Free Crochet Pattern: Sugarwood Happy Sun

Written By Sally Drummond

Here are some instructions for making a little happy sun. This pattern would suit lots of shades of yellow, white, orange and red.

I make this little sun for people when they feel sad. Children especially like to put them in their pockets and pull out the happy sun, when they are having a dark day. I hope you enjoy my pattern and your wee suns bring some sweetness to your life. Enjoy - Sally

KEY LINKS FOR YOU:

  • Click here if you would like an inexpensive PDF version of the pattern on Etsy.

YOU WILL NEED:

  • 8ply DK cotton in yellow, black and pink.

  • A 2.5mm crochet hook.

  • 8mm safety eyes.

  • A pair of sharp embroidery scissors.

  • Some pins to hold things in place.

STITCHES USED:

This pattern uses US terminology abbreviations as follows.

BLO: back loop only

Ch: chain stitch / chain

Dec: decrease

Dc: double crochet

FLO: front loop only

Hdc: half double crochet

Inc: increase

MR: Magic ring/circle

St: stitch

Slst: slip stitch

Tr: treble crochet

Dctr: Dc and tr in the same stitch

Trdc: Tr and dc in the same stitch

CHEEKS

Make the cheeks first so that you can sew them on before you close and stuff the sun. This makes it easier to sew them all on and to hide the pesky ends.

Using the 2.25mm hook and salmon yarn:

Round 1: 6sc in a MR. (6st)

Sew the tail in to create a circle, set aside. If you prefer, you can leave out the cheeks and blush your sun’s cheeks with some blusher.

SUN BODY:

Using the 2.25mm hook and vanilla for the base sun:

Round 1: 6sc in MR. (6st)

Round 2: Inc in each stitch. (12st)

Round 3: (Sc. inc) x 6. (18st)

Round 4: (2sc, inc) x 6. (24st)

Round 5: (3sc, inc) x 6. (30st)

Round 6: (4sc, inc) x 6. (36st)

Round 7: (5sc, inc) x 6. (42st)

Round 8: (6sc, inc) x 6. (48st)

Round 9: (7sc, inc) x 6. (54st)

Round 10: In BLO, sc in all 54st. (54st)

Round 11: Repeat round 10. (54st)

Stop here and insert safety eyes through rounds 4&5. Make sure the start/end of the round is at the bottom when you insert the eyes. Before you place the back of the safety eyes add some eyelashes.

Sew on the cheeks over rounds 6-8.

Round 12: (7sc, dec) x 6. (48st)

Round 13: (6sc, dec) x 6. (42st)

Round 14: (5sc, dec) x 6. (36st)

Round 15: (4sc. dec) x 6. (30st)

Round 16: (3sc, dec) x 6. (24st)

Start stuffing the sun.

Round 17: (2sc, dec) x 6. (18st)

Round 18: (Sc, dec) x 6. (12st)

Round 19: Dec x 6. (6st)

Fasten off, close the hole by running the tail through the front loops of round 19 and sew in the end.

RAYS

Using the 2.25mm hook and vanilla:

FRONT RAYS:

The front rays are the ones that are closest to you when the suns face is facing you.

With the front of the sun is facing you, join yarn to the first front loop of round 10.

Round 1: (sl, hdc, dctr (this is a dc and a tr in the same stitch), trdc (this is a tr and a dc in the same stitch), hdc, sl) x 9. Each ray goes across 6 stitches. You will have 9 rays when the front rays are complete. Do not fasten off.

BACK RAYS:

The sun is designed so that the point of the back rays can be seen in the middle of the front rays. It would also look nice if you change colours for this round so the colour that comes through is different. With the back of the sun facing you, continue into the last front loop of round 11.

Round 1: (trdc, hdc, 2sl, hdc, dctr) x 9. Round 2: (Ch2. (Photo 9). Slst in the second ch from hook, 8slst in the front loops only). Repeat around. Fasten off and sew in ends.

You may need to stretch out your rays, so they are straight and perky! To do this you can wet them a bit and pin them, or you can starch them, pull them out to points and leave them to dry. Pop your sun in a place you can see it or give to a friend to enjoy!

Sally Drummond