Crochet Baby Seal Pattern
My favorite stuffed animal growing up was a little white seal named Donny. Alongside the penguin that inspired my “Pebble the Penguin” pattern, Donny was one of four plushies that helped shape endless childhood memories.
So when it came to designing my first Christmas-themed pattern, a baby seal was the first thing that came to mind.
Meet Frosty the Seal!
I wanted it to be ball-like, so it’s round, cute, and quick-to-make. But I still wanted it to have a little more shape and designed the back to subtly slope into the tail.
The round head of the seal also made it especially perfect for hats. So when I originally designed this seal, it was as a part of my 4-in-1 “Frosty the Winter Hat Seal” pattern, complete with four interchangeable hats to dress it up.
But this holiday season, I wanted to share the seal portion of the pattern with you here as well. So if you’re looking for a quick, cozy, and adorable winter project, you can now find the free pattern for the little seal below.
For the full PDF version of the seal pattern including the four hats, you can find the pattern in my Etsy shop or on Patreon. I’ll also be releasing the Santa hat as a free pattern on my blog soon. So stay tuned!
Here’s how to crochet this seal!
This pattern is designed to be crocheted in continuous rounds (or spirals) unless otherwise mentioned.
Terms of Use:
Please do not copy, sell, or duplicate (to distribute) the contents of this crochet pattern in any format without permission. If you’d like to share this pattern, I’d really appreciate it if you could share where to find this blog post as this helps me continue to create free patterns for you!
That said, you’re more than welcome to sell any plushies you make using my patterns! I’d just ask that you please give pattern credit to The Mary Jay and link back to this post whenever possible.
Skills and Abbreviations (In U.S. terms)
MR= Magic Ring (Magic Circle)
SC= Single Crochet
CH= Chain
INC= Increase
DEC= Decrease
FO= Fasten off
R= Round
Slip Knot
Recommended Materials:
(Based on what I used to make the seal in the sample photos)
Super Bulky Weight Yarn (#6) in White and a little bit of Black for the nose detailing (I used around 52 yards of Bernat Blanket for the seal.)
Two 16 mm Safety Eyes (Warning: Safety eyes can be choking hazards and are generally not recommended when crocheting plushies for young children/pets. You can replace the “safety eyes” with an alternative.)
6 mm Crochet Hook
Stuffing
Scissors
Yarn Needle
Pins & Stitch Markers (Optional)
Common Questions (FAQ):
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You can find most of these items in a craft store, sometimes in places like Walmart, or on my Amazon Storefront. My Amazon Storefront contains my own personal favorites to use! It’s an affiliate link, which means I will earn a small commission at no extra cost to you if you use it to make a purchase. This is an additional way that helps support me and lets me continue to make free content for you.
For this seal, I used Bernat Blanket yarn, which I get from Yarnspirations.
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Yes! The above yarn sizes and hook size are recommendations based on what I used to make the plushie in the sample photo. Feel free to switch up the yarn or hook size based on what you have available or your preference.
If you are using a different yarn or hook size, don’t forget to make sure that the yarn and hook size work well together. For amigurumi, it’s often recommended to use a hook size that is 1-2mm smaller than the recommended hook size on the yarn label for tighter stitches and less holes in your project. However, different crocheters have their own preferences on hook size and you are welcome to follow your own preference.
Please note that the plushie may vary in size with different yarn and hook sizes.
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Yes! Just like the yarn and hook size, the safety eyes listed are just what I used to make the plushie in the sample photo. Feel free to use a similar eye size or switch it up with felt, buttons, or even just embroider it with yarn.
Please note that safety eyes can be choking hazards and are not recommended for plushies made for young children or pets.
Base
Using White
R1: 6 SC in a MR (6)
R2: [INC] x 6 (12)
R3: [SC, INC] x 6 (18)
R4: [2 SC, INC] x 6 (24)
R5: 24 SC (24)
R6: [3 SC, INC] x 6 (30)
R7-9: 30 SC (30) 3 Rounds
R10: [9 SC, INC] x 3 (33)
R11-12: 33 SC (33) 2 Rounds
R13: 3 INC, 30 SC (36)
R14: [SC, INC] x 3, [3 SC, DEC] x 6 (33)
R15: [9 SC, DEC] x 3 (30)
R16 : [3 SC, DEC] x 6 (24)
The section of the base that extends outwards is the back of the seal. Attach the eyes on the opposite side (the front) between R7 and 8 around 5 stitches apart.
Add stuffing and continue stuffing as you go.
R17: [2 SC, DEC] x 6 (18)
R18: [SC, DEC] x 6 (12)
R19: [DEC] x 6 (6)
FO leaving a long tail for sewing. Finish stuffing.
Use the yarn tail to sew the plushie closed.
Snout
Using White
CH 4
R1: Starting in the second chain from the hook, make 2 SC down.
Make 3 SC in the last stitch.
Work down the other side of the chain and make 1 SC down.
Make 3 SC in the last stitch (9)
Here’s a Picture Reference for R1 of the Snout!
Continue working in a circle for the next round.
R2: 9 SC (9)
FO leaving a long tail for sewing.
Turn the piece so that it’s horizontal (with the longer sides on the top and bottom).
Using Black, embroider on the nose slightly above the center of the snout. You can also choose to do this after sewing the snout onto the face.
Tail (Make 2)
Using White
R1: 4 SC in a MR (4)
R2: [INC] x 4 (8)
R3: [SC, INC] x 4 (12)
R4-5: 12 SC (12) 2 Rounds
R6: [SC, DEC] x 4 (8)
R7: [2 SC, DEC] x 2 (6)
FO leaving a long tail for sewing.
Do not stuff the tail pieces.
Flippers (Make 2)
Using White
R1: 6 SC in a MR (6)
R2: [2 SC, INC] x 2 (8)
R3: 8 SC (8)
R4: [2 SC, DEC] x 2 (6)
R5: [SC, DEC] x 2 (4)
R6: Fold the remaining stitches of the flipper in half. Working through the stitches on both sides, make 2 SC (2).
Here’s a picture reference for R6 of the flipper!
FO leaving a long tail for sewing.
Do not stuff the flippers.
Assembly
Optional: Use pins to hold the pieces in place to help with the placement.
Flippers:
Sew the flippers between R12 and 13 around 12 stitches away from each other along the front of the seal’s body.
Sew down the next two rounds moving down the flippers to hold them flatter to the body.
Tail:
Pinch the openings of the tail pieces together so that they are flat.
Sew the two tail pieces next to each other and onto the back of the seal (the section that extends outwards) between R14 and 15.
Snout:
Sew the snout onto R8 through R11 between the eyes. When you’re 75% of the way done with sewing on the snout, add stuffing before sewing on the rest of the snout.
Congratulations! You finished your seal!
Thank you so much for following along with my pattern! I hope you enjoyed making this little seal. Please feel free to contact me if you have any questions or if you find any mistakes.
If you do post your seal, I love seeing the plushies you make! Follow and tag my socials! Instagram, Tik Tok, YouTube: @themaryjay
Want to make a bigger seal?
Ready for your next project? Find more free patterns here !
You can also find more patterns in my shop or on my Patreon!