Free Crochet Pattern and Video: Lemon Stress Ball!

Lemonball1April is National Stress Awareness month, and the Craft Yarn Council asked me to help them write a crochet pattern for a stress ball, so that people can not only stitch away their stress, but then also squeeze away their stress!

I threw some ideas at them, and they chose my idea for a lemon stress ball, in the spirit of “when life gives you lemons….”

LemonBall2

If you crochet a lot, this will be a quick & dirty pattern for you! If you are a beginner, it should still be very doable and good practice for working in the round. All month long, the Craft Yarn Council will be posting giveaways, project ideas, and helpful info about how knitting and crocheting can help reduce stress. Vogue Knitting also helped create a knit version of the lemon, so that knitters won’t feel left out!

Lemonballknit

(That’s my current table cloth. I thought it would evoke PICNIC, but it really evokes WELCOME TO GIUSEPPI’S PIZZERIA MAY I OFFER YOU THE CHIANTI.)

LemonBallBoth

Here is the YouTube tutorial for the crochet version!

Here is the crochet pattern and here is the knit pattern on the CYC website. They made cute little PDF’s for you!

I’ll have the pattern written out down below as well. Hope you guys make lots of fun stuff this month to #StitchAwayStress :).

***

“When Life Gives You Lemons” Lemon Stress Ball Crochet Pattern
by Twinkie Chan

Materials

  • Green worsted weight yarn, like Red Heart Super Saver in Spring Green – approx. 1 yard
  • Yellow worsted weight yarn, like Red Heart Super Saver in Bright Yellow – approx. 26 yards
  • H8/5.0mm crochet hook
  • scissors
  • tapestry needle
  • Polyfil stuffing

Finished Size
Approx. 4.5 inches long and 2.5 inches wide

Gauge
15 sc x 18 rows = 4 in. x 4 in.

Abbreviations
ch(s) : chain(s)
dec: decrease
FLO: front loop only
hdc: half double crochet
rnd(s): round(s)
sc: single crochet
sc2tog: single crochet two together
sl st: slip stitch
st(s): stitch(es)
YO: yarn over
(   ): work everything inside the parentheses into the next stitch
[   ]: repeat everything in the brackets the number of times indicated

Notes
– When decreasing in this pattern, I would suggest the invisible decrease. With the Right Side of your work on the outside of the Lemon, insert hook into FLO of next st, then insert hook into FLO of following st, [YO and pull through 2 loops] 2 times.

– This pattern calls for Polyfil to stuff the lemon, but you can use some other stress-relieving options such as:

1) Cut the leg off a pair of pantyhose. Insert the toe into your nearly completed Lemon at around Rnd 18 and use a funnel to fill the pantyhose with Poly beads until your are happy with the feel of the Lemon. Tie off the pantyhose to close the opening and trim any extra pantyhose. Finishing crocheting the Lemon.

2) Blow up a water balloon to stretch it out. Then insert it into your nearly completed Lemon at around Rnd 18 and use a funnel to fill the balloon with sand or corn starch. Tie off the balloon when you are happy with the feel of the Lemon and finish crocheting the Lemon.

(Okay, if you watch the video, you’ll discover that I couldn’t really figure out the poly bead solution, but that doesn’t mean that you still can’t!)

Lemon

With Green, make magic ring, or ch 3 and sl st to 1st ch to form ring.

Rnd 1: Ch 1, work 6 sc into ring. Don’t join rnds and continue to work in a spiral. (6)

– Break off Green. Join Yellow.

Rnd 2: 1 sc in each sc. (6)

Rnd 3: [(2 sc), 1 sc] 3 times. (9)

Rnd 4: 1 sc in each sc. (9)

Rnd 5: (2 sc) in each st. (18)

Rnd 6: [(2 sc), 2 sc] 6 times. (24)

Rnd 7: 1 sc in each sc. (24)

Rnd 8: [(2 sc), 5 sc] 4 times. (28)

Rnd 9 – 15: 1 sc in each sc. (28)

Rnd 16: [dec, 5 sc] 4 times. (24)

Rnd 17: 1 sc in each sc. (24)

Rnd 18: [dec, 2 sc] 6 times. (18)

– Begin stuffing the Lemon firmly and continue to stuff a little more as you finish the rest of the pattern.

Rnd 19: dec 9 times. (9)

Rnd 20: 1 sc in each sc. (9)

Rnd 21: [dec, 1 sc] 3 times. (6)

Rnd 22: 1 sc each in the next 4 sts. Sl st into next st and leave last st unworked. (6)

– Break off and weave yarn tail through remaining 6 sts and pull to close. Tie off and weave in end.

