Free Crochet Pattern for Football: Game Day Plush

If you have been hunting for a free crochet pattern for football that looks like an actual football, your search ends here. Most amigurumi balls are too round, and plenty of so-called football patterns skip the laces, which is the one detail that makes a football a football. This pattern builds a proper pointed-oval shape with simple increases and decreases, works two white stripes right into the crocheting near each end, and finishes with classic embroidered laces down the middle.

You get two sizes in one pattern: a full-size game day plush about 9 inches long that looks perfect on a snack table, and a mini keychain version about 3.5 inches long that takes under an hour. The body is plain single crochet worked in the round, so once you can increase, decrease, and change colors, you can make this. It is a satisfying weekend project, a great way to use up brown yarn, and a gift any football fan will actually keep.

Table of contents

• Why you'll love this free crochet pattern for football
• Materials you'll need
• Size, gauge and skill level
• Abbreviations: US terms
• The pattern (US terms)
• Finishing touches
• Three fun ways to use your footballs
• Troubleshooting tips
• Frequently asked questions
• More free patterns to try

Why you'll love this free crochet pattern for football

Most crochet football patterns fall into one of two traps: they are spheres with laces drawn on, or they are flat appliques that never look like the real thing. This pattern dodges both. The pointed-oval shape comes from a straightforward increase and decrease sequence, worked in one piece from tip to tip, so the ball has that long, proud football silhouette with no seaming and no fiddly panels to join.

The white stripes are crocheted right in as you work, one near each end, so there is nothing to sew and nothing to peel off later. The laces are the only hand sewing in the whole project, and they are just a straight line of running stitches with short crossbars, embroidered with a tapestry needle. It looks impressive on the finished ball, but it takes about ten minutes.

The two sizes multiply what you can do with it. Make the full-size plush as a game day centerpiece or a gift for a fan, then whip up the mini as a keychain or backpack charm. The mini is also a great first amigurumi project if you have only made flat things before. Our mini amigurumi patterns roundup has more small makes in the same spirit.

Materials you'll need

A medium-brown worsted acrylic is the classic pick: it reads as football leather, holds the pointed shape well, and washes easily if the plush gets handled a lot. Wool blends work too and give a lovely handmade feel, but they need hand washing.

Use a hook that gives you tight, even stitches. Stuffing should never show through the fabric, so if you can see white fluff between your stitches, go down half a hook size. The football is worked in continuous spiral rounds, so place a stitch marker in the first stitch of every round and move it up as you go. If the magic ring is new to you, our how to crochet a magic ring guide walks through it step by step.

Yarn amounts by size (approximate): Full size: 120 yds brown + 20 yds white. Mini: 35 yds brown + 8 yds white. One 100 g ball of brown worsted makes one full-size football with yarn to spare, or three minis.

A note on the keyring: for the mini version, a plain metal split ring is all you need. Hook it through several stitches at the cinched end of the ball, not through a single stitch, so everyday tugging cannot pull it loose.

Size, gauge and skill level

Both sizes are worked in continuous rounds from one tip to the other, with the white stripes worked in as color changes.

• Finished size (full): about 9 in (23 cm) long and 4.5 in (11 cm) wide at the middle, plump and firm. The mini is about 3.5 in (9 cm) long and 2 in (5 cm) wide.
• Gauge: 15 sc and 18 rounds = 4 in (10 cm) with a 5.0 mm hook. Gauge matters here because loose stitches let the stuffing show through, and a floppy ball will not hold its pointed ends. Your stitches should be tight and even: if stuffing peeks through, go down half a hook size.
• Skill level: advanced beginner. You should know how to chain, single crochet, increase, and decrease, and be comfortable changing yarn colors. The embroidered laces need no embroidery experience: they are simple straight stitches.

If the mini feels fiddly at first, that is normal: tiny rounds are always a little awkward for the first few rounds. Use a stitch marker, count every round, and it smooths out fast.

Abbreviations: US terms

A note on continuous rounds: the ball is worked in a spiral with no joining, so the start of each round shifts slightly. That is fine and invisible on a stuffed ball. Move your stitch marker into the first stitch of each new round so you never lose your place.

