Pinky is a plump little axolotl with a wide pink head, a tapering body, a flat tail and four short legs. Six dark pink gills frame the face, with three on each side.
Crochet the pieces in sport cotton with a 2.5 mm hook, using single crochet in spiral rounds. The pattern also includes a golden colorway.
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Pinky the Axolotl Free Crochet Pattern
What You’ll Need
- Sport / fine (size 2) cotton yarn: sport-weight cotton in pink and dark pink, plus a little black for embroidered eyes and smile; use golden yellow and a deeper gold for the variation
- 2.5 mm crochet hook (a hook smaller than the yarn label suggests keeps the stitches tight)
- 8 to 10 mm safety eyes (or black yarn to embroider them)
- Fiberfill stuffing
- Tapestry needle, sewing pins and a stitch marker
The finished size depends on your yarn and hook: thicker yarn and a bigger hook make a bigger piece.
Abbreviations (US terms)
- MR magic ring
- sc single crochet
- inc increase: 2 sc in the same stitch
- dec decrease (an invisible decrease gives the smoothest finish)
- ch chain
- sl st slip stitch
- R round; Row row worked flat; the number in brackets is the stitch count at the end
Head, Body and Tail
The head and body are crocheted as one piece, then the narrow tail is flattened closed. Embroider the eyes and smile when the body is finished.
Body (pink, make 1)
- R1: 6 sc in a magic ring (6)
- R2: inc ×6 (12)
- R3: (1 sc, inc) ×6 (18)
- R4: (2 sc, inc) ×6 (24)
- R5: (3 sc, inc) ×6 (30)
- R6: (4 sc, inc) ×6 (36)
- R7: (5 sc, inc) ×6 (42)
- R8: (6 sc, inc) ×6 (48)
- R9-13: sc around (48)
- R14: (6 sc, dec) ×6 (42)
- R15: (5 sc, dec) ×6 (36)
- R16-18: sc around (36)
- R19: (4 sc, dec) ×6 (30)
- R20-22: sc around (30)
- R23: (3 sc, dec) ×6 (24)
- R24-27: sc around (24)
- R28: (2 sc, dec) ×6 (18)
- R29-31: sc around (18)
- R32: (1 sc, dec) ×6 (12)
- R33-34: sc around (12)
- R35: dec ×6 (6)
- Stuff the wide head firmly and the body lightly as you go. Flatten the last 6 stitches across the tail.
- Close: 3 sc through both layers (3)
- Fasten off and weave in the end. Embroider two small black eyes on the front of the wide head and add a curved smile below them.
Gills and Legs
Gills (dark pink, make 6)
- R1: 6 sc in a magic ring (6)
- R2: inc ×6 (12)
- R3: sc around (12)
- R4: dec ×6 (6)
- Fasten off, leaving a long tail. Do not stuff; flatten each little fan and sew three to each side of the head.
Legs (pink, make 4)
- R1: 6 sc in a magic ring (6)
- R2: inc ×6 (12)
- R3-6: sc around (12)
- Flatten the open end and close it with 6 sc through both layers.
- Close: 6 sc through both layers (6)
- Fasten off, leaving a tail to sew. Attach the short legs under the body, two on each side.
Assembly
- Pin three gill fans along each side of the head, then sew them in place.
- Sew two short legs to each side of the underside, near the front and middle of the body.
- Check that the flat tail rests behind the body and that Pinky sits steadily. Weave in any remaining ends.
Make a Golden Pinky Version
Use golden yellow for the body and legs, with deeper gold gills and black embroidered eyes and smile.
FAQ
Can I embroider the eyes instead of using safety eyes?
Yes. Embroidered eyes suit this design and avoid adding small plastic pieces.
How do I arrange the gills?
Place three fans along each side of the head, spacing them evenly before sewing them down.
Can I make a golden axolotl?
Yes. Use golden yellow for the body and legs, and a deeper gold for the six gill fans.
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