Terracotta Eye Pacifier Chew Disc Free Pattern: Crochet Evil Eye Dog Toy

Introduction

Welcome to your very first crochet project that your dog will actually get to enjoy! This Terracotta Eye Pacifier Chew Disc is a flat, round toy worked in soft, sturdy wool, with a cheerful mustard "evil eye" circle sewn right in the middle and a little bumpy picot rim around the edge for extra gnawing texture. It is perfect for complete beginners because it uses only the most basic crochet stitch (single crochet) and simple increases, worked in a spiral so you never have to turn your work or sew a seam. When you finish, you will hold a firm, slightly fuzzy disc about 5 inches (12.5 cm) across that feels dense and satisfying in the hand, with a warm terracotta body, a sunny mustard center, and a gently scalloped border. If you have never picked up a hook before, take a breath and read every section below slowly — you can absolutely make this.

Materials Needed

• Yarn (main color): Bulky (weight 5) 100% wool yarn, approximately 55 yd (50 m) in terracotta (a burnt orange-brown). Wool is recommended because it is durable and naturally grippy for chewing.
• Yarn (center color): Bulky (weight 5) 100% wool yarn, approximately 12 yd (11 m) in mustard yellow.
• Crochet hook: 6.0 mm (US J-10).
• Stitch marker: 1 removable stitch marker (or a small safety pin, or a scrap of contrasting yarn) to mark the first stitch of each round.
• Tapestry needle: A blunt-tipped yarn needle with an eye large enough for bulky yarn, for sewing the center and weaving in ends.
• Scissors: Any sharp pair for trimming yarn.
• Finished size: Approximately 5 in (12.5 cm) in diameter, with a mustard center approximately 2.5 in (6.5 cm) across.

Abbreviations and Beginner Glossary

Every abbreviation used in this pattern is listed here. Read it once before you start — no prior knowledge is assumed.

• ch – chain. Make a loop of yarn on your hook, then pull the yarn through that loop. Each one you make is a "chain stitch."
• sc – single crochet. Insert your hook into the next stitch, wrap the yarn over the hook, pull it up through the stitch (you now have 2 loops on the hook), wrap the yarn over again, and pull it through both loops. One single crochet made.
• sl st – slip stitch. Insert your hook into the stitch, wrap the yarn over, and pull it through both the stitch and the loop on your hook in one motion. It makes a nearly invisible joining stitch.
• st / sts – stitch / stitches. One completed stitch, or several.
• 2 sc in next st – work two single crochets into the same stitch. This is an "increase" and makes the circle grow wider.
• magic ring – an adjustable loop of yarn you crochet into to start a circle with no hole in the middle. Make a loop, hold the crossing point, and work your first stitches into the loop; then pull the short tail to close it tight.
• picot – a tiny bump made by chaining 3 and then slip stitching back into the third chain from the hook. It creates a small loop on the edge.
• round – one complete circle of stitches worked around the center (as opposed to a "row," which goes back and forth).
• continuous rounds – working in a spiral without joining at the end of each round. You simply keep going around and around.
• fasten off – cut the yarn a few inches from your work, then pull the tail all the way through the last loop to lock it.
• weave in ends – thread a yarn tail onto the tapestry needle and run it back and forth through the fabric so it is hidden and secure.
• whip stitch – a simple sewing stitch: bring the needle up through both layers, over the edge, and back down, repeating around the edge.
• right side – the outside, "pretty" face of your work that will be seen.

Gauge

Gauge: 12 sc x 13 rounds = 4 in (10 cm) in single crochet worked in the round.

Gauge means how many stitches and rounds fit into a set measurement. It matters because it controls the final size: if your stitches are looser than the gauge, your disc will be bigger than 5 inches; if tighter, it will be smaller. To check, crochet a small flat circle of single crochet in the round (about 4 inches across), lay it flat without stretching, and measure 4 inches across the middle. Count how many stitches fit in those 4 inches and how many rounds. If you have more stitches than 12, try a larger hook; if fewer, try a smaller hook. Making this quick swatch also gives you practice with the exact stitches used in the pattern.

Beginner Tips Before You Start

• Use a stitch marker every round. Place it in the very first stitch of each round. Because you work in a spiral, the rounds blur together, and the marker is the only way to know where a round begins and ends.
• Do not pull your yarn too tight. Tension should be relaxed. Tight, cramped stitches make the disc stiff and hard to work into on the next round.
• Count out loud. Count your stitches at the end of every round and compare to the number in parentheses. Catching a mistake right away is far easier than fixing it later.
• Keep the center flat. After each increase round, lay the disc on a table. If it starts to cup upward like a bowl, your stitches are too tight; if it ripples like a wave, they are too loose.
• Work the mustard center separately first if you like. It is small and quick, and finishing it builds confidence before the larger terracotta disc.
• Remember this is a pet toy. Keep all tails woven in very securely and inspect the finished toy regularly for loose loops.

