Crochet elephant- free pattern

Check out my Youtube video tutorial for this pattern here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Rhej9B0q2pU

When made with the stated yarn weight and hook size, the finished elephant will be approx 10cm tall and 14cm long from the top of the curved trunk to the tail.

Every piece is made in grey yarn. You can put wire inside the trunk if you'd like but I didn't use any because I found that it held its shape when I bent it anyway. I'd recommend 2mm aluminium armature wire or pipe cleaners, and you'll need pliers with wire cutters if you're using the aluminium wire.

Materials needed:

• DK yarn in light grey, I used Hayfield bonus DK in light grey mix

• 3mm crochet hook

• 8mm black safety eyes

• Stitch marker

• Scissors

• Stuffing

• Yarn needle

• Pins to help with sewing

Abbreviations (US crochet terms):

st- stitch

ch- chain

mr- magic ring

sl st- slip stitch

sc- single crochet

hdc- half double crochet

dc- double crochet

inc- increase

invdec- invisible decrease

BLO- back loops only

Legs- make 4:

Rnd 1: 6 sc in mr (6)

Rnd 2: inc in every st (12)

Rnd 3: In BLO: sc in every st (12)

Rnds 4- 9 (6 rnds): sc in every st (12)

Fasten off leaving short tail.

Underside of body:

Rnd 1: ch 10, starting in 2nd st from hook: sc in nxt 8 st, 4 sc in last st, sc in nxt 8 st (20)

Place marker in last st you did, work in continuous rounds.

Rnd 2: inc, sc in nxt 8 st, inc, sc in nxt st, inc, sc in nxt 7 st, inc (24)

Rnd 3: sc in nxt st, inc, sc in nxt 8 st, inc, sc in nxt 2 st, inc, sc in nxt 8 st, inc, sc in nxt st (28)

Don't fasten off. Place marker in last st you did.

Joining the legs to the underside piece:

sc in nxt 2 st on underside piece, count 5 stitches ahead (after) where you fastened off on a leg, sc in fifth st.

sc in nxt 7 st, skip 4 st on leg, skip 4 st on body and sc in fifth st, sc in nxt 3 st, sc in fifth st ahead of where you fastened off on nxt leg, sc in nxt 7 st, skip 4 st on body, sc in fifth st, sc in nxt stitch, sc in fifth st ahead of where you fastened off on next leg, sc in nxt 7 st, skip 4 st on body, sc in fifth st, sc in nxt 3 st, sc in fifth st ahead of where you fastened off on last leg, sc in nxt 7 st, take out marker, skip 4 st on body, sc in fifth, put marker in last st you did (44)

Rnd 1: (sc in nxt 10 st, inc) x4 (48)

Rnds 2- 7 (6 rnds): sc in every st (48)

Stuff legs, use end of crochet hook to push stuffing down. Begin stuffing body as you go.

Rnd 8: (sc in nxt 6 st, invdec) x6 (42)

Rnd 9: (sc in nxt 5 st, invdec) x6 (36)

Rnd 10: (sc in nxt 4 st, invdec) x6 (30)

Rnd 11: (sc in nxt 3 st, invdec) x6 (24)

Rnd 12: (sc in nxt 2 st, invdec) x6 (18)

Rnd 13: (sc in nxt st, invdec) x6 (12)

Rnd 14: (invdec) x6 (6)

Fasten off leaving a long tail, close hole, fasten off, weave tail through body, come out at side, cut yarn close to edge of work, use end of needle to push end inside.

You can sew the leg holes closed if you want to, with grey yarn, but I didn't sew mine as the legs come down straight anyway so the stuffing shouldn't come out easily.

Head and trunk, starting with the end of the trunk:

Rnd 1: 6 sc in mr (6)

Rnd 2: In BLO: sc in every st (6)

Rnds 3- 10 (8 rnds): sc in every st (6)

Rnd 11: sc in nxt 5 st, inc (7)

Rnd 12: sc in nxt 6 st, inc (8)

Rnd 13: sc in nxt 7 st, inc (9)

Rnd 14: (sc in nxt 2 st, inc) x3 (12)

Rnd 15: sc in nxt 6 st, inc in nxt 6 st (18)

Rnd 16: sc in nxt 6 st, (sc in nxt st, inc) x6 (24)

Rnd 17: sc in nxt 6 st, (sc in nxt 2 st, inc) x6 (30)

Rnds 18- 22 (5 rnds): sc in every st (30)

Insert 8mm black safety eyes between rnds 17 and 18, approx 13 st apart. If you're using wire, push it inside the trunk now.

Rnd 23: (sc in nxt 3 st, invdec) x6 (24)

Rnd 24: sc in every st (24)

Fasten off leaving long tail for sewing. Stuff the head (not the trunk).

Ears- First ear:

Row 1: 3 sc in mr (3)

Row 2: ch 1, turn, inc in every st (6)

Row 3: ch 1, turn, (sc in nxt st, inc) x3 (9)

Row 4: ch 1, turn (sc in nxt 2 st, inc) x3 (12)

Row 5: ch 1, turn, (sc in nxt 3 st, inc) x3 (15)

Row 6: ch 1, turn, sc in nxt 2 st, hdc in nxt st, dc in nxt 2 st, hdc in nxt st, sc in nxt 9 st (15)

Fasten off leaving long tail for sewing.

Second ear:

Make second ear following Rows 1- 5, but do the reverse for row 6: ch 1, turn, sc in nxt 9 st, hdc in nxt st, dc in nxt 2 st, hdc in nxt st, sc in nxt 2 st (15)

Now the right side of the stitches on the last rounds will be on the front for both ears, and the edge with the hdc and dc stitches will be at the top.

Curve the ears around and sew to the sides of the head using the straight edge, and picking up loops from the surface of the stitches on the head, starting on the third rnd up from the last rnd of the head, and going to the last rnd of the head and curving around. Fasten off on a loop nearby in the same way as when you closed the hole on the body. Weave tail inside head, cut the yarn close to the edge of the work and push end inside with your needle. Weave tail from magic ring through head and come out through opening. Sew other ear on the other side of the head.

Pin the head to the front of the body (either end is fine as it's the same on both ends of the body), sew it on so that he's looking straight ahead, go under both loops of each st of the last rnd and pick up loops from the surface of the stitches on the body. Fasten off and weave in end.

Tail:

ch 6, starting in 2nd st from hook: sl st in nxt 5 st

Fasten off leaving a short tail. Cut both strands so that they're the same length- about 2cm long. Unwind both strands from the end and split into 3 separate strands (it will look curly).

Cut a length of grey yarn and use it to sew the end of the tail to the body: go through a st on the body where you want the tail to be and make a knot around it, then sew the tail on with a few stitches, fasten off and weave in end, then weave in the short end.

The elephant is finished! I'd love to see a photo of yours, you can share it with me by tagging me on instagram @laura_wilson01

Check out my Etsy shop for more patterns: https://laurawilsondesigns.etsy.com

This pattern was designed by Laura Wilson of Laura Wilson Designs. This pattern is strictly for personal, non-commercial use. Copy, distribution or commercial use of this pattern or any of its parts is not allowed. Please give credit if posting photos or selling finished item. © Laura Wilson 2025- All rights reserved.