FREE baby orca crochet amigurumi pattern

Are you ready to make a baby orca?!

This is only my second written pattern, so please let me know if something isn't clear or if you have a question!

Happy Hooking!

Supplies:

Black and white worsted weight yarn (I used the Caron One Pound acrylic yarn)

E hook

steel needle

two safety eyes

scissors

polyfil

Abbreviations:

Ch--chain

Sl--slip stitch

Sc--single crochet

HDC--Half double crochet

DC--double crochet

TC--Treble crochet

MC--Magic Circle

Dec--invisible decrease

Fins (make 3, one for the top, two for the sides)

With black yarn

Ch 5

on second chain from hook, slip stitch, then SC in next stitch, HDC in next stitch, and DC in last stitch.  Tie off and leave an end for sewing.

MAKE THREE of these!

Tail piece:

With black yarn

Ch 4

Row 1:  SC in second chain from hook, SC across (3) Ch 1 and turn

Row 2:  2SC in first stitch, SC in next stitch, 2 SC in last stitch (5) Ch 1 and turn

Row 3:  2 SC in first stitch, SC in next 3 stitches, 2 SC in last stitch (7) ch 1 and turn

Row 4:  2 HDC in first stitch, HDC in next stitch, slip stitch in next 3 stitches, HDC in next stitch, 2HDC in last stitch (9) ch 1 and turn

Row 4:  2 HDC in first stitch, HDC in next stitch, slip stitch in next 5 stitches, HDC in next stitch, 2 HDC in last stitch (11) tie off and leave a long tail for sewing

Eyes (Make 2):

With White yarn

Magic circle

In the Magic circle---2 SC, 2 HDC, 1 DC, 1 TC, 1 DC, 2 HDC, 2 SC

slip stitch to the first stitch and tie off and leave a long tail for sewing

I put the safety eyes in the eyes pieces before sewing them on to the whale.  So you could do that here, too!

Body (worked in continuous rounds):

Start with Black Yarn

MC--SC 6 into the MC

Rnd 2:  2 SC into each stitch around (12)

Rnd 3:  (2SC in the first stitch, 1 SC in the next ), repeat around (18)

Rnd 4:  SC in each stitch around (18)

Rnd 5:  (2SC in the first stitch, 1 SC in the next 2 stitches), repeat around (24)

Rnd 6:  (2 SC in the first stitch, 1 Sc in the next 3 stitches), repeat around (30)

Rnd 7: (2 SC in the first stitch, 1 Sc in the next 4 stitches), repeat round (36)

Rnd 8-10:  SC in each stitch around (36)

Switch to white yarn

Rnd 11-12:  SC in each stitch around (36)

Rnd 13:  (Sc in first 4 stitches, DEC) repeat around (30)

Rnd 14:  (SC in first 2 stitch, DEC) repeat around, although you will end with 2 SC and no DEC to finish that pattern (23)

Rnd 15:  (DEC, SC in next two stitches), repeat around, although you will end up with 1 SC at the end extra (17)

Here is where I sew all the parts on (fins, eye pieces, tail), I also sew a little stitch in white for the blow hole and also make a little smile face!

For the rest, I just DC repeatedly until it basically closes up.  This helps it be flat on the bottom and not a actual ball shape.  I stuff it and then sew it up to close!  Ta-da!

No Darkness at all

For those following along at home, I am pondering over the theme for this year's Fine Arts Camp in the public eye--hoping some of you might have some thoughts into some of the scripture that I am praying about using for camp.  See my other post for full details of what I am looking for.

I haven't had the strength or the energy to write the last couple of weeks, but I was reminded while reading a book today of this first passage in the book of John.  This chapter is unbelievably difficult to teach to children, because it contains so many metaphors....BUT, this spoke to my heart, so I need to break this down.

John chapter 1--New Living Translation

1 In the beginning the Word already existed.
    The Word was with God,
    and the Word was God.
2 He existed in the beginning with God.
3 God created everything through him,
    and nothing was created except through him.
4 The Word gave life to everything that was created,
    and his life brought light to everyone.
5 The light shines in the darkness,
    and the darkness can never extinguish it.

6 God sent a man, John the Baptist,7 to tell about the light so that everyone might believe because of his testimony. 8 John himself was not the light; he was simply a witness to tell about the light. 9 The one who is the true light, who gives light to everyone, was coming into the world.

10 He came into the very world he created, but the world didn’t recognize him.11 He came to his own people, and even they rejected him. 12 But to all who believed him and accepted him, he gave the right to become children of God.13 They are reborn—not with a physical birth resulting from human passion or plan, but a birth that comes from God.

14 So the Word became human and made his home among us. He was full of unfailing love and faithfulness. And we have seen his glory, the glory of the Father’s one and only Son.

Some weeks, I feel like I do a great job at "being a Christian."  For example, in the last week, I have actually achieved my goal of starting each day in my Bible, praying for a bit, ya know---being a good Christian.   Sometimes I think I view that time as some sort defensive magical potion---"apply this once daily to prevent terrible things from happening in your life."  "Take one 20 minute read daily to prevent worry and doubt and dreariness."  I don't actually believe that is how God works or the Bible works, but for some reason, I feel a tremendous guilt when I skip a day or several.  And I feel like something is going to go terribly wrong in my life I forgot to read my Bible for day.

I do have a point---and I will get there eventually. 

Today was one of those days that I have just been plagued by anxiety and dread.  Took me right on back to those days in high school where I would have panic attacks over leaving a textbook at school that I needed in order to complete homework and thus resulted in needing to run laps up and down the stairs and scrapbook for an hour to calm down.  Nothing particularly terrible happened today, but my heart has just been racing and I have been imagining all sorts of "Worst case scenarios" for various small things---making mountains out of mole hills.  It got so bad, I actually cried because I left my lunch bag on the floor in the hallway instead of bringing it to church for me to eat...at lunch time.  

Ben would agree that the deepest darkness in me is my ability to not hand things over to God.  To worry.  To give God something, but then take it back so I can continue to worry about it.

In this passage, it says that Jesus is light--and the darkness can not over come it.  No matter how dark I make things with my worry and panic, I can't ever....EVER......actually get totally lost in the darkness because Jesus is the light.  And as we all know, if your house is dark, and you wake up in the middle of the night and need to pee and you go into the dark hallway and stub your toe on the door......YOU TURN A LIGHT because when the light is on, the darkness goes away and you can see!  The light always wins, there is no possible situation in which the hallway will continue to be dark if you turn on a lightswitch and it is connected to electricity and the light bulb works--the light turns on and you are good to go!

So my point is---I guess---boy I have rambled!  The point is---If you are worried right now, if your blood pressure is skyrocketed and you are having a little panic attack and feel the need to run up and down stairs or scrapbook to make it all better---instead, can I just remind you that "God is light, and in Him there is NO DARKNESS AT ALL."  (1 John 1:5--also a great verse!).