Summer Manatee | Free Crochet Pattern

The manatee days of summer? This little amigurumi manatee plushie is lounging around on his pool floaty, enjoying his summer vacation and soaking in some sun. Crochet this free plushie pattern when it is hot outside!

Summer is the epitome of relaxation as he floats along on his awesome striped inner tube with this groovy shades.

I LOVE being at the pool in the summer, but I am not a water person. I would much rather float than swim. So Summer and I have a lot in common. I know, manatees don’t need a floaty (they don’t need sunglasses either!), but I couldn’t help picture a cool friend to float with me at the pool.

This free pattern was part of the Furls Blog Hp 2021. If you don’t know about Furls, you are in for a treat. Furls is the maker of fine, ergonomic crochet hooks and has also started making some beautiful yarn! I was thrilled when they came out with their line of 100% acrylic yarn, Wander.

It’s great! It has the texture of a light worsted weight (I used a smaller hook than for RHSS), and a lovely sheen to it. The stitch definition is nice, and I think it would even fluff well if brushed. And I LOVE the richness of the colors!

Construction

The inner tube floaty is probably the most difficult part of this pattern, though if you are used to colorwork, it might not be.

The tube is done in a typical donut shape, starting in the middle, creating the outside, then going back to the middle to sew up and stuff. This means the stripes are created by changing colors as you go around the donut. It’s super fun once you get started and easier than it looks.

The body and head are all one piece, using a few sets of short rounds to curve his back and tail.

Fins, tail fin, and snout are all sewn on. Use pins as a guide for best results!

Now in 2.0 Format, this pattern is super easy to follow! The checkboxes allow you to put it down (or back in your pool bag) and come back to it without losing your place.

This pattern is also available as a Premium Pattern! Premium Patterns are ad-free, printable .pdf files, professionally formatted and edited, with extra tutorial photos not available in the free version, and print-only perks, like checkboxes for every round*!

Premium Patterns are available in the Hooked by Kati Shop, Ravelry, and Etsy.

Summer Manatee

All patterns are written in English, in US terms using Craft Yarn Council abbreviations.

You Need to Know

Chains (ch), slip stitch (sl st), single crochet (sc), double crochet (dc), right side (RS), wrong side (WS), increases and decreases. Knowledge of amigurumi part attachment is recommended. Pattern uses short rounds for shaping.

You Will Practice Intermediate Techniques

• How to shape amigurumi using short rounds
• How to use pins to perfectly place and attach amigurumi parts
• How to shape using increases and decreases

Supplies

• Furls Wander 100% acrylic yarn, 100g/120 yds/109 m, Mist (MIST) 1 ball; Pomegranate (POM), 1 ball; Canary (CAN), 1 ball; Cobblestone (COB), < 1 ball; Surf (SUR), < 1 ball.
• F (3.75 mm) Furls hook
• Polyfil stuffing
• Tapestry needle
• Straight pins

Measurements

10” long from head to tail x 7” wide x 7” tall laying on his inner tube

Gauge

10 sts x 10 rows in sc = 2” x 2”

Pattern Notes

• Work in continuous rounds. Do not slip stitch unless otherwise specified by the pattern.
• For best results, assemble parts in order as directed.
• Weave in attachment ends at very end of project in case piece require repositioning.
• Rounds labeled “Short round” are worked back and forth and will end before the round is complete, leaving stitches deliberately unworked to be worked in later rounds as instructed.
• When instructed, a short round of additional sts will be added to move the starting stitch of the next round to the opposite side of the round.

Instructions

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Inner Tube Floaty

With POM, ch 48. Being careful not to twist, sl st in first ch to make a ring.

Rnd 1: [6 sc, change to CAN, 6 sc, change to POM] 4 times. (48)

Rnd 2: [5 sc, inc, change to CAN, 5 sc, inc, change to POM] 4 times. (56)

Rnd 3: [6 sc, inc, change to CAN, 6 sc, inc, change to POM] 4 times. (64)

Rnd 4: [7 sc, inc, change to CAN, 7 sc, inc, change to POM] 4 times. (72)

Rnd 5: [8 sc, inc, change to CAN, 8 sc, inc, change to POM] 4 times. (80)

Rnd 6: [10 sc, change to CAN, 10 sc, change to POM] 4 times. (80)

Rnds 7-15: Repeat Rnd 6.

