Sharks get such a fierce reputation, but hand me a hook and some grey yarn and I will show you the cuddliest creatures in the sea. A handmade crochet shark is all round belly, tiny fins and goofy grin — the ocean's most famous predator, reimagined as a soft toy your little ones will drag everywhere. Whether it is Shark Week, a baby shower with an under-the-sea theme, or simply a Tuesday that needs cheering up, a shark plushie is always the right answer.
So here are twenty of my favourite shark designs for you, every single one genuinely free: palm-sized keychains and a baby shark with his own bottle, three brilliant hammerheads, two gentle whale sharks, a giant pillow for the sofa and even a tiny shark floating in a jar. I have noted the yarn, the finished size and the honest little details for each one as we go. Pick your favourite, raid the yarn stash, and let's go shark spotting.
1. Sheldon the Shark, Small Enough to Hold in One Hand
We are starting small and perfect: Sheldon the Shark from Nicole Chase, a palm-sized amigurumi who finishes about three and a half inches tall and five inches long in worsted weight yarn with a 4 mm hook. The clever bit is the construction — the side fins are crocheted right into the body as you work, so there is far less sewing than most plushies, and the tail is built from two little fins joined together. His face is finished with embroidered gills and a zigzag stitched mouth that gives him a cheerful, slightly cheeky expression. The full written pattern is free on her blog with step-by-step photos and a video tutorial to crochet along with, and there is an optional paid ad-free PDF if you prefer printing. Make him in velvet yarn and he turns into the squishiest pocket friend.
Pattern: Sheldon the Shark by Nicole Chase — Get the free pattern
2. Bernard the Ball Shark With the Toothy Grin
ChiWei at One Dog Woof named this one honestly, because Bernard really is a ball with fins — and that round, huggable shape is exactly why children adore him. He works up in worsted weight yarn with a 5 mm hook using less than a skein each of dark grey, light grey and white, and he finishes around six to eight inches across, a proper cuddle size. The devil is in the delightful details: embroidered gill slits, a row of white teeth standing out against the grey, and fins placed just so. The complete pattern is free on her blog with plenty of step photos, and an inexpensive ad-free PDF is available if you want a printable copy.
Pattern: Bernard the Ball Shark by One Dog Woof — Get the free pattern
3. Sharky, the Beginner-Friendly First Shark
If you have never made amigurumi before, Sharky from SeeLoveShare is where I would send you. He is worked from the top of the head down in simple spiral rounds of single crochet — increases, decreases and nothing scarier — in worsted weight yarn with a 5 mm hook, finishing about eight inches long. Five little triangle fins are crocheted separately and sewn on at the end, and the two-tone body gives you that classic grey-back, white-belly shark look without any complicated colour work. The designer cheerfully admits naming things is not her strength, so you are officially invited to rename yours Bruce, Jaws or Fluffy. The full pattern is free on her blog, and finished sharks may be sold at markets as long as you credit her as the designer. A weekend make with a big personality.
Pattern: Sharky the Shark by SeeLoveShare — Get the free pattern
4. A Great White With a Flicked-Up Tail
Sir Purl Grey took her inspiration from the real great white shark, and her amigurumi keeps that sleek torpedo shape while staying thoroughly hug-friendly. The secret is in the shaping: strategic increases and decreases placed side by side near the tail make it flick upward, just like a shark mid-swim. She works him in worsted weight yarn with a 5 mm hook, adds a white belly stripe sewn along the underside, then finishes with dorsal, pectoral and little pelvic fins plus a two-part tail. The complete pattern is free on her blog, and she encourages playing with colour — real sharks come in blues, browns and even spotty patterns, so that variegated skein you never know what to do with finally has a destiny. A lovely make for the shark enthusiast who wants realism with the sharp edges sanded off.
Pattern: Shark Amigurumi by Sir Purl Grey — Get the free pattern
5. The Polished Softie in Sport-Weight Cotton
Cuddly Stitches Craft gives us the most "shop-bought finish" shark of the collection, worked in fine sport-weight cotton — her sample uses YarnArt Jeans — with a tiny 2.5 mm hook for beautifully tight stitches. He finishes about eight and a half inches long, with a separate belly panel sewn on and a tail that is cleverly crocheted as two fins straight from the body, no sewing required. The detail that elevates him is the eye sculpting: the pattern walks you through indenting the safety eyes with a yarn needle so he gets that soulful, lifelike gaze. It is classed as intermediate, mostly for the sculpting and the long, steady rounds. The full pattern is free to follow on her blog, with an optional paid ad-free printable version in her Etsy shop.
