CROCHET CRITTERS CRAB
This charming little crab comes with an egg to hide inside and makes a great toy for a young child. (If you make it for a baby or toddler, be sure to embroider the eyes instead of using beads or buttons, which are a choking hazard.) Of course, real-life crab eggs are clearish rather than white, and not nearly as large as this one—but real-life crabs aren’t nearly as cute as this crocheted version!
Step 1
YARN Worsted-weight yarn in bright orange HOOK Size F-5 (3.75 mm) crochet hook NOTIONS Stitch marker Embroidery needle Embroidery floss, beads, or buttons for eyes Embroidery floss for mouth Polyester fiberfill FINISHED MEASUREMENTS crab 21/2 inches tall; egg 41/2 inches tall
Step 2
CRAB Start with a magic ring. Round 1:Work 6 sc in magic ring. (6 sts) Round 2: 2 sc in each st around. (12 sts) Round 3: *2 sc in next st, sc in next st; rep from * around. (18 sts) Round 4: *2 sc in next st, sc in next 2 sts; rep from * around. (24 sts) Round 5: *2 sc in next st, sc in next 3 sts; rep from * around. (30 sts) Rounds 6–8: Sc in each st around.
Step 3
Round 9: Sc in next 4 sts, work claw 1 (see below), sc in next 20 sts, work claw 2 (see below), sc in next 4 sts. Claw 1: Sc in next st, ch 8 (arm formed), work 4 sc in 2nd ch from hook.
Step 4
Now work in the round in these 4 sts: [2 sc in first st, sc in next st, 2 sc in next st, sc in last st].
Step 5
Proceed in rows: Row 1: Ch 1, turn, sc2tog, sc in next 2 sts, sc2tog. (4 sts)
Step 6
Row 2: Ch 1, turn, sc2tog twice. (2 sts)
Step 7
Row 3: Ch 1, turn, sc2tog. (1 st)
Step 8
Row 4: Ch 1, do not turn, sc down the side of the claw (4 sts), sc into the middle st at the base of the claw. Ch 3, sl st in the 2nd ch from the hook, sc in next ch, sl st in the middle st at the base of the claw.
Step 9
Sl st down the arm chain, sl st in the sc at the very beginning of the claw.
Step 10
Claw 2: Sc in next st, ch 8 (arm formed), work 4 sc in 2nd ch from hook. Now work in the round in these 4 sts: [2 sc in first st, sc in next st, 2 sc in next st, sc in last st]. Proceed in rows: Row 1: Ch 1, turn, sc2tog, sc in next 2 sts, sc2tog. (4 sts) Row 2: Ch 1, turn, sc2tog twice. (2 sts) Row 3: Ch 1, turn, sc2tog. (1 st) Row 4: Ch 1, turn, sc down the side of the claw (4 sts), sc into the middle st at the base of the claw. Ch 3, sl st in the 2nd ch from the hook, sc in next ch, sl st in the middle st at the base of the claw.
Step 11
Sl st down the arm chain, sl st in the sc at the very beginning of the claw.
One claw points down, the other to the side, for a whimsical look. To have them exactly the same, you can make one arm/claw combo independently and sew it onto the body.
Round 10: Sc in next 5 sts, sk next ch and sl st, sc in next 21 sts, sk next ch and sl st, sc in next 4 sts. (30 sts) Round 11: *Sc2tog, sc in next 3 sts; rep from * around. (24 sts) Round 12: Sc in next 3 sts, work leg (see next page) 4 times, sc in next 4 sts, work leg 4 times, sc in next st. (24 sts)
Step 12
Leg: Sc in next st, ch 3, hdc in 2nd ch from hook, sc in next ch, sl st in beginning sc, sc in next st.
Step 13
Round 13: *Sc2tog, sc in next 2 sc; rep from * around, skipping all chs and sl sts. (18 sts) Attach eyes and embroider mouth.
Step 14
Round 14: *Sc2tog, sc in next st; rep from * around. (12 sts) Stuff somewhat firmly.
Step 15
Round 15: Sc2tog around. (6 sts) Fasten off, leaving a long tail. Weave tail through rem 6 sts, pull closed, and fasten off. Weave in end.
