Crochet an Amigurumi Alligator with us!
If you’re on the lookout for a delightful project that combines creativity with a touch of the wild, you’re in for a treat. Today, sharing an adorable and beginner-friendly pattern: our easy crochet alligator.We’re pleased to welcome Cray the crochet crocodile (or is he a crochet alligator?), the newest free pattern in our Juna series of crochet animals! We’ve always wanted a standing amigurumi alligator pattern but couldn’t find any that we loved. So we decided to take on the challenge and create one for this series and we’re so glad we did. With his big eyes and big smile, we absolutely love him! And the toes! I can’t even! They take a little sewing to do but the results are totally worth it.
I also just love his sunken eyes – they give this little alligator the look of a dazed dude and we’re all for it! We can’t get enough of this little guy!
About this Easy Crochet Alligator Pattern
This crochet alligator pattern is really easy to make. The legs, arms, and body can all be crocheted in one piece, reducing the sewing.
The sunken eyes are made using two little circles sewed together – but don’t worry, we have a step-by-step tutorial on how to assemble your alligator’s eyes.
One of my favourite parts of this this pattern are the toes – oh the toes! They may feel like a lot to sew in, but the results are worth it – I promise. This alligator dude takes about 6 hours to crochet – which makes him a quick last minute project to make. He stands at approximately 8 inches tall using DK yarn and a 2.75 mm hook.
We hope you love him as much as we do!
If you would like an ads-free, print-friendly PDF version of our pattern, you can buy it from our Ravelry store.
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Crochet Alligator Free Pattern
This pattern is for your personal use only and cannot be sold, copied, or reproduced in any way without permission from the designers. You may sell finished objects made from this pattern in small quantities but please give credit to chaicoffeecrochet.com as the pattern designer.
Stitches and Abbreviations Used
Sl st: Slip stitch
SC: single crochet
INV DEC: invisible decrease
INC: two SC in the same stitch
BLO: back loops only
Tools & Supplies that You Will Need
- Yarn: You will need 100 grams of DK yarn in green and a small amount in lemon yellow and grey. I use DK yarn but worsted weight/aran yarn will work just as well.
- Crochet hook: For amigurumi, you typically go down one or two hook sizes from that recommended on your yarn label.
- Tapestry needle
- Stitch marker: You can use a locking stitch marker but even a scrap of yarn will do! This pattern is worked in the round, so place a stitch marker at the first stitch of each round so that you can keep track of where each row begins.
- Polyfill stuffing
- Safety eyes: I use 12 mm eyes or you can crochet eyes for children under 3
- Embroidery thread: A small amount of black for eyebrows.
How to Crochet a Crocodile
Arms (make 2)
Use green yarn
Round 1: 6 SC into a magic circle (6)
Round 2: INC in each stitch around (12)
Round 3: (5 SC, INC) twice (14)
Round 4-5 (2 rounds): SC around (14)
Round 6: (5 SC, INV DEC) twice (12)
Round 7: (4 SC, INV DEC) twice (10)
Round 8-16 (9 rounds): SC around (10)
At this point, if you would like to crochet the arms in (which I highly recommend – the less sewing the better!), see our tutorial on how to crochet in arms and other parts on amigurumi to see how to finish off the arms. If you would prefer to sew them in, fasten off and leave a long tail for sewing.
Legs (make 2)
Stuff legs lightly as you go.
Use green yarn
Round 1: 6 SC into a magic circle (6)
Round 2: INC in each stitch around (12)
Round 3: (SC, INC) six times (18)
Round 4: (2 SC, INC) six times (24)
Round 5: SC around BLO (24)
6-12 (7 rounds): SC around (24)
Fasten off for the first leg.
Repeat rounds 1-12 for the second leg but don’t fasten off.
Body
In Round 13, we will be joining the legs. If you are unfamiliar with how to do this, see our tutorial on joining legs for amigurumi.
Round 13: Slip stitch into the first unworked stitch of the first leg. SC in the remaining 23 stitches of the first leg and the 24 stitches of the second leg. (48)
*If you are crocheting on the arms for your alligator, you will attach them in Round 32. See the tutorial on how to crochet on the arms for instructions. If you are planning on sewing on the arms, you will sew them on once we are done with the body.
Round 14 – 41 ( 28 rounds): SC around (48) *
Stuff the body.
Round 42: (6 SC, INV DEC) six times (42)
Round 43: (6 SC, INV DEC) six times (36)
Round 44: (4 SC, INV DEC) six times (30)
Round 45: (3 SC, INV DEC) six times (24)
Round 46: (2 SC, INV DEC) six times (18)
Round 47: (SC, INV DEC) six times (12)
Ensure that the body is stuffed firmly.
Round 48: INV DEC six times (6)
Fasten off. Insert needle in front loop of each stitch and pull tight to close. If you didn’t crochet the arms in, sew them on between Rounds 31 and 32
Eyes
Inner eye (make 2)
Using grey
Round 1: 6 SC into a magic circle (6)
Round 2: INC in each stitch around (12)
Round 3: (SC, INC) six times (18)
Slip stitch into the first SC and fasten off.
Outer eye (make 2)
Using green
Round 1: 6 SC into a magic circle (6)
Round 2: INC in each stitch around (12)
Round 3: (SC, INC) six times (18)
Round 4-6 (3 rounds): SC in each stitch around (18)
Slip stitch into the first SC and fasten off, leaving a long tail for sewing.
