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44 Free Ocean Animal Projects to Crochet and Knit

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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!

44 Free Ocean Animal Projects to Crochet and Knit

Fish

Fish are the classic ocean creature! Make toy fish and fish-shaped items like scrubbies.

Tropical Fish Dishcloth Free Crochet Pattern

Starfish

Starfish are another common ocean animal. Even if you can’t see them along the beach, you can see them in your home!

Crochet Starfish Pillow Free Crochet Pattern

Octopuses

Tentacles make these clever eight-legged animals look different from most others!

Preemie Crochet Octopus Free Crochet Pattern

Shells and Shelled Animals

If you don’t have access to shells by the beach, you can make your own!

Spiral Shell Free Crochet Pattern

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.

Crochet Nar-Wall Hanging Free Crochet Pattern

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.

10 Free Polar Bear Patterns

Free Polar Bear Projects to Knit and Crochet

8 Free Penguin Patterns

8 Free Penguin Projects to Crochet and Knit

Steeked Cardigan Knit-along with Marly Bird

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Time to call ourselves capital K knitters and make a sweater with pockets, thumbholes and steeking! It is time for the Steeked Cardigan Knit-along with Marly Bird.

This is the 5th annual spring Knit-along with Yarnspirations and Marly Bird! With this being the silver anniversary, we thought it was time to bring out the big guns (or the big scissors) and knit a sweater that is then steeked into a cardigan!

In this three week knit-along you will stitch a wonderful steeked cardigan (yes, it also has pockets) to enjoy for years to come. Plus, get exclusive access to step-by-step tutorials and build on your skills with unique techniques.

JOIN KNIT-ALONG

PATONS® HIDDEN POCKET STEEKED KNIT CARDIGAN by Marly Bird

SKILL LEVEL: BICRAFTY STUDENTS AND CONFIDENT BEGINNERS

Marly designed this sweater with you in mind! You’ll knit cables as a unique accent to the raglan shaping, add pockets with a hidden color contrast, and yes, you’ll be steeking too! Oh, did we mention the THUMB HOLES?!? Put is all together with a button band and a contrast edging are some of the unique touches Marly added to customize this sweater.

The Hidden Pocket Steeked Knit Cardigan is sure to expand your knitting skills.

NOT SURE IF YOU CAN DO THIS?

Listen, we understand, the whole idea of cutting your hand knit sweater can be scary but with Marly there to guide you through the process you will be A-OK. Trust us…or better yet, Trust Marly! #MarlyMadeMeDoIt

JOIN KNIT-ALONG

BiCrafty Knitters and Crocheters…You Can Do This

Some of you have been following along with the BiCrafty Bootcamp (it is not too late to join the fun) and are wondering…”Marly, can I really make a sweater?”.

Let me answer this for you…YES!!!!

You know how to do 80% of everything in this sweater and the 20% you don’t know…well, that is what I am here for 🙂 So believe me when I say,

HOW TO JOIN THE FUN

The Steeked Cardigan Knit-along is hosted by Yarnspirations on Yarnspirations.com. To join the fun, click the buttons on this post and then fill out the form to join in. Once you do that, you will get a confirmation email with all the information you need to prepare for this fun 3 week event.

PSST: DON’T MISS THE COUPON FOR A DISCOUNT ON THE YARN USED IN THIS KNIT-ALONG FROM YARNSPIRATIONS!

The Steeked Cardigan Knit-along begins on June 11th.

JOIN KNIT-ALONG

Note: once you sign up you will get the materials list sent to you via email.

This Snowflake Bag Crochet Purse Pattern is a Surprisingly Smart Summer Make for the Beach, Picnics, and Farmer’s Markets

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When I designed this Snowflake Bag crochet pattern, it was obviously with winter in mind. After all, snowflakes are a winter thing, right? However, as I look back at my old crochet purse patterns, I realize that it actually makes a really smart summer bag. Worked in the intended colors, it’s a patriotic crochet pattern. Or you could change up the colors to make it more summery. It’s a big bag with a lot of room for everything you carry around during summer activities.

snowflake bag pattern

About This Snowflake Bag Crochet Purse Pattern

I designed this Snowflake Bag Crochet Purse pattern over a decade ago. It’s hard to believe it! And yet it’s one of those accessories that really stands the test of time, something you can use (and make) year upon year without it going out of style. It was originally published in Inside Crochet, Issue 5, December 2009/January 2010. Love of Crochet, Holiday 2012 also published this pattern a few years later. It’s now available for download through the Interweave website, where you can purchase that entire Love of Crochet issue for one low price.