Rnd 16: [Dec, 8 sc, change to CAN, dec, 8 sc, change to POM] 4 times. (72)

Rnd 17: [Dec, 7 sc, change to CAN, dec, 7 sc, change to POM] 4 times. (64)

Rnd 18: [Dec, 6 sc, change to CAN, dec, 6 sc, change to POM] 4 times. (56)

Rnd 19: [Dec, 5 sc, change to CAN, dec, 5 sc, change to POM] 4 times. (48)

Bind off leaving long tail for sewing.

Press flat with first and last rounds touching in the center of ring.

Align color changes on the first and last rounds so they are touching. Using the sewing tail, sew the first and last rounds together on the inside of the ring, stuffing as you go.

Weave in ends.

Head/Body

With MIST, ch 2.

Rnd 1: 6 sc in second ch from hook. (6)

Rnd 2: Inc in each st around. (12)

Rnd 3: [Sc, inc] 6 times. (18)

Rnd 4: [2 sc, inc] 6 times. (24)

Rnd 5: [3 sc, inc] 6 times. (30)

Rnd 6: [4 sc, inc] 6 times. (36)

Rnds 7-12: Sc evenly around.

Rnd 13: [4 sc, dec] 6 times. (30)

Rnd 14: [3 sc, dec] 6 times. (24)

Rnd 15: [2 sc, dec] 6 times. (18)

Rnd 16: [2 sc, inc] 6 times. (24)

Rnd 17: [3 sc, inc] 6 times. (30)

Rnd 18: [4 sc, inc] 6 times. (36)

Rnds 19-21: Sc evenly around.

Rnd 22: [16 sc, dec] twice. (34)

Rnd 23: Sc evenly around.

Rnd 24: [15 sc, dec] twice. (32)

Rnd 25: Sc evenly around.

Rnd 26: [14 sc, dec] twice. (30)

Rnd 27: Sc evenly around, turn.

Rnd 28: (WS) (Short Rnd) (see Pattern Notes) Do not chain, 15 sc, leave remaining 15 sts unworked, turn. (15)

Rnd 29: (RS) (Short Rnd) Do not chain, 15 sc. (15)

Rnd 30: (RS) Work around including unworked sts from Rnd 28, 30 sc. (30)

Rnd 31: [13 sc, dec] twice, turn. (28)

Rnd 32: (WS) (Short Rnd) Do not chain, 14 sc, leave remaining 14 sts unworked, turn. (14)

Rnd 33: (RS) (Short Rnd) Do not chain, 14 sc. (14)

Rnd 34: (RS) Work around including unworked sts from Rnd 32, 28 sc. (28)

Rnd 35: [12 sc, dec] twice, turn. (26)

Rnd 36: (WS) (Short Rnd) Do not chain, 13 sc, leave remaining 13 sts unworked, turn. (13)

Rnd 37: (RS) (Short Rnd) Do not chain, 13 sc. (13)

Rnd 38: (RS) Work around including unworked sts from Rnd 36, 26 sc. (26)

Begin stuffing.

Rnd 39: [11 sc, dec] twice. (24)

Rnd 40: Sc evenly around.

Rnd 41: [10 sc, dec] twice. (22)

Rnd 42: Sc evenly around.

Rnd 43: [9 sc, dec] twice. (20)

Rnd 44: Sc evenly around.

Rnd 45: [8 sc, dec] twice. (18)

Rnd 46: Sc evenly around.

Rnd 47: (RS) (Short Rnd) 11 sc to move starting st, (see Pattern Notes) turn. (11)

Rnd 48: (WS) (Short Rnd) Do not chain, 10 sc, leave remaining sts unworked, turn. (10)

Rnd 49 (RS) (Short Rnd) Do not chain, 9 sc, leave remaining st unworked, turn. (9)

Rnd 50: (WS) (Short Rnd) Do not chain, 8 sc, leave remaining st unworked, turn. (8)

Rnd 51: (RS) (Short Rnd) Do not chain, 8 sc. (8)

Rnd 52: (RS) Work around including unworked sts from previous rounds. (18)

Continue stuffing.

Rnd 53: [7 sc, dec] twice. (16)

Rnd 54: Sc evenly around.

Rnd 55: [6 sc, dec] twice. (14)

Rnd 56: Sc evenly around.

Finish stuffing.

