Burgundy Shark Sleep Sack Crochet Free Pattern
Burgundy Shark Sleep Sack Crochet Free Pattern
Introduction
This cozy shark sleep sack is a sweet, snuggly cocoon for toddlers, and it makes an adorable photo prop for shark-themed newborn or birthday shoots. Worked in soft bamboo cotton in a rich burgundy with a gold shark face in tapestry crochet, it looks playful and feels wonderfully smooth against the skin. The simple straight-cylinder shape means no increasing or decreasing, so it is a genuinely beginner-friendly project. A little gold dorsal fin on the back finishes it off with a cheeky touch.
Materials Needed
- Yarn: Worsted weight (4) bamboo cotton, 100% bamboo, 200 yards per 100 g skein.
- Color A (Burgundy): 250 yards
- Color B (Gold): 50 yards
- Hook: 5.0 mm (H-8) crochet hook
- Notions: Stitch marker, tapestry needle, scissors
- Finished size: Width 12 inches (30 cm) flat, circumference 24 inches (61 cm), height 24 inches (61 cm)
Abbreviations
- ch – chain
- sc – single crochet
- sc2tog – single crochet two stitches together (a decrease)
- st(s) – stitch(es)
- rnd(s) – round(s)
- A / B – Color A (Burgundy) / Color B (Gold)
Gauge
16 sts and 16 rnds = 4 inches (10 cm) in single crochet. Work a small swatch in the round and measure it flat to check your gauge before starting.
Tips Before You Start
- Work in continuous rounds (no joining, no turning) and use a stitch marker to track the start of each round.
- For the tapestry crochet face, carry the unused color along the inside of the work and keep the floats relaxed so the cocoon stays stretchy.
- Count your stitches at the end of every round — the body stays at 48 sts throughout, so any drift is easy to spot.
- Keep your tension even where you change colors so the gold motif sits flat and does not pucker.
Step-by-Step Instructions
Cocoon (Color A, with Color B motifs)
Setup: With A, ch 48 and join with a slip stitch to form a ring, being careful not to twist.
Rnd 1: sc in each ch around (48 sts).
Rnds 2–6: sc in each st around (48 sts).
Rnds 7–14: Work the shark face in tapestry crochet following the chart below, changing to B as indicated (48 sts each round).
Rnds 15–30: sc in each st around in A (48 sts).
Rnds 31–34: Work the small gold mark in tapestry crochet following the chart below (48 sts each round).
Rnds 35–40: sc in each st around in A (48 sts). Fasten off.
Shark Face Chart (tapestry crochet, front)
Each round is written as four repeats of 12 stitches. Work the stitches in the color listed, in order.
Rnd 7: [A x6, B x1, A x5] x4 (48 sts)
Rnd 8: [A x5, B x3, A x4] x4 (48 sts)
Rnd 9: [A x4, B x5, A x3] x4 (48 sts)
Rnd 10: [A x3, B x7, A x2] x4 (48 sts)
Rnd 11: [A x2, B x9, A x1] x4 (48 sts)
Rnd 12: [A x1, B x11] x4 (48 sts)
Rnd 13: [B x12] x4 (48 sts)
Rnd 14: [A x1, B x11] x4 (48 sts)
Rnds 31–34: [A x1, B x1, A x10] x4 (48 sts) — repeat this same sequence for all four rounds.
Dorsal Fin (Color B)
Row 1: Ch 6, sc in 2nd ch from hook and each ch across (5 sts).
Row 2: sc2tog, sc, sc2tog (3 sts).
Row 3: sc2tog, sc (2 sts).
Row 4: sc2tog (1 st). Fasten off.
Edging
Top opening: With A, sc evenly around the top opening (48 sts). Fasten off.
Assembly and Finishing
Sew the dorsal fin to the back of the cocoon at center, about 4 inches (10 cm) below the top edge, using Color B and a tapestry needle. Weave in all ends on the inside of the work. Block gently to the finished measurements — width 12 inches flat, height 24 inches — by misting lightly and laying flat to dry, shaping the top opening as it dries.
Pro Tips and Variations
- Swap the gold for a soft grey or white for a more classic shark look, or use a brighter contrast for a bolder photo prop.
- Add a second small fin or a simple tail shape at the bottom edge for extra shark character.
- For a larger toddler size, add a few extra plain rounds before the top edging — the stitch count stays at 48, so the width is unchanged.
