Free crochet pattern “Coral Reef”
© Tetiana Saienko 2025. All rights reserved
This pattern is my author’s work, my original design and my intellectual property. This pattern is intended only for your personal use. It is forbidden to reproduce, copy, publish or distribute this pattern or any of its parts in any way (including distributing in any other languages). You can freely share a link to this page with this pattern, but do not distribute this pattern or any part of it on your resources.
Thank you for understanding!
You are permitted to sell your finished toys, crocheted by this pattern provided you credit me as an author of the pattern – Tetiana Saienko (Planet Piu).
Ad-free PDF pattern
If you would prefer an ad-free, beautifully styled, printable version of this pattern with more than 60 step-by-step photos in a convenient PDF format, or if you would simply like to support my work, you can purchase this Coral Reef pattern from my shop via this link.
This pattern includes instructions for crocheting various types of coral, such as tube coral, artichoke coral, and leather coral, as well as a carpet anemone and seaweed. It also includes instructions for making big and small underwater rocks.
You can create your own unique coral reefs by combining different corals, anemones, and seaweed using this pattern. Feel free to choose the colors and even the length of some corals and rocks to design your coral reef the way you like! All the pieces are very easy to make and don’t take much time. Perfect for using up your leftover yarn!
Let’s get started! Happy crocheting!
Language: English (US terminology).
Skill level: intermediate.
MATERIALS AND TOOLS
Yarn: any smooth yarn of any structure, any thickness and color.
Used yarn: cotton/acrylic yarn 160m/50g (Sport weight yarn 4ply).
– 1,5 mm crochet hook
– tapestry needle
– stitch marker
– scissors
– toy stuffing
SIZE
Size of the finished and assembled big coral reef is approximately 7.5×9.5×4.5 cm (3.0×3.7×1.8 inch), if using the indicated yarn.
ABBREVIATIONS (US terms)
MR – magic ring
rnd – round
st/lp – stitch/loop
ch – chain
sl st – slip stitch
sc – single crochet
hdc – half double crochet
dc – double crochet
inc – increase (2 sc in 1 stitch)
dec – decrease (2 sc together)
inc hdc – 2 hdc in 1 stitch
FLO – work through the front loops only
BLO – work through the back loops only
fasten off invisibly – make the invisible fasten off (see the tutorial here)
(…)*n times – repeat n-times the instruction into brackets
[…] – stitch count of the round or row
USEFUL TIPS
How to make Invisible Fasten Off
PLEASE NOTE
Work in continuous rounds using a stitch marker at the beginning of the round unless otherwise specified. This pattern is meant for an intermediate skill level. Please make sure you already have the necessary crochet skills, as this pattern does not include crocheting lessons.
PATTERN INSTRUCTIONS
BIG UNDERWATER ROCK
Inner (lower) piece
In dark gray yarn. Work around both sides of the foundation chain.
Make ch 15.
Rnd 1: skip first ch from the hook, inc, 12 sc, inc, continue on the other side of the foundation chain, inc, 12 sc, inc [32]
Rnd 2: inc, 13 sc, 3 inc, 13 sc, 2 inc [38]
Rnd 3: 1 sc, inc, 14 sc, inc, (1 sc, inc)*2 times, 14 sc, inc, 1 sc, inc [44]
Rnd 4: 2 sc, inc, 16 sc, inc, 4 sc, inc, 16 sc, inc, 2 sc [48]
Fasten off, leave a short yarn tail to weave in later.
Outer (upper) piece
In dark gray yarn. Work around both sides of the foundation chain.
Make ch 15.
Rnd 1: skip first ch from the hook, inc, 12 sc, inc, continue on the other side of the foundation chain, inc, 12 sc, inc [32]
Rnd 2: inc, 13 sc, 3 inc, 13 sc, 2 inc [38]
Rnd 3: 1 sc, inc, 14 sc, inc, (1 sc, inc)*2 times, 14 sc, inc, 1 sc, inc [44]
Rnd 4: (21 sc, inc)*2 times [46]
Rnd 5: 11 sc, inc, 22 sc, inc, 11 sc [48]
Don’t cut the yarn. Place both pieces together with the wrong sides facing each other (see the photo below).
Stuff a little as you go, but not too tight.
Rnd 6: make 48 sc through the stitches of both pieces together (see photos below) [48]
Rnds 7-8 (2 rounds): 48 sc [48]
Rnd 9: 48 sl st [48]
Fasten off invisibly, weave in the yarn end (see photos below).
If you want to make the rock a little higher, make 1-2 additional rounds of 48 sc before the last round.
SMALL UNDERWATER ROCK
In gray yarn. Work around both sides of the foundation chain.
Make ch 6.
Rnd 1: skip first ch from the hook, inc, 3 sc, inc, continue on the other side of the foundation chain, inc, 3 sc, inc [14]
Rnd 2: inc, 4 sc, 3 inc, 4 sc, 2 inc [20]
Rnd 3: 20 sc [20]
Rnd 4: (inc, 9 sc)*2 times [22]
Rnd 5: (inc, 10 sc)*2 times [24]
Rnd 6: 24 sl st [24]
Fasten off invisibly, weave in the yarn end (see the photo below).
If you want to make the rock a little higher, make 1-2 additional rounds of 24 sc before the last round.
SEAWEED
In green yarn. Work in rows.
Make ch 22.
