Crochet Gary the Snail Opossum: Pattern Overview & Color Guide

A crocheted blue-and-white rounded figure with a small gray opossum perched on top, posed on pale fabric.

This is a pattern overview for Gary the Snail Opossum, a character-inspired take on Nichet Crochet’s Posm design. It is not a complete tutorial, and it does not replace the original pattern. For the full instructions and the designer’s construction details, start with the Original designer’s pattern and instructions.

Posm Color Changes

The project begins with the Posm base, using color substitutions to create Gary’s familiar palette. The face is white, and light blue takes the place of gray on the body. Keep the feet light pink. On the legs, use light green instead of black and light blue instead of gray. The tail changes from pink and black to light green, with light blue replacing its gray section. Make the ears light purple.

These are color changes to the existing Posm design, not a separate body pattern. The designer notes that the base Posm can be finished before adding Gary’s features. The add-on details then transform the recognizable possum form with a shell and eye stalks. Follow the source pattern for the base project and use its specific directions to place and finish each addition.

Personnage au crochet inspiré d’un opossum et d’un escargot, avec une coquille rose, un corps bleu, des pattes vertes et des yeux sur de longues tiges.

Materials

Gather the listed tools and materials before beginning. The yarn is weight 4, also called worsted-weight, acrylic. The source specifies these colors and supplies for the Posm base and Gary additions:

3 mm crochet hook (approximately US D/3) and 4 mm crochet hook (US G/6)
Weight 4 acrylic yarn in white, light blue, light green, light purple, pink, red, and light pink
A small amount of black yarn for Posm’s eyes
Polyester stuffing, scissors, and a darning needle

The 4 mm hook is named for the shell, while the 3 mm hook is specified for the eye stalks. Check the linked instructions for the full project context, including the underlying Posm pattern requirements. The source does not give yarn quantities, so plan from the designer’s pattern rather than relying on an estimated amount here.

A crocheted blue possum with a white snout, green legs and tail, and a pink shell with purple spots and a tall eyestalk.

Abbreviations

The source uses standard US crochet terminology. Sc means single crochet; Inc means working two single crochets into one stitch; and Dec means joining two stitches with a single crochet, either by a regular or invisible decrease. Slst means slip stitch, and Ch means chain. FO means fasten off, using the source’s stated slip-stitch and chain finish before cutting the yarn.

FpSc means front-post single crochet. The designer notes that working single crochet into the back loops can be used instead, while preferring the front-post method. These abbreviations help identify the shaping and texture in the full pattern. This overview explains what they refer to but does not provide a round-by-round substitute for Nichet Crochet’s instructions.

A crocheted blue possum with a white snout, green limbs and eye stalks, and a pink shell with purple spots.

Shell (4mm Crochet Hook)

The shell is a pink piece crocheted in the round. Its shaping expands through increases, includes even rounds, then narrows before a front-post single crochet round creates a distinct attachment area. The instructions continue with a few more rounds and end with a long sewing tail. The listed shell counts follow the described increases and decreases; no unresolved stitch-count contradiction is apparent in this section.

For assembly, the source describes centering the shell on the upper back and sewing around its perimeter, with the lower edge near the tail base. It also notes that exact placement can vary. Red surface-crochet spirals decorate the shell, with purple spots above them. Treat these details as a guide to the finished look, and consult the original designer’s directions for the actual placement and sewing sequence.

Finished crocheted snail-opossum with a blue body, pink spotted shell, green legs and eye stalks, purple details, and a white snout.

Eye Stalks (3mm Crochet Hook)

Each stalk starts in light green, changes to light blue for its long even section, and finishes in white. The source’s shaping decreases to six stitches before that even section, so the stalk remains at six stitches through rounds 7 to 21. Its final round increases to eight stitches for sewing. Stuffing is specified after the color change to blue, and the instructions leave a tail for attaching the piece.

A bent piece of pipe cleaner inside each stalk is an optional support. The designer gives placement cues relative to the widow’s peak, the face color change, and the eyes, then describes sewing the attachment points in a square arrangement. Red yarn forms the pupils after the stalks are attached. Use the original instructions for exact positioning and finishing; this overview is intended to help you assess the project, not replace them.