Plush Crocodile Amigurumi Crochet Pattern

Crocodile nostrils sit high on the snout; this crocodile amigurumi crochet pattern builds them before the smile reads correctly. Use chunky green chenille, light green accents, 10–12 mm safety eyes, and a 5 mm hook for a 25–30 cm plush. The skill level is intermediate because the face patches, toe bumps, and spine bumps need controlled placement. Make it as a reptile-themed nursery shelf piece.

The Design: What Makes This Crocodile Different

The photo uses a wide infant-crocodile head instead of a narrow tube. The head plateaus at 36 stitches, then the snout is sewn on as a separate oval so the nostrils sit above the smile rather than inside it. A long body and tapered tail keep the plush crocodile crochet pattern from looking like a frog with spikes. Light green cheek patches widen the face, while round spine bumps replace sharp triangles because chenille hides points. The green crocodile amigurumi also needs front legs lower than the eye line; placing them too high makes the body read as a sitting lizard. The common error is overstuffing the snout until it tilts upward. For this character, the snout should project forward and slightly down.

Project Info at a Glance

Skill Level	Time	Finished Size	Hook	Best For
Intermediate	Not stated in source set	25–30 cm nose-to-tail	5 mm	Plush reptile display, nursery shelf, crocodile crochet toy

Materials and Tools

Yarn

• Emerald green — chunky chenille / plush — 100 g — YarnArt Dolce, Himalaya Dolphin Baby, or similar plush yarn.
• Light mint green — chunky chenille / plush — 25 g — for cheeks, belly, toe bumps, and small head/spine bumps.
• Black — small amount — for nostrils, mouth, and brow embroidery.
• White — small amount — for one tooth or optional claw stitches.

Tools

• Hook 5 mm for chunky chenille
• 10–12 mm safety eyes; use embroidered eyes for children under 3
• Polyester stuffing
• Tapestry needle
• Locking stitch markers
• Pins
• Scissors

Abbreviations

MR = magic ring; sc = single crochet; inc = increase; dec = decrease; sl st = slip stitch; ch = chain; BLO = back loop only; FLO = front loop only. Invisible decrease is worked through the front loops of the next two stitches, then finished as one sc to keep plush fabric from showing a bar.

Pattern — Step by Step

Continuous spiral unless noted. This crocodile amigurumi crochet pattern uses a medium 36-stitch plateau for the head and body.

Head Make 1

Yarn: emerald green chenille.

R1: 6 sc in MR (6)
R2: inc ×6 (12)
R3: (sc, inc) ×6 (18)
R4: (2 sc, inc) ×6 (24)
R5: (3 sc, inc) ×6 (30)
R6: (4 sc, inc) ×6 (36)
R7: sc around (36)
R8: sc around (36)
R9: sc around (36)
R10: sc around (36)
R11: sc around (36)
R12: (4 sc, dec) ×6 (30)
R13: sc around (30)
R14: (3 sc, dec) ×6 (24)
R15: (2 sc, dec) ×6 (18)

Insert safety eyes between R8 and R9, 8–9 stitches apart. Stuff firmly at the forehead and lightly at the lower face.

R16: (sc, dec) ×6 (12)
R17: dec ×6 (6)

Fasten off. Close the final 6 stitches and weave the tail inside.

Body Make 1

Yarn: emerald green chenille.

R1: 6 sc in MR (6)
R2: inc ×6 (12)
R3: (sc, inc) ×6 (18)
R4: (2 sc, inc) ×6 (24)
R5: (3 sc, inc) ×6 (30)
R6: (4 sc, inc) ×6 (36)
R7: sc around (36)
R8: sc around (36)
R9: sc around (36)
R10: sc around (36)
R11: sc around (36)
R12: sc around (36)
R13: sc around (36)
R14: sc around (36)
R15: sc around (36)
R16: sc around (36)
R17: sc around (36)
R18: sc around (36)
R19: sc around (36)
R20: sc around (36)
R21: (4 sc, dec) ×6 (30)
R22: sc around (30)
R23: (3 sc, dec) ×6 (24)
R24: sc around (24)
R25: (2 sc, dec) ×6 (18)
R26: (sc, dec) ×6 (12)
R27: dec ×6 (6)

Stuff the belly center more firmly than the neck edge so the crocodile lies low. Fasten off and leave a 25 cm tail for sewing to the head.

Snout Make 1

Yarn: emerald green chenille.

R1: 6 sc in MR (6)
R2: inc ×6 (12)
R3: (sc, inc) ×6 (18)
R4: sc around (18)
R5: sc around (18)
R6: (sc, dec) ×6 (12)

Stuff lightly. A flat underside gives the smile a clean line. Fasten off and leave a 30 cm tail.

Cheek Patches Make 2

Yarn: light mint green chenille.

R1: 6 sc in MR (6)
R2: inc ×6 (12)
R3: (sc, inc) ×6 (18)

Sl st to close. Fasten off and leave a 20 cm sewing tail on each patch.

Belly Patch Make 1

Yarn: light mint green chenille.

R1: ch 8, sc in 2nd ch from hook, 5 sc, 3 sc in last ch, work other side: 5 sc, inc in last ch (16)
R2: inc, 5 sc, inc ×3, 5 sc, inc ×2 (22)
R3: sc around (22)
R4: sc around (22)

Fasten off and leave a 35 cm tail. Do not stuff.

Arms / Front Legs Make 2

Yarn: emerald green chenille.

