Axolotl Pattern

Materials
-3.25mm needles
-White and pink DK yarn –OR–
-Light grey and dark grey DK yarn
-8mm Plastic safety Eyes
-Small amount of black thread for mouth
-Small amount of red or grey eyelash yarn for gill edges
-Tapestry/yarn needle for seaming
-2 double-pointed needles for I-cords for gills
-Optional crochet hook for picking up stitches to make fin

Abbreviations
St(s) = Stitch(es)
CO = Cast on
K# = knit # stitches
P# = purl # stitches
K2tog = Knit 2 stitches together
Inc = Increase by your preferred method (I prefer to M1 on a purl row, Kfb on a knit row)
Dec = Decrease by knitting (purling) 2 stitches together (if you’re on a K (P) row)
Sl # = Slip # stitches (move st(s) from left needle to right needle without K or P it)
BO = Bind off

Body (make 1)
Both the back (white) and belly (pink) are worked simultaneously on the same needle to reduce sewing and maintain better shaping. Make sure to twist the two strands of wool at the back of the work when you’re changing from one colour to another.

These can be done separately and sewn together if you prefer.

Colours given are for the albino axolotl. To do the wild type variant, change the white to dark grey and pink to light grey.

CO7 sts in white and 7sts in pink (14sts)
1 – P1 row (work white sts white, pink sts pink)
2 – Inc the 1^st 2 white stitches in the row, K to last 2 white sts, inc last 2 white sts all in white. Inc 1st and last pink sts in pink.
Repeat rows 1 and 2 until 42sts (10 rows completed)
11 – P1 row (work white sts white, pink sts pink)
12 – Inc the 1^st 2 white stitches in the row, K to last 2 white sts, inc last 2 white sts. K pink sts pink.
Repeat last 2 rows once more (14 rows completed, 50sts, you’ll have 15 pink sts, this doesn’t change until decreasing for the tail begins)
15 – 23 – st-st rows (work white sts white, pink sts pink)
24 – inc 1st and last white st in white, k pink sts pink.
25-27 – st-st rows (work white sts white, pink sts pink)
Repeat last 4 rows twice more. (56sts)
34 – K2tog, k16, K2tog, K1, K2tog, k16, K2tog in white (37sts in white) K15 pink sts. (52sts)
35-37 – st-st rows (work white sts white, pink sts pink)
38 – K2tog, k14, K2tog, K1, K2tog, k14, K2tog (33sts in white) K15 pink sts. (48sts)
39-41 – st-st rows (work white sts white, pink sts pink)
42 – Dec 1st and last st white sts (31sts) K pink sts (15sts)
43-47 – st-st rows (work white sts white, pink sts pink)
Repeat last 6 rows a further 7 times. (17sts white, 15sts pink)
90 – Dec 1st and last st white sts (15sts) Dec 1st and last st pink sts (13sts)
91-95 – st-st rows (work white sts white, pink sts pink)
Repeat last 6 rows until you are about to decrease again with only 3 sts in pink, K3tog, pull yarn and cut. In this row you will have just decreased the 5 white sts to 3sts, work these sts for a further three rows, then K3tog, pull yarn and cut.

Sew open edge, stuffing continuously, affix eyes, sew closed. If made separately, you’ll have to sew the two pieces together first! Sew black thin yarn at front of face to make the mouth.

Neck
Make a neck distinct by sewing a running thread through the Back (just the white sts) from the start of the 2nd increase to the other side of the neck. Pull tight until desired thickness is met.

Back fin (make 1)
Pick up the centre st on the running thread and then, working down the back of the axolotl, pick up 40sts in pink1.
1 – K1P1 across row, starting from tail
2 – Sl 1, work 36sts (K the Ksts, P the Psts), turn,
3 – Sl 2, work 33sts, turn,
4 – Sl 1, work 30sts, turn,
5 – Sl 3, work 26sts, turn,
6 – Sl 1, work 22sts, turn,
7 – Sl 3, work 19sts, turn,
8 – Sl 1, work 15sts, turn,
9 – Sl 3, work 11sts, turn,
10 – Sl 1, work 6sts, turn,
11 – Sl 3, work across row to head, BO

Legs (make 4)
There are two versions – the ‘basic’ and the ‘pawed’, both are given below.

Basic legs

Pawed legs

Co 8sts in white
1 – P row
2 – K row, inc 1st and last st of row
Repeat last two rows to 22 sts.
16 – K2tog across row (11sts)
BO

Pawed legs
CO 6sts in white.
1 – P row
2 – K row, inc 1st and last st of row
Repeat last two rows to 16 sts.
12 – K7sts, turn, P3sts, turn, K3sts, break yarn and thread through sts just knitted.
13 – Reattach yarn: K2sts from left hand needle, turn, P3sts, turn, K3sts, break yarn and thread through sts just knitted.
14 – Reattach yarn: K1st from left hand needle, turn, P3sts, turn, K3sts, break yarn and thread through sts just knitted.
15 – Reattach yarn: K last 2sts from left hand needle, P row, K row, break yarn and thread through remaining sts.

Gills (make 6)
In white, CO4sts on a single dpn, work 8 rows i-cord.
Break yarn and thread through remaining sts

Sew legs and gills onto body, using photos as a reference. Thread a small amount of eyelash yarn on gill edges.