Saguaro Cactus – Free Crochet Pattern

This is a free crochet pattern for how to crochet an adorable modern Saguaro Cactus in a little Terracotta pot. Easy to customize with as many or as little arms.

Find the free crochet pattern instructions below, or purchase a printer-friendly, ad-free PDF on Ravelry by clicking here.

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I first made this potted cactus a couple years ago as a gift for a friend. I took photos, and wrote up the pattern, but never typed it up to publish. My October Pinterest Challenge post is going to be cactus themed though, and I thought it was the perfect time to work up another, and share the pattern.

Fun Facts About Saguaro Cactus:

1. They are exclusive to the Sonoran Desert in Arizona, some of California, and Mexico, and they are everywhere! I visited Arizona several years ago, and it’s an incredible site!

2. Their flowers are white with a yellowish center, and bloom in the Spring, and their fruit is red, and comes in the Summer.

3. They only grow arms after 50 to 75 years, so my Saguaro here is “at least 50 years old”.

4. It is the largest cactus in the US growing from 40 to 60 feet tall.

If you would like to take advantage of the limited time free PDF that I am offering, scroll down to the Pattern Notes section.

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Materials:

• Small Amount of Worsted Weight Yarn – I used Red Heart Super Saver in Coffee and Light Sage
• G6/4.25mm Crochet Hook
• Tapestry Needle
• Optional, Jewelry Pliers
• Stuffing
• 2.5″ Terracotta Pot – I found mine in a 3 pack at Dollar Tree
• For Flower, use #10 crochet thread in yellow and white with a 2.35mm crochet hook.
• Optional, Hot Glue Gun and Sticks

Material Notes:

Cactus Yarn Alternatives: Caron One Pound, Bernat Super Value

Weaving in ends around the initial ring can be hard on the fingers. Sore thumbs and frustration can be a thing of the past by simply using jewelry pliers to [carefully] help pull the tapestry needle through the work.

Actual Saguaro Cactus flowers are white with a yellow center. You may sew the flower on, or hot glue on.

Time Spent:

About an Hour

Measurements:

6″ Tall in Terracotta Pot; 2.5″ Wide Pot

Gauge with G6/4.25mm & Super Saver:

In the Round, 10 DC = 1.44″ (1 7/16″) Diameter

Abbreviations (US Terms):

• DC – Double Crochet (Photo Tutorial)
• SC – Single Crochet (Photo Tutorial)
• HDC2tog – Half Double Crochet Two Stitches Together (to decrease)
• How to HDC2tog: yarn over, insert hook into stitch, yarn over and pull through (3 loops), insert hook into next stitch, yarn over and pull through (4 loops), yarn over and pull through all 4 loops
• HDC – Half Double Crochet (Photo Tutorial)
• SC2tog – Single Crochet Two Stitches Together (to decrease)
• How to SC2tog: insert hook into stitch, yarn over and pull through (2 loops), insert hook into the next stitch, yarn over and pull through (3 loops), yarn over and pull through all 3 loops

Pattern Notes:

Slip stitch join to the first stitch of the round.

Beginning chain 1 does not count as a stitch.

The dirt piece is worked in joined rounds, while the cactus base and arms are worked in continuous rounds without joining (except where instructed), and this is to avoid a traveling seam.

Saguaro Cactus Coaster Video Tutorial:

Dirt Crochet Pattern:

With Brown, chain 5. Slip stitch join to the 1st chain to form a ring. Chain 2. 10 DC into the ring. Join. (10 DC)

R2: Chain 1. SC into the 1st SC, and each SC around. Join. (10 SC)

R3: Chain 1. 2 SC into the 1st SC, and each stitch around. Join. (20 SC)

*Take time to weave in the beginning tail end, then turn so right side is facing.

R4 – 8: Chain 1. SC into the 1st SC, and each SC around. Join. (20 SC)

R9: Chain 1. 2 SC into the 1st SC, SC into the next SC, (2 SC into the next SC, SC into the next SC) 9x. Join. (30 SC)

R10: Chain 1. SC into the 1st SC, and each SC around. Join. (30 SC)

R11: Chain 1. HDC2tog over the 1st 2 SC, HDC into the next SC, (HDC2tog over the next 2 SC, HDC into the next SC) 9x. Join. (20 HDC)

R12: Chain 1. HDC2tog over the 1st 2 HDC, (HDC2tog over the next 2 HDC) 9x. Join. (10 HDC)

*Place dirt into the pot with the wrong side of Round 1 facing upwards. Stuff the dirt, keeping it in the pot to take the shape.

R7: Chain 1. HDC2tog over the 1st 2 HDC, (HDC2tog over the next 2 HDC) 4x. Join. (5 HDC)

*If needed, add additional stuffing.

Fasten off with a slightly longer tail than usual. Pull up on the loop to break it, and thread tail end into tapestry needle. Working around the posts of the half double crochets from the last round, weave tapestry needle in and out around. When back to the beginning, pull tail end to close hole, and weave in end to secure.

Saguaro Cactus Base Crochet Pattern:

Chain 4. Slip stitch join to the 1st chain to form a ring. Chain 1. 8 SC into the ring. Join. (8 SC)

R2: Chain 1. 2 SC into the 1st SC, and into each SC around. Do not join here or throughout. (16 SC)

*Take time to weave in the beginning tail end, then turn so right side is facing.

R3 – 12: SC into each SC around. (16 SC)

R13: (SC2tog over the next 2 SC) 8x. (8 SC)

*Stuff and shape the cactus base, then set aside.

Saguaro Cactus Arm Crochet Pattern – Make However Many Arms You Want to Have:

Chain 4. Slip stitch join to the 1st chain to form a ring. Chain 1. 8 SC into the ring. Join. (8 SC)

R2: Chain 1. SC into the 1st SC, and into each SC around. Do not join here or throughout. (8 SC)

*Take time to weave in the beginning tail end, then turn so right side is facing.

R3 – 6: SC into each SC around. (8 SC)

*Stuff and shape the cactus arm.

R7: (SC2tog over the next 2 SC) 4x. (4 SC)

*If needed, add additional stuffing, then set aside.

Assemble Saguaro Cactus:

Decide where you want the arms to be. I made one where I put an arm next to the base, and in this case, I centered the two of them over the dirt before sewing on. I made another one where I only had one arm near the top, so I centered the cactus base over the dirt.

Once you’re happy with placement, sew the base to the dirt by working down through the cactus base, and out through the dirt in corresponding stitches. Once back around to the beginning, and cactus base is secured, weave end in around the base.

Position and sew on the arms in a similar manner, however, depending on the shape you are going for, you won’t necessarily be working around the base of the arm. You may find yourself working in a similar manner along the side of the arm instead.

Optional Flower Crochet Pattern:

With Yellow, chain 5. Slip stitch join to the 1st chain to form a ring. Chain 1. 10 SC into the ring. Slip stitch join to the 1st SC with White. Fasten off Yellow.

R2: In White, chain 3. DC into the 1st stitch, chain 2, then slip stitch into the same stitch, slip stitch into each of the next 2 stitches, (chain 2, 3 DC into the same stitch, slip stitch into the same same, slip stitch into each of the next 2 stitches) 4x, chain 2, DC into the 1st stitch. Join to the 3rd chain of the beginning chain 3.

Fasten off, and weave in ends. Sew or hot glue the flower to the top of the cactus base or arm.

Please feel free to make and sell your own Saguaro Cactus using this pattern, but please DO NOT claim this pattern as your own nor should you sell my pattern, and DO NOT re-publish my photos as your own. DO NOT copy and paste my pattern anywhere, link to it instead.

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