How to Crochet an Easter Egg

Start with the blue yarn. Make a slip knot, put it on your hook and chain 2. Skip the first chain and work 6 single crochet into the second chain from the hook, all in that one spot. That is Round 1. Pull the yarn tail to close the gap in the middle. A little bump may stick out on one side. Leave it, the next rounds hide it.

From here you work in a spiral, with no slip stitch at the end of each round. Round 2 is an increase in every stitch, so two single crochet in each one, for 12 stitches. For Round 3, work one single crochet and then an increase, all the way around, for 18. Put a stitch marker in the first stitch of the round and move it up each time you come back to it.

Keep increasing six times a round. Round 4 is one single crochet, an increase, then one more single crochet, repeated, for 24. Round 5 is three single crochet and an increase, for 30. Round 6 is two single crochet, an increase, two single crochet, for 36. Staggering the increases keeps the base round instead of turning it into a hexagon. You now have a flat blue circle.

Work Rounds 7 and 8 with one single crochet in every stitch. The edges start to curl up into a cup. At the end of Round 8, slip stitch into the next stitch, cut the blue and pull the end through. Pull a loop of white yarn through the edge, tie a small knot and tuck both tails to the inside. Chain 1 and single crochet into the same stitch to begin.

Work single crochet in every stitch around for four rounds, Rounds 9 to 12. You keep 36 stitches the whole way. The sides grow straight up from the blue base and the piece starts to look like the bottom of an egg. Keep moving your stitch marker up at the start of each round so you do not lose count. These plain rounds are relaxing work.

Round 13 begins the narrowing. Work four single crochet, then a decrease. To decrease, pull up a loop in the next stitch and a loop in the stitch after it, then yarn over and pull through all three loops. Repeat around for 30 stitches. Work Rounds 14 and 15 with one single crochet in every stitch. Slip stitch, cut the white and pull the end through.

Join the pink the same way you joined the white. Chain 1 and start Round 16: three single crochet and a decrease, around, for 24. Work Rounds 17 and 18 even, with 24 single crochet each. Round 19 is two single crochet and a decrease, repeated, for 18. The opening at the top keeps getting smaller and the egg shape is easy to see now.

Round 20 is one single crochet and a decrease, all the way around, for 12 stitches. The hole is now small, so stuff the egg before it closes. Push in fiberfill a little at a time. Fill the blue base first, then the middle, and shape it with your fingers as you go. Stop when it feels firm and holds an egg shape.

Round 21 is six decreases, which leaves 6 stitches. The stuffing gets in the way here, so slide a finger inside to push it back while you work. After each decrease, give the yarn a small tug to tighten it. That keeps the gaps small. When you finish, slip stitch into the stitch across the hole to pull it shut, then chain 1 and cut the yarn.

Thread the pink tail onto a yarn needle. Push the needle in right beside where the tail comes out, run it through the stuffing and bring it out on the far side of the egg. Pull it through, then snip the yarn close to the surface. Give the egg a squeeze and the end slips inside out of sight. Squeeze it into shape and your egg is done.