Difficulty: Intermediate ✦✦✦✧✧
Here is a free crochet pattern for an axolotl, a small pink salamander native to Mexico.
A couple of years ago, I was chatting with some friends asking them what to make for another friend who was having a baby. Pernille suggested making an axolotl stuffed animal. Not knowing what they were, I had to look up pictures of the cute pink salamander. While I thought they were cute, it wasn't quite right for that friend. Fast forward to this summer when I found out Pernille was having her own baby, I knew just what to make for her: an axolotl!
So, here is the pattern for the axolotl that I made for Pernille to complement her baby blanket.
The axolotl is made in 4 parts: the body, fins, legs, and gills. I used worsted weight yarn (Knitpicks Mighty Stitch in blush, and conch) with a 3.5mm hook. All parts were made in blush (light pink) except for the gills. The finished salamander measures about 10 inches long and 2 inches wide.
Special stitches:
half-treble crochet (htc): yarn over 2 times, pull a loop through the indicated stitch (you now have 4 loops on the hook), pull a loop through the first 2 loops on the hook, then pull a loop through the final 3 loops on the hook (like a hdc).
half-double treble crochet (hdtc): yarn over 3 times, pull a loop through the indicated stitch (you now have 5 loops on the hook), pull a loop through the first 2 loops on the hook, pull a loop through the 2 more loops on the hook, then pull a loop through the final 3 loops on the hook (like a hdc).
Body:
Row 1: Ch 3. Starting in the 2nd ch from the hook: Sc, 3 sc in the next st, working down the other side of the ch: 2 sc in the last ch, sl st to join. (6 sts) Working in rounds: Row 2: Ch, sc 2, 3 sc in the next st, sc 2, 3 sc in the last st, sl st to join. (10 sts) Row 3: Ch, sc 3, 3 sc in the next st, sc 4, 3 sc in the next st, sc 1, sl st to join. (14 sts) Row 4: Ch, sc 4, 3 sc in the next st, sc 6, 3 sc in the next st, sc 2, sl st to join. (18 sts) Row 5: Ch, sc 5, 3 sc in the next st, sc 8, 3 sc in the next st, sc 3, sl st to join. (22 sts) Row 6: Ch, sc 5, 2 sc in the next st, sc, 2 sc in the next st, sc 8, 2 sc in the next st, sc, 2 sc in the next st, sc 3, sl st to join. (26 sts) Row 7: Ch, sc 9, 2 sc in the next st, sc 8, 2 sc in the next st, sc 7, sl st to join. (28 sts) Row 8: Ch, sc 10, 2 sc in the next st, sc 8, 2 sc in the next st, sc 8, sl st to join. (30 sts) Row 9: Ch, sc 11, 2 sc in the next st, sc 8, 2 sc in the next st, sc 9, sl st to join. (32 sts) Row 10-13: Sc in each st around, sl st to join. (32 sts) Row 11: Ch, sc 4, sc3tog 3 times, sc 8, sc3tog 3 times, sc 2, sl st to join. (20 sts) Row 12: Ch, sc 3, sc3tog twice, sc 4, sc3tog twice, sc, sl st to join. (12 sts) Row 13: Ch, sc in each st around. (12 sts) Stuff the head. Row 14: Ch, 2 sc in each of the next 3 sts, (sc, 2 sc in the next st) repeat 4 times, sl st to join. (19 sts) Row 15-16: Ch, sc in each st around, sl st to join. (19 sts) Row 17: Ch, (sc, 2 sc in he next st) repeat 4 times, sc 12, sl st to join. (23 sts) Row 18-20: Ch, sc in each st around, sl st to join. (23 sts) Row 21: Ch, sc, (2 sc in the next st, sc 2) repeat 4 times, sc 11, sl st to join. (27 sts) Row 22-28: Ch, sc in each st around, sl st to join. (27 sts) Row 29: Ch, sc 4, (sc, sc2tog) repeat 4 times, sc 5, sc2tog, sc 3, sc2tog, sl st to join. (21 sts) Row 30: Ch, sc in each st around, sl st to join. (21 sts) Row 31: Ch, sc 2, (sc2tog, sc) repeat 4 times, sc 5, sl st to join. (17 sts) Row 32: Ch, (sc 2, sc2tog) repeat 4 times, sc, sl st to join. (13 sts Stuff the body.
Row 33-36: Ch, sc in each st around, sl st to join. (13 sts) Row 37: Ch, sc 5, sc2tog, sc 6, sl st to join. (12 sts) Row 38-39: Ch, sc in each st around, sl st to join. (12 sts) Row 40: Ch, sc 5, sc2tog, sc 5, sl st to join. (11 sts) Row 41-42: Ch, sc in each st around, sl st to join. (11 sts) Row 43: Ch, sc 5, sc2tog, sc 4, sl st to join. (10 sts) Row 44-45: Ch, sc in each st around, sl st to join. (10 sts) Row 46: Ch, sc 6, sc2tog, sc 2, sl st to join. (9 sts) Row 47-48: Ch, sc in each st around, sl st to join. (9 sts) Row 49: Ch, sc 6, sc2tog, sc, sl st to join. (8 sts) Row 50: Ch, sc in each st around, sl st to join. (8 sts) Row 51: Ch, sc 6, sc2tog, sl st to join. (7 sts) Row 52: Ch, sc in each st around, sl st to join. (7 sts) Row 53: Ch, sc 5, sc2tog, sl st to join. (6 sts) Row 54: Ch, sc in each st around, sl st to join. (6 sts) Row 55: Ch, sc 4, sc2tog, sl st to join. (5 sts) Row 56: Ch, sc in each st around, sl st to join. (5 sts) Row 57: Ch, sc 3, sc2tog, sl st to join. (4 sts) Row 58: Ch, sc 2, sc2tog, sl st to join. (3 sts) Row 59: Ch, sc, sc2tog, sl st to join. (2 sts) Tie off.
Top Fin:Working along the top center of the body, from the tail to the head: Ch, sl st, sc 2, hdc 3, dc 3, htc 3, tc 3, hdtc 3, dtc 5, hdtc 2, tc, htc 2, dc 2, hdc 3, sc 3, sl st 5.
Tie off.
Bottom Fin:Working along the bottom center of the body, from the tail to the head: Ch, sl st, sc 2, hdc 3, dc 5, htc 3, tc 5, htc 3, dc 3, hdc 2, sc 2, sl st 2.
Tie off.
Here's a video to show how to stitch the fins:
Legs: - make 4
Start with a long end for sewing.
Row 1: Ch 9. Turn.
Starting with the 2nd ch from the hook: Row 2: sc 8. Turn.
Row 3: Ch, sc 8. Turn.
Row 4: Ch, (pull up a loop in the first st, insert your hook in the first ch of the starting ch, pull up a loop and pull that loop through 2 loops on the hook) repeat 8 times.
Row 5: Working along one end of the tube just created: (Picot, sl st in the top of the tube) repeat 4 times.
Tie off.
Sew to body.
Gills:
Ch 7, starting from the 2nd ch from the hook: sl st 3, sc 3) repeat 3 times.
Tie off leaving a long tail for sewing.
Sew to either side of the head at its widest point.
Use black thread to embroider eyes onto the head.
