Crochet Zebra based on Yarnspirations Knit Zebra

Yarnspirations released an adorable new FREE lookbook filled with patterns for baby! You can see my review of it HERE. One of my favorite patterns was the Knit Zebra…but since I don’t knit, I asked Yarnspirations if they would allow me to come up with a crochet version. I am so happy that they agreed!
I am using Bernat Softee Baby yarn in Flannel and Antique White. You will only need one skein of each an you can purchase them RIGHT HERE at Yarnspirations.com.

Be sure to check out the Yarnspirations Baby Lookbook HERE
and get the free Knit Zebra pattern!

Materials:
– 1 skein each of Bernat Softee Baby yarn in Flannel (gray) and Antique White. Shop colors at Yarnspirations.com
– Size G Crochet Hook
– Poly-fil fiber stuffing
– Size 6mm safety eyes (only two needed). Or you could use bigger safety eyes if you wish. These can be purchased at JO-ANN crafts.
– Tapestry needle

Finished Size: Approximately 18 inches wide from top to bottom x 6 inches wide (across the belly).

Note: When switching colors, do not clip your yarn off. Go ahead and carry the yarn up so you don’t have to weave in any ends! The places where you carry the yarn up will be hidden on the inside of your project so you will never see it

Crochet Zebra Pattern

Body:
Starting with white
Magic ring, chain 1 and make 10 SC in ring, join to first SC, chain 1
Round 2: 2 SC in each stitch around, join, chain 1 (20 SC)
Round 3: SC in each stitch around, join, chain 1 (20 SC)
Round 4: 2 SC in first, SC in next, repeat around, join, chain 1 (30 SC)
Round 5: 2 SC in first, SC in next 2, repeat around, join, chain 1 (40 SC)
Round 6: SC in each stitch around, join, chain 1 (40 SC)
Round 7: 2 SC in first, SC in next 3, repeat around, join, chain 1 (50 SC)

Change to gray
Round 8: SC in each stitch around, join, chain 1 (50 SC)
Round 9: 2 SC in first, SC in next 4, repeat around, join, chain 1 (60 SC)

Change to white
Round 10: SC in each stitch around, join, chain 1 (60 SC)
Round 11: 2 SC in first, SC in next 5 stitches, join, chain 1 (70 SC)

Change to gray
Round 12-13: SC in each stitch around, join, chain 1 (70 SC)

Change to white
Round 14-15: SC in each stitch around, join, chain 1 (70 SC)

Change to gray
Round 16-17: SC in each stitch around, join, chain 1 (70 SC)

Change to white
Round 18-19: SC in each stitch around, join, chain 1 (70 SC)

Change to gray
Round 20-21: SC in each stitch around, join, chain 1 (70 SC)

Change to white
Round 22-23: SC in each stitch around, join, chain 1 (70 SC)

Change to gray
Round 24-25: SC in each stitch around, join, chain 1 (70 SC)

Change to white
Round 26-27: SC in each stitch around, join, chain 1 (70 SC)

Change to gray
Round 28-29: SC in each stitch around, join, chain 1 (70 SC)

Change to white
Round 30: SC in each stitch around, join, chain 1 (70 SC)
Round 31: SC Decrease, SC in next 5, repeat around, join, chain 1 (60 SC)

Change to gray
Round 32-33: SC in each stitch around, join, chain 1 (60 SC)

Change to white
Round 34: SC in each stitch around, join, chain 1 (60 SC)
Round 35: SC Decrease, SC in next 4, repeat around, join, chain 1 (50 SC)

Change to gray
Round 36-37: SC in each stitch around, join, chain 1 (50 SC)

Change to white
Round 38: SC Decrease, SC in next 3, repeat around, join, chain 1 (40 SC)
Round 39: SC in each stitch around, join, chain 1 (40 SC)

Change to gray:
Round 40-41: SC in each stitch around, join, chain 1 (40 SC)

Change to white – this would be a good time to start stuffing with polyfil!
Round 42: SC in each stitch around, join, chain 1 (40 SC)
Round 43: SC decrease, SC in next 2, repeat around, join, chain 1 (30 SC)
Round 44: SC in each stitch around, join, chain 1 (30 SC)
Round 45: SC decrease, SC in next, repeat around, join, chain 1 (20 SC)
Round 46: SC in each stitch around, join, chain 1 (20 SC)
Round 47: SC decrease until closed.
Fasten off leaving long tail.

NOTE: Body and Head are very similar patterns. I stuffed the body full with polyfil whereas I left the head a little under-stuffed. I felt like it gave both pieces a better shape that way.

Head:
Starting with white
Magic ring, chain 1 and make 10 SC in ring, join to first SC, chain 1
Round 2: 2 SC in each stitch around, join, chain 1 (20 SC)
Round 3: SC in each stitch around, join, chain 1 (20 SC)
Round 4: 2 SC in first, SC in next, repeat around, join, chain 1 (30 SC)
Round 5: SC in each stitch around, join, chain 1 (30 SC)
Round 6: 2 SC in first, SC in next 2, repeat around, join, chain 1 (40 SC)
Round 7: SC in each stitch around, join, chain 1 (40 SC)
Round 8: 2 SC in first, SC in next 3, repeat around, join, chain 1 (50 SC)
Round 9: SC in each stitch around, join, chain 1 (50 SC)
Round 10: 2 SC in first, SC in next 4, repeat around, join, chain 1 (60 SC)
Round 11: SC in each stitch around, join, chain 1 (60 SC)
Round 12: 2 SC in first, SC in next 5 stitches, join, chain 1 (70 SC)
Round 13-16: SC in each stitch around, join, chain 1 (70 SC)

