Every year, the world celebrates World Oceans Day on June 8. It commemorates the world’s oceans, and also brings attention to how they can be cared for and revitalized. This year’s theme is “Revitalization: Collective Action for the Ocean,” and the hashtag is #RevitalizeTheOcean .
We live on islands surrounded by the ocean here in New Zealand. It plays a vital role in our health, ecology, history, lore and economy. In honor of World Oceans Day, we’ve found 11 gorgeous ocean-themed patterns that you can make to remind yourself of the ocean’s importance, now and all year long.
Free Afghan Block Pattern
The Ocean Sun afghan block designed by Lina Thorsson is free and absolutely gorgeous. Make it incredibly touchable with Wool and the Gang’s Feeling Good yarn.
Paid Ocean Themed Crochet Patterns
Ocean Themed Afghan
Pony McTate’s Crochet A-B-Sea is a marvel of crochet work. This book has 26 afghan square designs, each one based on a different sea creature. Each design is accurate to the marine critter pictured. It also comes with instructions for how to assemble them into a blanket, or use them as embellishments. And the book is so well-written, with so many step-by-step pictures, that even an adventurous beginner can take this on and build their skills! Although the samples are made from sport weight yarn, we recommend DMC Happy Cotton for the sheer quantity of colour options available.
Ocean Waves Sweater
The Ocean Waves Sweater crochet pattern by Desiree Schuler has a fun wave and dolphin motif and options for long and short sleeves. It is a size-inclusive pattern, and the sizes have been tested by a wide range of people. Get creative with your contrasting colours – Wool and the Gang’s Buddy Hemp will fire up your imagination!
Ocean Pals Playset
The Ocean Pals Playset by Tera Kulling is a set of crochet patterns for animal softies or large-scale amigurumi, complete with an ocean-themed carry bag for them. Crochet an adorable ray, crab, and horseshoe crab and store them in the tote – which would also make a great handbag. This is another fun stashbuster for your worsted weight yarn, but if you need a bit more yarn Wool and the Gang Shiny Happy Cotton would be a great one to use!
Deep Ocean Baby Blanket
Crochet the Deep Ocean Baby Blanket pattern by Bori Vorga for a new baby in your life – or add some squares and make it for someone a little bigger! The patterns in the squares are evocative of marine life, and Lily Sugar ‘n Creme is the 100% cotton yarn with the perfect colours for this pattern.
Ocean Waves Baby Blanket
The Ocean Waves Baby Blanket crochet pattern by Willow Crochet is an ocean mural made in fibre. The pattern comes with a chart as well as written instructions and links to video tutorials. If you’re looking for the right bright cotton to make this with, Lily Sugar ‘n Creme is what you want!
Paid Ocean Themed Knitting Patterns
Ocean Beanie
Joan Rowe designed the Ocean Beanie for the 2017 Science March, but it fits just as well with World Ocean Day. This is an easy-to-knit pattern that’s great for beginners. It’s also a great scrapbuster if you’re looking for a way to use many leftover bits of worsted weight yarn. If you don’t have leftover bits, or need to fill in colours, Malabrigo Rios is a 100% merino worsted yarn that has vibrant tones that would go perfectly with this.
Sea Life Mittens
This Sea Life Mittens knitting pattern by Erica Mount is complicated and challenging, but so rewarding once they’re completed. Each mitten has a different pattern, featuring fish, octopus, jellies, corals and so much more. You won’t be able to stop admiring them! It’s recommended for fingering yarn, and soft, hard-wearing Zealana Kiwi Fingering Yarn has the colours and stitch definition needed to really bring out this pattern.
Ocean Wave Top
The boat-neck Ocean Wave Top knitting pattern by Ashwini Jambhekar evokes the seashore with its wave pattern. It has lovely lace details in the front and back and on the three-quarter length sleeves. It’s worked flat and has set-in sleeves. For gorgeous bright colours with great stitch definition, we recommend Broadway NZ Merino DK yarn.
Blue Ocean Waves Pullover
Blue Ocean Waves is a circular yoke sweater featuring seaside motifs at the yoke. It’s delightful, whimsical and perfect for celebrating the sea in winter. You could make a beautiful version of this using Zealana Kauri Worsted.
Siren Song Shawl
The Siren Song shawl is the companion to the immensely popular Song of the Sea cowl by Louise Zass-Bangham. If you have experience with lacework and want to learn to work lace from both the right and the wrong side, this is the project to pick up as the actual lace stitches are easy. We have used Malabrigo Mechita to make this and it worked very well!
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