33 Comments on “Free Crochet Pattern and Video: Lemon Stress Ball!”

  • Naomi

    says:

    THIS is so cute!! The tablecloth totally comes off as “picnic” and not pizzeria hahah! I crochet all the time and now that it’s the spring I crochet little headbands and knick knacks…but this is adorable and I might do this! And it’s something to do with all the pastel yellow baby blanket yarn I bought three years ago hahaha <3

    xoxox, Naomi | bunnyandfawn.blogspot.com

  • Fiona

    says:

    Hey Pizzerias can have lemons too! he he he
    I like how you thought through the concept and I think the lemon shape makes the perfect stress ball (and cute and happy too!) 🙂

  • Melissa

    says:

    Very cute and easy project, think I will make some for decorations. By the way I think your table cloth looks nice not Pizzeria like at all.

  • Gina

    says:

    Very nice! Love the crocheted roses, too. It all looks pretty with the ceramic
    pitcher.

    Gina

  • Bianca Alicia

    says:

    Awesome tutorial Twinkie! Did you make those roses too? If so, where is the pattern? *gasp* Will the roses be in your new book perhaps? *wink wink, nudge nudge*

  • Melissa

    says:

    I just love this! So I have been looking for ideas for small gifts for teacher appreciation week (May 4th-8th) these are pefect! Now I have just under a month to make around 50 of these! So far they are super quick and easy!! 2 down 48 to go!!

  • Micki

    says:

    sooooooo cute!!! my green end looks a bit wonkie but it is so cute thanks for the pattern!! squeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee

  • Moya

    says:

    Thank you so much I think it is so cute, and would be a great stress gift!

  • Carolyne

    says:

    Love this idea, as I always try to travel with a stress ball! It really helps my anxiety!
    The flowers in the pitcher are beautiful too!

  • Grace

    says:

    1) this is incredibly adorable, and 2) all pizzerias need these. 🙂 Thanks for the free pattern!!! 🙂

  • Felipa

    says:

    Los granos como la avena, el arroz, el maíz y el trigo tienen azúcar en su interior mas su cascarilla tiene fibra para reducir el hambre.

  • Lorraine Lemon

    says:

    Well….this is perfect for me.
    First…my last name is Lemon….I mentioned in a message on the youtube video.
    Second….my birthday is in April…
    and last but not least….I’m stressed!! LOL
    not much, but I take care of my 93 yr old Mom with dementia.
    I’m blessed to have her though… thru it all!!!
    So I think I should be the Poster Child for the Lemon Stress Ball!!
    Who else qualifies more??? hahaha!
    Seriously, I just love so many of your projects. This is the first day I found your site and postings. So I will surely be a fan.
    Enjoy!!

  • Jen

    says:

    I made my first one last night and just finished another. I did the final round in brown so it would look like an etrog. Love this pattern! Thanks Twinkie!!

  • Dana

    says:

    Ma’am, you are my new favorite. I took a mental health day today from work, and I was really needing something, so I googled “crochet stress ball” and you were the very first result. I’m sorry to say this is my first adventure into your world, via the youtube tutorial for the lemon, but I am so glad I found you! The video was awesome and easy to follow. Also, I wanted to mention that I filled mine (inside a knee-high stocking) with lavender epsom salt, which was easy to funnel in; it’s firm enough to hold the shape but has a satisfying squish! Anyway, thanks for saving the day of a stranger.

    • TwinkieChan

      says:

      Dana! Thank you for this super sweet message. I’m so happy you found the lemon stress ball! It was a fun little project, and the epsom salt is such a good idea!!! Happy to have helped with some of your relaxation!! 🙂

  • Jessica

    says:

    Put the poly beads inside a nylon (like a knee high). Works for the pokeball stress balls and hack sacks I make. ☺

    • TwinkieChan

      says:

      OH yes, I definitely did that! hehe. Otherwise, polybeads everywhere!

  • Arya Dosh

    says:

    What is the selling policy for this?

    • TwinkieChan

      says:

      Feel free to sell online or at local events, but a credit to Twinkie Chan as the designer on listings, signage, or hangtags would be very much appreciated 🙂

      • Arya Dosh

        says:

        Sure! This pattern is amazing! You did such a good job!

  • Heidi Clymer

    says:

    So I have a friend who wants a acorn pin cushion and I thought that your lemon with a acorn top would be perfect. I will let you know how it is after I finish

  • Lisa

    says:

    Thanks for shareing rhos adorable crochet craft!
    Lisa

Leave a Comment

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

To top