Crochet Shark Plushie Free Pattern – Shark With Five Fins

Five fins give this crochet shark pattern free amigurumi a proper silhouette instead of the single-fin shortcut most patterns take. A pale belly panel against a darker back does the rest, and neither part goes past basic increases.

Light blue yarn gives this crochet shark amigurumi a softer, friendlier quality than a gray version would, making it just as appealing to younger crafters as it is to anyone who enjoys ocean animal designs. The compact body crochets up quickly, and the fins are worked flat and attached after assembly to keep the shaping clean and straightforward.

Crochet Shark

Materials

Yarn: Plush yarn in blue and white

Hook: 4.0 mm to 5.0 mm — match to your plush yarn’s label recommendation

Other supplies:

• Safety eyes
• Polyester fiberfill stuffing
• Yarn needle
• Scissors
• Black yarn or embroidery thread for the smile
• Optional: white felt or white yarn for teeth

Abbreviations

• MR — Magic ring
• sc — Single crochet
• inc — Increase (2 sc into the same stitch)
• dec — Decrease (2 stitches worked together)
• st — Stitch

The Pattern

Fins — Make 5 Total

Use blue yarn. Work in continuous rounds with a stitch marker. Make: 1 top fin, 2 side fins, 2 tail fins. All five fins follow the same round sequence.

Round 1:

• Make a magic ring
• Work 4 sc into the center of the ring
• Pull the ring closed tightly

Round 2:

• Work 1 inc into every stitch around — 2 sc into each of the 4 stitches from Round 1

If you’re new to reading crochet patterns, don’t worry, just follow along with the video tutorial below and use the written pattern as a reference!

Round 3:

• Work 1 sc into every stitch around with no shaping changes

Round 4:

• Work 1 sc into the first stitch, then 1 inc into the next stitch
• Repeat this combination — 1 sc followed by 1 inc — all the way around the round

Round 5:

• Work 1 sc into every stitch around with no shaping changes

Closing:

• Flatten the fin by pressing both edges together so both sides line up
• Work sc across the flattened opening through both layers to join and close the fin
• Fasten off, leaving a long tail for sewing
• The tail fins should be left completely flat and angled slightly outward when attached; the top fin and side fins can be left flat or lightly stuffed depending on the look you prefer

Body

Use blue yarn. Work in continuous rounds with a stitch marker in every round.

Round 1:

• Make a magic ring
• Work 6 sc into the center of the ring
• Pull the ring closed tightly

Round 2:

• Work 1 inc into every stitch around — 2 sc into each stitch from Round 1

Round 3:

• Work 1 sc into the first stitch, then 1 inc into the next stitch
• Repeat this combination — 1 sc followed by 1 inc — all the way around the round

Round 4:

• Work 1 sc into each of the first 2 stitches, then 1 inc into the following stitch
• Repeat this combination — 2 sc followed by 1 inc — all the way around the round

Round 5:

• Work 1 sc into each of the first 3 stitches, then 1 inc into the following stitch
• Repeat this combination — 3 sc followed by 1 inc — all the way around the round

Round 6:

• Work 1 sc into each of the first 4 stitches, then 1 inc into the following stitch
• Repeat this combination — 4 sc followed by 1 inc — all the way around the round

Rounds 7 through 12:

• Work 1 sc into every stitch around with no increases or decreases
• Repeat this same even round a total of 6 times

Place the safety eyes now, between Rounds 8 and 9, while the body is still fully open:

• Mark both positions with scrap yarn, spacing them evenly on either side of the front — count from the center to confirm both sides match
• Look at the shark from the front before pressing any washers on — slightly wider spacing gives a softer, rounder expression
• Press each locking washer firmly all the way down the post until it clicks

Optional white belly accent: join white yarn on the lower front area of the body during the straight rounds and work a section of white stitches to create the belly color change — or use the separate belly patch method below instead.

