Free Whale Shark Amigurumi Pattern – Easy Crochet Tutorial

Last Updated on June 3, 2025 by Holly Lanier

I’m so excited to share this easy, beginner-friendly, FREE whale shark amigurumi pattern with you today! When I first designed Jonah, I had no idea how popular and well-loved he would be. His pattern has amassed hundreds of positive reviews and dozens of social media posts showing the finished product. I hope this pattern can continue to bring joy and relaxing crochet time to many more people!

Meet Jonah the Whale Shark! Being the world’s largest fish can sometimes feel like a big responsibility but Jonah finds that going for a long, slow swim helps him relax. Jonah just keeps smiling no matter what and he’s always the first to lift up and encourage a friend.

You can purchase a printable, ad-free, beautifully formatted, concise version of this whale shark amigurumi pattern in my shop HERE. Otherwise, please keep scrolling down for the free version!

Disclaimer: Some links in this free whale shark amigurumi pattern may be affiliate links. Affiliate links are a way for me to make a small commission on certain products at no extra cost to you!

Materials You Need to Make This Free Whale Shark Amigurumi

• Worsted-weight yarn (4-ply) in blue and white. (The U.K. equivalent is Aran, and AUS/NZ is 8 ply.) For my whale shark, I used Hobby Lobby’s I Love This Yarn in the colors “Stonewash” and “White“.
• G (4 mm) crochet hook
• 12 mm black safety eyes
• Fiberfill (or your stuffing of choice) 
• Bent tip tapestry needle
• Scissors 
• Stitch marker 
• Straight pins

Abbreviation Key

Abbreviations are in U.S. terms.

• sc – single crochet
• st/sts – stitch(es)
• sl st – slip stitch
• dec – decrease (join the next 2 stitches together)
• inc – increase (2 single crochet in the next stitch)
• R1 – round 1
• rep – repeat
• ** – repeat the group of instructions between the asterisks the number of times indicated.

Note:  All rounds are worked continuously (that is, vs. joined rounds.) 

The finished size is approximately 7 in. (18 cm.) long. (Please be aware that your personal gauge, tension, hook size, and the brand of yarn you decide to use will all impact the finished size.)

The pattern and images in this document are the sole property of Storyland Amis. This written pattern is for personal use only. Please do not share, sell, or redistribute it in whole or part.

You MAY sell the finished product, but please credit Storyland Amis as the designer. If you sell your finished items online, I would appreciate it if you could link them to my blog! You may not mass-produce items made from this pattern. Thank you for your understanding and respect.

Important Additional Info

Starting round: When starting my crochet pieces in the round, I always use the “ch 2 method.” That is perfectly fine if you prefer to start your pieces using the magic circle/ring instead. These two methods are interchangeable, and the end result will be the same regardless of your choice. Watch this short video to learn how to start with the “ch 2 method”.

Right vs. wrong side: When working in the round, I always crochet with the “right” side of the stitches facing out. Watch my short video to see the difference between the “right” and “wrong” side of crochet stitches.

Yarn under vs. yarn over: I always yarn under (YU) instead of yarn over (YO) for all my amigurumi. Doing YO might make your amigurumi slightly larger than mine, so keep that in mind if you prefer YO. Watch my video on the differences between yarn under and yarn over.

Sewing pieces together: I sew all my pieces together using the whipstitch unless otherwise specified.

Stuffing: Check out my short video on how to stuff pieces properly here.

Color changes: Insert hook into last st of round or section with old color, yarn over & pull hook through st. Take your new color of yarn, yarn over & pull hook through remaining 2 loops on hook. Now you’re ready to start the new round or section. Check out my video on color changes here.

Free Whale Shark Amigurumi Pattern

Body (using bluish gray yarn)

R1: ch 13, starting in 2^nd ch from hook, sc 12, now rotate your work 180 degrees and work in the front loops of the ch, starting in the first front loop, sc 12 (24 sts)

(See pic. #1). This is called starting your work with a foundation chain and is a great way to start a piece you want to be more oval than round. After crocheting through the top loops of the chain, you turn your work upside down so that the sts you just crocheted are at the bottom and the front/bottom loops of the chain are now at the top. These are the sts you will now work into. Once you’re at the end of the row, the first round is complete! Now you just continue as you normally would working in the round. Watch this video to learn how to crochet into a foundation chain.

R2: inc, sc 9, inc 3, sc 9, inc 2 (30 sts)

R3: sc in all 30 sts (30 sts)

R4: sc 1, inc, sc 9, *sc 1, inc* rep 3 times, sc 9, *sc 1, inc* rep 2 times (36 sts)

R5: sc in all 36 sts (36 sts)

R6: sc 2, inc, sc 9, *sc 2, inc* rep 3 times, sc 9, *sc 2, inc* rep 2 times (42 sts)

R7-14: sc in all 42 sts (8 rounds total at 42 sts each)

Adding the Eyes

Stop and insert your 12mm safety eyes between R3 & 4 of the head, 14 sts apart (Hint: insert the 1st eye. Count 14 sts from the hole where you inserted the 1st eye and insert the 2nd eye. See pic. #2.)

