Squirtle Crochet Pattern: 9 Free Amigurumi Patterns (2026)
There is something about that smug little grin and those tiny curled fists. Squirtle has been stealing hearts since 1996, and it turns out the round head, chunky shell and stubby limbs make it an almost perfect amigurumi shape. If you have been hunting for a Squirtle crochet pattern that is genuinely free — not a teaser that dumps you on a paid PDF — you are in the right place.
We have gathered nine free Squirtle crochet patterns from the designers who actually created them, ranging from a beginner-friendly low-sew version you can finish in an evening to a nine-inch cuddly plush. Every single link below goes straight to the original creator’s own website, so they get the visit, the credit and the traffic they deserve. Along the way we will cover the yarn, hooks and skills you need so your Squirtle turns out crisp rather than lumpy.
In a hurry? For your first Squirtle crochet pattern, start with the low-sew version from 53 Stitches — the body is worked in one piece, so there is almost no assembly. Want a big huggable one instead? Go straight to Crochet Cache’s 9-inch Squirtle.
Why Squirtle makes such a good amigurumi project
Amigurumi rewards simple, rounded shapes, and Squirtle is essentially a stack of spheres. The head is a ball. The body is a slightly smaller ball. The shell is two flat-ish circles. Even the tail is just a spiral. There are no fiddly ears, no long thin legs that flop, and no complicated shaping.
That makes a Squirtle crochet pattern an ideal step up if you have finished a few basic projects and want something recognisable. It is also a fantastic gift — Pokémon spans about four generations of fans now, so a handmade Squirtle lands equally well with a seven-year-old and a thirty-seven-year-old.
If you catch the bug, the same skills carry straight over to our Pikachu crochet pattern and free Eevee amigurumi pattern.
Materials: the best yarn and hook for a Squirtle crochet pattern
Yarn weight decides your Squirtle’s size
Here is what the designers in this roundup actually used, which is the fastest way to picture how big your finished Squirtle will be:
| Yarn | Hook | Finished size | Pattern |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cotton 8/4 | 2.5 mm | ~5″ / 12 cm | Loops by Kat |
| DK (8 ply) | 3.0 mm | Small desk size | 53 Stitches |
| DK | 3.0 mm | ~2.75″ | Gratia Project |
| Worsted | 3.75 mm (F) | ~4.5″ | i crochet things |
| Worsted | 4.0 mm | ~5″ | Knot Bad |
| Worsted | 4.5 mm | ~9–9.5″ | Crochet Cache |
| Bulky | 5.0 mm | Chunky plush | 53 Stitches (low sew) |
Smooth acrylic or cotton is your friend here. Both show crisp stitch definition, which is exactly what you want for amigurumi. Avoid fuzzy, bouclé or chenille yarns for a first attempt — they hide your stitches, which sounds forgiving but actually makes it impossible to see where you went wrong.
Go down a hook size, not up
This is the number one rule of amigurumi and the reason most first attempts look sad. Use a hook one to two sizes smaller than the yarn label recommends. Worsted yarn that normally wants a 5.0 mm hook should be worked at 3.75–4.0 mm.
The reason is simple: you are creating a fabric dense enough that polyester stuffing cannot poke through. Hold your work up to a lamp — if light comes through the stitches, your Squirtle will look fuzzy and stuffed rather than smooth and solid. Tight amigurumi is hard on your hands, so a hook with a decent grip genuinely helps; our guide to the best crochet hooks covers what to look for.
The colours you will need
- Light blue — head, body, arms, legs and tail. Your main colour, so buy the most of this.
- Cream, beige or butter — the belly and the underside of the shell.
- Brown — the shell back.
- White — the rim that separates the shell from the belly, and often the eyes.
- Black — for embroidering the mouth and pupils if you are not using safety eyes.
Squirtle needs very little of the accent colours, which makes it a brilliant stash-busting project. One skein of blue plus scraps will usually do it.
Safety eyes and the face
Most patterns here call for 6–12 mm safety eyes, scaled to your yarn weight — 6 mm for a tiny DK version, 12 mm for a worsted 5-incher. Insert them before you stuff and close the head, because they are permanent once the washer is on.
Making this for a baby or toddler? Skip safety eyes entirely and embroider the face with black yarn instead. It takes ten extra minutes and removes a genuine choking hazard. Some designers, including 53 Stitches, use felt eyes instead, which gives you that flat cartoon look and is equally child-safe.
You will also need polyester fibrefill for stuffing, a yarn needle for assembly, and stitch markers — and you genuinely cannot skip the stitch markers, because amigurumi is worked in a continuous spiral with no join to show you where the round begins.