A Winter Bag That Makes a Great Summer Bag

Obviously, both Inside Crochet and Love of Crochet published this for their winter issues. It’s got snowflakes as appliques. However, looking at it anew, I see that the blue and white appliques are actually perfect for a summer bag. Work in some red ones and you’ve got a great patriotic crochet pattern perfect for Memorial Day, Fourth of July, and other summer gatherings. Or left in just blue and white, the Snowflake Bag Crochet Purse pattern actually has a nautical feel to it. That makes it a great beach bag or a big bag to take on summer picnics.

Bulky Yarn for a Big Beach Bag

You’ll use a bulky weight yarn to make this big crochet bag. It works up really quickly that way which means you can easily make this and start using it this summer. Moreover, this makes for a really sturdy, durable bag. Obviously, you want your bag to hold up well if you’re going to fill it with stuff. This winter-turned-summer bag can carry beach toys, big craft projects, picnic foods, and more.

Belts for Crochet Bag Straps

There are so many different ways to add straps and handles to crochet bags. You can crochet them, obviously. You can sew fabric to the bag. Alternatively, you can purchase purse handles whether wooden, leather, or some other material. Finally, you can upcycle belts to make sturdy, adjustable crochet bag straps. I love this option, and that’s what I’ve chosen for the Snowflake Bag crochet purse pattern.

Get the Snowflake Bag Crochet Purse Pattern

You can purchase the Love of Crochet issue that this bag is featured in so that you’ll get this pattern as well as all of the others in that issue. It’s a holiday issue but we all know that no time is too early to start thinking about those holiday crochet projects!

Snowflake Bag Crochet Purse Pattern

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Get Ready for the Beach (or Farmer’s Market, Library, or Travel) with this Roomy Crochet Purse Pattern

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We have been celebrating crochet purses here on the blog recently. I hope that you’ve found some free crochet purse patterns that you love. However, I also hope that you’ll love this roomy crochet purse pattern, available for sale through Interweave. I originally designed it for their Interweave Crochet Spring 2009 issue. It’s a timeless crochet pattern inspired by the Fibonacci sequence. Moreover, it’s the perfect big purse for summer – for the beach, the library, the farmer’s market and more.

roomy crochet purse pattern by Marly Bird

A Roomy Crochet Purse Has So Many Uses

I love to make a really roomy crochet purse pattern. After all, a tiny purse might be chic but a big purse is functional. During the summer months, especially, we often need big crochet bags. You can use this crochet purse for so many things:

  • As a travel bag for a road trip or a plane carry-on
  • Going to the beach
  • Trekking books home from the library
  • Filling up with goodies at the farmer’s market
  • Project bag for your craft WIPs
  • Your out-all-day bag

Basically, think of this as your go-to purse for the times when you know you’re going to need to carry a lot of things at once. The purse will be 15″ wide and 17″ tall when complete. That gives you a lot of space.

Plus There’s a Pocket

The one potential drawback of a roomy crochet purse pattern is that little things can get lost inside there. You don’t want to have to overturn the whole purse to find your keys, wallet, phone, ID, or pen, right? That’s why I designed this purse with a pocket inside. You can put those things right into the pocket. Therefore, you can easily grab them when you need them even when the rest of the purse is stuffed to the brim with other things.

Unique Combination of Felting and Striping

The beautiful Fibonacci sequence found in nature inspired the color striping choices on this roomy crochet purse pattern. I also worked it inn two different types of yarn for a unique effect. You’ll felt the crochet purse. However, only a portion of the yarn will felt. You’ll use wool for part of the project but soy/bamboo blend yarn for the rest. The latter doesn’t felt while the wool will felt nicely. Therefore, you get two entirely different textures on this bag. It’s mod, stylish, and unique. Felting some of the purse makes it sturdier and more durable, which is exactly what you want in a big bag that’s going to carry a lot of different things.

Get The Roomy Crochet Purse Pattern

Who doesn’t need a nice big beach bag / market bag / project bag? If you’re ready to make this one, then all you need to do is download the pattern and buy your supplies. You can learn more about this roomy crochet purse pattern on Ravelry. Alternatively, you can purchase the pattern for download at Interweave.

crochet tote bag pattern

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How to Knit Seersucker Stitch and Long Slip Texture Stitch, Knit Sampler Stitch Cowl Continued (Knitting Lessons for Crocheters, Lesson 9)

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Welcome back to BiCrafty Bootcamp with Marly Bird. If you’re all caught up then you’ve gotten a good start on your knit sampler stitch cowl worked in the round. (If you’re not all caught up, that’s okay. All of the lessons are right here and you can go at your own pace if you need to!) Today we’ve got a little update on our next steps as well as the next stitch pattern instructions for your knit sampler stitch cowl.