A note on color changes: work the color change on the last yarn-over of the last stitch of the previous round: complete the stitch with the new color so the stripe starts cleanly, with no brown fleck in the white round.

The pattern (US terms)

Both sizes start with a magic ring and grow from one tip toward the middle, then decrease down to the other tip. The white stripes are worked as single rounds of white yarn near each end.

Full-size game day football plush

With brown yarn (A) and a 5.0 mm hook:

• Rnd 1: magic ring, 6 sc in ring. [6]
• Rnd 2: inc in each st around. [12]
• Rnd 3: *sc, inc; repeat from * around. Change to white (B) for this round. [18]
• Rnd 4: *2 sc, inc; repeat from * around. Change back to brown (A). [24]
• Rnd 5: *3 sc, inc; repeat from * around. [30]
• Rnd 6: *4 sc, inc; repeat from * around. [36]
• Rnd 7: *5 sc, inc; repeat from * around. [42]
• Rnds 8-10: sc in each st around. [42]
• Rnd 11: *5 sc, dec; repeat from * around. [36]
• Rnd 12: *4 sc, dec; repeat from * around. [30]
• Rnd 13: *3 sc, dec; repeat from * around. [24]
• Rnd 14: *2 sc, dec; repeat from * around. Change to white (B) for this round. [18]
• Rnd 15: *sc, dec; repeat from * around. Change back to brown (A). Stuff the ball firmly now, shaping it into a pointed oval. [12]
• Rnd 16: dec in each st around. [6]

Fasten off, leaving a 6 in tail. Thread the tail through the front loops of the last round with your tapestry needle, pull tight to close the tip, and weave the end into the stuffing. Roll the ball between your palms and pinch each end gently to sharpen the points.

White laces: the embroidered finish

The laces are what turn a brown ball into a football. Work them after the ball is stuffed and closed.

1. Cut about 24 in (60 cm) of white yarn and thread your tapestry needle. Do not knot the end yet: you will anchor it inside the ball.
2. Flatten the ball gently so one side faces up. The laces run along the length of the ball, centered between the two white stripes.
3. Push the needle into the ball at one end of where the lace line will start, about 2 in from the first white stripe, and bring it up through the surface. Tug until the tail disappears inside the stuffing.
4. Work a line of small running stitches down the center of the ball, each stitch about 0.25 in long, ending about 2 in from the second white stripe. Keep your tension even so the line lies flat.
5. Now work 5 short horizontal crossbars across the line, spaced about 0.5 in apart, each about 0.5 in wide and centered on the line. Enter and exit through the same surface holes where you can, so the bars sit neatly.
6. To finish, push the needle into the ball at the last stitch, weave the yarn through the stuffing for an inch or two, and trim it flush. The end will stay buried.

Step back and check the laces from arm's length: they should run straight down the middle with even spacing. If a crossbar sits crooked, it is easy to pull out a single stitch and redo it before you weave in the end.

Mini keychain football

With brown yarn (A) and a 5.0 mm hook, work exactly the same shaping in miniature:

• Rnd 1: magic ring, 6 sc in ring. [6]
• Rnd 2: inc in each st around. [12]
• Rnd 3: *sc, inc; repeat from * around. Change to white (B) for this round. [18]
• Rnd 4: *2 sc, inc; repeat from * around. Change back to brown (A). [24]
• Rnd 5: sc in each st around. [24]
• Rnd 6: *2 sc, dec; repeat from * around. Change to white (B) for this round. [18]
• Rnd 7: *sc, dec; repeat from * around. Change back to brown (A). Stuff firmly, shaping into a pointed oval. [12]
• Rnd 8: dec in each st around. [6]

Fasten off and close the tip the same way as the full size. Embroider the laces in miniature: one short running-stitch line down the center with 3 crossbars instead of 5. To add the keyring, open a 1 in split ring and work it through 2 or 3 stitches at one cinched end, then close it firmly. Tug the ring to test it before the ball goes on anyone's keys.

Finishing touches

Take five unhurried minutes here: it is the difference between homemade and handmade.

Sharpen the points. Roll the finished ball firmly between your palms, then pinch each end between your thumb and forefinger and hold for a few seconds. The stuffing will settle and the tips will keep a gentle point. If an end rounds out again, add a little more stuffing near the tip and pinch again.