Pattern: Shark Softie by Cuddly Stitches Craft — Get the free pattern
6. Jonah the Whale Shark, Spots and All
Whale sharks are the gentle giants of the ocean, and Jonah from Storyland Amis captures their sweet, spotty charm in about seven inches of amigurumi. Holly Lanier starts him with a foundation chain rather than a magic ring, which gives that lovely oval whale shark body right from round one — she even includes a little video help for the first two rounds if the technique is new to you. The body is worked in a soft bluish grey, and the famous white spots are added as you go, so every Jonah comes out with his own unique markings, just like real whale sharks. Fins and two-part tail fins are sewn on at the end with her photo guidance for placement. The complete pattern is free on her blog and genuinely beginner friendly. He would be adorable as the centrepiece of an ocean nursery mobile.
Pattern: Jonah the Whale Shark by Storyland Amis — Get the free pattern
7. A Whale Shark Bag for Beach Days
Not a plushie this time, but a bag shaped like a whale shark — and I cannot get over how cute it is. The Caffeinated Snail designed this little carry-along to hold a phone, wallet and small essentials, worked in her signature amigurumi-meets-accessory style with speckled spots across the back and a wide, friendly whale shark mouth at the front. It is the same size as her popular orca bag, so it is a practical small tote rather than a tiny pouch. The full pattern is free on her blog, and she happily allows you to sell finished bags made from it, as long as the pattern itself is not shared. Take it to the beach, the aquarium or the farmers market and watch strangers smile at your handbag.
Pattern: Whale Shark Bag by The Caffeinated Snail — Get the free pattern
8. The Chunky Baby Shark Plushie
Effi at Gratia Project took her much-loved mini shark pattern and scaled it up in chunky chenille plush yarn with an 8 mm hook, and the result is a gloriously squishy baby shark of about 15 by 15 by 20 centimetres. Her sample is purple, which tells you everything about how playful this make is — classic grey is lovely, but a pastel or purple baby shark is pure joy. The construction is beginner friendly and wonderfully low-sew: the dorsal fin, side fins and tail are all crocheted directly onto the body by inserting your hook into the stitches, so there are no separate pieces to attach. Embroider the eyes and mouth if he is destined for a baby, or use big safety eyes for an older child. The complete pattern is free on her site. One evening, one skein of plush yarn, one very happy small person.
Pattern: Baby Shark Plushie by Gratia Project — Get the free pattern
9. The Big Baby Shark With His Own Bottle
This is the showstopper of the baby sharks: Nadia Lukhlina's design, shared in full on Amigurumi Lovers, makes a baby shark of around 44 centimetres in plush Himalaya Dolphin Baby yarn — and he comes with a crocheted baby bottle to hold. The engineering is remarkable: the mouth is worked as a real open mouth with a pink interior, a tongue, and individual stuffed teeth sewn along the top jaw, while the eyes are fully crocheted with irises, pupils and little eyelids you can pose for different expressions. It is the most advanced make in this collection, so save it for when you are feeling confident, but the pattern spells out every round with photos. The complete pattern is free on the Amigurumi Lovers page. As a baby shower centrepiece, nothing else here comes close.
Pattern: Baby Shark by Nadia Lukhlina at Amigurumi Lovers — Get the free pattern
10. The 30-Minute Chubby Shark
Short on time? This chubby little shark from Claire Abelle Makes works up in about half an hour, and he might be the roundest thing I have ever loved. The body is a simple plump sphere in grey and white worsted yarn, and the fins are crocheted straight onto the finished body — a few chains, a double crochet, a treble — so there is no sewing at all. Add a jump ring through the top fin and he becomes a keychain or bag charm; make him in blanket yarn instead and the same pattern gives you a squishy plush toy. The full written pattern is free on her blog, with a video to follow along. These are perfect craft fair makes and party favours: quick, stash-busting, and dangerously easy to make in batches of ten. Doo doo doo doo doo doo, as the song insists.
