17/04/2025
Crochet Orca Whale
Orca Whale Wilma
Small amigurumi makes a lovely handmade gift – and Orca Whale Wilma brings plenty of charm to the project. With this crochet pattern, you will make a small orca from cotton yarn that is perfect as a thoughtful present or as a handmade companion for yourself.
Add a few chain stitches to the dorsal fin, and Wilma can also become a cute bag charm – ideal for keys, backpacks or tote bags.
Required Material
- Schachenmayr Catania in anthracite no. 429 (approx. 30 g) and white no. 106 (approx. 15 g)
- small leftover amount in vintage pink no. 408 & small leftover amount of black embroidery thread
- 2.0 mm crochet hook
- “Stork” scissors "Storch"
- yarn needles
- gold-coloured safety eyes, 6 mm
- polyester toy filling
- stitch marker
- pins with grips
Note
The whale is crocheted in continuous spiral rounds. Crochet as firmly as possible so that the filling does not show through the stitches later.
When stuffing the body, distribute the filling evenly and place it carefully where needed. This helps the amigurumi whale keep its smooth, rounded shape.
Abbreviations
- ch – chain stitch(es)
- sl st – slip stitch(es)
- sc – single crochet stitch(es)
- hdc – half double crochet
- inc – increase 1 stitch
- sc2tog – single crochet 2 stitches together
- turning ch – turning chain
- rnd – round
- row – row
- Invisible round finish – Thread the yarn first through the next-but-one stitch, then back into the back loop of the last stitch.
- ( ) x times – Repeat the stitch sequence in brackets as many times as stated.
Step 1: Crochet the tail fins
Use anthracite yarn.
1st rnd: Work 6 sc into a magic ring. (= 6)
2nd rnd: Work 6 sc. (= 6)
3rd rnd: Repeat (1 sc, inc) 3 times. (= 9)
4th rnd: Repeat (2 sc, inc) 3 times. (= 12)
5th rnd: Repeat (3 sc, inc) 3 times. (= 15)
6th–7th rnds (2 rounds): Work 15 sc. (= 15)
8th rnd: Repeat (3 sc, sc2tog) 3 times. (= 12)
For the first tail fin, cut the yarn and finish the round invisibly. For the second tail fin, do not cut the yarn. The two fins will be joined in the next step."
Step 2: Join the tail fins
Take the first tail fin and work 12 sc into this fin.
Then work 12 sc into the second tail fin. (= 24)
Place your stitch marker here. Continue directly with the body.
Step 3: Crochet the body
1st rnd: Work 1 sc, sc2tog, repeat (2 sc, sc2tog) 5 times, 1 sc. (= 18)
2nd rnd: Repeat (sc2tog, 1 sc) 6 times. (= 12)
3rd–4th rnds (2 rounds): Work 12 sc. (= 12)
5th rnd: Repeat (3 sc, inc) 3 times. (= 15)
6th rnd: Repeat (4 sc, inc) 3 times. (= 18)
7th rnd: Work 18 sc. (= 18)
8th rnd: Repeat (5 sc, inc) 3 times. (= 21)
9th rnd: Repeat (6 sc, inc) 3 times. (= 24)
10th rnd: Work 24 sc. (= 24)
11th rnd: Repeat (7 sc, inc) 3 times. (= 27)
12th rnd: Repeat (8 sc, inc) 3 times. (= 30)
13th rnd: Work 30 sc. (= 30)
14th rnd: Repeat (9 sc, inc) 3 times. (= 33)
15th rnd: Repeat (10 sc, inc) 3 times. (= 36)
16th–26th rnds (11 rounds): Work 36 sc. (= 36)
27th rnd: Repeat (sc2tog, 10 sc) 3 times. (= 33)
28th–29th rnds (2 rounds): Work 33 sc. (= 33)
Stuff the body gradually with enough toy filling.
30th rnd: Repeat (sc2tog, 9 sc) 3 times. (= 30)
31st–32nd rnds (2 rounds): Work 30 sc. (= 30)
33rd rnd: Repeat (sc2tog, 8 sc) 3 times. (= 27)
34th–35th rnds (2 rounds): Work 27 sc. (= 27)
36th rnd: Work 8 sc, sc2tog, 2 sc, sc2tog, 7 sc, sc2tog, 2 sc, sc2tog. (= 23)
37th rnd: Work 23 sc. (= 23)
Attach the eyes between rnds 32 and 33, leaving a distance of 13 stitches between them. Make sure the eyes sit roughly in line with the decreases from round 36.
38th rnd: Repeat (9 sc, sc2tog) 2 times, 1 sc. (= 21)
39th rnd: Work 7 sc, sc2tog, 1 sc, sc2tog, 5 sc, sc2tog, 1 sc. Crochet the last stitch together with the 1st stitch of the next round and place your stitch marker here. (= 17)
40th rnd: Work 5 sc, sc2tog, 1 sc, sc2tog, 3 sc, sc2tog, 1 sc. Crochet the last stitch together with the 1st stitch of the next round and place your stitch marker here. (= 13)
41st rnd: Work sc2tog 6 times; 1 stitch remains. (= 7)
Cut the yarn and close the round. To do this, thread the yarn through all front loops of the last round, pull it tight and weave in the end inside the body.
Step 4: Crochet the eye patch
With white yarn, chain 5.