Row 1: skip first ch from the hook, 1 sl st, 2 sc, 1 hdc, 2 dc, 1 hdc, 3 sc, 1 hdc, 4 dc, 1 hdc, 5 sc [21]
Make 1 ch, turn.
Row 2: work in FLO (see the photo below), 5 sc, 1 hdc, 4 dc, 1 hdc, 3 sc, 1 hdc, 2 dc, 1 hdc, 2 sc, 1 sl st [21]
Fasten off, leaving a long tail (25-30 cm) for sewing.
Fold the piece in half lengthwise. The remaining free loops should be on the outside (see the photo below).
Sew both edges of the piece together along the stitches of the last row and the loops of the foundation chain. Fasten off, leaving a tail for sewing to the rock (see photos below).
CARPET ANEMONE
In dark coral yarn.
Leave a long yarn tail at the beginning for sewing the anemone to the rock.
Rnd 1: start 8 sc in a magic ring [8]
Rnd 2: work in BLO, 8 sc [8]
Rnd 3: (3 sc, inc)*2 times [10]
Rnd 4: 2 sc, inc, 4 sc, inc, 2 sc [12]
Rnd 5: (4 dc in one stitch)*11 times, 4 hdc in one stitch [48]
Make additionally 1 sc + 1 sl st.
Fasten off invisibly, weave in the yarn end. Give the edges of the anemone a wavy look (see the photo below).
TUBE CORAL
In pink yarn.
The foundation chain will form the top of the coral, and the last crocheted round will form the bottom.
Make ch 10.
Join into a ring with 1 sl st. Further work in joined rounds.
Rnd 1: ch 2, 1 hdc into the same 1st loop of the chain (see the photo below), 9 hdc along the chain, 1 sl st into the 1st hdc of the round to join (see the photo below) [10]
Rnds 2-5 (4 rounds): ch 2, 10 hdc along the round, 1 sl st into the 1st hdc of the round to join [10]
Fasten off, leaving a long tail for sewing the coral to the rock. Weave in the starting yarn tail of the piece (see the photo below).
You can freely make tube corals of different heights, just make one or two more or less rounds (see the photo below).
LEATHER CORAL
In dark coral yarn.
Leave a long yarn tail at the beginning for sewing the coral to the rock.
Rnd 1: start 8 sc in a magic ring [8]
Rnd 2: work in BLO, 8 sc [8]
Rnd 3: 8 sc [8]
Rnd 4: (3 sc in one stitch)*8 times [24]
Rnd 5: 1 sc, inc, (2 sc, inc)*7 times, 1 sc [32]
Rnd 6: 1 hdc, inc hdc, (3 hdc, inc hdc)*7 times, 1 sc, 1 sl st [40]
Fasten off invisibly, weave in the yarn end (see the photo below).
Form 5-6 waves by squeezing the upper part of the piece with your fingers on all sides (see photos below).
Take a piece of dark coral yarn about 15-20 cm long. Using a tapestry needle, pull the yarn end through each inner fold of the coral, grabbing one stitch between rounds 4 and 5 (see photos below). Then, pull both yarn tails tightly to gather all the inner folds of the piece (see the photo below).
Secure the yarn ends inside the coral with two strong knots and hide them (see the photo below).
ARTICHOKE CORALS
Big artichoke coral
In turquoise yarn.
Stuff as you go a little on the sides. Leave the center of the piece unstuffed.
Rnd 1: start 6 sc in a magic ring [6]
Rnd 2: 6 inc [12]
Change to purple yarn.
Rnd 3: (1 sc, inc)*6 times [18]
Change to turquoise yarn.
Rnds 4-6 (3 rounds): 18 sc [18]
Rnd 7: (1 sc, dec)*6 times [12]
See the assembly below on the page.
Small artichoke coral
In yellow yarn. Don’t stuff.
Rnd 1: start 6 sc in a magic ring [6]
Change to orange yarn.
Rnd 2: 6 inc [12]
Change to yellow yarn.
Rnds 3-4 (2 rounds): 12 sc [12]
Rnd 5: 6 dec [6]
See the assembly below on the page.
Assembly (for both coral sizes)
Fasten off, leaving a long yarn tail (20-25 cm) for tightening and sewing the coral to the rock. Weave the yarn tail through the front loops of the remaining stitches using a tapestry needle and pull it tight to close (see photos below).
Then, using the same yarn tail and a tapestry needle, sew the centers of the two sides together by making a few stitches over the first round and the tightened stitches of the last round (see the photo below). Fasten off, leaving a yarn tail for sewing the coral to the rock (see photos below).
ASSEMBLY OF THE CORAL REEF
Pin the corals, anemone, and seaweed to the big and small underwater rocks to create a composition you like. You can assemble your coral reef using my examples on the photo below, or create your own unique version by changing the number, location, and color of the corals, anemones, and seaweed, as well as adjusting the height of the rocks.
Sew all corals, anemones and seaweed to the underwater rocks. Fasten off and weave in all yarn ends.
You’re done!
Congratulations, your coral reef is ready!
Hope you had fun making this toy.
You can also purchase an ad-free, beautifully styled, printable version of this pattern with more than 60 step-by-step photos in a convenient PDF format from my shop here.
If you’re looking for another fun, underwater-themed toy that can be a great addition to your coral reef or an educational toy for kids, you might be interested in my Marty the Scuba Diver crochet pattern.
You can find the pattern here:
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