Estella the Crochet Sun Pal is an adorable doll with playfully long limbs. This crochet sun is perfect for toting along on the next adventure, and can even be used as a small pillow! Best of all, it works up super fast with just one skein of bulky weight, polyester yarn!
This post contains affiliate links. I may receive compensation (at no added cost to you) if you make a purchase using these links. Yarn for the sample was generously provided by Herrschners.
I love trying new-to-me yarns, and sometimes, the yarn just talks to me and says, “You must make me into [this specific project]!” As soon as I saw Herrschners Cheerful Fleece in Sunshine, it quite literally screamed at me, “You must make me into a crochet sun!” I’ve been around the block as far as yarn goes, and I’ve tried my fair share of polyester, chenille-type (or, as they are called nowadays, “blanket-type”) yarns. Cheerful Fleece is an absolute joy to work with. It didn’t shed, like many yarns of this type do, and it was buttery soft. I crocheted this project quickly and didn’t find any little callous forming on my yarn-holding finger.
One skein is enough to make your own Estella the Sun Pal, and you won’t regret. I’ve had so much fun with Estella, and I think you will, too! (You’ll also need small amounts of medium weight black and red yarns for the Eyes and Mouth.)
If you make your own Estella the Sun Pal, I’d love to see it! Share your progress and questions by tagging me on Bluesky as @UndergroundCrafter, Facebook as @UndergroundCrafter, or on Instagram as @ucrafter. You can also share a picture in the Underground Crafters Facebook group. Sign up for my weekly newsletter and get a coupon code for your choice of one of my premium patterns and private access to my vault of subscriber goodies. Plus, you’ll never miss one of my free patterns again!
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Estella the Sun Pal
Crochet Sun Pattern by Underground Crafter
This adorable crochet sun doll has playfully long limbs. It’s perfect for toting along on the next adventure, or using as a small pillow, and it works up fast with one skein of bulky weight, polyester yarn. Estella was originally published in three clues as the twenty-first pattern in the Weekend Mystery Crochet Alongs with Underground Crafter.
Finished Size
- Approximately 19.5” (49.5 cm) from crown to bottom of feet after stuffing.
Materials
- Herrschners Cheerful Fleece yarn (100% polyester, 10.5 oz/300 g, 262 yd/240 m) – 1 skein in Sunshine (MC), or approximately 260 yd (238 m) in MC in any bulky weight, polyester yarn.
- Herrschners Worsted 3 yarn (100% acrylic, 3 oz/85 g, 183 yd/168 m) – 1 skein in Black (CA), or approximately 3 yd (3 m) in CA in any medium weight yarn.
- Herrschners Worsted 8 Celebrate Sparkle yarn (92% acrylic/ 8% polyester, 8 oz/226 g, 489 yd/448 m) – 1 skein in Merry & Bright (CB), or approximately 3 yd (3 m) in CA in any medium weight yarn.
- US Size K-10.5/6.6 mm crochet hook, or any size needed to obtain correct gauge.
- Stitch marker.
- Yarn needle.
- I used the MECHEER crochet hook set including yarn needles, stitch markers, scissors, measuring tape, and case.
- Fiber filling (available online on Herrschners | Amazon).
Gauge
- Through Round 16 in pattern for Part I = 9.75” (25 cm) diameter. Exact gauge is not critical for this project.
Abbreviations Used in This Pattern
- BL – back loop only – Fiber Flux has a helpful video tutorial demonstrating how to identify the back loop in crochet here.
- CA – Color A
- CB – Color B
- ch – chain
- dc – double crochet
- FL – front loop only – A helpful video demonstrating how to identify the front loop in crochet is available below.
- If you can’t see the video demonstrating how to identify the front loop, click HERE to watch it on YouTube.
- invdec – invisible decrease – A video tutorial for this stitch is available below.
- If you can’t see the video tutorial above for the invdec, click HERE to watch it on YouTube.
- MC – Main Color
- pm – place stitch marker
- rep – repeat
- Rnd(s) – Round(s)
- sc – single crochet
- sl st – slip stitch
- st(s) – stitch(es)
- yo – yarn over.
- [] – Repeat instructions between brackets as indicated.
Pattern Notes
- Oombawka Design Crochet has helpful photo and video tutorials for starting with the magic adjustable ring here.
- Jess Huff has a helpful tutorial demonstrating how to embroider facial features that can be used for the Eyes on this project here.
- A helpful video tutorial for the embroidery back stitch as used for the Mouth on this project can be found at the end of this blog post.
- A helpful video demonstrating joining with a whipstitch seam is available below.
- If you can’t see the video above demonstrating how to join with a whipstitch seam, click HERE to watch it on YouTube.
- A helpful video demonstrating joining with a slip stitch seam is available below.
- If you can’t see the video above demonstrating how to join with a slip stitch seam, click HERE to watch it on YouTube.
Pattern Instructions
Body – Make 2
- With MC, start with the magic adjustable ring (see Pattern Notes).
