Crochet Baseball: A White Ball with Red Stitched Seams
A firm, palm-sized baseball: a white sphere with the famous figure-eight seam embroidered in red V-stitches. How to map the curved seam so it looks real, plus a softball size.
Pattern at a glance
US terms- Skill level
- Easy
- Yarn
- Worsted (#4) cotton in white (25 yd) and red (6 yd)
- Hook
- 3.5 mm (E-4)
- Time
- About 1½ hours
- Finished size
- About 3 in (7.5 cm) — real baseball size
You'll need
- Worsted (#4) cotton in white — about 25 yd
- Red — about 6 yd
- 3.5 mm (E-4) hook
- Fibrefill
- 12–16 pins
- Tapestry needle
In this post
A crochet baseball is a white sphere with the seam embroidered on. The seam of a real baseball is one continuous curve that wraps the ball like the seam on a tennis ball: two U-shaped loops facing opposite ways. Pin out the path first, backstitch it in red, then add small V-shaped stitches along both sides. In worsted cotton on a 3.5 mm hook it's the size of a real baseball.
The rest of this post is just below — free, as always.
The ball
- Rnds 1–5: In white, 6 sc in a magic ring and increase 6 per round to (3 sc, inc) × 6. (30)
- Rnds 6–11: Sc in each st. (30)
- Rnds 12–14: (3 sc, dec) × 6 (24); (2 sc, dec) × 6 (18); (sc, dec) × 6 (12); stuff very firmly. (12)
- Rnd 15: Dec × 6. Close. (6)
Mapping the seam
- Hold the ball with the magic ring at the top. Put a pin at the top and one at the bottom (the closing point).
- Imagine a tennis ball seam: from the top, curve down the front and around to the bottom, then up the back to the top again. The two halves form U shapes facing opposite directions.
- Put a pin every half inch along the path. The two loops should be the same size; adjust pins until it looks even from all sides.
- Backstitch along the pins in red — this is the seam line.
Red stitches
Along both sides of the seam line, make small diagonal stitches angled like a V, about 2 stitches apart, all the way around. A real baseball has 108 double stitches; about 50 V's look right at this size.
Sizes
| Ball | Yarn and hook | Max stitches | Size |
|---|---|---|---|
| Baseball | Worsted, 3.5 mm | 30 | 3 in |
| Softball | Worsted, 4 mm (yellow or white) | 36 | 4 in |
| Keychain | DK, 2.5 mm | 24 | 1½ in |
Complete the set with a basketball and football, or make juggling balls with the same sphere.
Common questions
How do you crochet the seam on a baseball?
Pin the curved seam path (like a tennis ball seam), backstitch it in red, then add small V-shaped stitches along both sides.
Is a crochet baseball safe to throw?
Yes, indoors. Stuffed firmly, it holds its shape but won't break anything.
What yarn is best?
White cotton: firm stitches and a crisp white that looks like leather. Acrylic works for a softer baby toy.
Batter up! ⚾
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