STITCH ROUND Crochet a Beaded Fidget Snake Pattern
Single crochet rounds and threaded beads shape a huggable fidget snake with no sewing required.
- Skill
- Intermediate
- Rounds
- 15 rounds
- Yarn weight
- Worsted
- Hook
- 2.5 mm
- Time
- 4-6 hours
Intermediate
What the original page called it. Nothing here is graded a second time.
15 rounds
Each one gets its own line, with a box beside it to tick as you go.
Worsted
What the sample was made in. Any weight works — the size moves with it.
About this pattern
This piece builds a rounded snake head that grows straight into a beaded, huggable body, worked across four parts: the head, the face shaping, the beaded main body, and the tail. Nothing gets sewn on afterward, so every stitch worked is a stitch that stays.
The shaping happens fast — increases stack up in the first few rounds to round out the skull, then a single decrease round narrows things before the beaded body takes over. Slow down at the face-shaping round to seat the safety eyes correctly, and again when the incomplete rounds start, since the marker moves mid-round and losing track there throws off every bead placement after it.
- Chain four and build the head in back loops only, increasing quickly to round out the skull.
- Work several plain rounds so the head has depth before any face shaping begins.
- Shape the face with paired increases, checking the stitch marker sits correctly at the side, then seat the safety eyes between rounds 8 and 9.
- Let a run of plain rounds settle the face, then decrease once to draw in the neck.
- Start feeding beads into single crochet stitches as the body lengthens, stuffing firmly as it closes.
- Continue beaded rounds into the tail, repositioning the marker wherever a round finishes mid-stitch, then add a red forked tongue to finish.
What goes wrong
- Marker drifts off position Check the stitch marker sits at the side of the work before every shaping round, and reset it immediately after any incomplete round.
- Beads not pre-strung Thread all beads onto the working yarn before starting the Main Pattern rounds so none get missed mid-round.
- Stuffing added too late Pack fiberfill in as each beaded round closes rather than waiting until the tail is done, since access narrows fast.
- Working into the wrong loop at the start Work the opening rounds in back loops only as specified so the head base sits flush against the foundation chain.
Yarn, hook and the rest
Copied from the source pattern's own materials list.
Crochet Hook
- Size 2.5 mm (US: 1 1/2, UK: 12)
Yarn
- Wolans Bunny Sweater yarn: 100% super-soft polyester, 100g/160m (3.5 oz/174 yds)
- Orange yarn (300-12): 53g for Snake #1
- Brown yarn (300-05): 64g for Snake #2
- Small amount of red yarn (300-08) for mouth details
Beads
- Pony beads 9×6 mm with large holes (100gr = 340 pieces)
Orange beads
- 195 pieces for Snake #1
Brown beads
- 219 pieces for Snake #2
Additional Supplies
- Orange safety eyes Ø 20mm (1 pair)
- Brown safety eyes Ø 18mm (1 pair)
- Tapestry needle
- Stitch marker
- Polyester fiberfill stuffing
Yarn Alternatives
- Substitute with any worsted weight (4) yarn if the specified yarn isn't available
- Himalaya Dolphin Fine
- YarnArt Dolce Baby
- Frida’s Sixth
Progress tracker
0 of the 15 rounds on this page are ticked.
The pattern, round by round
Kept in the order and the wording the source used. Tick a round as you finish it; the ticks stay on this device.
Starting the Head
Begin with a foundation chain of 4 stitches. Starting at the second chain from the hook, work in the back loops only:
Round 1
inc, inc, 2 inc at last stitch, rotate chain, inc, inc (12 stitches)
Round 2
Work in spiral – sc in each sc around (12)
Round 3
[1sc, inc] repeat 6 times (18)
Round 4-5
sc in each sc around (18) – work 2 rounds
Shaping the Face
Round 6
inc, inc, inc, 2sc, inc, inc, inc, 10sc (24)
Round 7-10
sc in each sc around (24) – work 4 rounds
Round 11
[2sc, dec] repeat 6 times (18)Adding the Eyes Place safety eyes between rounds 8 and 9, with 3 stitches between them for proper spacing.