Rnd 57: [5 sc, dec] twice. (12)

Rnd 58: Dec 6 times. (6)

Cut yarn. Thread needle through front loops of remaining 6 stitches. Pull tight to close. Weave in ends.

Snout

With MIST, ch 2.

Rnd 1: 6 sc in second ch from hook. (6)

Rnd 2: Inc in each st around. (12)

Rnd 3: 3 sc, inc 3 times, 3 sc, inc 3 times. (18)

Rnd 4: 3 sc, inc 3 times, 9 sc, inc 3 times. (24)

Rnds 5-6: Sc evenly around.

Skip 3 sts, slip st to crease mouth.

Bind off leaving long tail for sewing.

With COB, sew two 1-st lines between Rnds 3 and 4, 5 sts apart. Repeat so nostrils are 2 strands thick.

With curve of tail facing up, hold unstuffed snout to head between Rnd 8 and Rnd 15 (neck) with mouth crease near the neck. Mark with pins where snout touches head. Using pins as a guide, sew snout to head. Lightly stuff snout before completing attachment.

Fins

(Make 2)

With MIST, ch 2.

Rnd 1: 6 sc in second ch from hook. (6)

Rnd 2: [2 sc, inc] twice. (8)

Rnd 3: [3 sc, inc] twice. (10)

Rnd 4: [4 sc, inc] twice. (12)

Rnd 5: [5 sc, inc] twice. (14)

Rnd 6: [6 sc, inc] twice. (16)

Rnd 7: [7 sc, inc] twice. (18)

Rnds 8-11: Sc evenly around.

Rnd 12: [Sc, dec] 6 times. (12)

Rnds 13-14: Sc evenly around.

Bind off leaving long tail for sewing.

Press flat.

Using pins, mark a 6-st line starting at Rnd 17, 2 sts to the outside of the snout. Line should be at a slight angle so fins angle toward center of body. Repeat on other side, mirroring the first fin.

Using tail from fins and sewing through both layers of the last rnd, sew fins to body.

Tail Fin

With MIST, ch 2.

Rnd 1: 5 sc in second ch from hook. (5)

Rnd 2: Inc in each st around. (10)

Rnd 3: [Sc, inc] 5 times. (15)

Rnd 4: [2 sc, inc] 5 times. (20)

Rnds 5-8: Sc evenly around.

Rnd 9: [3 sc, dec] 4 times. (16)

Rnd 10: Sc evenly around.

Rnd 11: [2 sc, dec] 4 times. (12)

Bind off leaving long tail for sewing.

Press flat.

Mark a straight horizontal line of 6 sts across the narrow end of the body, crossing the center of the last rnd. Sewing through both layers of the last rnd of the tail, sew tail to body along marked line.

Sunglasses

(Make 2)

With COL, ch 2.

Rnd 1: 8 sc in second ch from hook. (8)

Rnd 2: Sc, 3 dc in next st, inc 4 times, 3 dc in next st, sc. (16)

Rnd 3: Change to SUR, 2 sc, 3 sc in next st, 10 sc, 3 sc in next st, 2 sc. (20)

Bind off, leaving long tail for sewing.

Using SUR sewing tail, sew sunglasses together at the increases in the top corners. Weave in all ends except the longest SUR sewing tail.

Mark 2 sts on the snout where the snout and head meet, in line with the nostrils.

Using SUR sewing tail from sunglasses, sew one st to each marked st, attaching the sunglasses to the face.

End of pieces:

Cut yarn. Thread needle through front loops of remaining 6 stitches. Pull tight to close. Leave long tail for sewing.

Bind off leaving long tail for sewing.

Weave in all attachment ends when parts are positioned as desired.

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Post comments and pictures on social media with the hashtag #hookedbykati, or tag me @hookedbykati. You can also post pictures on the Facebook Page, or in the Hooked by Kati Crochet Community Facebook Group.

You may sell products made by this pattern, but please link back to hookedbykati.com or credit Hooked by Kati on the craft fair tag. Do not copy this pattern for distribution or sale; that’s not nice and also illegal.

If you run into a snag, drop me a line! I respond quickly and will help any way I can to clarify any confusion or challenging stitches.

Find more free patterns like this at allfreecrochet.com.

Here are a few more free crochet patterns you might like:

HUE THE RAINBOW MANATEE

BLOB CAT

KOI MERMAID

Yarn on, 

Kati