Step 16
EGG Top Start with a magic ring. Round 1:Work 6 sc in magic ring; join with sl st in beg sc. (6 sts) Round 2: Ch 1, 2 sc in each st around; join with sl st in beg ch. (12 sts) Round 3: Ch 1, *2 sc in next st, sc in next st; rep from * around; join with sl st in beg ch. (18 sts) Round 4: Ch 1, *2 sc in next st, sc in next 2 sts; rep from * around; join with sl st in beg ch. (24 sts) Round 5: Ch 1, sc in each st around; join with sl st in beg ch. (24 sts) Round 6: Ch 1, *2 sc in next st, sc in next 3 sts; rep from * around; join with sl st in beg ch. (30 sts) Rounds 7–8: Ch 1, sc in each st around; join with sl st in beg ch. (30 sts) Round 9: Ch 1, *2 sc in next st, sc in next 4 sts; rep from * around; join with sl st in beg ch. (36 sts) Rounds 10–14: Ch 1, sc in each st around; join with sl st in beg ch. (36 sts) Round 15: Ch 1, sc tbl in each st around; join with sl st in beg ch. (36 sts) Round 16: Ch 1, sc in next 18 sts, sc2tog, sc in each st to end of round; join with sl st in beg ch. (35 sts)
Now proceed in a continuous spiral, without joining at the end of each round.
Rounds 17–19: Sc in each st around. (35 sts) Round 20: *Sc2tog, sc in next 4 sts; rep from * to last 5 sts, sc2tog, sc in next 3 sts. (29 sts) Rounds 21–22: Sc in each st around. (29 sts) Round 23: *Sc2tog, sc in next 3 sts; rep from * to last 4 sts, sc2tog, sc in next 2 sts. (23 sts) Round 24: Sc in each st around. (23 sts) Round 25: *Sc2tog, sc in next 2 sts; rep from * to last 3 sts, sc2tog, sc in next st. (17 sts) Round 26: *Sc2tog, sc in next st; rep from * to last 2 sts, sc2tog. (11 sts) Round 27: Sc2tog 5 times.
Step 17
Fasten off, leaving a long tail. Weave tail through rem sts, pull up tightly, and fasten off.
Step 18
Turn the top half of the piece inside out along round 13 (the sc tbl round) so that it nests inside the bottom half of the piece to form a cup shape. Sew around the bottom through both layers to secure. Weave in end.
Bottom Start with a magic ring. Round 1:Work 6 sc in magic ring; join with sl st in beg sc. (6 sts) Round 2: Ch 1, 2 sc in each st around; join with sl st in beg ch. (12 sts) Round 3: Ch 1, *2 sc in next st, sc in next st; rep from * around; join with sl st in beg ch. (18 sts) Round 4: Ch 1, *2 sc in next st, sc in next 2 sts; rep from * around; join with sl st in beg ch. (24 sts) Round 5: Ch 1, *2 sc in next st, sc in next 3 sts; rep from * around; join with sl st in beg ch. (30 sts) Rounds 6–7: Ch 1, sc in each st around; join with sl st in beg ch. (30 sts) Round 8: Ch 1, *2 sc in next st, sc in next 4 sts; rep from * around; join with sl st in beg ch. (36 sts) Rounds 9–12: Ch 1, sc in each st around; join with sl st in beg ch. (36 sts) Round 13: Ch 1, sc tbl in each st around; join with sl st in beg ch. (36 sts) Round 14: Ch 1, sc in next 18 sts, sc2tog, sc in each st to end of round; join with sl st in beg ch. (35 sts) Now proceed in a continuous spiral, without joining at the end of each round.
Rounds 15–16: Sc in each st around. (35 sts) Round 17: *Sc2tog, sc in next 4 sts; rep from * to last 5 sts, sc2tog, sc in next 3 sts. (29 sts) Round 18: Sc in each st around. (29 sts) Round 19: *Sc2tog, sc in next 3 sts; rep from * to last 4 sts, sc2tog, sc in next 2 sts. (23 sts) Round 20: *Sc2tog, sc in next 2 sts; rep from * to last 3 sts, sc2tog, sc in next st. (17 sts) Round 21: *Sc2tog, sc in next st; rep from * to last 2 sts, sc2tog. (11 sts) Round 22: Sc2tog 5 times.
Fasten off, leaving a long tail. Weave tail through rem sts, pull up tightly, and fasten off. Finish as for top of egg.
Step 19
FINISHING Sew edges of top and bottom of egg together over about half an inch. Weave in ends.
Step 20
This how-to is excerpted with permission from Crochet Critters and Bugs: 22 Great Projects
edited by Kathryn Fulton (Stackpole Books).