Skills to have before you start
None of these are hard, and all of them take about ten minutes to learn:
- The magic circle. Every piece of Squirtle starts with one. It closes the hole at the centre so no stuffing shows. Here is how to crochet a magic circle if you have not made one before.
- Single crochet in a spiral. Almost the entire body is single crochet worked round and round without joining.
- Increases and decreases. The invisible decrease is the single upgrade that most improves how amigurumi looks — ordinary decreases leave visible bumps across the head.
- Colour changes. Needed for the belly and shell rim. Keep them neat and the shell edge looks razor sharp.
- Sewing pieces together. Unless you pick a low-sew pattern, you will attach arms, legs, tail and shell. Pin everything first with stitch markers, look at it from all sides, and only then sew.
9 free Squirtle crochet patterns from their original designers
Every pattern below is free on the designer’s own site. Please visit them directly rather than looking for reuploads — these makers give their work away, and traffic is how they keep doing it.
1. Low Sew Squirtle by 53 Stitches — best for beginners
If assembly is the part of amigurumi you dread, this is your pattern. The entire body is worked in one piece, leaving only the shell and tail to attach. Alex Robinson offers it in two sizes: a mini in DK on a 3.0 mm hook, or a chunky plush in bulky yarn on a 5.0 mm hook. It uses colour changes and popcorn stitches, so it is pitched at confident beginners rather than absolute first-timers — and there are tutorial video links throughout.
→ Get the free Low Sew Squirtle pattern at 53 Stitches
2. Easy Squirtle by 53 Stitches — the classic beginner build
The original 53 Stitches Squirtle, and one of the longest-standing free Pokémon patterns on the internet — the blog has been running since 2014. Worked in DK on a 3.0 mm hook with 10 mm safety eyes and felt detailing, it is explicitly described as a great project for beginners, with step-by-step assembly photos that make the shell construction obvious.
→ Get the free Easy Squirtle pattern at 53 Stitches
3. Squirtle by Crochet Cache — best for a big cuddly plush
At roughly 9 to 9.5 inches tall, this is by far the largest Squirtle in the roundup and the one to make if you want something properly huggable rather than a shelf ornament. Worked in worsted weight on a 4.5 mm hook in blue, almond, white and brown, it is rated intermediate and comes with generous progress photos and assembly tips. Crochet Cache also permits selling finished items with credit, which not every designer does.
→ Get the free Squirtle pattern at Crochet Cache
4. Squirtle Amigurumi by i crochet things — the reliable 4.5″ classic
A genuine veteran of the free-pattern world, first published in 2014 and still going strong. It finishes at 4.5 inches using worsted weight yarn and an F (3.75 mm) hook, in light blue, beige, brown, white and black. Rated easy, and available as a PDF on Ravelry as well as free on the blog. Note that this designer asks that you do not sell items made from the pattern.
→ Get the free Squirtle Amigurumi pattern at i crochet things
5. Crochet Squirtle by Knot Bad — friendliest sharing terms
Vincent at Knot Bad has produced a tidy 5-inch Squirtle in worsted weight on a 4 mm hook with 12 mm safety eyes, and notes that any hook size works if you want to scale it up or down. What sets this one apart is the clearly stated permission: you may sell finished items provided you credit the pattern and link back to the blog. If you crochet for craft fairs, start here.
→ Get the free Crochet Squirtle pattern at Knot Bad
6. #007 Squirtle by Loops by Kat — best for the full evolution line
Kat works in Hobbii Rainbow cotton 8/4 on a 2.5 mm hook, producing a beautifully crisp 12 cm (5″) sitting Squirtle. The cotton and small hook give exceptional stitch definition. Best of all, she has designed the complete evolution line, so you can carry straight on to Wartortle and Blastoise in a matching style. Suited to crocheters with a little amigurumi experience.
→ Get the free #007 Squirtle pattern at Loops by Kat
7. Squirtle by Gratia Project — fastest make, with video
The quickest project here by some distance: roughly 1–2 hours for a 2.75-inch mini, worked in DK on a 3 mm hook with 6 mm safety eyes. It comes with a step-by-step video tutorial, which makes it a lovely choice if you find written patterns hard to follow, or if you want to make a whole team of tiny Pokémon in a weekend.
→ Get the free Squirtle pattern and video at Gratia Project
8. Squirtle by Tash’s Crochet Patterns — best interactive format
Hosted free on Ribblr as an interactive ePattern rather than a PDF. That means row-by-row progress tracking, built-in stitch tutorials, US/UK term switching and automatic cm-to-inch conversion inside the app — genuinely useful if you tend to lose your place. Tash uses chenille yarn for a soft, velvety finish. Rated intermediate.
