pack but one ball wasn’t going to make anything giant so I bought some more off their website (it came pretty quickly too) and combined it with a ball of their Marriners plain Super Chunky in Silver (for the tusk).

Watch this space for another ocean creature, that I made for my youngest, that I made with the left over Silver Marriners Super Chunky – coming soon!

Mermaid Chunky really is lovely and soft and works well for chunky amigurumi and as it’s only £1.50 per ball it won’t cost you a fortune to make an amigurumi this big. Whalema (as my daughter has called hers) measures a whopping 99cm (39 inches) from horn tip to tail so she’s not small!

The recommended hook size for the yarn is a 10mm (US N/13) but I used a 6.5mm (US size K) for a tighter amigurumi stitch. That said I’ve recently discovered that I’m a loose crocheter so you may find a larger hook size works for you just as well.

The following pattern is free here on the blog but it’s also available on Ravelry where there is a nominal fee for a downloadable 4 page PDF pattern free of advertisements if you’d prefer.

SAVE PATTERN ON RAVELRY HERE

So are you ready for the pattern? I’ll just say a quick thanks to Marriner Yarns again for supplying the Mermaid Chunky so I could make this free pattern for you and then we can begin…

Chunky Narwhal Amigurumi

Materials:

Yarn:

- 4 x 100g / 80m of Yarn A
- 1 x 100g / 80m of Yarn B

Marriner Mermaid Super Chunky (Marshmallow – Yarn A) Marriner Super Chunky (Silver – Yarn B) used in photos.

Pattern will work in other hooks and yarns though finished size will be different.

Hook: 6.5mm (US size K)

You will also need:

Stitch markers
A yarn needle
Polyester toy filler
2 x 30mm Glitter (or Black) Safety eyes

Gauge: 7dc/sc = 8cm (3.1 inches)

Obtaining the correct gauge is not critical to this project but yarn amounts and finished size of projecy may differ if your gauge is different from mine.

Finished Size: 99cm (39 inches) from horn tip to tail

Abbreviations:

st(s) = stitch(es)
sl st = slip stitch
ch(s) = chain
dc/sc = UK double crochet / US single crochet
dc/sc2tog = UK double crochet 2 together / US single crochet 2 together

Stitch Guidance:

Slip Stitch (sl st): Insert hook in st indicated, yarn over and draw through all loops.
UK Double Crochet/US Single Crochet (dc/sc): Insert hook in st indicated and draw up a loop (two loops on hook), yarn over, draw through both loops on hook.
UK Double Crochet 2 together / US Single Crochet 2 together (dc/sc2tog):
Insert hook in st indicated and pull up a loop (two loops on hook), Insert hook in next st, yarn over, pull through three loops on hook.

Pattern Notes:

Using a stitch marker: Many parts of the narwhal are worked without joining in continuous rnds – place the stitch marker in the top of the first st to mark start of rnd.

Pattern:

Body:

Worked from nose to tail;

Rnd 1: With Yarn A either make a magic ring (adjustable ring) to start or 2ch, work 6dc/sc into the ring / 2nd ch from hook, use tail yarn to tighten centre ring closed if necessary (6sts).

Rnd 2: * 2dc/sc * repeat from * to * until the end of the rnd (12sts).

Rnd 3: * 1dc/sc, 2dc/sc in next st * repeat from * to * until the end of the rnd (18sts).

Rnd 4: * 1dc/sc in next two sts, 2dc/sc in next st * repeat from * to * until the end of the rnd (24sts).

Rnd 5: * 1dc/sc in next three sts, 2dc/sc in next st * repeat from * to * until the end of the rnd (30sts).

Rnd 6: * 1dc/sc in next four sts, 2dc/sc in next st * repeat from * to * until the end of the rnd (36sts).

Rnd 7: * 1dc/sc in next 17 sts, 2dc/sc in next two sts, 1dc/sc in next 17 sts (38sts).

Rnd 8: 1dc/sc in each st until the end of the rnd.

Rnd 9: 1dc/sc in next 18 sts, 2dc/sc in next two sts, 1dc/sc in next 18 sts (40sts).

Rnds 10-11: 1dc/sc in each st until the end of the rnd.

Rnd 12: 1dc/sc in next 19 sts, 2dc/sc in next two sts, 1dc/sc in next 19 sts (42sts).

Rnds 13-22: 1dc/sc in each st until the end of the rnd

Add eyes in between rnds 19-20 approx 15sts apart

Rnd 23: 1dc/sc in next 19 sts, 2dc/sc in next four sts, 1dc/sc in next 19 sts (46sts).

Rnds 24-38: 1dc/sc in each st until the end of the rnd

Rnd 39: 1dc/sc in next 19 sts, dc/sc2tog four times, 1dc/sc in next 19 sts (42sts).

Rnds 40-44: 1dc/sc in each st until the end of the rnd

Rnd 45: 1dc/sc in next 19 sts, dc/sc2tog twice, 1dc/sc in next 19 sts (40sts).

Rnds 46-48: 1dc/sc in each st until the end of the rnd

Rnd 49: 1dc/sc in next 18 sts, dc/sc2tog twice, 1dc/sc in next 18 sts (38sts).

