Jellyfish crochet patterns are some of the most cheerful little makes you can pick up — they work up fast, swallow scrap yarn for breakfast, and almost always end up cuter than you expected. Most of them are beginner-friendly, mainly worked in single crochet, and finished in an afternoon, which makes them perfect for stash-busting, last-minute gifts, and craft-fair stock. If you love small amigurumi animals you’ll find these slot right in next to your favorite bunny rabbits crochet patterns and other ocean-y friends.
This roundup of 21 free crochet jellyfish patterns covers everything from classic amigurumi and no-sew softies to keychains, giant plush, a galaxy version, a hanging mobile, a granny-square applique, a Halloween jack-o’-jelly, a cat toy, and a special little cluster of NICU/preemie comfort jellyfish for hospital donations. There’s something here whether you’ve got fifteen minutes or a whole weekend.
Table of Contents
- Comfort & NICU Jellyfish
- 1. Nicky the NICU Jellyfish
- 2. Amalfi the Baby Jellyfish
- 3. Juniper the Jellyfish
- Classic Amigurumi Jellyfish
- 4. Julie the Jellyfish
- 5. Jessica the Jellyfish (No-Sew)
- 6. Galaxy Jellyfish
- 7. Mochi the Jellyfish
- 8. Giant Crochet Jellyfish
- 9. Crochet Jellyfish Keychain
- 10. Bjorn’s Catnip Jellyfish Cat Toy
- 11. Crochet Jellyfish Applique
- 12. Mini Jellyfish
- 13. Jellyfish Mobile
- 14. Jag the Jellyfish (Pacific Sea Nettle)
- 15. Jellyfish Amigurumi
- 16. Crochet Jellyfish Lovey
- 17. Jelly Bean Jellyfish (No-Sew)
- 18. Rainbow the Amigurumi Jellyfish
- 19. Jack the Jelly Lantern
- 20. No-Sew Crochet Jellyfish Keychain
- 21. Jellyfish Squish
- Frequently Asked Questions
Comfort & NICU Jellyfish
NICU or preemie jellyfish are small comfort toys with curly, coiled tentacles that mimic the feel of an umbilical cord. The dangling coils soothe premature babies and gently discourage them from pulling at wires and tubes in the isolette. If you’d like to make one to donate, follow these safety basics: embroider the eyes (never use plastic safety eyes), keep tentacles to no more than 8.5 inches / 22 cm, use 100% cotton yarn, and always check your receiving hospital’s donation guidelines before starting — many have specific size, fiber, and washing requirements.
1. Nicky the NICU Jellyfish
Nicky is an 8.5-inch comfort jellyfish from Chrisette Designs, sized exactly to meet most hospitals’ NICU donation guidelines. The coiled tentacles are designed to feel like the umbilical cord so premature babies can hold something familiar in the isolette. It’s worked in cotton worsted-weight yarn with a 3.5mm hook, embroidered details, and a tiny optional bow.
2. Amalfi the Baby Jellyfish
Designed by Rebekah Haas, Amalfi is a fully customizable NICU/preemie comfort jellyfish with the signature curly tentacles babies love to grip. The pattern lets you adjust eye placement, add little cheeks, and finish off with a decorative ruffle. It’s an intermediate-level worsted-weight make on a 3.25mm hook — a beautiful gift for a new baby or a NICU donation box.
3. Juniper the Jellyfish
Jade at Sweet Softies designed Juniper as an easy NICU comfort jellyfish with a sweet 2.5-inch head and multi-color curly-Q tentacles, measuring about 14 inches from top to tip. It’s a confidence-builder for newer crocheters and works up fast in worsted-weight cotton. Switch up the tentacle colors and you’ve got an endlessly customizable little plush for preemies, newborns, or any baby gift.
Classic Amigurumi Jellyfish
4. Julie the Jellyfish
Nicole Chase’s Julie is a tiny teal amigurumi jellyfish with safety eyes, rosy embroidered cheeks, and spiraled tentacles in mint, purple, and coral. It’s an advanced-beginner project that works up in just an afternoon on a 4mm hook — and Nicole includes a full video tutorial alongside the written pattern. A perfect stash-buster if you love the look of a polished, beginner-friendly amigurumi.