→ Get the free Squirtle ePattern on Ribblr
9. Squirtle, Wartortle & Blastoise keychains — best quick gift
A free Ribblr pattern covering all three evolution stages as keychains, with step-by-step instructions and video support. Keychain-scale projects are fast, use almost no yarn, and make excellent party favours or stocking fillers. If you enjoy this scale, browse our other crochet keychain patterns too.
→ Get the free evolution keychain pattern on Ribblr
7 tips for a Squirtle you will be proud of
- Use a stitch marker every single round. Move it up as you go. Amigurumi spirals have no visible seam, and losing your place means counting 40 stitches by eye.
- Stuff firmly, then add more. Under-stuffed amigurumi sags within a week. The head should feel like a stress ball, not a beanbag.
- Stuff in small pieces. Adding fibrefill in little tufts rather than one lump prevents the visible lumps and hollows that show through the fabric.
- Pin before you sew. Attach the arms, legs and shell with stitch markers first, then stand the whole thing on a table and look at it from every angle. Squirtle’s personality lives entirely in the placement of its eyes and arms.
- Set the eyes closer together than feels right. Wide-set eyes read as startled; closer-set eyes give you that cheeky Squirtle smirk.
- Make the shell last. It is the most visible piece, and your tension will be at its most even after you have worked the rest.
- Weave ends into the stuffed body, not along the surface. Push the needle right through the middle and out the other side, then snip flush.
Can you sell a Squirtle you crocheted?
This comes up constantly, and it deserves an honest answer rather than a shrug. There are two separate permissions involved, and you need both.
The pattern designer’s terms. These vary a lot. Knot Bad explicitly allows selling finished items with credit and a link back. Crochet Cache permits it with attribution. i crochet things asks that you do not sell items made from the pattern at all. Always read the designer’s own terms — they are usually a short paragraph at the bottom of the pattern.
Pokémon itself. Squirtle is a trademarked, copyrighted character owned by Nintendo, Creatures Inc. and GAME FREAK. A designer can license you to use their pattern, but nobody except the rights holder can license you to sell Squirtle. Making one for yourself or as a gift is the settled, uncontroversial case. Selling fan-made character merchandise is a legal grey area where rights holders sometimes act, and Nintendo has historically been more protective than most.
None of that is legal advice — just the landscape. Crochet it for the joy of it, gift it freely, and think carefully before building a shop around it.
Squirtle crochet pattern FAQs
Is there a truly free Squirtle crochet pattern?
Yes — all nine patterns in this roundup are published free by their designers on their own websites or on Ribblr. Several also offer optional ad-free PDFs on Ravelry or Etsy, which is a nice way to support them, but the full instructions are genuinely free to read.
How long does it take to crochet a Squirtle?
Anywhere from about an hour to a full weekend. The Gratia Project mini takes 1–2 hours, the low-sew version from 53 Stitches works up in an evening, and the 9-inch Crochet Cache plush will take an experienced crocheter several sessions.
Can a complete beginner make a Squirtle?
An advanced beginner, yes. You need the magic circle, single crochet, increases and decreases — nothing more. Start with a low-sew pattern to skip most of the assembly, which is the part beginners find fiddliest.
What size safety eyes does Squirtle need?
Match them to your yarn: about 6 mm for a DK mini, 10 mm for a mid-size DK build, and 12 mm for a worsted 5-inch Squirtle. For anything going to a child under three, embroider the eyes instead.
Why does my stuffing show through the stitches?
Your hook is too large for your yarn. Drop one or two sizes and work again — amigurumi needs a much denser fabric than a scarf or blanket. Tightening your tension helps too, but the hook is the bigger lever.
Can I make Wartortle and Blastoise too?
You can. Loops by Kat has designed free patterns for all three stages in a matching style, and there is a free Ribblr pattern covering the whole evolution line as keychains. Making the full trio in one yarn range looks fantastic displayed together.
Ready to build your Squirtle Squad?
Whichever Squirtle crochet pattern you pick, the recipe is the same: smooth yarn, a hook a size or two smaller than the label says, firm stuffing, and a bit of patience when you place the eyes. Get those four right and you will end up with a Squirtle that has genuine character — that slightly smug tilt of the head that makes people pick it up and grin.
Start with the low-sew version if you are new to amigurumi, or go straight for the nine-inch plush if you want maximum cuddle. Then keep going: Wartortle, Blastoise, and a whole shelf of Pokémon await.
More amigurumi to try next: our free Eevee crochet pattern, the ever-popular Pikachu amigurumi, an adorable tiny turtle for more shell practice, or a whole roundup of 30 low-sew and no-sew free patterns.
All patterns featured here remain the copyright of their respective designers and are linked to their original sources. Squirtle and Pokémon are trademarks of Nintendo, Creatures Inc. and GAME FREAK Inc. This roundup is an independent fan resource and is not affiliated with or endorsed by them.
