You’re in for a real treat today: a free pattern!  As a policy, I rarely make free patterns, but Jordana Paige sweet-talked me into creating one last year.  Since it’s the heat of summer, I thought this would be the perfect repost, a sweet little something for kids and adults alike to enjoy.  Quick to make up, you can use these as intended and inflate a water balloon (either with water or air) to use as stuffing, or you can stuff and have as a forever-stuffed animal.

When I was younger and my mother needed something to keep my
siblings and I occupied, she’d make water babies.  Filling balloons with water, she’d hand us
markers and we’d go to town, decorating our water babies, taking boxes lined
with tissue to make beds, and making various outfits for them.  Inevitably, though we’d drop the balloon on
the grass, or it would brush up against the edge of paper or something else
sharp, and our beloved water babies would be gone – popped in a rush of water.

Being an enterprising young child, I decided that my water
babies needed an outfit, a protective cover to protect it from the world.  Being handy with a hook, I made small bags
that my balloon would rest in, to be protected. 
Over time these developed into quite elaborate creatures in their own
right.

And then, I grew up and forgot about them.

Recently, however, these water baby costumes were brought
back to mind.  I have two young girls in
my life, and they were playing with water babies the other week.  Inevitably, one got dropped on the hot
asphalt, and burst… leading to some quite natural tears.  I decided it was time for me to break out my
hook and an old idea, and give it a new twist.

And so, I present to you, a modern twist on my 20 year old
water baby pattern.

Free Pattern Water Baby

MATERIALS

Gauge: 7 sts and 6 rows equal 1”

Hook: F/5 3.75 mm

Yarn: Worsted weight yarn, 4 colors plus black and white.

C1: Dark Blue

C2: Green

C3: Red

C4: Light Blue

INSTRUCTIONS

Using C1, Create sloppy slip knot, sc 2.

Round 1: 6 sc in circle. (6 sts)

Round 2: *sc twice in next st. Repeat from * 6 times total.
(12 sts) Join to next st with sl st. BO.

Round 3: Switch to C2. *sc twice in same st, sc in next st,
repeat from * 6 times total.(18 sts)

Round 4: Switch to C3. *sc twice in same st, sc in next 2
sts, repeat from * 6 times total. (24 sts)

Round 5: *sc twice in next st, sc in next 3 sts, repeat from
* 6 times total. (30 sts)

Round 6: *sc twice in next st, sc in next 4 sts, repeat from
* 6 times total. (36 sts)

Round 7: Switch to C4. *sc twice in next st, sc in next 5
sts, repeat from * 6 times total. (42 sts)

Round 8: Switch to C1. *sc twice in next st, sc in next 6
sts, repeat from * 6 times total. (48 sts)

Round 9: *sc twice in next st, sc in next 7 sts, repeat from
* 6 times total. (54 sts)

Round 10: *sc twice in next st, sc in next 8 sts, repeat
from * 6 times total. (60 sts)

Round 11-12: *sc twice in next st, sc in next 14 sts, repeat
from * 4 times total. (60 sts)

Round 13-16: Switch to C2. Sc all around.

Round 17: *sc2tog, sc in next 8 sts, repeat from * 6 times
total. (54 sts)

Round 18: *sc2tog, sc in next 7 sts, repeat from * 6 times
total. (48 sts)

Round 19: *sc2tog, sc in next 6 sts, repeat from * 6 times
total. (42 sts)

Round 20: Switch to C3. *sc2tog, sc in next 5 sts, repeat
from * 6 times total. (36 sts)

Round 21: *sc2tog, sc in next 4 sts, repeat from * 6 times
total. (30 sts)

Round 22: Switch to C1. *sc2tog, sc in next 3 sts, repeat
from * 6 times total. (24 sts) At this point you should stuff your orange ball.

Round 23: *sc2tog, sc in next 2 sts, repeat from * 6 times
total. (18 sts)

Round 29: *sc2tog, sc in next st, repeat from * 6 times
total. BO. (12 sts)

Ears:

Using Green, foundation double crochet 12 sts. Bind off. Tie
a knot in one end, use the tail to attach the other end to the water baby.

Eyes:

Using White: Create sloppy slip knot, sc 2.

Round 1: 6 sc in circle. (6 sts)

Round 2: *sc twice in next st. Repeat from * 6 times total.
(12 sts) Join to next st with sl st. BO.

Round 3: Join C2, ch 1. *sc twice in same st, sc in next st,
repeat from * 6 times total. Join to Ch 1 with sl st. BO.(18 sts)

Using Black: Create a sloppy slip knit, sc 2.

Round 1: 6 sc in circle. BO. (6 sts)

Nose:

Using C2: Create sloppy slip knot, sc 2.

Round 1: 6 sc in circle. (6 sts)

Round 2-3: Sc all around.

Assembly: Sew eyes, nose and ears to water baby. Insert a
balloon into the back, fill with water or air. Tie balloon end in knot and
play!