Crochet Sensory Fidget Spinner of sorts - Free Crochet Pattern

Fidget "spinner"

This pretty decoration is actually a fun toy. You see the part that's sticking up from the middle? You can pull it and it never ends. It's kind of like crocheting a 3D version of the figure "8". It's fun to play with for anyone, but can also be used as a fidget for individuals with neurological disorders (from autism to dementia). It's also a really simple project. Other than the very start of the shape you'll just be crocheting the same pattern without having to count rows or turn you work because the bottom and the top will be one continuous row. You just keep going until you like the size then stop.

What you will need

Yarn: I recommend 100% cotton for durability. Also, you're gonna want to wash it every so often, and 100% cotton can just be tossed in the washer/dryer. I'm using Lily Sugar 'n Cream which is a 4 (medium) and comes in fun colors. Since you can switch up the colors however you want, you can use up scraps.

Hook: I'm using 3.75mm but this doesn't get stuffed so I don't need it too tight. I think a 4mm would work just as well.

Other: The usual scissors and a tapestry needle. No need for stitch counters when you make it because (unless you're going for a specific color design) there's no need to count stitches. I'm using stitch markers in my photos only to help point out stitches in the directions.

Directions

Abbreviations

• SC = single crochet
• INC = 2 SC in one stitch
• SLST = slipstitch

Overview

We start with a chain, crochet the back of it (bottom edge), then the front (top edge), then join it into a continuous loop (top edge to bottom edge) and thereafter just repeat the same pattern (one SC one INC) around and around as long as you want, building both edges in one cycle ("cycle" makes more sense to me than "row" or "round" because it loops around). 

The size of the foundational chain will determine the space in the middle, and how tall you can make your fidget before it's too difficult to pull through. The one in the picture started with 13 chains. The one I'm using to demo the steps started with 16.

Steps

1. Chain 16 (Figure 1). We have a foundational chain of 15 and the extra one that will be skipped in step 2.

I'm using purple for the foundational chain and then switching to white so it's easier to tell where the chain was (but I switched late, so the first SC in step 2 is still purple).

2. SC in the back bumps of the chain starting with the 2nd chain from the hook (15 stitches into the foundational chain). 

Since this is the back of the chain I'm calling this the bottom edge. Figure 2 shows the result from this step; I marked the first SC of this step with a purple stitch marker, and on the other (front) side of the 15th chain (end of the foundational chain) with a green stitch marker (technically, the top edge of our work).

3. Fold your work in half (Figure 3) and put your hook from back to front into the front of the final (15th) foundational chain (the one I had marked with a green marker, but removed in Figure 4 to make room for the hook).

4. Rotate your work so the front stitches of the foundation chain are now on top and SC in each (15 stitches, worked into the top edge).

You are now working in the front of the foundational chain, but from behind. So it may be a little hard to get your hook into each, but it's only for this step. Figures 5 and 6 show the first two then the first five stitches of this step. For these figures I put the green stitch marker back to mark the stitch stacked on top of the last foundational chain (so on top of the stitch it previously marked).

5. When you get to the end of the top edge in step 4 it's time to loop the front and back edges to create one continuous edge. There is only one SC in this step, but it's vital to put it in the right place:

Let's orient ourselves. Figure 7 shows the foundational chain now has all 15 back bumps worked, and all 15 top stitches worked; the purple stitch marker is still in the first back SC from step 2 (which was made into the final foundational chain), and the green one is in the SC that's in the front of the first foundational chain. The purple stitch marker is on the bottom edge and the green is on the top edge. 

The last stitch we just finished in step 4 was the end of the top edge, and we will now continue working into the start of the bottom edge. This will create the continuous loop, so this is key.

Put your hook into the first SC from step 2 (where the purple stitch marker is, Figure 8) and SC (Figure 9). TA DA! You have joined the edges and created a continuous loop.

6. From here on out you will simply repeat the same pattern of stitches. Follow the SC from step 5 with an INC in the next stitch, and then just keep repeating this pattern (SC, INC) building cycle after cycle (remember I'm calling each "round" a cycle because you'll work in one edge, looping to the other, building the height of your work from both edges continuously). I like symmetry so I switch colors at start of cycles, but it's not necessary.

Figure 10 shows the work after the first cycle is completed (45 stitches: 15 from each edge joined together in a loop is 30, with SC, INC pattern in each of the 30=45). Each following cycle will raise the stitch count x1.5 from the previous one. But there is no need to count. Just get it to the height you like, then SLST to finish and hide the ends. I'm adding Figures 11 and 12 to show part of the way through the next cycle (I switched to black) and then all the way through it.

How many cycles do you need? It's completely up to you, but if you make it too high for the center opening, it might get a bit harder to pull the middle through. So periodically test the fidgety part of this toy and stop before it's too hard to pull through. Start with more chains for more space to make it larger.

If written directions are confusing, I've seen several videos of basically the same pattern (there's really no room for variation in patterns for this item). Here's one I like, and she adds some fun finishing touches to her fidgets: Miranda’s magic fidget