Little ones will love this adorable crochet bowling set! It is the perfect size for little hands and great for developing hand-eye coordination and spacial awareness. My son would knock those pins down and set them up again for hours. And it’s so much fun that older siblings will want to get in on the action too!
Perfect for indoors, the crochet bowling pins and ball are plush for quiet and damage free play … no worrying about damage to furniture or woodwork.
Crochet Bowling Pin and Ball Patterns
Here is what you will need:
- worsted-weight yarn in white (approx. 300-450 yd.), red (approx. 156 yd), gray (approx. 156 yd) , and a small amount of black (shown here in Lion Brand Vanna’s Choice in White – 100, Scarlet – 113, and Charcoal Grey – 151)
- US H-8 / 5 mm crochet hook or smaller depending on your tension (see notes)
- yarn needle
- stitch markers (optional)
- fiberfill stuffing
- bean bags (optional; see notes)
Resources and tutorials you may find helpful in following this crochet pattern: Crochet Abbreviations, U.S. to U.K. Crochet Conversion Chart, How to Make a Magic Ring {photo & video tutorial}.
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Available as a convenient, ad-free printer-friendly pdf download here.
Notes:
- Please note that as with all crochet toys and baby items, this crochet bowling set should be checked regularly for pulls or unraveling stitches that may allow stuffing to come out and become a choking hazard. As always, infants and small children should be supervised.
- Use whatever hook size allows you to achieve a nice tight fabric. The tighter the gauge the better the shape and structure of each piece will be.
- Use bean bags in the base of each pin and in the center of the ball to add a little weight. To make your own, use uncooked rice or dried beans and place between two squares of fabric. Sew closed at each side, making sure the contents cannot come out. Filling an old sock (with no holes, of course) works great too!
- Finished crochet bowling pins measure approximately 9½ in. high x 10 in. around. Finished crochet bowling ball measures approximately 18 in. around.
bowling pin pattern
Make 6 pins for a fun kid set or 10 for a standard bowling set.
With white, make a magic ring (as an alternative to the magic ring, you can ch 4 and join with a slip stitch in furthest chain from hook to form a ring).
Round 1: Ch 1 (does not count as st here and throughout), work 6 sc into ring, join —6 sts.
Round 2: Ch 1, 2 sc in each st around, join — 12 sts.
Round 3: Ch 1, 1 sc in same st as join and each st around, join — 12 sts.
Round 4: Ch 1, beginning is same st as join,*work 2 sc, 1 sc in next, rep from * around, join — 18 sts.
Round 5: Ch 1, 1 sc in same st as join and each st around, join — 18 sts.
Round 6: Ch 1, beginning is same st as join,*work 2 sc, 1 sc in each of the next 2 sts, rep from * around, join — 24 sts.
Rounds 7 through 10: Ch 1, 1 sc in same st as join and each st around, join — 24 sts.
Round 11: Ch 1, beginning is same st as join,*sc2tog, 1 sc in each of the next 2 sts, rep from * around, join and drop white yarn — 18 sts.
Round 12: Join red yarn, ch 1, 1 sc in same st as join and each st around, join — 18 sts.
Round 13: Ch 1, beginning is same st as join,*sc2tog, 1 sc in next st, rep from * around, join and drop red yarn — 12 sts.
Rounds 14 and 15: Pick up and join white yarn, ch 1, 1 sc in same st as join and each st around, join and drop white yarn — 12 sts.
Round 16: Pick up and join red yarn, ch 1, 1 sc in same st as join and each st around, join — 12 sts.
Round 17: Ch 1, beginning is same st as join,*work 2 sc, 1 sc in next, rep from * around, join and fasten off red yarn — 18 sts.
Round 18: Pick up and join white, ch 1, 1 sc in same st as join and each st around, join — 18 sts.
Round 19: Ch 1, beginning is same st as join,*work 2 sc, 1 sc in each of the next 2 sts, rep from * around, join — 24 sts.
***Stuff tip of pin at this point, taking care not to over stuff.***
Round 20: Ch 1, 1 sc in same st as join and each st around, join — 24 sts.
Round 21: Ch 1, beginning is same st as join,*work 2 sc, 1 sc in each of the next 3 sts, rep from * around, join — 30 sts.
Rounds 22 through 31: Ch 1, 1 sc in same st as join and each st around, join — 30 sts.
Round 32: Ch 1, beginning is same st as join,*sc2tog, 1 sc in each of the next 3 sts, rep from * around, join — 24 sts.