Check the laces. Sight down the ball from one end: the lace line should sit centered, with the crossbars evenly spaced. Crooked laces are the most common reason a football looks off, and one redo now is worth it.

Weave every end well. Work each tail through the stuffing for at least 2 in, changing direction once, then trim flush. Ends that are only tucked under a stitch or two will work their way out the first time the ball gets tossed around.

Test the keyring. For the mini, give the split ring a firm tug in every direction. If it slides through the stitches, move it to a spot where it catches 2 or 3 stitches at once. Small hardware and small children do not mix, so keep keychain versions for older kids and adults.

Three fun ways to use your footballs

Once you have the shaping down, one football is rarely enough. Three ideas to run with:

1. Game day centerpiece. Set the full-size plush on the snack table next to the bowls and dips. It is soft, so nobody worries about it knocking over a drink, and guests always pick it up. Make a second one in a few weeks and you have bookends for the TV console.
2. Team colors version. Swap the brown for your team's color and keep the white stripes and laces. A deep green, navy, or burgundy ball with white details looks sharp and personal, and it makes a great gift for a graduate whose school colors you can match. Our holiday crochet gift guide has more giftable ideas in the same quick-make spirit.
3. Tailgate keychain party favors. The mini works up in about 45 minutes, so a batch of six is an evening's project. Hand them out at a tailgate or tuck one into each guest's gift bag. If keychain makes are your thing, our crochet keychain ideas roundup has more small gift projects.

Troubleshooting tips

• The ball looks round, not like a football. You need more length between the increases and decreases, or firmer stuffing at the tips. Check that you worked all three plain rounds at the middle (Rnds 8-10), stuff firmly, and pinch the ends into points.
• The white stripes landed in the wrong spot. The stripes belong on Rnd 3 and Rnd 14 of the full size (Rnd 3 and Rnd 6 of the mini), two rounds from each tip. Count your rounds with the marker: a stripe one round off looks noticeably lopsided.
• The laces look crooked. You stitched freehand without a guide. Next time, lay a ruler or a strip of paper along the ball and mark the line lightly with a water-soluble fabric marker first, or pin the line with two pins and stitch between them.
• The stuffing shows through the stitches. Your stitches are too loose or your hook is too big. Go down half a hook size and pull each stitch snug. A smaller hook makes a firmer ball that holds its points better.
• The cinched tip has a little hole. You pulled the tail through the front loops only once. Rethread the tail and run it through the front loops a second time, pull tight, and the hole will close completely.
• The mini's keyring pulls the stitches open. The ring is caught on a single stitch. Move it so it passes through 2 or 3 stitches at once.

Frequently asked questions

Is this free crochet pattern for football really free?

Yes, the complete pattern above is free, no email signup and no purchase required.

What skill level is this football pattern?

Advanced beginner. If you can single crochet, increase, decrease, and change colors, you have every skill this pattern needs. The embroidered laces are simple straight stitches, no embroidery experience required.

How long does each size take to make?

The full-size football takes about 2 hours: roughly 45 minutes of crocheting the body, 10 minutes for the laces, and the rest for stuffing and finishing. The mini takes about 45 minutes start to finish.

How much yarn do I need?

For the full size: about 120 yds of brown worsted and 20 yds of white. For the mini: about 35 yds of brown and 8 yds of white. One 100 g ball of brown makes one full-size football or three minis.

Can I embroider the laces with a different stitch?

Yes. The pattern uses running stitch for the long line and straight stitches for the crossbars, but backstitch gives a bolder line if you prefer it. Keep the stitches small and even either way.

Can I wash a crocheted football?

Yes, but gently. Hand wash in cool water with a little gentle soap, squeeze out the water without wringing, reshape the points with your fingers, and air dry. Machine washing can felt wool yarns and loosen the embroidered laces.

Can I sell the finished footballs I make?

Yes! You may sell finished footballs made from this pattern in small batches (craft fairs, markets, gifts). Please credit Little Loop Finds as the pattern designer with a link back to this page.

More free patterns to try

If this football was fun, keep the hook moving. The free crochet Santa pattern is another quick holiday make in the same advanced-beginner range, and the holiday crochet gift guide is full of small gift projects that work up fast. Game day crafting season is long: start the next one now.