Rnds 50-51: 1dc/sc in each st until the end of the rnd

Rnd 52: 1dc/sc in next 17 sts, dc/sc2tog twice, 1dc/sc in next 17 sts (36sts).

Rnd 53: 1dc/sc in each st until the end of the rnd

Start to stuff; continuing to stuff as you go

Rnd 54: * 1dc/sc in the next four sts, dc/sc2tog * repeat from * to * until the end of the rnd (30sts).

Rnds 55-58: 1dc/sc in each st until the end of the rnd

Rnd 59: * 1dc/sc in the next three sts, dc/sc2tog * repeat from * to * until the end of the rnd (24sts).

Rnds 60-62: 1dc/sc in each st until the end of the rnd

Rnd 63: * 1dc/sc in the next four sts, dc/sc2tog * repeat from * to * until the end of the rnd (20sts).

Rnd 64: 1dc/sc in each st until the end of the rnd

Rnd 65: * 1dc/sc in the next three sts, dc/sc2tog * repeat from * to * until the end of the rnd (16sts).

Rnd 66: * 1dc/sc in the next two sts, dc/sc2tog * repeat from * to * until the end of the rnd (12sts).

Rnd 67: * 1dc/sc, dc/sc2tog * repeat from * to * until the end of the rnd (8sts).

Rnds 68-69: 1dc/sc in each st until the end of the rnd

Rnd 70: * dc/sc2tog * repeat from * to * until the end of the rnd, fasten off and sew together the remaining sts with your yarn tail.

Side Fins (Make 2):

Rnd 1: With Yarn A either make a magic ring (adjustable ring) to start or 2ch, work 6dc/sc into the ring / 2nd ch from hook, use tail yarn to tighten centre ring closed if necessary (6sts).

Rnd 2: 1dc/sc in each st until the end of the rnd

Rnd 3: * 1dc/sc, 2dc/sc in next st * repeat from * to * until the end of the rnd (9sts).

Rnd 4: 1dc/sc in next four sts, 2dc/sc in the next st, 1dc/sc in next four sts (10sts).

Rnd 5: 1dc/sc in next four sts, 2dc/sc in the next two sts, 1dc/sc in next four sts (12sts).

Rnd 6: 1dc/sc in next four sts, 2dc/sc in the next four sts, 1dc/sc in next four sts (16sts).

Rnds 7-9: 1dc/sc in each st until the end of the rnd

Rnd 10: * 1dc/sc in the next two sts, dc/sc2tog * repeat from * to * until the end of the rnd (12sts).

Rnd 11: 1dc/sc in each st until the end of the rnd

Rnd 12: * 1dc/sc, dc/sc2tog * repeat from * to * until the end of the rnd (9sts).

Fasten off but leave long yarn tail for attaching fins to the body

Tail Fins (Make 2):

Rnds 1-6: With Yarn A make as side fins (16sts).

Rnd 7: 1dc/sc in next seven sts, 2dc/sc in the next two sts, 1dc/sc in next seven sts (18sts).

Rnd 8: 1dc/sc in next eight sts, 2dc/sc in the next two sts, 1dc/sc in next eight sts (20sts).

Rnd 9: 1dc/sc in next nine sts, 2dc/sc in the next two sts, 1dc/sc in next nine sts (22sts).

Rnds 10-14: 1dc/sc in each st until the end of the rnd

Rnd 15: 1dc/sc in next nine sts, dc/sc2tog twice, 1dc/sc in next nine sts (20sts).

Rnd 16: 1dc/sc in next eight sts, dc/sc2tog twice, 1dc/sc in next eight sts (18sts).

Rnd 17: 1dc/sc in next seven sts, dc/sc2tog twice, 1dc/sc in next seven sts (16sts).

Fasten off but leave long yarn tail for attaching tail fins to the body

Horn:

Rnd 1: With Yarn B either make a magic ring (adjustable ring) to start or 2ch, work 5dc/sc into the ring / 2nd ch from hook, use tail yarn to tighten centre ring closed if necessary (5sts).

Rnds 2-7: 1dc/sc in each st until the end of the rnd

Rnd 8: 2dc/sc in the next st, 1dc/sc in the next five sts (6sts).

Rnds 9-11: 1dc/sc in each st until the end of the rnd

Rnd 12: 2dc/sc in the next st, 1dc/sc in the next six sts (8sts).

Rnds 13-15: 1dc/sc in each st until the end of the rnd

Start to stuff; continuing to stuff as you go

Rnd 16: 2dc/sc in the next st, 1dc/sc in the next seven sts (7sts).

Rnds 17-19: 1dc/sc in each st until the end of the rnd

Rnd 20: 2dc/sc in the next st, 1dc/sc in the next eight sts (8sts).

Rnd 21: 1dc/sc in each st until the end of the rnd

Fasten off but leave long yarn tail for attaching horn to the body

Making up:

Attach the bottom fins (with the curve pointing backwards) on each side of the narwhal over rnds 24-27 approx 14sts apart
Attach the tail fins (with the curve pointing backwards) on either side of the end of the narwhal over rnds 64-71
Attach the horn over rnds 4-5 on the forehead of the narwhal