Pattern: Chubby Shark Amigurumi by Claire Abelle Makes — Get the free pattern
11. One Base, Three Sea Friends: the Shark Keyring
Lisa Auch is the queen of the clever quick make, and this 3-in-1 pattern proves it: one simple base body becomes a shark, an orca or a whale, depending only on your colours and whether you add the top fin. Worked in grey and white with the little dorsal fin and embroidered side stripes, the shark version makes a keyring of about six to eight centimetres in DK or aran yarn — or switch to chunky blanket yarn and the same pattern gives you a soft 10 to 14 centimetre plushie. The fins are join-as-you-go or surface crocheted, so sewing is minimal, and the keyring threads straight through the top fin. The complete pattern is free on her site and properly beginner friendly. Make the whole set of three for an ocean-loving friend.
Pattern: Shark Keychain (3-in-1 Sea Creatures) by Lisa Auch Crochet — Get the free pattern
12. A Shark in a Jar (Yes, Really)
The most whimsical make in the whole collection: Bsquare Crochet's Shark in a Jar, where a tiny sport-weight shark is suspended on a thread inside a mason jar so he appears to float, with sand and little rocks arranged at the bottom. The shark himself is a quick, simple amigurumi — body, tail shaping, a folded-circle dorsal fin and two side fins — and the magic is all in the presentation, with hand-drawn fish and seaweed added to the glass if you like. She designed him for Shark Week, and as desk décor or a gift for the shark fan who has everything, he is unbeatable. The complete pattern is free on her blog, jar instructions and all.
Pattern: Shark in a Jar by Bsquare Crochet — Get the free pattern
13. The Flat-and-Fabulous Ragdoll Shark
Jillian Hewitt at Spin a Yarn Crochet is famous for her ragdoll patterns — flat pieces worked in rows and joined together for a distinctive two-dimensional look — and her shark is a perfect example. In fine yarn with a 1.75 mm hook he finishes about three and a half inches tall, just right for a bag charm or crib mobile, but the real fun is scaling him: worsted weight makes a cuddly toy, and bulky yarn gives you a squishy pillow-sized shark. Six flat pieces, optional felt teeth and the sweetest blushing cheeks in the business. The pattern is free on her blog, and an inexpensive ad-free PDF is available if you prefer to print.
Pattern: Shark Amigurumi by Spin a Yarn Crochet — Get the free pattern
14. The Ragdoll Hammerhead
Same beloved ragdoll style, but this time Jillian tackles the hammerhead, and that famous T-shaped head works brilliantly as a flat panel design. Nine separate pieces — body panels built up from the tail, a white belly patch appliquéd on, pectoral fins and a dorsal fin sandwiched between the panels as you crochet around — finish at about 18 centimetres in light weight yarn with a 2.75 mm hook. The assembly is honestly half the fun: the eyes and stitched mouth go in before the final stuffing, and the hammer corners get a neat little chain detail. The full pattern is free on Spin a Yarn Crochet, with an optional inexpensive PDF in her shop. If you make only one hammerhead from this list, this is the characterful one.
Pattern: Hammerhead Shark by Spin a Yarn Crochet — Get the free pattern
15. The Giant Shark Pillow for Shark Week Sofas
We are going big now: Jillian's Shark Pillow, worked in Bernat Blanket yarn with a 6 mm hook, finishes around 23 inches tall and is quite possibly the best Shark Week watching companion ever designed. The front panel is a piece of colourwork art — ocean waves at the bottom, a white face, and a wide red mouth into which you sew two long strips of pointed white teeth before joining the panels. The eyes are separate little cushions sewn between the layers as you crochet around, which gives him a wonderfully surprised expression. The complete pattern is free on her blog, with an optional ad-free PDF available. Use worsted yarn instead and he shrinks into an accent cushion, but honestly? Go giant.
Pattern: Shark Pillow by Spin a Yarn Crochet — Get the free pattern
16. Elisa's Little Hammerhead in Worsted Yarn
Elisa Sartori loves a hammerhead so much she has designed two, and this first one, from Elisa's Crochet, is the classic amigurumi version: a grey hammerhead worked in worsted weight yarn with a 3.5 mm hook, with turquoise and black accents, separate pectoral and dorsal fins sewn on between marked rounds, and the sweetest wide-set eyes at either end of the hammer. The shaping is simpler than it looks — the head is built into the body rounds — so confident beginners can absolutely manage it. The complete pattern is free on her blog, where it has been charming makers since 2019. At desk-toy size he makes a brilliant gift for shark fans and marine biology students alike. Every collection needs a classic, and this is ours.
