Easy Crochet Jellyfish With Curly Tentacles – Free Amigurumi Pattern

Add a touch of whimsy to your nursery or crochet collection with these charming little sea creatures. This soft plushie features a round dome head, a delicate ruffled skirt, and bouncy corkscrew tentacles that spiral all by themselves. It makes a wonderful beginner-friendly project and a sweet handmade gift.

Easy Crochet Jellyfish With Curly Tentacles – Free Amigurumi Pattern

Quick Facts

• Skill level: Easy / Beginner
• Finished size: Approximately 3 inches (7.5 cm) wide and 6 inches (15 cm) long including tentacles
• Yarn: Sport or DK weight cotton or acrylic yarn in two coordinating colors (Main Color for dome and ruffle, Contrast Color or striping for tentacles)
• Hook: 3.0 mm (US C/2 or D/3) crochet hook
• Stitches used: US terminology (MR, ch, sc, inc, dec, sl st, BLO, FLO)
• Time to make: 2 to 3 hours

Size customization tips are included further down in this guide.

What Makes This Amigurumi Special

Working in continuous rounds gives the jellyfish head its smooth, seamless shape. The clever use of back loops only (BLO) leaves the front loops free to create a charming ruffled skirt using simple chain loops. Best of all, working multiple single crochets into a single chain naturally forces the yarn to curl into bouncy spiral tentacles without any complicated wiring.

Skill Level

• Basic understanding of crochet terminology
• Working in continuous spiral rounds
• Making a magic ring
• Basic increases and invisible decreases
• Working in front loops and back loops

With these simple techniques, you will have your first jellyfish finished in no time!

Finished Measurements

Materials You Will Need

Yarn Suggestions

⚠️ Note: Avoid fuzzy novelty yarns or heavy wools for your first attempt, as they make it difficult to see your stitches and create neat curls. Smooth cotton or cotton-blend yarns give the crispest stitch definition and the springiest tentacles.

Gauge

• Rnds 1 to 6 of the flat circle = 2.5 inches (6.5 cm) across using a 3.0 mm hook.
• Gauge is not strictly critical for amigurumi, but keep your tension snug and consistent so the fiberfill stuffing does not peek through the stitches.

Abbreviations

• beg: beginning
• BLO: back loop only
• ch: chain
• dec: decrease (single crochet two stitches together)
• FLO: front loop only
• inc: increase (work 2 single crochets in the same stitch)
• MR: magic ring
• rep: repeat
• rnd(s): round(s)
• sc: single crochet
• sl st: slip stitch
• st(s): stitch(es)
• [ ] / ( ): work instructions within parentheses as specified

Note for UK crafters: UK sc = US sc, UK dc = US tr, UK htr = US hdc.

Special Stitches Explained

1. Magic Ring (MR): Wrap the yarn around your index finger twice to form a loop. Insert hook into loop, grab working yarn and pull up a loop. Ch 1 to secure, then work your starting stitches into the ring. Pull the tail to close the center tightly.
2. Invisible Decrease (dec): Insert hook into the front loop only of the next stitch, then insert hook into the front loop only of the following stitch (3 loops on hook). Yarn over and pull through the first 2 loops, yarn over and pull through remaining 2 loops.

Pattern Instructions

Pattern Notes:
– The head is worked in continuous spiral rounds without joining. Do not slip stitch at the end of rounds unless specified.
– Use a stitch marker to keep track of the first stitch of each round.

Section 1: Dome Head (Main Color, make 1)

Rnd 1: 6 sc in MR (6 sc)
Rnd 2: inc x6 (12 sc)
Rnd 3: (1 sc, inc) x6 (18 sc)
Rnd 4: (2 sc, inc) x6 (24 sc)
Rnd 5: Working in BLO only, sc in each st around (24 sc)
Rnd 6: (3 sc, inc) x6 (30 sc)
Rnds 7 to 9: sc in each st around (30 sc)
Rnd 10: (3 sc, dec) x6 (24 sc)
Rnd 11: (2 sc, dec) x6 (18 sc)
Start stuffing the dome head firmly with polyester fiberfill.
Rnd 12: (1 sc, dec) x6 (12 sc)
Rnd 13: dec x6 (6 sc)
Fasten off, leaving a long tail. Thread tail through the front loops of the remaining 6 stitches and pull tight to close. Weave in the end.

✅ Checkpoint: You should now have a smooth, firmly stuffed dome head with a visible horizontal ridge around the lower section where you worked Rnd 5 in the back loops only.

Section 2: Ruffle Edge (Main Color, make 1)

Hold the dome head upside down so the open base faces you and Rnd 5’s unworked front loops are clearly visible in front of you.
Rnd 1: Join Main Color with a slip stitch in any free front loop of Rnd 5. Working around the entire base edge: (ch 3, sl st in next front loop) rep around all 24 front loops, ending with a sl st in the first st. Fasten off and weave in all loose ends (24 ruffle loops).

Section 3: Curly Tentacles (Main Color and Contrast Color, make 6 to 8)

Make a mix of solid and two-tone tentacles for a playful candy look.
Tentacle: Ch 18. Starting in 2nd ch from hook, work 3 sc in each of the remaining 17 chains back to the top (51 sc). As you work 3 stitches into each single chain, the strip will naturally twist and coil into a bouncy corkscrew tentacle. Fasten off, leaving a 6-inch (15 cm) tail for attaching. Make 4 to 6 tentacles in Main Color and 2 to 4 tentacles in Contrast Color.

Assembly

1. Tentacle Placement: Arrange your curly tentacles evenly around the underside of the jellyfish head, just inside the ruffled skirt. Alternate Main Color and Contrast Color tentacles for a balanced look.
2. Attaching: Using the starting and ending yarn tails, securely stitch each tentacle base to the bottom opening of the jellyfish head. Double-knot securely on the inside before trimming excess yarn.

Finishing

• Check all yarn ends and weave them securely into the body of the jellyfish.
• Gently stretch and twist the curly tentacles with your fingers to enhance their springy spiral shape.

Size Customization Tips

• Larger Jellyfish: Start Rnd 1 with 8 sc in a magic ring and continue increasing up to (4 sc, inc) x 8 or (5 sc, inc) x 8 for a wider head. Remember to adjust your ruffle loop count to match the new base stitch count.
• Longer Tentacles: Chain 25 or 30 instead of 18, remembering to work 3 sc into each chain for extra-long, bouncy curls.

Care Instructions

Spot clean gently with a damp cloth and mild soap. Air dry flat. Do not machine wash or tumble dry to preserve the shape of the stuffing and the curl of the tentacles.

FAQ

What yarn weight is best for this pattern?

Sport weight or light DK cotton yarn works best. It provides sturdy structure so the dome head holds its shape and the tentacles form crisp, bouncy curls.

Can I use safety eyes on this jellyfish?

Yes, you can insert 6 mm or 8 mm safety eyes between Rnds 7 and 8 of the dome head before stuffing. However, if you are gifting this toy to a baby under 3 years old, embroidering sleepy sleeping eyes with dark embroidery floss is much safer.

How do I make the tentacles curl tighter?

To make tighter corkscrews, work 3 to 4 single crochets into every single chain space. To make looser waves, work 2 half double crochets into each chain instead.

Happy Crocheting!

I hope you love creating your sweet little jellyfish! Save this pattern to your Pinterest boards, and let me know in the comments which colors you chose for your flock of sea friends. Happy stitching!