R15: dec, sc 19, dec, sc 19 (40 sts)

R16: dec, sc 18, dec, sc 18 (38 sts)

R17: sc in all 38 sts (38 sts)

R18: dec, sc 17, dec, sc 17 (36 sts)

R19: sc in all 36 sts (36 sts)

R20: dec, sc 16, dec, sc 16 (34 sts)

R21: sc in all 34 sts (34 sts)

R22: dec, sc 15, dec, sc 15 (32 sts)

R23: dec, sc 14, dec, sc 14 (30 sts)

R24: sc in all 30 sts (30 sts)

R25: dec, sc 13, dec, sc 13 (28 sts)

R26: sc in all 28 sts (28 sts)

R27: dec, sc 12, dec, sc 12 (26 sts)

R28: sc in all 26 sts (26 sts)

Stop and begin to stuff the body (see pic. #3). Do not stuff too firmly as we want our whale shark to maintain a somewhat flat shape as seen in pic. #4. Continue stuffing as you work.

R29: dec, sc 11, dec, sc 11 (24 sts)

R30: *sc 2, dec* rep 6 times (18 sts)

R31: sc in all 18 sts (18 sts)

R32: *sc 1, dec* rep 6 times (12 sts)

R33: sc in all 12 sts (12 sts)

R34: *dec* rep 6 times (6 sts)

Finish off leaving a tail for sewing (see pic. #5). Neatly sew the hole closed. Watch this video to learn how to neatly sew a hole closed.

Belly (using white yarn)

Belly is worked entirely in rows rather than rounds (see pic. #6)

R1: ch 13, starting in 2^nd ch from hook, sc 12, ch 1, turn

R2: inc, sc 10, inc (14 sts) ch 1, turn

R3: sc 1, inc, sc 10, inc, sc 1 (16 sts) ch 1, turn

R4: sc in all 16 sts (16 sts) ch 1, turn

R5: inc, sc 14, inc (18 sts) ch 1, turn

R6-8: sc in all 18 sts (3 rows total at 18 sts each) ch 1, turn

R9: inc, sc 16, inc (20 sts) ch 1, turn

R10-14: sc in all 20 sts (5 rows total at 20 sts each) ch 1, turn

R15: dec, sc 16, dec (18 sts) ch 1, turn

R16: sc in all 18 sts (18 sts) ch 1, turn

R17: dec, sc 14, dec (16 sts) ch 1, turn

R18-19: sc in all 16 sts (2 rows total at 16 sts each) ch 1, turn

R20: dec, sc 12, dec (14 sts) ch 1, turn

R21-22: sc in all 14 sts (2 rows total at 14 sts each) ch 1, turn

R23: dec, sc 10, dec (12 sts) ch 1, turn

R24-25: sc in all 12 sts (2 rows total at 12 sts each) ch 1, turn

R26: dec, sc 8, dec (10 sts) ch 1, turn

R27-28: sc in all 10 sts (2 rows total at 10 sts each) ch 1, turn

R29: dec, sc 6, dec (8 sts) ch 1, turn

R30: sc in all 8 sts (8 sts) ch 1, turn

R31: dec, sc 4, dec (6 sts) ch 1, turn

R32: dec, sc 2, dec (4 sts) ch 1, turn

R33: sc in all 4 sts (4 sts) ch 1, turn

R34: *dec* rep 2 times (2 sts)

Sewing the Belly to the Body

Finish off leaving a long yarn tail for sewing. Place the belly piece on the bottom of your whale shark and use straight pins to make sure it stays in place while you are sewing it on (see pic. #8).

Sew all the way around the outer edge of the belly piece to the whale shark body (see pics. #9 and #10).

When you are finished, make a knot to secure the sewing and weave the remaining tail into the body to finish (see pic. #11).

Embroidering the body details (using white yarn)

It’s time for us to embroider the white detail on the back of our whale shark. We will first embroider the larger stripes all the way down the body and then embroider the smaller stripes under the large ones halfway down the body.

Take some white yarn and your tapestry needle and embroider staight stitches horizontally across the back. Each white stitch will be two single crochet stitches wide and spaced one stitch apart from each other (see first 3 images in pic. #12). Each row of white stitches will be three rows apart from each other (see last 3 images in pic. #12). I ended up with 11 rows of large white stitches on my whale shark.

When you have embroidered all the way down the body take some more white yarn and underneath the 2^nd, 3^rd, 4^th, and 5^th large white stitch rows, embroider smaller stitches in between the rounds directly underneath the large white stitches. These smaller stitches should be one stitch wide, spaced one stitch apart from each other (see pics. #13 & #14).

