Eyeball Jellyfish

Eyeball Jellyfish Knitting Pattern

What Is Being Made

The Eyeball Jellyfish is a whimsical stuffed knit toy designed by Dawn Finney. This project creates a charming jellyfish figure featuring a rounded bell-shaped body with dangling tentacles and two prominent bulbous eyeballs. The finished jellyfish bell measures approximately 9cm (3.5 inches) wide by 5cm (2 inches) high, making it a small decorative or play piece suitable for intermediate knitters.

Craft and Techniques

This project uses knitting as the primary craft method. The pattern employs a specialized tension technique to ensure a tightly knit weave that prevents stuffing from showing through the finished fabric. Knitters are instructed to use needles two to three sizes smaller than the yarn's recommended needle size—for example, if the yarn recommends US5 needles, use US2 (2.75 mm) needles instead. This deliberate gauge adjustment creates a dense, durable fabric ideal for a stuffed toy.

The construction method involves creating multiple separate knitted components that are then assembled. The jellyfish bell is knitted as a single continuous piece, with tentacles worked directly along the base edge. The body is then stuffed with fiberfill before being sewn closed. Two eyeballs are knitted separately and subsequently attached to the bell body to complete the design.

Stitches Used

• Knit (K) - The fundamental knit stitch forming the primary fabric
• Purl (P) - Used in combination with knit stitches
• Stocking Stitch (St st) - The main stitch pattern, created by alternating knit rows and purl rows to produce a smooth, classic knitted appearance
• Increases (Inc) - Accomplished using the Kfb (knit into front and back) method to add stitches for shaping the bell and eyeballs
• I-cord Tentacles - Specialized cord stitches knitted along the bell's base to create the jellyfish's characteristic dangling tentacles, available in both long and short variations

Materials and Yarn Weight

This pattern is designed for DK (Double Knitting) weight yarn, a medium-weight yarn that works well for creating defined stitch definition and appropriate fabric density. Knitters will need US2 (2.75 mm) knitting needles as the primary tool, along with standard knitting notions including stuffing material for the jellyfish body and eyeballs, and a yarn needle for seaming and attaching components together. The tight gauge of 32 stitches and 43 rows per 4 inches (10cm) square ensures the finished toy maintains its shape and prevents filling from shifting or showing through.

Difficulty Level

Rated as intermediate difficulty, this pattern requires knitters to be comfortable with basic stitches, shaping techniques, and assembly methods. Experience with increasing stitches, reading pattern abbreviations, and seaming knitted pieces together is beneficial for successfully completing this project.