Rust Ebi Crochet Hand Puppet Free Pattern

Introduction

Meet the Rust Ebi, a cheerful little shrimp hand puppet that is as fun to make as it is to play with. This pattern is written for beginner crocheters who are comfortable with single crochet and working in the round, and it uses only the most basic stitches from start to finish. The body is a simple straight tube in warm rust cotton, broken up by four forest green stripes near the tail end, with a short green cuff framing the mouth opening. Worked in worsted weight cotton, it comes out soft, sturdy, and about 8 inches long, which is just right for a child's hand or a playful story-time prop.

Materials Needed

• Yarn: Worsted weight (category 4) cotton yarn, approximately 120 yards total: 80 yards rust (Color A) and 40 yards forest green (Color B).
• Hook: 4.0 mm (US G-6) crochet hook.
• Notions: Stitch marker, tapestry needle, scissors, and a small amount of polyester fiberfill (optional, only if you want the tail slightly puffed).
• Finished size: Approximately 8 inches (20 cm) long and 4 inches (10 cm) wide at the mouth.

Abbreviations

• A / B: Color A (rust) and Color B (forest green).
• MR: Magic ring — an adjustable loop you crochet your first stitches into.
• sc: Single crochet — insert hook, yarn over, pull up a loop, yarn over, pull through both loops.
• inc: Increase — work 2 single crochet stitches into the same stitch.
• sts: Stitches.
• R / Rnd: Round — one complete circle of stitches worked in continuous spirals.

Gauge

16 single crochet stitches x 18 rows = 4 inches (10 cm). To check, crochet a small flat swatch in single crochet and measure a 4-inch section; if you have more stitches than 16, go up a hook size, and if you have fewer, go down.

Tips Before You Start

• Work in continuous spirals without joining rounds, and move your stitch marker up at the start of each round so you never lose your place.
• Change colors on the last yarn-over of the final stitch of a round so the new color begins cleanly at the start of the next round.
• Keep your tension even and slightly firm; a loose tube will flop instead of holding the puppet shape.
• Leave the starting yarn tails long enough to weave in securely, since the inside of a puppet gets handled a lot.

Step-by-Step Instructions

Body (Color A, then stripes)

Rnd 1: MR, 6 sc (6 sts).
Rnd 2: inc x6 (12 sts).
Rnd 3: [sc, inc] x6 (18 sts).
Rnd 4: [2 sc, inc] x6 (24 sts).
Rnds 5-20: sc in each st around (24 sts).
Change to B.
Rnds 21-24: sc in each st around (24 sts).
Change to A.
Rnds 25-28: sc in each st around (24 sts).
Change to B.
Rnds 29-32: sc in each st around (24 sts).
Change to A.
Rnds 33-36: sc in each st around (24 sts).
Change to B.
Rnds 37-40: sc in each st around (24 sts).
Change to A.
Rnds 41-44: sc in each st around (24 sts). Do not fasten off.

Mouth Opening (Color A)

Rnd 45: sc in each st around (24 sts).
Rnds 46-48: sc in each st around (24 sts).
Fasten off and weave in the end.

Cuff (Color B)

Join B at the mouth edge.
Rnd 1: sc in each st around (24 sts).
Rnds 2-3: sc in each st around (24 sts).
Fasten off and weave in the end.

Tail (Color A, then stripes)

Rnd 1: MR, 4 sc (4 sts).
Rnd 2: inc x4 (8 sts).
Rnds 3-6: sc in each st around (8 sts).
Change to B.
Rnds 7-8: sc in each st around (8 sts).
Change to A.
Rnds 9-10: sc in each st around (8 sts).
Change to B.
Rnds 11-12: sc in each st around (8 sts).
Fasten off, leaving a long tail for sewing.

Assembly and Finishing

Turn the body inside out and weave in all color-change ends securely. Turn it right side out. Pin the open end of the tail to the closed starting end of the body, centering it, then sew it in place with the long tail of yarn using small, even stitches all the way around. Weave in the remaining ends. If you like, add a tiny pinch of fiberfill to the tail before closing it for a slightly rounded look. Block lightly by misting with water and shaping the puppet flat to dry; this helps the mouth opening and cuff sit neatly.

Pro Tips and Variations

• Swap the rust and green for any two contrasting colors to make a different shrimp or a seasonal puppet.
• Add a small embroidered eye or two on the side of the body for extra character.
• Make the tail longer by adding a few more straight rounds before fastening off for a bigger, floppier shrimp.