Crochet Mexican cactus - free pattern

Check out my Youtube video tutorial for this pattern: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w4k15ye1LWQ

Materials needed:

• DK yarn in green, beige, dark brown, red and black

• 3mm crochet hook

• 6mm black safety eyes

• Stitch marker

• Scissors

• Stuffing

• Yarn needle

• Plastic pellets to weigh down pot- optional (can use stuffing instead but it might fall over more easily) the pellets I used were 2-3mm in size.

• Pins to help with sewing

• 2mm aluminium armature wire or pipe cleaners for the arms- optional

• Pliers with wire cutters to cut the wire

Abbreviations (US crochet terms):

st- stitch

ch- chain

sl st- slip stitch

sc- single crochet

inc- increase

BLO- back loops only

FLO- front loops only

The body and arms of the cactus are made in rows with a turning chain which doesn't count as a stitch. The pot, soil and sombrero are made in continuous spiral rounds using a stitch marker.

How to change colour in sc: Begin to change colour in the st before it's needed- push hook in st, yarn over and pull through, then pull a loop of the new colour through the two loops on the hook. This finishes the stitch in the previous colour and changes to the new colour so all future stitches will be in the new colour.

Body:

In green:

Row 1: ch 26, starting in second st from hook: sc in nxt 25 st (25)

Rows 2- 20 (19 rows): ch 1, turn, in BLO: sc in every st (25)

Don't fasten off, join edges to make it a tube- count the leftover chain loops from row 1 so that you know where the end loop is (you should have 25), push hook through the loop and sc. Then turn and sc through the remaining chain loops from row 1 and the BLO of each stitch on the end row. Fasten off leaving a long tail.

Eyes:

Insert safety eyes approx 5 stitches from the end, 4 rows apart.

Mouth:

Cut a 25cm long piece of black yarn, tie a double knot near the end, thread onto needle, come up through the opening and pull through until the knot is stopped on the inside. Make 2 diagonal lines for the mouth. Find a loop near the top on the inside and fasten off by finding a loop nearby, go through but not all the way, go through the loop from behind and pull tight to make a knot. Push tail inside, trim it if it's too long.

Closing the end:

Thread the tail onto the needle and come up from the outside through the loops on the edge between the ends of the rows at the top end, pull tight to gather all of the loops together and close the hole. Fasten off by finding a loop nearby, go through but not all the way, go through the loop from behind and pull tight to make a knot. Weave end through the body, going through the small hole at the top. Come out at the side, trim excess and push end inside with the end of your needle. Weave the short tail from the slip knot through the body.

Stuff the body firmly, you can use the end of your hook to push it down.

Arms- make 2:

In green:

Row 1: ch 13, starting in second st from hook: sc in nxt 12 st (12)

Rows 2- 6 (5 rows): ch 1, turn, in BLO: sc in every st (12)

Don't fasten off, join edges to make it a tube- count the leftover chain loops from row 1 so that you know where the end loop is (you should have 12), push hook through the loop and sc. Then turn and sc through the remaining chain loops from row 1 and the BLO of each stitch on the end row. Fasten off leaving a long tail.

Thread tail onto needle and close the hole at the end in exactly the same way as the top of the cactus. Fasten off and weave the long tail through to the open end to use for sewing to the body.

Place the wire or pipe cleaners across the length of the arm and cut it using the wire cutters so that it's long enough to fit inside it without it sticking out. Push wire inside, don't stuff the arms, bend at a 90 degree angle in the middle.

Thread the tail onto the needle and go through a loop on the edge, then pin the arms to the sides of the cactus about half way up, pick up loops from the surface of the rows on the body and go through the loops of the end of the arm. Fasten off in the same way as before and weave ends through the body. Cut yarn close to the edge of the work and push ends inside with the end of your needle.

Pot:

In beige:

Rnd 1: 6 sc in mr (6)

Rnd 2: inc in every st (12)

Rnd 3: (sc in nxt st, inc) x6 (18)

Rnd 4: (sc in nxt 2 st, inc) x6 (24)

Rnd 5: (sc in nxt 3 st, inc) x6 (30)

Rnd 6: (sc in nxt 4 st, inc) x6 (36)

Rnd 7: (sc in nxt 5 st, inc) x6 (42)

Rnd 8: sc in every st (42)

Rnd 9: In BLO: sc in every st (42)

Rnds 10- 16 (7 rnds): sc in every st (42)

sl st in nxt st, fasten off and weave tail into back of stitches on inside of last rnd, trim excess.

Soil:

In brown:

Rnd 1: 6 sc in mr (6)

Rnd 2: inc in every st (12)

Rnd 3: (sc in nxt st, inc) x6 (18)

Rnd 4: (sc in nxt 2 st, inc) x6 (24)

Rnd 5: (sc in nxt 3 st, inc) x6 (30)

Rnd 6: (sc in nxt 4 st, inc) x6 (36)

Rnd 7: (sc in nxt 5 st, inc) x6 (42)

Rnd 8: sc in every st (42)

sl st in nxt st, fasten off leaving long tail for sewing.

Pour the plastic pellets inside the pot or stuff. Place lid on top with the right side of the stitches facing you, thread tail onto needle and sew to the inside edge of the pot using the back posts of the stiches on the last rnd and going underneath the V shape of the top of the brown stitches. Fasten off in the same way as you did with the cactus, weave end through the inside, trim excess and push end inside with your needle.

Cut a long length of green yarn, tie a double knot near the end, thread onto needle. Come up through the inside so that the knot is stopped on the inside and sew the bottom of the cactus to the middle of the soil by picking up loops from the surface of the stitches on the brown part and going through loops on the edge of the green part, staying roughly on the same round in a circle. Fasten off in the usual way and weave in end through the pot, trim excess and push end inside.

Sombrero:

In beige:

Rnd 1: 6 sc in mr (6)

Rnd 2: (sc in nxt st, inc) x3 (9)

Rnd 3: (sc in nxt 2 st, inc) x3 (12)

Rnd 4: (sc in nxt 3 st, inc) x3 (15)

Rnd 5: (sc in nxt 4 st, inc) x3 (18)

Rnd 6: (sc in nxt 5 st, inc) x3 (21)

Rnd 7: (sc in nxt 6 st, inc) x3 (24)

Rnd 8: (sc in nxt 7 st, inc) x3 (27)

Rnd 9: (sc in nxt 8 st, inc) x3 (30)

Rnd 10: In FLO: (sc in nxt 4 st, inc) x6 (36)

Rnd 11: (sc in nxt 5 st, inc) x6 (42)

Rnd 12: (sc in nxt 6 st, inc) x6 (48) Change to red as you finish the second sc of the last inc. Keep beige attached, tie in double knot with short red tail.

Rnd 13: sc in every st (48)

Rnd 14: sc in every st (48) Change to beige as you finish the last red sc

Rnd 15: sc in every st (48)

sl st in nxt st. Fasten off leaving tail long enough to sew the diagonal lines all around the red part. Cut red yarn leaving short tail. Weave in short tails into back of stitches on the inside.

Sew diagonal lines with the beige tail in a zig zag leaving 3 stitches between each point (see my video for this part) Fasten off and push end inside hat.

I decided not to sew his hat to his head but if you'd like to then you can use the leftover loops on the inside.

The Mexican cactus 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.