Spring is slowly showing up early here in North Italy, and all I’d like to do is to sit under the sun to warm up and cast off the rest of the winter cold.
I’ve been busy this past months with a new day-job, and apart from Christmas commissions (hello, Baby Yoda!) I haven’t been crocheting much lately.
But last week and old customer commissioned me a couple of cactus, and I just remembered how I loved to crochet this bad boys! I don’t plan: I pretty much grab something that can resemble a pot, some green yarn and a contrasting color and just improvise the type of cactus and the shape. But if you don’t have the skills or the time to do so, just follow these very simple patterns! You can personalise your cactus as you like: add flowers or even change the shape.
They are quick and fun to crochet, and make a very cute gift for any adult, specially those without a green thumb!. They can even be turned on a pin cushion, and we all know how we crocheters need A LOT of pins and needles, right? I can’t be the only one that is always losing them!
Get everything ready? Let’s begin!
MATERIALS
– Yarn for the soil part (brown or the colour of sand), any green yarn and a contrasting color (red, orange, dark pink and purple work best)
– A 3’5 mm hook, or the most fitting hook for your yarn
– A small pot or cup to hold the cactus (I’ve used two plastic cups for finger food I had sitting at home)
– Stuffing
– Tapestry needle, stitch marker and ball-point pins
ABBREVIATIONS (American terms)
sc = single crochet
inc = increase
dec = decrease
sts = stitches
PATTERN
SOIL (for a 4’5 cm diameter pot or slightly larger, crocheting with a 3’5 mm hook)
R1: 6 sc in magic ring (6 sts)
R2: (1 inc)x6 (12 sts)
R3: (1 sc, 1 inc)x6 (18 sts)
R4: (2 sc, 1 inc)x6 (24 sts)
R5: (3 sc, 1 inc)x6 (30 sts)
R6: (4 sc, 1 inc)x6 (36 sts)
R7-10: sc even (36 sts)
R11: (4 sc, 1 dec)x6 (30 sts)
R12: (3 sc, 1 dec)x6 (24 sts)
R13: (2 sc, 1 dec)x6 (18 sts). Start stuffing
R14: (1 sc, 1 dec)x6 (12 sts)
R15: (1 dec)x6 (6 sts). Finish stuffing and sew hole. Weave in ends.
If you have a larger pot, you can easily adapt the soil part just adding more increases after row 6, and testing until it fits. I don’t recommend the pattern of these cactus for a much smaller pot as the proportions wouldn’t be right.
CACTUS 1
With green yarn,
R1: 6 sc in magic ring (6 sts)
R2: (1 inc)x6 (12 sts)
R3: (1 sc, 1 inc)x6 (18 sts)
R4: (2 sc, 1 inc)x6 (24 sts)
R5: (3 sc, 1 inc)x6 (30 sts)
R6: (4 sc, 1 inc)x6 (36 sts)
R7: (5 sc, 1 inc)x6 (42 sts)
R8-12: sc even (42 sts)
R13: (5 sc, 1 dec)x6 (36 sts)
R14: (4 sc, 1 dec)x6 (30 sts).
R15: (3 sc, 1 dec)x6 (24 sts).
R16: (2 sc, 1 dec)x6 (18 sts). Cut yarn, leaving a long tail for sewing. Don’t stuff.
Pinch the cactus to divide it in parts. I have chosen 4 parts but you can make more or less.
GLOBE
With orange or red yarn,
R1: 6 sc in magic ring (6 sts)
R2: (1 inc)x6 (12 sts)
R3: (1 sc, 1 inc)x6 (18 sts)
R4: (2 sc, 1 inc)x6 (24 sts)
R5-6: sc even (24 sts)
R7: (2 sc, 1 dec)x6 (18 sts)
R8: (1 sc, 1 dec)x6 (12 sts). Stuff and fasten off, leaving a long tail for sewing.
Sew the globe to the cactus and the cactus to the soil, and put it in the small pot. Ready!
You can make different cactus out of this versatile pattern. Experiment and play!
CACTUS 2
BIG PART
With green yarn
R1: Chain 7. We are working around the chain
R2: Starting from second chain from hook, crochet 1 sc in the front loops of every chain, and another sc in the back loops of every chain (12 sts)
R3: (1 sc, 1 inc)x6 (18 sts)
R4: (2 sc, 1 inc)x6 (24 sts)
R5: (3 sc, 1 inc) x6 (30 sts)
R6-10: sc even (30 sts)
R11: (3 sc, 1 dec)x6 (24 sts)
R12: (2 sc, 1 dec)x6 (18 sts)
R13: (1 sc, 1 dec)x6 (12 sts). Fasten off, leaving a long tail for sewing. Stuff half-way.
SMALL PART
With green yarn,
R1: Chain 5. We are working around the chain
R2: Starting from second chain from hook, crochet 1 sc in the front loops of every chain, and another sc in the back loops of every chain (8 sts)
R3: (1 sc, 1 inc)x4 (12 sts)
R4: (2 sc, 1 inc)x4 (16 sts)
R5: Sc even (16 sts)
R6: (2 sc, 1 dec)x4 (12 sts)
R7: (1 sc, 1 dec)x4 (8 sts). Fasten off, leaving a long tail for sewing. Stuff lightly.
FLOWER
With a contrating colour,
R1: 6 sc in magic ring (6 sts)
R2: (1 inc)x6 (12 sts)
R3: Make 1 slip stitch in every sc (12 sts). Cut yarn, leaving a long tail
Pinch slightly the edges and make little knots with the contrasting colour to resemble little flowers. They will help to keep the flat shape. Sew the big flower (or flowers) where you prefer.
Sew the small part to the big part. Adjust the stuffing inside the big part till you are satisfied witht the look of the cactus and sew the big part to the soil.
I’d love to see your creations so feel free to post pictures on my blog, my Facebook page Amigurinos, tag me on Facebook or Instagram (@Amigurinos).
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I also have some interesting patterns for sale on my Etsy shop Amigurinos.
©2020 – Designed by Belén Galán for Amigurinos – All rights reserved. This pattern is only for personal use. You cannot sell, distribute or publish this pattern or claim it as your own, partially or totally. If you want to share the pattern in any web page, blog or social media, provide a link to my blog instead of just copying it. You are not allowed to use the pictures for personal or commercial means.
You are allowed to sell the final product locally (craft fairs, family and friends, charity…); I only ask you to kindly credit me as the designer.
Thanks and happy crocheting!
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