Round 13:

• Work 1 sc into each of the first 4 stitches, then 1 dec over the next 2 stitches
• Repeat this combination — 4 sc followed by 1 dec — all the way around the round

Round 14:

• Work 1 sc into every stitch around with no shaping changes

Round 15:

• Work 1 sc into each of the first 3 stitches, then 1 dec over the next 2 stitches
• Repeat this combination — 3 sc followed by 1 dec — all the way around the round
• Begin stuffing the body now — add fiberfill in small pieces rather than one large clump, and pay particular attention to the nose area, which softens easily in plush yarn

Round 16:

• Work 1 sc into each of the first 2 stitches, then 1 dec over the next 2 stitches
• Repeat this combination — 2 sc followed by 1 dec — all the way around the round

Round 17:

• Work 1 sc into the first stitch, then 1 dec over the next 2 stitches
• Repeat this combination — 1 sc followed by 1 dec — all the way around the round

Round 18:

• Work 1 dec over every pair of stitches around — consecutive decreases all the way around

Closing:

• Fasten off
• Thread the tail through the remaining stitches and pull tight to close the hole
• Weave the end securely inside the body

White Belly Patch

Use white yarn. Work in flat rows, chain 1 and turn at the end of each row.

Foundation:

• Chain 8

Row 1:

• Work 1 sc into every chain across

Rows 2 through 6:

• Work 1 sc into every stitch across with no shaping changes
• Repeat this same even row a total of 5 times

Final shaping:

• Work 1 or 2 final rows with slight decreases at each end to taper the patch into an oval shape

Attaching:

• Fasten off, leaving a long tail for sewing
• Pin the patch centered on the lower front of the body before sewing
• Use small hidden stitches all the way around the perimeter to keep the edges flat and neat
• Optional: add a small amount of stuffing behind the patch as you sew to create a slightly raised belly surface

Mouth

• Thread black yarn or embroidery thread onto your needle
• Embroider a small curved smile below and between the eyes — keep the curve small for a friendly expression
• Test the position with a pin or removable thread before stitching permanently
• Optional: add 2 to 3 tiny teeth using white felt or white yarn just inside the smile — keep them subtle so the face reads as cute rather than aggressive

Assembly

Attach the top fin first — centering it on the top of the body gives you a reference line for all remaining placement. Then attach the two side fins, aligning them level with each other on either side. Finally, attach the tail fins at the back, angled slightly outward from each other in a classic tail fork shape. Check the shark from the front, from the side, and from directly above after each fin is pinned but before sewing it permanently. Add small additional stuffing through any gaps during assembly if the body begins to lose its shape from handling.

Notes on Plush Yarn and Finishing

Plush yarn stitches hide inside the pile, which makes counting genuinely difficult — bright lighting and a consistent stitch marker habit are the two most useful tools. If your decreases look bulky on the surface, try working the following stitch slightly tighter to close any gap the decrease leaves behind. After all assembly is complete, gently massage the body to redistribute the fiberfill — plush fiber responds well to this and any soft spots from handling during construction usually even out. Trim all yarn tails flush with the surface and push the ends inside with your needle tip.

FAQ

Q: Can I use a different yarn type instead of plush? Yes — the construction is identical in any yarn weight on a matching hook. Smooth DK or worsted acrylic produces a smaller, crisper shark where the stitches are clearly visible and counting is much easier. The trade-off is that smooth yarn requires more precise shaping to achieve the rounded softness that plush yarn produces naturally. If you want the soft look without the counting difficulty, try a semi-textured yarn — something with a slight halo rather than full pile — which gives visible stitches with more softness than flat acrylic.

Q: Are safety eyes safe for a very young child? Safety eyes with locking washers are not recommended for children under three due to choking risk. For a baby gift, embroider both eyes using black yarn in a tight satin stitch oval or filled circle. The embroidered version is fully secure, has no removable parts, and gives the face a slightly softer quality that suits a plush shark well. For the smile, embroidery thread is already the specified approach and carries no additional risk.

Q: All five fins use the same pattern — how do I differentiate the tail fins from the others during assembly? All five fins come out identical — the difference is entirely in how they are attached. The top fin is sewn upright to the center of the back; the two side fins are sewn flat to the sides; the two tail fins are sewn at the very back, angled outward from each other to form the fork shape. If you want to pre-distinguish them, make the five fins in two separate batches and label them with a piece of scrap yarn tied around the tail fins before you start.