Step-by-Step Instructions

Notes: The disc is worked in continuous rounds — do not join or turn unless told. Use a stitch marker in the first stitch of each round. The mustard eye center is a separate flat disc, sewn onto the terracotta disc before the picot rim is worked. The picot edging is bead-free: only yarn loops, no beads or plastic parts.

Part 1: Terracotta Disc (make 1)

With terracotta, make a magic ring.

• Round 1: 6 sc into the ring. (6 sc)
• Round 2: 2 sc in each st around. (12 sc)
• Round 3: [2 sc in next st, 1 sc in next st] around. (18 sc)
• Round 4: [2 sc in next st, 1 sc in each of next 2 sts] around. (24 sc)
• Round 5: [2 sc in next st, 1 sc in each of next 3 sts] around. (30 sc)
• Round 6: [2 sc in next st, 1 sc in each of next 4 sts] around. (36 sc)
• Round 7: [2 sc in next st, 1 sc in each of next 5 sts] around. (42 sc)
• Round 8: [2 sc in next st, 1 sc in each of next 6 sts] around. (48 sc)
• Round 9: [2 sc in next st, 1 sc in each of next 7 sts] around. (54 sc)
• Round 10: [2 sc in next st, 1 sc in each of next 8 sts] around. (60 sc)
• Rounds 11–13: Sc in each st around. (60 sc)

Fasten off, leaving a 12 in (30 cm) tail. Weave in the starting tail. Do not work the rim yet.

Part 2: Mustard Eye Center (make 1)

With mustard, make a magic ring.

• Round 1: 6 sc into the ring. (6 sc)
• Round 2: 2 sc in each st around. (12 sc)
• Round 3: [2 sc in next st, 1 sc in next st] around. (18 sc)
• Round 4: [2 sc in next st, 1 sc in each of next 2 sts] around. (24 sc)
• Round 5: Sc in each st around. (24 sc)

Fasten off, leaving a 12 in (30 cm) tail. The mustard disc should measure approximately 2.5 in (6.5 cm) across.

Part 3: Assembly of the Center

• Step 1: Center the mustard disc on the terracotta disc, matching the center points so the mustard sits evenly inside the terracotta ring.
• Step 2: Thread the mustard tail onto the tapestry needle and sew the mustard disc to the terracotta disc with small whip stitches around its outer edge, catching only the back loop of the mustard edge and the surface of the terracotta disc. Keep the stitches loose enough that the disc stays flat.
• Step 3: Weave in the mustard tail on the wrong side.

Part 4: Picot Rim (bead-free)

With the right side facing and terracotta, join yarn with a slip stitch in any stitch of Round 13.

• Round 14: Sc in each st around. (60 sc)
• Round 15 (picot round): *Sc in next st, ch 3, sl st in the third ch from hook (picot made), sc in next st; repeat from * around, ending with a slip stitch in the first sc of the round. (30 picots)

Fasten off and weave in all ends securely.

Assembly and Finishing

Your disc is now fully assembled, so finishing is all about making it neat and safe.

• Weave in every tail: Thread each yarn tail onto the tapestry needle and run it back and forth through the inside of the fabric for about 1 inch, changing direction once or twice so it cannot pull out. Trim the end close to the fabric.
• Check the picots: Gently tug each little loop to make sure it is secure, and push any loose loops back into shape with your fingers.
• Steam-block the disc flat: Hold a steam iron or a kettle's steam about 2 inches above the disc (never press the iron directly onto the wool, which can flatten the texture). Let the steam relax the fibers, then lay the disc flat on a towel and smooth it into a perfect circle with your hands. Keep the picot loops open as it dries.
• Safety inspection: Check that no yarn tails or loops can be pulled loose, and trim ends close to the fabric. The finished disc should measure approximately 5 in (12.5 cm) across, with a 2.5 in (6.5 cm) mustard center.

Safety note: This toy is intended for supervised chewing only. Inspect it regularly for loose yarn, broken loops, or holes, and replace the toy if damaged.

Pro Tips and Variations

• Change the colors: Swap the terracotta and mustard for any two bulky wool colors you love — deep teal with cream, or charcoal with rust — to match your dog's collar or your home.
• Make it bigger or smaller: To enlarge the disc, simply continue the increase pattern (each round adds 6 stitches) until it reaches the size you want, then work a few plain rounds before the rim. To shrink it, stop increasing earlier. Always keep the final plain rounds so the edge stays firm.
• Substitute the yarn: Any bulky (weight 5) yarn will work, but choose a tightly spun, durable fiber. Avoid anything fuzzy or loosely spun that a dog could pull apart easily, and always check the gauge so the size stays correct.
• Add a hanging loop: Before fastening off the rim, chain 8 and slip stitch back to the edge to create a small loop for hanging the toy up between play sessions.