Crochet Patternsfor All Levels

September 19, 2026

Floating Otter Belly Tray – A Cute & Functional Crochet Project

Keep your desk organized with this adorable Floating Otter Tray! Featuring a happy otter face, little paws reaching for the sky, and a spacious belly for holding small items like jewelry, keys, or office supplies, this project combines amigurumi charm with practical home decor. It’s a fun, intermediate-friendly make that brings joy to any surface.

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Floating Otter Belly Tray – Complete Step-by-Step Pattern

1. Gathering Your Supplies

To make the tray sturdy enough to hold items, a firm cotton yarn is best.

  • Yarn: Worsted weight cotton yarn (e.g., YarnArt Jeans, Catania).
    • Brown: Main color for the body, head, and limbs (approx. 100g).
    • Cream/Beige: For the muzzle (small amount).
    • Black: For the nose and eyes (tiny amount).
    • Red/Pink: For the tongue (tiny amount).
    • White: For the whiskers (tiny amount).
  • Hook: 3.5 mm or 4.0 mm (choose a size that gives you a firm fabric).
  • Notions:
    • Poly-fil stuffing (for the head and limbs).
    • Tapestry needle.
    • Scissors.
    • Stitch markers.
    • Optional: A small piece of cardboard or plastic canvas to insert into the bottom of the tray for extra stability.

What you'll master: Creating a functional container, assembling 3D character parts, and detailed facial embroidery.

2. Abbreviations & Special Techniques

  • MR: Magic ring
  • ch: Chain
  • sc: Single crochet
  • hdc: Half double crochet
  • sl st: Slip stitch
  • inc: Increase (2 sc in one stitch)
  • dec: Decrease (2 sc crocheted together invisibly)
  • BLO: Back loop only (creates a sharp ridge for the tray edge).
  • st(s): Stitch(es)

3. The Tray Base (The Belly)

This is the main container part of the otter.

  • R1 (Brown): 6 sc in MR (6)
  • R2: 6 inc (12)
  • R3: (1 sc, inc) x 6 (18)
  • R4: (2 sc, inc) x 6 (24)
  • R5: (3 sc, inc) x 6 (30)
  • R6: (4 sc, inc) x 6 (36)
  • R7: (5 sc, inc) x 6 (42)
  • R8: (6 sc, inc) x 6 (48)
    • Note: This creates a flat circle approx. 15-18 cm wide.
  • R9 (The Rim): 48 sc in BLO (48).
    • Pro Tip: Working in the back loop only creates a sharp 90-degree turn upwards, forming the wall of the tray.
  • R10-12: 48 sc (48) [3 rows].
    • Note: This creates the height of the tray wall.
  • Finishing: Sl st to join. Fasten off. (If you want a smoother edge, you can do a round of slip stitches or sc on the top rim).

What you'll master: Creating a sturdy, open container shape.

4. The Head (Brown & Cream)

The head is a small 3D sphere attached to the side of the tray.

  • R1 (Brown): 6 sc in MR (6)
  • R2: 6 inc (12)
  • R3: (1 sc, inc) x 6 (18)
  • R4: (2 sc, inc) x 6 (24)
  • R5-8: 24 sc (24) [4 rows]
  • R9: (2 sc, dec) x 6 (18)
    • Stuffing: Stuff the head firmly now.
  • R10: (1 sc, dec) x 6 (12)
  • Finishing: Fasten off, leaving a long tail. Do not close the hole completely; we will sew it to the tray.

The Muzzle (Cream):

  • Instructions: Ch 6. Sc in 2nd ch from hook, hdc, dc, 2 dc in last ch. Working down opposite side: dc, hdc, sc. Sl st to join. (Creates an oval).
  • Finishing: Fasten off, leaving a tail. Sew this onto the front of the brown head.

What you'll master: Shaping a head and adding a contrasting muzzle patch.

5. The Limbs (Brown, Make 4)

These are the little arms and legs sticking up.

  • R1: 6 sc in MR (6)
  • R2: 6 sc (6)
  • R3: 6 sc (6)
  • R4: 6 sc (6)
  • Finishing: Fasten off, leaving a long tail. Stuff very lightly (just enough to hold shape). Flatten the bottom end for sewing.

What you'll master: Creating small, uniform appendages.

6. Facial Details (The Magic Moment!)

This is where the otter gets its personality.

  • Nose: Using black yarn, embroider a small triangle or oval on the top of the cream muzzle.
  • Mouth & Tongue:
    • Embroider a black "W" shape or a wide smile below the nose.
    • Using red yarn, fill in the center of the smile to create a little tongue sticking out (as seen in the photo!).
  • Eyes: Using black yarn, embroider two curved lines (like upside-down U's) above the muzzle to show happy, closed eyes.
  • Whiskers: Using white yarn, cut 6 short strands (approx. 3 cm). Thread them onto a needle and poke them through the muzzle area (3 on each side) to create whiskers. Knot them on the inside or use a tiny dot of fabric glue to secure.

What you'll master: Expressive surface embroidery.

7. Assembly

  1. Attach the Head: Position the brown head on the outer edge of the tray rim. Sew it securely so it looks like the otter is leaning back.
  2. Attach the Limbs:
    • Sew two limbs to the sides of the tray (near the head) to look like arms reaching up.
    • Sew two limbs to the opposite side of the tray rim to look like feet sticking up.
    • Detail: You can embroider little black lines on the paws for toes/claws.
  3. Final Touches: Weave in all loose ends. If the tray bottom is too floppy, cut a circle of cardboard to fit inside the base (R1-R8) to make it rigid.

What you'll master: Multi-step assembly and creating a functional character object.

Final Section: Where to Go from Here

Congratulations! You’ve just crafted a delightful Floating Otter Tray. This project is incredibly satisfying because it’s both cute and useful.

From here, try experimenting with other animals! You could make a "Floating Cat" tray with paws reaching up, or a "Frog" tray with legs splayed out. You could also change the yarn colors to make a "Panda" or "Bear" version. Happy crocheting, and enjoy your new desk companion!