BiCrafty Boot Camp seersucker stitch

BiCrafty Bootcamp Month Two Status Update

When we started working in the round at the beginning of the month, we expected to make a hat and have you knitting on DPNs by the end of the month. However, we switched gears and decided to start by knitting a sampler stitch cowl first. This has given us the opportunity to learn a variety of different stitch patterns. Moreover, we’ve really built up our muscle memory for those knits and purls, which goes a long way towards being able to do more advanced knitting techniques.

So far for this cowl we learned how to knit K1, P1 ribbing in the round. Then we learned how to knit seed stitch in the round. Last week we learned a four round repeat for double moss stitch. And if you also did the surprise extra credit last week then you learned a new stitch pattern that also taught you how to slip stitch.

As Marly explained in last week’s LIVE, she plans to add two more sections of different stitch techniques to this knit sampler stitch cowl. We’ll have the instructions for two of those below. Then we’ll wrap up with a return to the ribbing so that the top and bottom of the cowl have a similar look. After that, we can cast off and you’ll have a finished knit cowl that has a lot of great stitches in it.

From there, Bicrafty Bootcamp will move on to the complementary hat pattern, in which we will learn shaping and working on DPNs.

How to Knit Seersucker Stitch and Long Slip Texture Stitch

Crocheter’s Edge

Crocheters Tips to Learn Knitting

As mentioned last week, you might not even really need these crocheter’s edge tips anymore. You’re really a knitter now. However, you might still find it helpful to apply what’s comfortable in crochet to what you’re learning in knitting. By the way, we would LOVE to hear how your crochet skills have helped you as you learn to knit so feel free to leave a comment, share those thoughts on social media with hashtag #bicraftybootcamp, or send an email to [email protected].

This week you’re working on patterns that have multiple row repeat, which you also worked on last week. Being a crocheter is likely helping you with that concept. You’ve worked on crochet patterns where you crochet different stitch combinations from round to round for three or four or five rounds then you repeat that same pattern again and again to grow your piece. That’s exactly what you’re doing here. It may sound like a little thing, but if you were brand new to yarncrafting, then you’d have to master that concept. As a crocheter, it’s probably already second nature. You probably didn’t even think twice about it because it just made sense that you do something for four rounds then do it again for the next four and so forth.

Knitter’s Tips for Crocheters

knitters tip for crocheters

BiCrafty Bootcamp Knit Sampler Stitch Cowl Pattern Continued

You’re going to pick up where you left off with your knit cowl.

➸ If you ended with “Extra Credit” rounds, jump directly to round 1.

➸ If you ended with Double Moss Stitch, start with the 2 rounds of knit before staring with round 1.

Pattern Stitch #1 Seersucker Stitch in Knitting

Knitting the Seersucker stitch is very similar to the seed stitch and double moss stitch in that you are working a combination of knits and purls all within the same round. With this pattern, you need to pay attention on each round because the location of the purl is changed every 2 rounds. You do not want to get mixed up.

This stitch pattern is a multiple of 4 sts and an 8-rnd repeat.

Rounds 1 and 2: *K1, p1; repeat from * to end.

Rounds 3 and 4 *P1, k3; repeat from * to end.

Rounds 5 and 6: *K1, p1; repeat from * to end.

Rounds 7 and 8: K2, *p1, k3; repeat from * to last 2 sts, p1, k1.

➸ For the stitch pattern, you then repeat rounds 1–8 for Seersucker Stitch in the Round.

➸ For the cowl, I would repeat rounds 1-8 twice more or until this section is as large as you wish it to be. *edited to add on 6-5-21: on the final pattern pdf, I only wrote it to be one more time…because it made this section the same as size as my other sections.

Last round: Knit

Pattern Stitch #2 Long Slip Texture

Knitting the Long Slip Texture stitch is a little twist on basic stockinette. Instead of just knitting every round (or knitting 1 row and purling 1 row in flat knitting) you will slip 1 stitch every other stitch.

The slipped stitch does shift so you need to pay attention to that but overall, this is a perfect way to compliment the slipped stitches we did for the extra credit last week.

*edited to add: this section can be made with a larger needle to help with getting the gauge to match the other sections if you find you are struggling.

Rounds 1, 2, 3: *Slip 1 with yarn in back (WYIB) as if to purl, k1; repeat from * to end.

Round 4: Knit

Rounds 5, 6, 7: *K1, Slip 1 WYIB as if to purl, repeat from * to end.