Change to gray
Round 17-18: SC in each stitch around, join, chain 1 (70 SC)

Change to white
Round 19-20: SC in each stitch around, join, chain 1 (70 SC)

Change to gray
Round 21-22: SC in each stitch around, join, chain 1 (70 SC)

Change to white
Round 23-24: SC in each stitch around, join, chain 1 (70 SC)

Change to gray
Round 25-26: SC in each stitch around, join, chain 1 (70 SC)

Change to white
Round 27-28: SC in each stitch around, join, chain 1 (70 SC)

Change to gray
Round 29-30: SC in each stitch around, join, chain 1 (70 SC)

Change to white
Round 31: SC in each stitch around, join, chain 1 (70 SC)
Round 32: SC Decrease, SC in next 5, repeat around, join, chain 1 (60 SC)

Change to gray
Round 33-34: SC in each stitch around, join, chain 1 (60 SC)

Change to white
Round 35: SC in each stitch around, join, chain 1 (60 SC)
Round 36: SC Decrease, SC in next 4, repeat around, join, chain 1 (50 SC)

Change to gray – now is a good time to start stuffing and add safety eyes between rounds 19 and 20. The safety eyes should be about 12 stitches apart from each other.
Round 37-38: SC in each stitch around, join, chain 1 (50 SC)

Change to white:
Round 39: SC in each stitch around, join, chain 1 (50 SC)
Round 40: SC Decrease, SC in next 3, repeat around, join, chain 1 (40 SC)

Change to gray
Round 41-42: SC in each stitch around, join, chain 1 (40 SC)

Change to white:
Round 43: SC in each stitch around, join, chain 1 (40 SC)
Round 44: SC Decrease, SC in next 2, repeat around, join, chain 1 (30 SC)
Round 45: SC in each stitch around, join, chain 1 (30 SC)
Round 46: SC Decrease, SC in next, repeat around, join, chain 1 (20 SC)
Round 47: SC Decrease until closed
Fasten off leaving long tail.

Legs and Arms: Make 2 legs and 2 arms
Starting with gray
Magic ring, chain 1 and make 10 SC in ring, join to first SC, chain 1
Round 2: 2 SC in each stitch around, join, chain 1 (20 SC)
Round 3-11: SC in each stitch around, join, chain 1 (20 SC)
Round 12: SC Decrease, SC in next 4, repeat around, join, chain 1 (18 SC)

Change to white
Round 13-14: SC in each stitch around, join, chain 1 (18 SC)

Change to gray
Round 15-16: SC in each stitch around, join, chain 1 (18 SC)
(FOR LEGS) Round 17-42: Repeat rounds 13-16
(FOR ARMS) Round 17-34 Repeat around 13-16

Stuff with poly-fil fiber stuffing and sew top closed.

Ears: Make 2 Gray and 2 White
Chain 7, SC in 2nd chain from hook and in each stitch across, chain 1, turn
Row 2: SC in each stitch across, chain 1, turn (6 SC)
Row 3: 2 SC in first, SC in next 4, 2 SC in last, chain 1 turn (8 SC)
Row 4-5: SC in each stitch across, chain 1, turn (8 SC)
Row 6: 2 SC in first, SC in next 6, 2 SC in last (10 SC)
Row 7-11: SC in each stitch across, chain 1, turn (10 SC)
Row 12: SC decrease, SC in next 6, SC decrease, chain 1 turn (8 SC)
Row 13: SC in each stitch across, chain 1, turn (8 SC)
Row 14: SC decrease, SC in next 4, SC decrease, chain 1, turn (6 SC)
Row 15: SC in each stitch across, chain 1, turn (6 SC)
Row 16: SC decrease, SC in next 2, SC decrease, chain 1, turn (4 SC)
Row 17: SC in each stitch across, chain 1, turn (4 SC)
Row 18: SC decrease two times, chain 1, turn
Row 19: SC decrease, chain 1 and continue to SC around the entire ear.
Fasten off and weave in ends.

Place a white ear and a gray ear together. Single crochet along the edge to join the two together.

Loop Crochet Zebra Mane
Chain 36, SC in second ch from hook and the rest of the way down chain.
This will be a loop stitch row
Row 2: loop stitch in each stitch across (refer to loop stitch video tutorial below for help), chain 1, turn
Row 3: SC in each stitch across, chain 1, turn
Row 4: loop stitch in each stitch across.

Fasten off leaving extra long tail to sew mane onto back of head and body

How to do the loop stitch:

Braided Tail:

Cut 4 strands of gray yarn approx 24 inches long, and 2 strands of white yarn, the same length.

Loop through a stitch on butt of zebra. You should now have 8 strands of gray and 4 strands of white to braid with.

Braid tail and knot at end!

Now it is time to stitch all the pieces together! I made a fun time-lapse video showing the zebra being sewn together. Sounds like next time you guys want to see an actual video tutorial so I will keep that in mind!

A few tips… Use the rounds of stitches to your advantage. When sewing the head onto the body, pick a round (for instance the second to last round in the body) and use that your guide. All stitches should be sewn to that round of stitches. Arms, legs, and ears should be somewhat even to each other. Choose a line of stitches and sew them on along that same line.

Thank you to Yarnspirations for allowing me to create a crochet version of your Knit Zebra!
KNIT ZEBRA PATTERN is available for free HERE