Pattern: Hammerhead Shark by Elisa’s Crochet — Get the free pattern
17. Holly the Hammerhead, Big and Super-Bulky
And here is Elisa's second hammerhead, Holly, who could not be more different: she is worked in super bulky Wool-Ease Thick & Quick with a 7 mm hook, so she grows fast and finishes a gloriously huggable 16 inches long. Where the little hammerhead is a desk toy, Holly is a cuddle plush — soft, warm and substantial, with the same friendly hammer silhouette scaled right up. The pattern is rated easy and suits anyone with a little amigurumi experience; the free version is published in full on her blog, and an optional ad-free PDF with extra photos is available if you like a printable. In the slate grey she is shown in, Holly looks like a designer soft toy from a very expensive children's boutique.
Pattern: Holly the Hammerhead Shark by Elisa’s Crochet — Get the free pattern
18. A Hammerhead Built From Granny Squares
The most inventive construction in this entire collection comes from Manatee Squares, whose hammerhead shark is built around granny squares — the head begins as joined squares, and the body is crocheted directly onto them. If you are a granny square devotee, watching a flat motif turn into a three-dimensional hammerhead feels like a magic trick: the decreases are placed at the edges to shape the hammer, the eyes sit in the corner spaces, and the fins are simple shaped pieces attached to finish. An embroidered black smile completes his cheerful expression. The complete pattern is free on the Manatee Squares blog, written with the kind of careful row-by-row notes motif crocheters will appreciate. It is a wonderful stash-buster too, since the squares welcome oddments of grey and white.
Pattern: Hammerhead Shark Amigurumi by Manatee Squares — Get the free pattern
19. Zeke the Land Shark, the Shark With Legs
Kati at Hooked by Kati asked a dangerous question — what if a shark had legs? — and Zeke the Land Shark is the glorious answer: a standing, prowling shark plush of about 12 inches long and 8 inches tall, inspired by her teething puppy and a certain comic-book land shark. He is an advanced make and proud of it: the body starts inside the mouth, where two full rows of pointed teeth are crocheted directly into the work so there is no sewing them in, and short rounds sculpt the forehead and cheeks into a proper grin before the legs, tongue and belly patch are attached. The full pattern is free on her blog; a Premium Pattern 2.0 PDF with extensive photo tutorials is available if you want extra guidance, and she does recommend it for the leg placement. As a gift for a geeky shark lover, Zeke is unmatched.
Pattern: Zeke the Land Shark by Hooked by Kati — Get the free pattern
20. The Shark Appliqué for Blankets and Beach Bags
We are finishing flat: Maria's Blue Crayon's shark appliqué, a quick little motif worked in rows in worsted weight yarn with a 4 mm hook, complete with top fin, side fin, white underbelly and a stitched mouth and gills. Flat appliqués are the most versatile things in crochet — sew this shark onto a baby blanket, a beach bag, a plain t-shirt, a cushion or a nursery wall hanging and he instantly turns it into an ocean scene. He comes from her much-loved Ocean Blanket series, and the appliqué itself is free in full on her blog, so you can make a whole shiver of sharks in an evening — yes, a group of sharks really is called a shiver. One in every colour of the sea would make the sweetest bunting for a child's bedroom. Small motif, endless possibilities.
Pattern: Shark Appliqué by Maria’s Blue Crayon — Get the free pattern
Conclusion
And that is twenty sharks, my friend — keychain minis and a giant sofa pillow, baby sharks with bottles and a land shark with legs, gentle whale sharks and three very different hammerheads, every single one free and every single one far too cute to be scary. If you are new to amigurumi, start with Sharky, the chubby keychain shark or Effi's no-sew baby shark plushie; if you are ready for a showpiece, Nadia's big baby shark or Kati's Zeke will keep your hook happily busy. My best tip: make the small ones in batches, because the moment anyone sees your first finished shark, they will ask for one of their own.
Now tell me — are you team tiny keychain shark or team giant pillow shark, and which of these twenty is going on your hook first? I read every comment, and I cannot wait to see your makes!
