A crochet spider fails for one of two reasons: the body is a featureless blob, or the legs are all different lengths. The stitches are not hard. The proportions are.

This page covers a small round body, eight legs worked as chains or thin tubes, and a flat web you can sew behind the spider or hang on its own. Comfort with magic rings and spirals is expected. Legs take patience more than new stitches.

What you need

Black or dark brown worsted yarn for the spider; white or gray for the web
Matching hook (hook size chart); yarn weights
Stuffing (spider body only)
Yarn needle, stitch markers
Optional: tiny bit of red or white for eyes

Abbreviations: chart.

Spider body

Make two identical flat-ish circles for a double-thick body, or one sphere. The sphere is stronger for a soft toy; the sandwich of two circles is flatter for a brooch or garland.

Sphere version (brief).

Rnd 1. Magic ring, 6 sc.

Rnd 2. Inc around. (12)

Rnd 3. *Sc, inc; repeat from * around. (18)

Rnd 4. *Sc in next 2, inc; repeat from * around. (24)

Work 2–3 rounds even. Decrease symmetrically back to 6, stuffing firmly before closing.

A spider’s abdomen is usually larger than the head. For a two-part body, make a second, smaller sphere (stop increasing at 18) and sew it to the front of the larger one.

Legs: eight, in pairs

Spiders have eight legs, attached in two rows of four along the sides — not radiating evenly like a starfish.

Fast legs (chains). For each leg: join yarn at the side of the body, ch 12–16, slip stitch back along the chain, fasten off and weave the end into the body. Repeat until you have eight. Keep every chain the same count.

Sturdier legs (tubes). Magic ring 4 sc, work even for 8–12 rounds, fasten off with a long tail, sew on. Stuffing the tubes is optional; most small spiders look better hollow so the legs bend.

Attach legs before you embroider a face you love. Sewing eight legs means a lot of needle traffic through the body. Faces get dragged if they go on first.

Spacing that looks right

Pin or baste all eight positions with scrap yarn first. From above, you should see four legs on the left and four on the right, clustered toward the front half of the abdomen rather than spaced around the whole equator.

If legs splay evenly around the circle, it will read as an octopus. That is fine for a joke; it is not a spider.

Eyes

Two small French knots or satin-stitch dots near the front of the head section are enough. Real spiders have more eyes; crochet spiders look wrong when you embroider all of them unless you are going for scientific accuracy on a large model.

Flat web

The web is a flat motif: rings of chain spaces joined with slip stitches or single crochet.

Center. Magic ring, 8 sc, join. Or ch 4, join into a ring, 8 sc into ring.

Round of spokes. *Ch 5, sl st in next sc; repeat from * around. (8 loops)

Next round. Into each ch-5 loop work: sc, hdc, dc, hdc, sc (or ch 6, sl st into next loop). Build outward with longer chains each round until the web is the diameter you want.

Optional radial threads. With a yarn needle, run straight lines from the outer edge to the center over the top of the motif and tack them at each ring so the web has the classic spoke look.

Block the web lightly if the chains curl. Pin it flat, mist with water, and let it dry — same idea as in blocking basics.

Hanging the pair

Sew the spider slightly off-center on the web so it looks like it chose a spot, not like a badge stuck in the middle. Add a hanging loop at the top of the web only; do not hang from a leg.

Mistakes that read as “not a spider”

Legs of mixed lengths. Count chains. Write the number down before you start the second leg.

Body under-stuffed. Floppy abdomen makes legs look like they are holding up a sock.

Web worked too tight. Chain spaces should be loose. Tight chains pull into a bowl.

Using fluffy yarn for legs. Novelty eyelash yarn hides stitch structure and sheds. Save it for a costume trim, not structural legs.

Frequently asked

Is this beginner-friendly?

The body is beginner work. Eight identical legs push it to intermediate for most people because consistency is the skill being tested, not a new stitch.

Can I skip the web?

Yes. The spider stands alone as a toy or appliqué. The web is optional décor.

What yarn holds a web shape best?

A smooth cotton or cotton-blend worsted blocks crisply. Soft acrylic works but may need more aggressive pinning.

What to make next

Try a bat for practice sewing flat wings onto a body, or return to a simpler shape with the ghost. For color changes without stuffing, use Halloween granny squares.

How to Crochet a Spider (and Web)