Start in the 2nd ch from the hook.
Work 1 hdc, 3 sc. (= 4)
Cut the yarn slightly longer so you can sew the eye patch on later.
Crochet a second eye patch in the same way.
Step 5: Crochet the belly
The belly is crocheted in rows. Turn your work after each row.
With white yarn, chain 4.
Start in the 2nd ch from the hook.
1st row: Work 3 sc, 1 turning ch. (= 3)
2nd row: Work inc, 2 sc, 1 turning ch. (= 4)
3rd row: Work inc, 2 sc, inc, 1 turning ch. (= 6)
4th row: Work 6 sc, 1 turning ch. (= 6)
5th row: Work inc, 4 sc, inc, 1 turning ch. (= 8)
6th row: Work 8 sc, 1 turning ch. (= 8)
7th row: Work inc, 6 sc, inc, 1 turning ch. (= 10)
8th row: Work inc, 8 sc, inc, 1 turning ch. (= 12)
9th row: Work inc, 10 sc, inc, then turn. (= 14)
10th row: Chain 5. Start in the 2nd ch from the hook and work 1 hdc, 3 sc along the chain. Then work 14 sc, turn, chain 5 and again start in the 2nd ch from the hook; work 1 hdc, 3 sc along the chain. Continue directly with row 11.
11th row: Work 14 sc, 1 turning ch. (= 14)
12th row: Work inc, 12 sc, inc, 1 turning ch. (= 16)
13th–15th rows (3 rows): Work 16 sc, 1 turning ch. (= 16)
16th row: Work sc2tog, 12 sc, sc2tog, 1 turning ch. (= 14)
17th row: Work sc2tog, 10 sc, sc2tog, 1 turning ch. (= 12)
18th–19th rows (2 rows): Work 12 sc, 1 turning ch. (= 12)
20th row: Work inc, 10 sc, inc, 1 turning ch. (= 14)
21st row: Work inc, 12 sc, inc, 1 turning ch. (= 16)
22nd–24th rows (3 rows): Work 16 sc, 1 turning ch. (= 16)
25th row: Work sc2tog, 12 sc, sc2tog, 1 turning ch. (= 14)
28th row: Work sc2tog, 10 sc, sc2tog, 1 turning ch. (= 12)
29th row: Work sc2tog, 8 sc, sc2tog, 1 turning ch. (= 10)
30th row: Work sc2tog, 6 sc, sc2tog, 1 turning ch. (= 8)
31st row: Work sc2tog, 4 sc, sc2tog, 1 turning ch. (= 6)
32nd row: Work 6 sc, 1 turning ch. (= 6)
33rd row: Work 6 sc, 1 ch, then continue directly with the edging.
Crochet evenly around the belly with approx. 86 sc. Cut the yarn long enough for sewing.
Step 6: Crochet the side fins
Use anthracite yarn.
1st rnd: Work 6 sc into a magic ring. (= 6)
2nd rnd: Repeat (1 sc, inc) 3 times. (= 9)
3rd rnd: Work 9 sc. (= 9)
4th rnd: Repeat (2 sc, inc) 3 times. (= 12)
5th–12th rnds (8 rounds): Work 12 sc. (= 12)
13th rnd: Repeat (sc2tog, 2 sc) 3 times. (= 9)
Fold the opening flat and crochet the opposite stitches together with 4 sc. Cut the yarn long enough for sewing.
Crochet a second side fin in the same way.
Step 7: Crochet the dorsal fin
Use anthracite yarn.
1st rnd: Work 6 sc into a magic ring. (= 6)
2nd rnd: Work 6 sc. (= 6)
3rd rnd: Work inc, 5 sc. (= 7)
4th rnd: Work inc, 6 sc. (= 8)
5th rnd: Work 2 sc, inc, 5 sc. (= 9)
6th rnd: Work 2 sc, inc, 6 sc. (= 10)
7th rnd: Work 3 sc, inc, 6 sc. (= 11)
8th rnd: Work 4 sc, inc, 6 sc. (= 12)
9th rnd: Work 4 sc, inc, 7 sc. (= 13)
10th rnd: Work 13 sc. (= 13)
11th rnd: Work 5 sc, inc, 7 sc. (= 14)
12th rnd: Work 14 sc. (= 14)
Do not crochet the opening together. Cut the yarn long enough for sewing.
Step 8: Crochet the bow
With vintage pink yarn, work into a magic ring:
Repeat (2 ch, 3 hdc, 2 ch, 1 sl st) 2 times.
Pull the magic ring closed tightly. Cut the yarn after approx. 15 cm and wrap it 4–5 times around the centre of the bow. Knot the yarn ends to secure them.
Step 9: Sew on the belly
Sew the belly to the body. Row 1 sits at the tail fin; the last row sits at the front on the second-to-last round of the body.
Step 10: Sew on the eye patches
Sew the eye patches on at a slight angle, 2 rounds behind the eyes. The half double crochet should point towards the eye.
Step 11: Sew on the side fins
Sew the side fins to the body above the small indentation.
Step 12: Sew on the dorsal fin
Sew the dorsal fin to the centre of the back.
Step 13: Embroider the eyes and sew on the bow
Embroider the eye highlights and the ring of lashes with black embroidery thread.
Sew the bow on at a slight angle above the left eye patch.
