Lars Seal in Schachenmayr Luxury Velvet - S10834 - Downloadable PDF

Lars Seal Crochet Pattern by Denise Karg alias Fräulein Wollwunder – Schachenmayr S10834

This free downloadable PDF pattern by Denise Karg alias Fräulein Wollwunder, published under the Schachenmayr design reference S10834, guides crocheters through the creation of Lars, an adorable crocheted seal amigurumi toy. The finished seal measures approximately 53 cm in length and 30 cm in height, making it a generously sized stuffed animal that works beautifully as a decorative piece or a gift for adults and older children. Please note that this toy is not suitable for children under 3 years of age.

What Is Being Made

Lars is a large, softly textured crocheted seal toy constructed in the round. The design captures the rounded, plump body shape of a real seal, complete with a distinct muzzle area worked in a contrasting color and a nose detail in black. The generous finished size is largely achieved through the use of a thick chenille-style yarn, which gives the toy its signature plush, velvety appearance and huggable feel.

Techniques Used

The pattern introduces and relies on several key crochet construction techniques that are well-suited to beginners learning amigurumi-style toy making:

• Spiral rounds: Rather than closing each round with a slip stitch and beginning the next with a chain, Lars is worked in continuous spiral rounds. The first stitch of each new round is worked directly into the first stitch of the previous round, creating a seamless, uninterrupted spiral. A stitch marker is recommended to track the beginning of each round.
• Chain start instead of magic ring: Because Schachenmayr Luxury Velvet is a thick chenille yarn, the fibers cannot be drawn together tightly enough to form a traditional magic ring. Instead, the pattern begins with 2 chain stitches, with subsequent stitches worked into the 2nd chain from the hook. This is an important adaptation specific to working with chenille and velvet-type yarns.
• Magic ring: Referenced in the pattern for sections worked in the finer yarn weights, where the yarn structure allows it.
• Color changes: The pattern uses multiple yarn colors across different Schachenmayr yarn lines to create the muzzle and nose details, requiring basic color change technique.
• Amigurumi assembly: Individual crocheted pieces are worked separately and then joined together to form the complete seal figure.

Stitches Used

As a pattern rated Easy, Lars is accessible to beginner crocheters who are comfortable with fundamental stitches. The construction primarily uses:

• Chain stitch (ch) – used at the start of the project as a substitute for the magic ring when working with Luxury Velvet
• Single crochet (sc) – the foundational stitch used throughout the body and all component pieces, typical of amigurumi construction
• Slip stitch (sl st) – used selectively, though notably not used to close spiral rounds
• Increases and decreases – standard amigurumi shaping stitches worked in single crochet to create the rounded, three-dimensional form of the seal's body, head, and flippers

Materials and Yarn

The pattern calls for yarns from the Schachenmayr brand across three different yarn lines and weights, allowing the main body to achieve its plush texture while finer details are worked with more precision:

• Schachenmayr Luxury Velvet (chunky weight chenille yarn, 100 g ≈ 75 m) – 3 balls in colour 00052 (dolphin), used for the main body of the seal
• Schachenmayr Catania Grande (worsted weight, 50 g ≈ 63 m) – 1 ball each in colour 03110 (schwarz/black) for the nose and 03106 (weiß/white) for the muzzle
• Schachenmayr Catania (sport weight) – also referenced in the materials section for finer