Sassy Soledad the Saguaro Cactus – Amigurumi Pattern

I had the recent opportunity to attend Craftcation 2018 in Ventura, California, a 5-day maker’s conference. Between classes and meals and making new friends, I also made this sassy cactus, a reminder to own my talents and be fearless in sharing what I love.

Sassy Soledad the Saguaro Cactus is a relatively quick, simple, utterly adorable project. I’d love for you to give her a try!

PS. Like my free patterns? I recently wrote a children’s book, All the Ways You’re Important to Me, that contains 10 adorable crochet patterns in the back. I’d love for you to take a peek!

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Some notes before we get started!

Materials:

• Small amounts of worsted weight yarn of your choice (I used Caron Simply Soft) in:
  • Green (Limelight)
  • Brown (Chocolate)
  • Purple (Iris)
  • Yellow (Sunshine)
  • Pink (Watermelon)
• US F/3.75mm crochet hook
• Small amounts of felt in:
  • Black
  • White
  • Pink
• Black embroidery floss
• Tapestry needle
• Fiberfill for stuffing
• Weighted polyester beads, beans, small stones, or other material to add weight to the base of the pot and help your cactus stand up.

Skill Level: Advanced Beginner

Size: Approximately 9 inches tall and 4 inches wide across the pot.

Pattern Notes: Unless otherwise specified, this pattern is worked using the amigurumi method. Rounds are worked in a continuous spiral (no need to slip stitch at the end of a row and chain one before beginning the next one). To keep track of where I’m at in the pattern, I use a brightly colored paperclip as a stitch marker in the first stitch of each row. The amigurumi technique is very forgiving in terms of gauge! I tend to be a tight crocheter, so I usually to start with a slightly larger hook than patterns call for. If you have a more loose or standard gauge, simply size down your hook until the stitches look right for you!

Construction: Body is worked first from the top down, followed by the dirt. Arms, pot, and flower are worked separately and then sewed together.

Abbreviations (US terms):

• ch: chain
• slst: slip stitch
• sc: single crochet
• dc: double crochet
• BLO: back loop only
• FLO: front loop only
• inc: single crochet increase (2 single crochet stitches into the same stitch)
• dec: single crochet decrease (crochet 2 crochet stitches together)
• st: stitch(es)
• [number]: indicates number of stitches in each round or row

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Pattern

 

Body

With green

Round 1: 6 sc in magic ring [6]

Round 2: inc in each st around [12]

Round 3: (inc, sc in next st) around [18]

Round 4: (inc, sc in next 2 st) around [24]

Round 5: (inc, sc in next 3 st) around [30]

Round 6: (inc, sc in next 4 st) around [36]

Round 7: (inc, sc in next 5 st) around [42]

Round 8: (inc, sc in next 6 st) around [48]

Rounds 9-36 (28 rows): sc in each st around [48]

Round 37: (dec, sc in next 6 st) around [42]

Round 38: sc in each st around [42]

Round 39: (dec, sc in next 5 st) around [36]

Switch to brown

Round 40: In FLO, (inc, sc in next 5 st) around [42]

Round 41: (inc, sc in next 6 st) around [48]

Finish off and leave a long tail for sewing body to pot.

 

Arms (Make 2)

With green

Round 1: 6 sc in magic ring [6]

Round 2: inc in each st around [12]

Round 3: (inc, sc in next st) around [18]

Rounds 4-13 (9 rows): sc in each st around [18]

Round 14: dec, sc in next 6 st, inc, sc in next 7 st, dec [17]

Round 15: dec, sc in next 6 st, inc, sc in next 6 st, dec [16]

Round 16: dec, sc in next 5 st, inc, sc in next 6 st, dec [15]

Round 17: dec, sc in next 5 st, inc in each of next 2 st, sc in next 4 st, dec [15]

Round 18: dec, sc in next 4 st, inc in each of next 2 st, sc in next 5 st, dec [15]

Rounds 19-20: dec, sc in next 5 st, inc in each of next 2 st, sc in next 4 st, dec [15]

Finish off, stuff, and leave a long tail for sewing arm to body.

 

Pot

With purple

Round 1: 6 sc in magic ring [6]

Round 2: inc in each st around [12]

Round 3: (inc, sc in next st) around [18]

Round 4: (inc, sc in next 2 st) around [24]

Round 5: (inc, sc in next 3 st) around [30]

Round 6: (inc, sc in next 4 st) around [36]

Round 7: In BLO, sc in each st around [36]

Round 8: Crocheting into base of Round 7, sc in each st around [36]

Round 9: In BLO, (inc, sc in next 5 st) around [42]

Round 10: (inc, sc in next 6 st) around [48]

Round 11: (inc, sc in next 7 st) around [54]

Round 12: (inc, sc in next 8 st) around [60]

Round 13: sc in each st around [60]

Round 14: (inc, sc in next 9 st) around [66]

Round 15: sc in each st around [66]

Round 16: (inc, sc in next 10 st) around [72]

Rounds 17-18: sc in each st around [72]

Round 19: (inc, sc in next 11 st) around [78]

Rounds 20-22 (3 rows): sc in each st around [78]

Round 23: (dec, sc in next 11 st) around [72]

Round 24: (dec, sc in next 10 st) around [66]

Round 25: (dec, sc in next 9 st) around [60]

Round 26: (dec, sc in next 8 st) around [54]

Round 27: (dec, sc in next 7 st) around [48]

Round 28: In FLO, (2 dc in next st, dc in next 7 st) around [54]

Sl st to beginning stitch, finish off, and weave in ends.

 

Flower

With yellow

Round 1: 6 sc in magic ring [6]

Switch to pink

Round 2: (sl st, 3 dc, sl st) in each st around [30]

Finish off and leave a long tail for sewing.

 

Making Up

• With black felt, cut two ovals approximately 3 rows high and 2 rows wide. With white felt, cut two, hole-punch sized circles and two slightly smaller circles. With pink felt, cut two ovals approximately 3 rows high and 2 rows wide.
• With needle and black thread, sew ovals to body between Rounds 20-22 approximately 3 st apart (see photo below for reference). With white thread, sew hole-punch sized white circles to bottom left of eyes and sew slightly smaller circles to upper right of eyes. With pink thread, sew cheeks to body under eyes. With needle and black tapestry thread, sew on eyelashes and mouth.
• Sew upper arm to right of face between Rounds 16-22. Sew lower arm to left of face between Rounds 24-30. Sew flower to top of body.
• If desired, with pink yarn and tapestry needle, embroider “Get Sassy” with backstitch on pot.
• Fill bottom of pot with weighted beads, fill remainder with polyester fiberfill. Stuff body. Sew body to pot around back of Round 27 of pot.

Look at you and that Sassy Soledad you’ve finished! I would love to see your work! Tag me on Instagram (@handcraftingalife) or share in the comments below!

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Sassy Soledad the Saguaro Cactus is provided free by Cassandra Rendon with the intention of spreading a little creative joy after the magic of Craftcation 2018. Please feel free to make and give away or sell any amigurumis made from this pattern, but please keep in mind that copying this pattern for your own commercial use is not allowed (plus it’s just kind of a jerk move). For additional information, please contact Cassandra Rendon on her blog (wordpress.com/handcraftingalife) or on Etsy (etsy.com/shop/lascosaschiquitas).

 

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