- Rnd 1: Ch 1, 6 sc in ring, tighten magic ring to close, pm in last st to mark position, move marker up each rnd. (6 sts)
- Rnd 2: 2 sc in each st around. (12 sts)
- Rnd 3: [2 sc in next st, sc in next st] around. (18 sts)
- Rnd 4: [2 sc in next st, sc in next 2 sts] around. (24 sts)
- Rnd 5: [2 sc in next st, sc in next 3 sts] around. (30 sts)
- Rnd 6: [2 sc in next st, sc in next 4 sts] around. (36 sts)
- Rnd 7: [2 sc in next st, sc in next 5 sts] around. (42 sts)
- Rnd 8: [2 sc in next st, sc in next 6 sts] around. (48 sts)
- Rnd 9: [2 sc in next st, sc in next 7 sts] around. (54 sts)
- Rnd 10: [2 sc in next st, sc in next 8 sts] around. (60 sts)
- Rnd 11: [2 sc in next st, sc in next 9 sts] around. (66 sts)
- Rnd 12: [2 sc in next st, sc in next 10 sts] around. (72 sts)
- Rnd 13: [2 sc in next st, sc in next 11 sts] around. (78 sts)
- Rnd 14: [2 sc in next st, sc in next 12 sts] around. (84 sts)
- Rnd 15: [2 sc in next st, sc in next 13 sts] around. (90 sts)
- Rnd 16: Sc in every st around, fasten off MC.
Arms – Make 2
- With MC, start with the magic adjustable ring (see Pattern Notes).
- Rnd 1: Ch 1, 6 sc in ring, tighten magic ring to close, pm in last st to mark position, move marker up each rnd. (6 sts)
- Rnd 2: 2 sc in each st around. (12 sts)
- Rnd 3: Sc in each st around.
- Rnd 4: Rep Rnd 3 once.
- Rnd 5: [Invdec, sc in next st] around. (8 sts)
- Remove crochet hook, pm in loop to prevent unravelling, stuff firmly, replace crochet hook and pm in last st to mark position, move marker up each rnd.
- Rnd 6: Invdec around. (4 sts)
- Rnds 7-21: Rep Rnd 3, 15 times, fasten off MC with long yarn tail (approximately 12”/30.5 cm) for seaming.
Legs – Make 2
- With MC, start with the magic adjustable ring (see Pattern Notes).
- Rnd 1: Ch 1, 6 sc in ring, tighten magic ring to close, pm in last st to mark position, move marker up each rnd. (6 sts)
- Rnd 2: 2 sc in each st around. (12 sts)
- Rnd 3: [2 sc in next st, sc in next st] around. (18 sts)
- Rnd 4: [2 sc in next st, sc in next 2 sts] around. (24 sts)
- Rnd 5: Sc in each st around.
- Rnds 6-8: Rep Rnd 5, 3 times.
- Rnd 9: [Invdec, sc in next 2 sts] around. (18 sts)
- Rnd 10: [Invdec, sc in next st] around. (12 sts)
- Remove crochet hook, pm in loop to prevent unravelling, stuff firmly, replace crochet hook and pm in last st to mark position, move marker up each rnd.
- Rnd 11: Rep Rnd 10 once. (8 sts)
- Rnds 12-39: Rep Rnd 5, 28 times, fasten off MC with long yarn tail (approximately 12”/30.5 cm) for seaming.
Nose
- With MC, start with the magic adjustable ring (see Pattern Notes).
- Rnd 1: Ch 1, 6 sc in ring, tighten magic ring to close, pm in last st to mark position, move marker up each rnd. (6 sts)
- Rnd 2: [2 sc in next st, sc in next st] around. (9 sts)
- Rnd 3: Sc in each st around, fasten off MC with long yarn tail (approximately 12”/30.5 cm) for seaming.
- Stuff firmly.
Assembly and Finishing
Embellish Face
- Designate one piece of the Body as the front piece. Position Nose on right side of the front piece of Body at center. Thread yarn needle with long yarn tail in MC from end of Nose. With yarn needle, attach Nose to Body using sewing or whipstitch (see Pattern Notes). With yarn needle, weave in yarn tails on wrong side.
- Cut 4 strands of CA, each measuring approximately 12” (30.5 cm) long. Thread yarn needle with all 4 strands so that they are folded over (forming 8 strands). Tie a knot at the end of the strands. With yarn needle, embroider Eyes (see Pattern Notes) above Nose. Finish by tying knot on wrong side.
- Cut 4 strands of CB, each measuring approximately 12” (30.5 cm) long. Thread yarn needle with all 4 strands so that they are folded over (forming 8 strands). Tie a knot at the end of the strands. With yarn needle, embroider Mouth using embroidery back stitch (see Pattern Notes) below Nose. Finish by tying knot on wrong side.
Assemble Body
- Thread yarn needle with MC from end of first Leg. Seam top of Leg closed with whipstitch (see Pattern Notes). Join Leg with whipstitch to Body in FL only using photo as guide for positioning. Weave in yarn tails on wrong side of Body. Repeat for second Leg.
- Thread yarn needle with MC from end of first Arm. Seam top of Arm closed with whipstitch (see Pattern Notes). Join Arm with whipstitch to Body in FL only using photo as guide for positioning. Weave in yarn tails on wrong side of Body. Repeat for second Arm.
- Position the Back piece of the Body (without the embellished Face) behind the Front piece, with wrong sides together and with right sides facing out. Join MC with slstBL to any st on Front, ch 1, join both parts of Body with slip stitch seam (see Pattern Notes) through BL only on both pieces. (Note that the back loops of each piece will be at the center since the wrong sides are facing.) Continue working around the Body until approximately 3” (7.5 cm) is unseamed. Stuff firmly with fiber filling. Continue to join pieces with the slip stitch seam. Do not fasten off MC. (90 sts)
Finish with Sunray
- Sunray Rnd 1: Starting in same st, [ch 3, dc in next st, sc in next st, sl st in next st] around, ending with sl st to first ch of initial ch 3. Fasten off MC.
- With yarn needle, weave in any remaining yarn tails on inside of Body.