Snake #2 variant Snake #2 (Brown) works Rounds 7-9 instead of 7-10 – 3 rounds instead of 4 – since its face section is one row shorter than Snake #1's.
Main Pattern
Incorporating Beads Learning to add beads while crocheting is crucial for this Fidget Beaded Snake pattern. Step by step: place bead on crochet hook; insert hook through stitch; wrap yarn over hook and pull through bead; you'll have two loops on hook; yarn over again and draw through both loops.
Round 12
3sc, sc+bead, 14sc (18)
Round 13
2sc, sc+bead, 1sc, sc+bead, 13sc (18)Begin stuffing as you work, maintaining firm but not overly tight stuffing.
Round 14
This is an incomplete round: sc, sc+bead, 1sc, sc+bead, 1sc, sc+bead, 9sc (15)
Reposition your marker and continue counting from the new position.
Rounds 15-78
dec, dec, sc+bead, 1sc, sc+bead, 1sc, sc+bead, 1sc, inc, inc, 6sc (18) – repeat for 63 rounds
Snake #2 variant Snake #2 (Brown) continues the body over Rounds 14-85 instead of 15-78 – 71 rounds total – since its body is longer and requires more rounds.
Creating the Tail
Round 79
Begin tail shaping: dec, dec, sc+bead, 1sc, sc+bead, 2sc, inc, inc, 5sc, dec (17)Continue decreasing gradually:
Round 80
dec, dec, sc, sc+bead, 3sc, inc, 5sc, dec (15)
Round 81
sc in each sc around (15)
Round 82
dec, dec, 4sc, inc, 4sc, dec (13)Continue this pattern, decreasing every other round until you reach 4 stitches, then close off.Adding the Mouth Using red yarn, create a forked tongue. Step by step: join red yarn to the front of the head; chain 5, starting at second chain from hook, work 2 slip stitches; chain 3, starting at second chain from hook, work 2 slip stitches; work 2 single crochets to complete the tongue shape.
Join
Step 1Once you’ve completed your snakes, weave in all loose ends securely. The beauty of this pattern is that no additional assembly is required – your beaded snakes are complete and ready to enjoy!
Check your count
- Starting the Head · Round 1: 12 sts
- Starting the Head · Round 2: 12 sts
- Starting the Head · Round 3: 18 sts
- Shaping the Face · Round 6: 24 sts
- Shaping the Face · Round 11: 18 sts
- Main Pattern · Round 12: 18 sts
Finish
- Snap the safety eye washers securely in place before the head rounds close in around them.
- Keep stuffing firm but not overly tight through every beaded round so the beads sit against solid fill.
- Weave in all loose ends securely once the tail decreases finish — no further assembly follows.
Bigger or smaller
- Larger
- Swap the 2.5mm hook and Wolans Bunny Sweater yarn for a heavier weight and larger hook, which thickens the body and widens the gaps beads sit in.
- Smaller or longer
- Repeat or skip one of the plain sc rounds in the head or main body before beading starts, shortening or lengthening the snake without touching the shaping rounds.
- Finished Dimensions
- the recommended materials, Snake #1 (Orange) measures 74 cm (29 inches) and Snake #2 (Brown) measures 80 cm (31.5 inches).
Photographs of this one
Every photograph on this page was taken by whoever published the pattern, and they are printed in the order the source listed them.
FAQs
Asked and answered
These answers came from whoever first published the pattern, kept word for word.
Can the beads be added after the crochet is finished?
No, the pattern threads beads onto stitches as each round is worked, so string them onto the yarn before starting the beaded rounds. Adding them later would mean unpicking finished stitches.
What can replace Wolans Bunny Sweater yarn?
Himalaya Dolphin Fine, YarnArt Dolce Baby, or Frida's Sixth all work as substitutes at the same 2.5mm hook gauge. Pick whichever gives the softest feel for handling.
Does the snake need to be sewn together?
No, weaving in the loose ends is the only finishing step once the tail rounds close. The beaded body is fully self-contained.
Why do the two snakes use different eye sizes?
Snake #1 takes 20mm orange safety eyes and Snake #2 takes 18mm brown ones, matching each snake's yarn color. The size difference gives each finished piece its own character.