5. Jessica the Jellyfish (No-Sew)
Petra at Cuddly Stitches Craft designed Jessica as a no-sew beginner amigurumi about 10 inches tall, with a spherical head, decorative belly piece, and multiple curly tentacles in contrasting colors. Worked in sport or DK yarn with a 3mm hook, it’s a great way to learn shaping without the dreaded sewing-up stage. The safety eyes give it a sweet, slightly cheeky face.
6. Galaxy Jellyfish
Another Sweet Softies gem, the Galaxy Jellyfish uses self-striping galaxy yarn to create a dreamy cosmic look with no color changes required. It mixes curly and straight tentacles, works up no-sew, and uses only about 50 yards — so it’s wonderful as a keychain, a tiny shelf decoration, or craft-fair stock. Beginner-friendly with a one-skein vibe.
7. Mochi the Jellyfish
Holly Lanier at Storyland Amis made Mochi to be the friendliest possible first plushie: about 5.5 inches tall, almost no sewing, and a full step-by-step video walking you through every stitch. It works up in worsted yarn on a 4mm hook and looks adorable in any color combo. A great pick if you’ve been wanting to try kawaii amigurumi.
8. Giant Crochet Jellyfish
Sarah at Repeat Crafter Me’s giant jellyfish is a 23-inch-long, 9-inch-wide statement plush made from Bernat Baby Blanket yarn for that soft, chunky finish. It features a rounded dome, scalloped collar, and long coiled tentacles — and because it’s mostly single crochet worked in the round on a 5.5mm hook, it comes together remarkably fast. A wow gift for a nursery or a kid’s bed.
9. Crochet Jellyfish Keychain
Kali at The Friendly Red Fox squeezed all the charm of a full-size amigurumi into a 4-inch jellyfish keychain (tentacles included). It uses worsted yarn on a 3.25mm hook, a rounded head, scalloped edging, and wavy little tentacles. If you want a fast, polished maker-fair item or a stocking stuffer, this is the one.
10. Bjorn’s Catnip Jellyfish Cat Toy
Designer Kristin Omdahl turned the jellyfish silhouette into a catnip-stuffed cat toy with popcorn-textured tentacles that wiggle and bounce when your cat bats at them. Worked in bulky yarn on a 5mm hook with basic stitches, it stuffs with both catnip and polyfil and finishes in an afternoon. A lovely handmade gift for cat-owning friends.
11. Crochet Jellyfish Applique
Maria Weaber’s small ocean-themed jellyfish applique is worked in flat rounds with separate tentacles you can sew onto larger projects — granny-square afghans, tote bags, or bunting. It’s beginner-friendly, finishes in well under an hour, and pairs beautifully with other ocean-themed motifs. A great way to add personality to a plain make.
12. Mini Jellyfish
Lindsey Roe at Off the Beaten Hook designed this 3-inch mini jellyfish in sustainable cotton DK yarn — it works up in well under an hour and turns just as easily into a keychain or cat toy. There’s a video tutorial alongside the written pattern, and the smaller scale makes it a wonderful introduction to amigurumi for newer crocheters. Even better, you only need scraps.
13. Jellyfish Mobile
Lydia Tresselt of Lalylala designed a decorative hanging jellyfish (7 cm cap, 20 cm total length) with beaded chains and gently twisted tentacles meant to hang from a nursery mobile or a piece of driftwood. The trick is to hang it with clear nylon line so it looks like it’s floating in mid-air. A real statement piece for a coastal or boho nursery.
14. Jag the Jellyfish (Pacific Sea Nettle)
Also from Off the Beaten Hook, Jag is a more realistic amigurumi inspired by the Pacific Sea Nettle — picture one chunky central oral arm dangling among many skinny margin tentacles, about 21 inches from cap to tip. It’s an intermediate make in DK yarn on a 3mm hook that takes about a day. The construction is a fun puzzle for crocheters who want a project with a bit more bite.
15. Jellyfish Amigurumi
Sonya Blackstone’s easy amigurumi jellyfish has embroidered eyelashes and the sweetest rosy cheeks, with several suggested colorways. Worked in worsted yarn on a 3.75mm hook, it makes a charming shelf decoration, ornament, or quick gift for a marine-life-loving kid. Like many amigurumi animals, it makes a lovely pairing with little woodland makes like these fox crochet patterns on a nursery shelf.