Eye Assembly
Insert a safety eye in the centre of the inner eye piece. Put the inner eye piece into the outer eye piece and sew them together, using the yarn tail from the outer eye piece. Don’t stuff the eyes. Sew the eyes onto the top of the head at approximately six rounds from the top (or Round 43 from the bottom), with approximately six stitches between the eyes. I would suggest pinning the eyes, the snout, and the belly patch onto the body before sewing them on, to ensure that you are satisfied with the spacing.
Snout
Use green yarn.
The snout is crocheted around a chain, as an oval. If you are confused on how to do this, see our tutorial on how to crochet ovals.
Round 1: Chain 10. Starting from the second chain from the hook, 8 SC, 3 SC in the last chain as your work turns. Now continue on the other side of the chain. 7 SC and INC in the last chain (20)
Round 2: INC in the first stitch, 7 SC, INC in each of the next three stitches, 7 SC, INC in each of the next two stitches (26)
Round 3-4 (2 rounds): SC in each stitch around (26)
Round 5: SC, INC, 7 SC, (SC, INC) three times, 7 SC, (SC, INC) twice (32)
Round 6-10 (5 rounds): SC around (32)
Round 11: 2 SC, INC, 7 SC, (2 SC, INC) three times, 7 SC, (2 SC, INC) twice (38)
Round 12-17 (6 rounds): SC around (38)
Fasten off and leave a long tail for sewing.
Nostrils (make 2)
Use green yarn
Round 1: 6 SC in a magic circle. Sl st into the first SC.
Fasten off and leave a long tail for sewing
Stuff the snout. Be sure not to overstuff it otherwise it will lose its shape. Sew the nostrils onto the snout at around Round 3, 4 stitches apart. Sew the snout onto the body of the crocodile, approximately one row below the eyes and centered to them. Embroider on a mouth.
Belly Patch
Use lemon yellow yarn.
Row 1: Chain 10. Starting from the second chain from the hook, 9 SC. Chain 1 and turn. (9)
Row 2: INC, 7 SC, INC. Chain 1 and turn. (11)
Row 3: INC, 9 SC, INC. Chain 1 and turn. (13)
Row 4: INC, 11 SC, INC. Chain 1 and turn. (15)
Row 5-7 (3 rows): 15 SC. Chain 1 and turn. (15)
Row 8: DEC, 11 SC, DEC. Chain 1 and turn. (13)
Row 9: DEC, 9 SC, DEC. Chain 1 and turn. (11)
Row 10: 11 SC. Chain 1 and turn (11)
Row 11: 11 SC (11)
Fasten off and leave a long tail for sewing.
Sew onto the body between Rounds 17 and 29, right under the snout.
Toes (make 6)
Use green yarn
Round 1: 4 SC in a magic circle (4)
Round 2: SC around and slip stitch to the first SC (4)
Fasten off and leave a long tail for sewing.
Sew three onto the front of each leg, evenly spaced.
Tail
Use green yarn. Do not stuff.
Round 1: 6 SC in a magic circle (6)
Round 2-3 (2 rounds): SC around (6)
Round 4: (SC, INC) three times (9)
Round 5-6 (2 rounds): SC around (9)
Round 7: (2 SC, INC) three times (12)
Round 8-9 (2 rounds): SC around (12)
Round 10: (3 SC, INC) three times (15)
Round 11-12 (2 rounds): SC around (15)
Round 13: (4 SC, INC) three times (18)
Round 14-15 (2 rounds): SC around (18)
Round 16: (5 SC, INC) three times (21)
Round 17-18 (2 rounds): SC around (21)
Round 19: (6 SC, INC) three times (24)
Round 20-21 (2 rounds): SC around (24)
Round 22: (7 SC, INC) three times (27)
Round 23-24 (2 rounds): SC around (27)
Round 25: (8 SC, INC) three times (30)
Fasten off and leave a long tail for sewing.
Do not stuff. Fold in half and sew closed. Sew onto the crocodile between Rounds 22 and 23 at the back.
Your little crochet alligator is now complete! We hope you enjoyed this crochet crocodile free pattern! We would love to see your finished crocodiles, so share them them in our Facebook group Amigurumi with Chai Coffee Crochet or tag us on Instagram @chaicoffeecrochet
If you enjoyed this pattern, why not try the more of our free patterns in our Juna series of crochet animals.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do I crochet a large alligator?
If you would like your alligator to be crocheted larger, no worries. You can just use a thicker yarn and the relevant hook (usually for amigurumi that means two hook sizes down from that recommended on the yarn label) and you are good to go! Similarly, if you prefer a smaller alligator, you can use a thinner yarn with a smaller hook. Isn’t crochet amazing?
How do I crochet a crocodile?
Well, to be honest, given that this guy is a bit of a loose interpretation of both an alligator and a crocodile, you can use this pattern interchangeably between them. He was named Cray the Crocodile after all. But this little guy totally works as a crochet alligator or a crocodile.
What are other easy amigurumi animals that I can crochet?
If you would like to crochet other easy animals, well try the rest of our Juna series of easy amigurumi animal patterns! All the patterns in the series are quite easy to make – and we think you will love them! Once you start to crochet animals from the series, it’s hard to stop!
