Crochet Shrimp

[click the photo to watch the video tutorial]

Materials

3mm crochet hook
Yarn in shrimp color (optional: 2nd color for the stripes)
Yarn in shirt color
Black yarn for the eyes
Stitch marker (or a piece of yarn)
Stuffing
Tapestry needle
Scissors

Abbreviations

MR – magic ring
sc – single crochet
dc – double crochet
inc – increase (2 sc into one stitch)
sc2tog – single crochet 2 stitches together
dec – decrease/ invisible decrease
ch – chain
sl. st. – slip stitch
sk – skip
st(s) – stitch(es)
FO – fasten off
x – times (indicates the number of times to repeat)
[] – repeat steps between brackets for the specified number of times
() – crochet the group of stitches all in the same stitch
(#) – the number of stitches you should have at the end of the round

Notes

You will need 2 skeins of yarn – one for the main body and one for the stripes. If you don’t want stripes on the shrimp tail, crochet with the same color of yarn instead of a new color. (Tip: For the single color shrimp, you can save on yarn by using the other tail end of your yarn to crochet the “stripes”. This way you will only need 1 skein.)
The shrimp is crocheted in a continuous spiral and the sweater is crocheted in joined rounds.

Sizing

Approx. finished measurements using a 3 mm hook and Loops&Threads Impeccable weight 4 acrylic yarn:

Height: 2”
Length: 4”

Disclaimer:
This pattern has not been officially tested, but that also allows me to release patterns faster. There is a video tutorial as supplement, but if there are any questions, feel free to leave a comment!

Please do not copy, redistribute, or resell this pattern as your own, but you can sell the finished products if you would like. A mention as the pattern creator is appreciated!

Pattern

Body

*Short arm – ch5, then starting from the 2nd ch from your hook, sl. st. into the back bumps of the chains (total of 4 sl. sts.)

**Long arm – ch 6, then starting from the 2nd ch from your hook, sl. st. into the back bumps of the chains (total of 5 sl. sts.)

R1: MR 6sc (6)

R2: 3sc, incx3 (9)

R3: 3sc, [sc, inc] x3 (12)

R4: 12 sc (12)

R5: 3sc, [2sc, inc] x3 (15)

R6: 15sc (15)

R7: 9sc, *short arm, 2sc, *short arm, 4sc (15 sts not counting the arms)

First set of shrimp arms

R8: 6sc, inc, sc, (sc2tog, sc), (sc, sc2tog, sc), 2sc, inc (18)

(sc2tog, sc) diagram

(sc, sc2tog, sc) diagram

R9: 10sc, **long arm, 3sc, **long arm, 5sc (18 sts not counting the arms)

R10: 9sc, (sc2tog, sc), sc, (sc2tog, sc), 4sc (18)

R11-R12: repeat R9 and R10

R13: 18sc (18)

Progress photo

Stuff

R14:

Part 1 – Attach a new piece of yarn* with a ch 1. Starting in the same st with the ch 1, sc 7. FO this section. (*you can either use the same or a different color of yarn)
Part 2 – Go back to the original yarn and crochet 6sc, (sc, sc2tog), [sc, dec] x3, sc (15)

R14 photos

R15:

Part 1 – Attach a new piece of yarn with a ch 1. Starting in the same st with the ch 1, sc 7. FO this section.
Part 2 – Go back to the original yarn and crochet 6sc, (sc, sc2tog), 7sc (15)

R16-R17: repeat R15

Stuff

R18: [3sc, dec] x3 (12)

R19: 12sc (12)

Add a little bit of stuffing if needed

R20: [sc, dec] x4 (8)

FO, but don’t seal the piece closed – instead hide the tail to the side to move it out of the way.

Finished body

Move tail to the side

Tail

Fold the opening of the shrimp in half so that the sts. match up.

Starting on the right side, attach the yarn with a ch 1. Then into the same st (sc, ch8, starting from the 2nd ch from your hook, sc into the back bumps of the chains (total 7sc), sc2tog), (sc, ch8, 7sc, sc2tog)

FO and weave in tail ends.

Antennae (Make 2)

Center the antennae between either R2 & R3* or R3 & R4**, placing one stitch between the antennae.

*For the shrimp made with chenille yarn, I placed the antennae between R2 & R3.

**For the shrimp made with acrylic yarn, I placed them between R3 & R4.

Either placement works!

To crochet the antenna: ch7, then starting from the 2nd chain from your hook, sl. st. into the back bumps of the chains (total 6 sl. sts.)

Antennae

Eyes

Between R4 & R5, 1 st. in height

Sewn on both sides of the head

Sweater

ch18, sl. st. into the 1st ch to form a loop (18)

R1: ch4, sk.2, 14dc, ch2, sk.2 (18)

R2: sl. st. around the armhole opening to join the round, ch2, dc into the 2nd ch from the 1st dc in the previous round, ch2, sk.2, 12dc, ch2, sk.2, dc (18)

Joining R2

R3: sl. st. into the 1st st. to join, ch2, dc into the same st with the sl. st., ch2, sk.2, 12dc, ch2, sk.2, dc (18)