Side fins (make 2 using bluish gray yarn)

R1: ch 2, starting in 2^nd ch from hook, sc 4 (4 sts) (you can use the magic circle/ring if you prefer as it won’t make a difference in the end. Watch this video to see how to start crocheting in the round using the “ch 2 method”.)

R2: inc, sc 2, inc (6 sts)

R3: inc, sc 4, inc (8 sts)

R4: inc, sc 6, inc (10 sts)

R5: inc, sc 8, inc (12 sts)

R6: inc, sc 10, inc (14 sts)

R7: inc, sc 12, inc (16 sts)

R8: inc, sc 14, inc (18 sts)

R9: inc, sc 16, inc (20 sts)

Finish off leaving a long yarn tail for sewing (see pic. #15). Do not stuff.

Taking some white yarn, embroider some stitches over the top of the side fins to match the ones on the back of the whale shark (see pic. #16).

Place the fins on either side of the body over R12-22 approx. (see pics. #17, #18, & #19) just above the white belly piece.

Pin the fins to the sides of the body so that they don’t shift around while sewing them on.

You will sew the bottom of the fin to the outer edge of the white belly piece as seen in pic. #20. Sew the fins on (see pic. #21).

When finished, knot the ends to secure and weave the remaining tails into the body.

Small back fin (using bluish gray yarn)

R1: ch 2, starting in 2^nd ch from hook, sc 4 (4 sts)

R2: inc, sc 2, inc (6 sts)

R3: inc, sc 4, inc (8 sts)

R4: inc, sc 6, inc (10 sts)

Finish off leaving a long yarn tail for sewing (pic. #23). Do not stuff. Set aside until we finish the large back fin.

Large back fin (using bluish gray yarn)

R1: ch 2, starting in 2^nd ch from hook, sc 4 (4 sts)

R2: inc, sc 2, inc (6 sts)

R3: inc, sc 4, inc (8 sts)

R4: inc, sc 6, inc (10 sts)

R5: inc, sc 8, inc (12 sts)

Finish off leaving a long yarn tail for sewing (see pic. #23). Do not stuff.

Place the large fin over R18-24 of the back of the body and pin it in place. Then, place the small fin over R26-31 of the body and pin it in place (see pic. #24).

Now, sew the fins to the body using your yarn tails and tapestry needle (see pic. #25).

When finished, knot the ends to secure and weave in all ends (see pic. #26).

R1: ch 2, starting in 2^nd ch from hook, sc 4 (4 sts)

R2: inc, sc 2, inc (6 sts)

R3: inc, sc 4, inc (8 sts)

R4: inc, sc 6, inc (10 sts)

R5: inc, sc 8, inc (12 sts)

R6: dec, sc 8, dec (10 sts)

Finish off leaving long tail for sewing ( pic. #27). Do not stuff. Set aside until we make the large tail fin piece.

Large tail fin piece (using bluish gray yarn)

R1: ch 2, 4 sc in 2^nd ch from hook (4 sts)

R2: inc, sc 2, inc (6 sts)

R3: sc in all 6 sts (6 sts)

R4: inc, sc 4, inc (8 sts)

R5: inc, sc 6, inc (10 sts)

R6: sc in all 10 sts (10 sts)

R7: inc, sc 8, inc (12 sts)

R8: inc, sc 10, inc (14 sts)

R9: dec, sc 10, dec (12 sts)

R10: dec, sc 8, dec (10 sts)

R11: dec, sc 6, dec (8 sts)

Finish off leaving a long yarn tail for sewing (see pic. #27). Do not stuff.

Sewing the Tail Fins to the Body

Watch this video to learn how I sewed the LARGE tail fin on.

Watch this video to learn how I sewed the SMALL tail fin on.

Place the large tail fin over R33-34 of the body approx. (see pic. #28).

Pin it into place so that it stays put and sew it to the body (see pic. #29). When finished, knot the end to secure and weave the remaining tail into the body.

Now, place the small tail fin piece up against the large tail fin piece with the decreases from R6 facing down. The opening of the small tail piece will be placed against the bottom of the large tail piece (see pics. #30 & #31).

Pin it to the large tail piece to keep it in place, then sew it on (see pic. #32). When finished, knot the end to secure the sewing and weave the remaining tail into the body.

Congratulations—you’re done! I hope you enjoyed making this free whale shark amigurumi crochet pattern. I would love to see pictures of your finished project!

If you make this free whale shark amigurumi crochet pattern, share your creations with me via social media or email me directly! You can find me on Instagram (@storyland_amis) and Facebook (Storyland Amis).

Thanks for stopping by! Until next time, then – stay crafty!

Want to crochet more sea creatures like this free whale shark amigurumi pattern? Check out my FREE jellyfish crochet pattern, complete with a full-length video tutorial!