Round 8: Knit

➸ For the stitch pattern, you then repeat rounds 1–8 for Long Slip Texture in the Round.

➸ For the cowl, I would repeat rounds 1-8 twice more or until this section is as large as you wish it to be. *edited to add on 6-5-21: on the final pattern pdf, I only wrote it to be one more time…because it made this section the same as size as my other sections.

Last round: Knit

Need help? Watch this week’s video for BiCrafty Bootcamp lesson 9 🙂

Additional Videos and Patterns You’re Ready For Now

If you like to take your experience to the next level then you might want to check out these videos: TBA

And you’re ready to start trying these patterns: TBA

Oldies-But-Goodies: Get These Timeless Crochet Garments and Accessories Patterns Today

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As you may have noticed, I’ve been looking back at some of my old crochet purse patterns recently. I’ve shared a lot of them with you again. That’s because they’re really great timeless makes. As I was going through them, I came across the Red Hot Purse that I designed for Love of Crochet magazine in 2014. And that got me wondering whether or not you could still access those old patterns. It turns out that all six issues from that year are available for sale as a package of digital back issues. They are filled with timeless crochet garments and accessories patterns that are totally worth checking out.

Digital Back Issues, Love of Crochet 2014

You can purchase all six issues as a set from Interweave Crochet. They’re full color digital replications that look exactly like the original magazines. You get all six magazines for $19.99. That’s about $3.33 per issue. With so many timeless crochet garments and accessories patterns in each issue, you’re barely pennies for the patterns. Of course, Love of Crochet Magazine wasn’t just around in 2014. There are other back issues as well. But I’m bringing this set to your attention because it’s the one that has the Red Hot Purse crochet pattern in it.

The Red Hot Purse That Started It All

Red hot purse beaded crochet pattern

The Red Hot Purse is what sent me down this rabbit hole of old patterns to begin with. It was featured in the Lobe of Crochet, Crochet More 2014 issue. This is a really chic little purse that is perfect for date night. You’ll add beads to it that give it some shine, sparkle, and just that little something special. I’ve designed a variety of different crochet purses over the years but this is definitely the go-to for special occasions.

More Marly Bird Patterns In This Issue

The Red Hot Purse is a great pattern. However, it’s not the only Marly Bird pattern in the Crochet More 2014 issue. There are about thirty patterns in this issue. And they’re unique in that they each use three skeins of yarn or less. Here are the other Marly Bird designs that you might enjoy:

Candy Apple Cardigan

You can also purchase this cardigan pattern as a standalone design through Ravelry. It’s a flattering tie-front cardigan that works well throughout the seasons. The bright color is bold and fun.

The other three Marly Bird crochet patterns featured in this issue are a hairpin lace shawl, a floral headband, and a set of colorful matching coasters and cup cozies. If you’ve never played with hairpin lace before, this shawl provides a great opportunity to do so. It’s a beautiful, flattering design that’s perfect for summer crafting.

Other Marly Bird Patterns in Love of Crochet 2014 Issues

Crochet More 2014 was only one of the 6 issues from that year. In case you’re wondering, they published my designs in most of the other issues that year as well.

In the Love of Crochet Holiday 2014 issue, you’ll find my Stellar Stripes crochet shawl pattern. This pattern is also now available as a free ad-supported pattern here on the site.

stellar stripes free crochet pattern

In the Spring 2014 issue you’ll find my Midnight in Paris Cardigan. This is a deep blue lacy tie-front cardigan that is definitely one of my most timeless crochet garments. You can purchase it as a standalone pattern on Ravelry or find it in the Love of Crochet issue. Also in that issue you’ll find my Child’s Sweet Skirt and Capelet set and my Creative Crochet Beaded Necklace pattern.

crochet cardigan pattern by Marly Bird

Then there’s the Fall 2014 issue of Love of Crochet magazine. You’ll discover my Iridescent Crescent crochet sweater pattern. This short sleeved long crochet sweater comes in six sizes and offers a flattering fit on many figures.

timeless crochet garments: mountain mist poncho

In the Winter 2014 issue you’ll find my Mountain Mist Poncho. This is also available for sale as a standalone pattern on Ravelry. It’s definitely one of those timeless crochet garments that you can wear for years to come.

Lots of Timeless Crochet Garments and Accessories Patterns

I’m hardly the only designer featured in these magazine issues. There are so many great timeless crochet garments and accessories throughout these pages. You might be surprised by how many of them really do stand the test of time. Some of the fabulous designers included in these pages are Melissa Leapman, Robyn Chachula, Kristen Stoltzfus, Lisa Gentry, and Yarn Twins.