What can a few basic crochet rounds become? Follow this simple pattern to create a tiny Ebi Furai with a distinctive tail and expressive embroidered eye.
With its tiny yellow body and contrasting orange tail fins, this Ebi Furai-inspired amigurumi turns a few basic crochet shapes into a palm-sized seafood character. The body is worked in Yellow yarn with a simple single-crochet shape, while the Orange tail is added directly to the closed end. A small Black embroidered eye gives the finished piece its final detail.
The instructions keep the making sequence straightforward: crochet and close the yellow body first, work both tail fins directly onto that closed edge, then hide the yarn tails and embroider the eye. Once those details are finished, you can add a jump ring or keychain strap to the back if you want to use the little shrimp as a charm.
Credit Tedzukurida
Materials & Tools Needed
- Yarn: Milk Cotton Yarn (5ply) in Yellow for the body and Orange for the tail
- Thread: Bali Cotton Yarn or standard small-ply sewing thread in Black for the eye
- Hook: 3.00mm–3.50mm crochet hook
- Tools: Yarn needle, scissors, and a stitch marker
Finished Size & Customization Ideas
The finished piece is a small, palm-sized amigurumi that works well as a keychain, bag charm, or zipper pull.
For a functional charm, add a keychain ring to the top edge of the body. If you would rather make a larger plush version, replace the 5ply cotton yarn with super bulky plush or chenille yarn and choose a corresponding larger hook.
Pattern Abbreviations & Terminology
- Rnd: Round
- MR: Magic Ring
- ch: Chain
- sc: Single Crochet
- inc: Increase – 2 single crochets in the same stitch
- dec: Decrease – single crochet 2 stitches together
- hdc: Half Double Crochet
- slst: Slip Stitch
- (…) x N: Repeat the instructions between the parentheses N times
- […]: Total number of stitches at the end of the round
Crochet Ebi Furai Amigurumi Pattern
The Body
Work the body in continuous rounds using Yellow yarn. Place your stitch marker at the end of every round so you can keep track of the round sequence and stitch count.
Rnd 1: 6 sc in a Magic Ring [6]
Rnd 2: (sc, inc) repeat 3 times [9]
Rnd 3: sc in each stitch around [9]
Rnd 4: (2 sc, inc) repeat 3 times [12]
Rnd 5: sc in each stitch around [12]
Rnd 6: sc in each stitch around [12]
Rnd 7: sc in each stitch around [12]
Rnd 8: (2 sc, dec) repeat 3 times [9]
Rnd 9: sc in each stitch around [9]
Rnd 10: (sc, dec) repeat 3 times [6]
Closing the Body
After Rnd 10, the opening has only 6 stitches remaining. Flatten this opening so the front and back edges line up.
Insert your hook through both the front and back loops of the opening and crochet the two edges together with 3 sc. Leave a tail for sewing, cut the yarn, and pull it all the way through to secure the closure.
This closed edge is important because the orange tail fins will be worked directly onto it next.
Adding the Orange Tail
The two tail fins are crocheted directly onto the closed yellow edge rather than being made separately.
Step 1: Insert your hook into the closed end of the yellow body at the first stitch of the 3-sc closure, then pull up the Orange yarn.
Step 2: Chain 5. Working back down the chain, make sc in the 2nd ch from the hook, sc in the next ch, hdc in the next ch, and hdc in the last ch. Slst back into the yellow body to anchor the first fin.
Step 3: Repeat Step 2 one more time to create the second tail fin.
Step 4: Leave a tail for sewing, cut the yarn, and pull through to fasten off.
Tail Placement Check
Before moving on, check that both orange fins are anchored to the closed yellow edge. Since the fins are worked directly onto the body, this is the point where their attachment is established; make sure the second fin follows the same sequence as the first.
Finishing the Body
Hide the Yarn Tails
Use your yarn needle to weave the remaining Yellow and Orange yarn tails into the center of the body so they are completely hidden.
Embroider the Eye
Thread your yarn needle with the Black yarn or thin sewing thread. Embroider a small “x” shape near the front tip of the Yellow body to create the eye.
Keep the eye close to the front tip as specified, rather than placing it toward the center of the body.
Fasten off the Black thread securely and hide the loose ends inside the body.
Turning It Into a Keychain
If you want to use the finished Ebi Furai as a charm, sew a jump ring or keychain strap securely to the top back of the shrimp.
The keychain hardware is optional, so the amigurumi can also be left as a small standalone handmade piece.
Final Check
Before using the finished shrimp as a charm, check that the body closure is secure, both orange tail fins are firmly anchored, and the embroidered eye has no loose thread ends. If you added keychain hardware, make sure it is firmly sewn to the top back of the body.
Your tiny Ebi Furai-inspired amigurumi is now ready to use as a miniature charm, zipper pull, or palm-sized handmade decoration.