Rounds 33 through 35: Ch 1, 1 sc in same st as join and each st around, join — 24 sts.
Round 36: Ch 1, 1 sc in same st as join and each st around, join — 24 sts.
Round 37: Ch 1, beginning is same st as join and working in back loops only for this round, *sc2tog, 1 sc in each of the next 2 sts, rep from * around, join — 18 sts.
***Stuff rest of pin at this point, taking care not to over stuff. If using a bean bag, place in last so it is at base of pin (see notes).***
Round 38: Ch 1, beginning is same st as join and work *sc2tog, 1 sc in next st, rep from * around, join — 12 sts.
Round 39: Ch 1, beginning is same st as join,sc2tog around, join — 6 sts.
Fasten off and leave a tail of about 6 inches long. Using a tapestry needle, weave the tail through each stitch and pull gently to tighten. Weave in ends.
crochet bowling Bowl pattern
With gray yarn, make a magic ring.
Round 1: Ch 1, work 6 sc into ring, join — 6 sts.
Round 2: Ch 1, 2 sc in each st around, join — 12 sts.
Round 3: Ch 1, beginning is same st as join,*work 2 sc, 1 sc in next, rep from * around, join — 18 sts.
Round 4: Ch 1, beginning is same st as join,*work 2 sc, 1 sc in each of the next 2 sts, rep from * around, join — 24 sts.
Round 5: Ch 1, beginning is same st as join,*work 2 sc, 1 sc in each of the next 3 sts, rep from * around, join — 30 sts.
Round 6: Ch 1,beginning is same st as join,*work 2 sc, 1 sc in each of the next 4 sts, rep from * around, join — 36 sts.
Round 7: Ch 1, beginning is same st as join,*work 2 sc, 1 sc in each of the next 5 sts, rep from * around, join — 42 sts.
Round 8: Ch 1, beginning is same st as join,*work 2 sc, 1 sc in each of the next 6 sts, rep from * around, join — 48 sts.
Round 9: Ch 1, beginning is same st as join,*work 2 sc, 1 sc in each of the next 7 sts, rep from * around, join — 54 sts.
Round 10: Ch 1, beginning is same st as join,*work 2 sc, 1 sc in each of the next 8 sts, rep from * around, join — 60 sts.
Rounds 11 through 20: Ch 1, 1 sc in same st as join and each st around, join — 60 sts.
Round 21: Ch 1, beginning is same st as join and work *sc2tog, 1 sc in each of the next 8 sts, rep from * around, join — 54 sts.
Round 22: Ch 1, beginning is same st as join and work *sc2tog, 1 sc in each of the next 7 sts, rep from * around, join — 48 sts.
Round 23: Ch 1, beginning is same st as join and work *sc2tog, 1 sc in each of the next 6 sts, rep from * around, join — 42 sts.
Round 24: Ch 1, beginning is same st as join and work *sc2tog, 1 sc in each of the next 5 sts, rep from * around, join — 36 sts.
Round 25: Ch 1, beginning is same st as join and work *sc2tog, 1 sc in each of the next 4 sts, rep from * around, join — 30 sts.
Round 26: Ch 1, beginning is same st as join and work *sc2tog, 1 sc in each of the next 3 sts, rep from * around, join — 24 sts.
***Stuff ball, taking care not to over stuff. If using a bean bag, position it in the center of the ball.***
Round 27: Ch 1, beginning is same st as join and work *sc2tog, 1 sc in each of the next 2 sts, rep from * around, join — 18 sts.
Round 28: Ch 1, beginning is same st as join and work *sc2tog, 1 sc in next st, rep from * around, join — 12 sts.
Round 29: Ch 1, beginning is same st as join, sc2tog around, join — 6 sts.
Fasten off and leave a tail of about 6 inches long. Using a tapestry needle, weave the tail through each stitch and pull gently to tighten. Weave in ends.
Faux Finger Holes (make 3)
With black yarn, make a magic ring.
Round 1: Ch 1, work 6 sc into ring, join — 6 sts.
For best results, use the invisible join and fasten off method. Leave a tail of about 6 inches long. Using a yarn needle, sew faux finger holes to ball as shown in pictures. Weave in ends.
I had fun making this pattern. Made it for my Great Grandson to play with as they live in an apartment.
This pattern is really cute! I really loved making it!
I made these in rainbow colors for my nephew for Christmas. Your pattern was a little confusing, but once I followed it round by round I got it and was able to make the full set pretty quickly. Thank you for posting this pattern. I know he will love playing with his indoor bowling set. I’m going to make another set for my son. 🙂