16. Crochet Jellyfish Lovey
Jan Bay at Unique Baby Gear Ideas designed a 5-inch soft jellyfish with a rounded dome, ruffle edge, and curled tentacles that can be used solo or sewn to a small blanket square to make a baby lovey. It’s worked in worsted yarn on a 3.5mm hook with beginner-level stitches. The post includes important safety notes for infants — a thoughtful detail when making baby gifts.
17. Jelly Bean Jellyfish (No-Sew)
Sara at Darling Maple Designs created Jelly Bean as a 3.5-inch no-sew amigurumi worked all in one piece in light super-bulky yarn on a 5mm hook. It has flowing tentacles, oral arms, and optional safety eyes — and a full video tutorial. Brilliant if you find sewing up amigurumi tedious or you want a quick gift you can finish over a movie.
18. Rainbow the Amigurumi Jellyfish
Melissa Moore at Crafty Kitty Crochet designed Rainbow as a 21-inch statement plush with a rainbow-striped body, 10 curled tentacles, and embroidered facial details. It’s a beginner-friendly weekend make on a 5mm hook with around 650 yards of worsted yarn. A real showpiece for a kid’s room — or for anyone who wants to crochet a hug.
19. Jack the Jelly Lantern
Also from Crafty Kitty Crochet, Jack the Jelly Lantern is a Halloween-themed jellyfish plush about 24 inches long with customizable jack-o’-lantern faces in orange or spooky black-and-white. It combines creepy-cute styling with beginner-friendly stitches, so it’s a fun seasonal make even for crocheters newer to amigurumi. Sits perfectly on a Halloween shelf.
20. No-Sew Crochet Jellyfish Keychain
Viv at VivCrochets designed this little keychain to be worked all in one piece, so there’s zero sewing — just attach the keyring and go. It’s a beginner-friendly worsted-weight make on a 4mm hook with a video tutorial that walks you through start to finish. Perfect for tossing in your bag, clipping to a backpack, or selling at craft fairs.
21. Jellyfish Squish
Tamara Kelly at Moogly designed the Jellyfish Squish as a giant, cuddly pillow-style jellyfish — about 14 inches wide and 18 inches long, stuffed around a 16-inch round pillow form for full squish factor. It’s worked in super-bulky blanket yarn on a 6.5mm hook and comes with a separate video tutorial. Pure TV-night-crochet bliss.
Frequently Asked Questions
Are crochet jellyfish good for beginners?
Yes — most jellyfish patterns are small, worked mainly in single crochet, and finished in just an afternoon. Many are also no-sew, which removes the trickiest step of amigurumi. The exceptions are the giant versions and the realistic ones (like the Pacific Sea Nettle), which are better suited to advanced beginners and intermediates.
How much yarn do I need to crochet a jellyfish?
Very little. Small jellyfish only need about 30 yards of a main color, so you can get three out of a single worsted skein. Galaxy and mini versions use even less. Giant or pillow-sized makes need 2–3 skeins of bulky or super-bulky yarn. Worsted cotton is the most popular choice, especially for baby and NICU makes.
What is a NICU / preemie jellyfish and is it safe to give?
NICU jellyfish are small comfort toys with curly coil tentacles that resemble the umbilical cord. The coils soothe premature babies and discourage them from pulling at wires in the isolette. To make one safe to donate: embroider the eyes (never use plastic safety eyes), keep tentacle length to 8.5 inches / 22 cm or under, use 100% cotton yarn so it can be sanitized, and always check the receiving hospital’s donation guidelines first — most have specific size, fiber, and washing requirements.
What stitches do I need to crochet a jellyfish?
Mostly single crochet, plus chains and slip stitches for the tentacle coils. Some patterns add a few half-double or double crochet stitches for ruffles or scalloped edges. If you can work a magic ring and increase/decrease single crochet, you can make almost any jellyfish in this roundup.
How long does it take to crochet a jellyfish?
Small amigurumi jellyfish take an hour or two. Keychain and mini versions can be done in under an hour once you’ve made one. Giant or pillow-sized jellyfish work up in a few hours thanks to chunky yarn and larger hooks — making them genuinely fast statement pieces for gifts, markets, or kid’s rooms.
Pick a favorite (or three), save this roundup for later, and consider hooking up a NICU comfort jellyfish to donate — even one tiny plush can make a real difference for a family in the hospital. Whichever pattern you start with, share what you make and tag the designer so they can see their work loved out in the world.
