44 Free Ocean Animal Projects to Crochet and Knit
According to the U.S. Geological Survey, water covers 71% of Earth, and the oceans have about 96.5% of the water. They have tons of diversity of plants and animals, and are vital for keeping our plant healthy. Celebrate the oceans with these fun ocean animal projects!
With plenty of stuffed toys for all categories, there are also blankets, baskets, scrubbies, and a few other projects as well!
Fish
Fish are the classic ocean creature! Make toy fish and fish-shaped items like scrubbies.
- Bubbles the Fish
- Tropical Fish Dishcloth
- Tish the Fish
- Big Rainbow Fish
- Fish-Time Scrubbing Mitt
- Crochet Counting Fish Toy
- School of Fish Scrubbies
- School of Fish Blanket
Starfish
Starfish are another common ocean animal. Even if you can’t see them along the beach, you can see them in your home!
- Starfish Dishcloth
- Crochet Starfish Pillow
- Starla the Starfish
- Starfish
- Starfish Dishcloth
- Starfish Scrubby
- Knit Intarsia Smiling Starfish Baby Blanket
Octopuses
Tentacles make these clever eight-legged animals look different from most others!
- Octopus
- Octavia the Octopus
- Octopus Crochet Scrubby Mitt
- Olivia Octopus Toy
- Preemie Crochet Octopus
- Knit Ozzy Octopus Toy
Shells and Shelled Animals
If you don’t have access to shells by the beach, you can make your own!
- Spiral Shell
- Sea Songs Conch Shell
- She Sells Shells Runner
- Scallop Shell Crochet Pillow
- Nautilus Shell Scrubby
- Seashell Scrubby
- Oscar the Oyster
Non-Fish Animals and Sea Monsters
There are many more animals in the sea! Whales, sea turtles, narwhals, and even a sea monster await you in this collection.
- Zippy the Sea Turtle
- Crochet Sea Turtle Tote Bag
- Sea Creatures Throw
- Sea Monster Bath Puppet
- Crochet Nar-wall Hanging
- Ned the Narwhal Crochet Toy
- Ned and Norman Crochet Narwhal
- Crabby Patsy
- Spicy Crab Cakes
- Baby’s Friendly Whale
- Whale of a Time Crochet Romper
- Bath Buddies (whale)
- Fin-tastic Shark Snuggle Sack
- Shark Puppet Scrubby
- Dancing Seahorses
Animals That Live Near the Ocean
These animals don’t live in the ocean, but they live next to it and fish from the ocean.
Frequently Asked Questions
What ocean animals can I make in crochet or knitting?
The sea is full of possibilities! Fish and clownfish (Finding Nemo-inspired ones are hugely popular). Octopuses and squids with their amazing tentacles. Crabs and lobsters in red or orange. Starfish and sea stars. Dolphins and whales… the gentle giants of the amigurumi world. Sharks (always popular with kids!). Sea turtles. Jellyfish with trailing tentacles. Seahorses. Narwhals (technically ocean creatures with magical horns!). Penguins. Sea urchins and anemones. And coral reef-inspired home decor. The 44 patterns in this collection explore all of these and more.
What special techniques do ocean animal projects use?
Tentacles are the big one! Octopuses and jellyfish need multiple long, often curly tentacles… worked as individual chains or tubes and sometimes with a spiral technique to make them curl naturally. The shell spiral on a nautilus or snail. Fin shapes for fish and dolphins. The unique shape of a seahorse with its curved body. Many ocean amigurumi use simple base shapes that get their character from distinctive fin, tentacle, or crest details added after the body. The basic single crochet sphere is the foundation for most rounded ocean animal bodies.
What yarn colors create the most recognizable ocean animals?
The ocean palette is gorgeous! Bright orange and white for clownfish. Vivid teal, purple, and orange for octopuses (go wild with color here!). Red for crabs and lobsters. Sandy tan for starfish. Blue-gray for dolphins. Dusty pink for narwhal horns. Deep forest green for sea turtles. Bright red for lobsters. Gray with white belly for sharks. The beauty of amigurumi is you can interpret colors freely… a purple crab or a rainbow octopus is delightful. But sticking to recognizable color schemes makes the animal immediately identifiable without needing a label.
Are ocean animal amigurumi appropriate for babies?
With appropriate safety modifications, yes! For babies: embroider eyes rather than safety eyes, use no small detachable parts, make construction very sturdy, use machine-washable yarn, avoid anything that could tangle around small fingers (long trailing tentacles on a jellyfish need to be firmly attached and not dangling loosely). Rounded, simple shapes like a plump fish or a smooth rounded whale are safer than highly textured pieces. A soft crocheted clownfish or whale make perfect baby ocean-themed nursery gifts… just build them with baby safety as the top priority.
Can I make an ocean-themed gift set?
Ocean-themed gift sets are wonderful! A collection of small sea creatures makes a beautiful display piece and a meaningful gift for ocean lovers, marine biology fans, beach-theme nurseries, or kids who love the sea. A matching set of a whale mama and calf. A coral reef collection. A “finding Nemo” inspired set with a clownfish and a blue tang. A sea turtle family. These curated collections take more time but create something truly special… something you could never find in any store. Display them in a basket with blue tissue paper or a little aquarium-style shadow box for an unforgettable presentation.
Categories: Crochet, Free Patterns, Knitting
