Honestly, I have a very strict house rule: no balls indoors. Too many flying objects, too many broken things, too much chaos. But this one? I would absolutely make an exception. It’s just that cute. It would be perfect in a nursery, a playroom, or anywhere that could use a little bit of joy & whimsy.

Jenny’s version is based on the African Flower Soccer Ball by Leslie Stahlhut, with a few adaptations to suit the worsted-weight Estelle Yarns Sudz Cotton. To keep the proportions closer to a traditional soccer ball size, she had to scale things down and tweak stitch structure slightly.

For the African Flower hexagons, she substituted half double crochet for all double crochet stitches. This keeps the motifs tighter and a little more structured, which helps the final ball hold its shape. For the pentagons, she also substituted HDC for DC, but added an extra round to build out the shape.

And cotton is a great choice here. It’s accessible and stash-friendly. Giving the ball enough firmness to hold its shape, while still being soft enough that it feels safe for little hands (and indoor exceptions to house rules).

Will this be your next cast-on? Let us know in the comments, and if you make one, be sure to tag us, we’d love to cheer you on and share your finished project with our community.

As Jackie would say.. Happy Hooking!