R1: 6 sc in MR (6)
R2: inc ×6 (12)
R3: (sc, inc) ×6 (18)
R4: sc around (18)
R5: sc around (18)
R6: sc around (18)
R7: (sc, dec) ×6 (12)
R8: sc around (12)
R9: sc around (12)

Stuff the paw end only. Leave the shoulder edge flatter for sewing. Fasten off and leave a 25 cm tail on each leg.

Back Legs Make 2

Yarn: emerald green chenille.

R1: 6 sc in MR (6)
R2: inc ×6 (12)
R3: (sc, inc) ×6 (18)
R4: sc around (18)
R5: sc around (18)
R6: sc around (18)
R7: sc around (18)
R8: (sc, dec) ×6 (12)
R9: sc around (12)
R10: sc around (12)

Stuff more firmly than the arms so the rear body does not collapse. Fasten off and leave a 30 cm tail.

Tail Make 1

Yarn: emerald green chenille.

R1: 6 sc in MR (6)
R2: sc around (6)
R3: inc ×6 (12)
R4: sc around (12)
R5: sc around (12)
R6: (sc, inc) ×6 (18)
R7: sc around (18)
R8: sc around (18)
R9: (2 sc, inc) ×6 (24)
R10: sc around (24)
R11: sc around (24)
R12: (3 sc, inc) ×6 (30)
R13: sc around (30)
R14: sc around (30)
R15: sc around (30)
R16: sc around (30)

Stuff gradually; keep the last 2 rounds soft for a clean body join. Fasten off and leave a 35 cm tail.

Head Side Bumps / Ear-Position Scales Make 2

Yarn: light mint green chenille.

R1: 6 sc in MR (6)
R2: inc ×6 (12)
R3: sc around (12)
R4: dec ×6 (6)

Fasten off and close. Leave a 20 cm tail.

Center Head Bump Make 1

Yarn: light mint green chenille.

R1: 6 sc in MR (6)
R2: inc ×6 (12)
R3: sc around (12)
R4: dec ×6 (6)

Fasten off and close. Leave a 20 cm tail.

Dorsal Spine Bumps Make 6

Yarn: light mint green chenille.

R1: 6 sc in MR (6)
R2: inc ×6 (12)
R3: sc around (12)
R4: dec ×6 (6)

Fasten off and close each bump. Leave 18–20 cm tails for sewing along the back and tail.

Toe Bumps Make 10

Yarn: light mint green chenille.

R1: 6 sc in MR, sl st to first sc (6)

Fasten off. Sew 3 bumps on each front leg and 2 bumps on each back leg.

Nostrils Make 2

Yarn: black yarn.

R1: 6 sc in MR, sl st to first sc (6)

Pull the ring tight. Fasten off and leave a 12 cm tail for sewing to the top front of the snout.

Tooth Make 1

Yarn: white yarn.

Row 1: ch 3 (3)
Row 2: sl st in 2nd ch from hook, sc in next ch (2)

Fasten off and leave a 10 cm tail. Sew at the lower right smile edge.

Mouth and Brow Embroidery

Yarn: black yarn or embroidery thread.

Stitch a shallow U-shaped smile across the lower cheek line, passing under the snout. Add two short curved brow lines above the eyes, each about 2.5 cm long on a 25–30 cm plush.

Assembly

1. Pin the head to the body with the eye line parallel to the tabletop.
2. Sew the body to the lower back of the head using the 25 cm body tail.
3. Pin the snout centered between the eyes, with the lower edge touching the cheek line.
4. Sew the cheek patches left and right of the snout, overlapping the lower face slightly.
5. Attach the nostrils to the upper front snout, spaced 2 stitches apart.
6. Sew the front legs under the cheeks, angled outward by about 20 degrees.
7. Sew the back legs to the lower sides of the body, then add the toe bumps.
8. Attach the tail to the rear body and blend the join with tight whip stitches.
9. Sew the head bumps first, then sew the dorsal spine bumps from head to tail.
10. Add the mouth, tooth, brow embroidery, and any final tail weaving.

The finished piece is a low, plush crocodile with raised snout details and a visible bobble spine.

7 Technical Tips

• Skipped stitch markers cause a diagonal eye line after R9 of the head. Mark the first stitch every round and place a second marker at the planned front center.
• Under-stuffing the body creates a hollow behind the front legs. Pack the body until it springs back about 5 mm when pressed.
• Visible decrease bars show quickly in chenille when standard decreases are used on R12, R14, and R16 of the head. Work invisible decreases through FLO on every decrease round.
• Late eye insertion can trap the washer against stuffing and distort the face. Place the 10–12 mm eyes before R15 while the back of the head is still open.
• Chenille tension changes can make one leg 1 cm longer than the other. Hold the working yarn with the same finger path for all four legs and check length after R6.
• Unpinned limbs make the crocodile roll to one side. Pin all four legs before sewing and set the body on a flat table to check balance.
• Loose tail weaving slips out of velvet yarn ends. Weave each tail through at least 4 cm of stitches, reverse direction once, then trim inside the body.

Conclusion

Check the crocodile from three angles before final stitching: top view for a centered spine, front view for even cheeks, and side view for a snout that points forward. The next concrete step is to pin the tail and legs, then leave the piece overnight before sewing; plush yarn compresses under pins and shows lean problems clearly the next day. This crocodile amigurumi crochet pattern depends on face balance more than complicated stitches. Share the finished version on Pinterest and Instagram with #PlushCrocodileAmigurumi. Which placement makes your croc read more crocodile-like: nostrils near the eye line, or nostrils set closer to the snout tip?