Crochet Penguin Cabin Pal Free Pattern

Crochet Penguin Cabin Pal Free Pattern

Introduction

Meet the Cabin Pal, a chubby little penguin who looks right at home on a bookshelf, a windowsill, or curled up by the fire. This pattern is written for beginners, so if you can make a magic ring and a single crochet, you already have everything you need. The color-blocked design gives him a navy back and head with a soft cream belly, and the whole body works up in one continuous spiral, so there is almost no seaming. At about 10 inches tall in bulky yarn, he is big enough to hug and quick enough to finish in a weekend.

Materials Needed

• Yarn: Bulky (weight 5) acrylic yarn — navy (A) 150 yds, cream (B) 100 yds, orange (C) 10 yds
• Hook: 5.0 mm (US H/8)
• Notions: Stitch marker, tapestry needle, scissors, polyester fiberfill stuffing, two 6 mm safety eyes (or black yarn for embroidered eyes)
• Finished size: Approximately 10 inches (25 cm) tall

Abbreviations

• ch — chain: make a loop of yarn and pull another loop through it.
• sc — single crochet: insert hook, pull up a loop, yarn over, pull through both loops.
• inc — increase: work 2 single crochet stitches into the same stitch.
• dec — decrease: work 2 stitches together into 1 (use an invisible decrease if you can).
• MR — magic ring: an adjustable loop you crochet into to start a round.
• FO — fasten off: cut the yarn and pull the tail through the last loop.
• sts — stitches

Gauge

12 sc x 12 rows = 4 inches (10 cm). Crochet a small swatch in single crochet and measure it; if your stitches are larger than this, drop to a 4.5 mm hook so your penguin comes out at the right size.

Tips Before You Start

• Work the body in continuous rounds without joining. Place a stitch marker in the first stitch of each round and move it up as you go.
• Stuff the body firmly as you close the bottom rounds — a little at a time gives a smoother, rounder shape than stuffing it all at the end.
• Change from navy to cream at the last yarn-over of the final stitch of Round 12 so the color change looks clean.
• If you are giving this to a baby or small child, embroider the eyes in black yarn instead of using safety eyes.

Step-by-Step Instructions

Body (Yarn A, then Yarn B)

Rnd 1: MR, 6 sc into the ring (6 sts)

Rnd 2: inc x6 (12 sts)

Rnd 3: [sc, inc] x6 (18 sts)

Rnd 4: [2 sc, inc] x6 (24 sts)

Rnd 5: [3 sc, inc] x6 (30 sts)

Rnd 6: [4 sc, inc] x6 (36 sts)

Rnds 7–12: sc in each st around (36 sts)

Rnds 13–18: Change to Yarn B. sc in each st around (36 sts)

Rnd 19: [4 sc, dec] x6 (30 sts)

Rnd 20: [3 sc, dec] x6 (24 sts)

Rnd 21: [2 sc, dec] x6 (18 sts)

Rnd 22: [sc, dec] x6 (12 sts)

Rnd 23: dec x6 (6 sts). FO, leaving a long tail. Thread the tail through the front loops of the last 6 sts and pull closed.

Belly Patch (Yarn B)

Row 1: Ch 6, sc in 2nd ch from hook and in each ch across (5 sts)

Rows 2–6: Ch 1, turn, sc in each st across (5 sts). FO, leaving a long tail for sewing.

Flippers, make 2 (Yarn A)

Row 1: Ch 6, sc in 2nd ch from hook and in each ch across (5 sts)

Rows 2–4: Ch 1, turn, sc in each st across (5 sts). FO, leaving a long tail for sewing.

Beak (Yarn C)

Row 1: Ch 3, sc in 2nd ch from hook, sc in next ch (2 sts). FO, leaving a long tail for sewing.

Eyes

Attach safety eyes between Rnds 6 and 7, 2 sts apart, or embroider two small black dots in the same position with black yarn.

Edging (Optional, Yarn B)

With Yarn B, join to the bottom opening of the body and sc evenly around the edge. FO and weave in the end. (Skip this if you prefer a smooth closed base.)

Assembly and Finishing

Stuff the body firmly through the bottom opening before it gets too small, then close the last 6 stitches as described. Sew the belly patch to the front of the body, centered over the cream section, using the long tail and small whip stitches. Sew one flipper to each side of the body at Rnd 10, angling them slightly downward. Sew the beak to the front of the head at Rnd 5, just below the eyes. Weave in all ends on the wrong side, then gently steam or mist block the penguin and reshape it with your hands while it dries.

Pro Tips and Variations

• Swap the cream for light gray or pale blue for a frosty winter look, or use a self-striping bulky yarn for a marled belly.
• Add a tiny scarf: ch 30, work 2 rows of sc, and tie it around the neck at Rnd 12.
• Make a mini version by holding two strands of worsted yarn together and using a 4.0 mm hook — just check your gauge first.