🧶 Beautiful ✨ Detailed 💝 Adorable

Xander The Zebra Amigurumi Pattern

Xander The Zebra Amigurumi Pattern
4.5★ Rating
5-7 Hours Time Needed
3.6K Made This
✂️

Intermediate Level

Ideal for those with basic crochet experience, featuring slightly more advanced stitches and techniques to expand your skills.

⏱️

Weekend Treat

Takes 5-7 hours, making it an enjoyable project to finish over a couple of days.

🐥

Charming Critter

Delightful animal designs with sweet details that capture the essence of your favorite woodland and farmyard friends.

About This Xander The Zebra Amigurumi Pattern

Xander the Zebra is a striped amigurumi toy crocheted in continuous spiral rounds with alternating black and white yarn. The pattern includes step-by-step rounds for the head, body, arms, legs, ears, tail and finishing touches like mane and nostrils. Detailed photos and assembly instructions help you position safety eyes, attach joints, and sew pieces neatly for a polished result.

Xander The Zebra Amigurumi Pattern crochet pattern - detailed view of completed project

This pattern uses DK weight alpaca-wool blend yarn and a small hook to create a compact, cuddly zebra about 32 cm tall. Suitable for crocheters comfortable with increases, decreases, back post stitches and simple color changes.

Why You'll Love This Xander The Zebra Amigurumi Pattern

I absolutely love this pattern because it balances charm and technique — the striped design is playful but the construction is thoughtful and sturdy. I enjoyed developing the mane and tail steps to give Xander so much personality with simple yarn attachments. The instructions and photos are designed to walk you through tricky parts like eye placement and sewing the head to the body. Making Xander always brightens my day and I hope it brings the same delight to you as you crochet each stripe.

Xander The Zebra Amigurumi Pattern step 1 - construction progress Xander The Zebra Amigurumi Pattern step 2 - assembly progress Xander The Zebra Amigurumi Pattern step 3 - details and accessories Xander The Zebra Amigurumi Pattern step 4 - final assembly and finishing

Switch Things Up

I love how easily this zebra can be customized by changing colors and details to create unique characters; try gray and white for a subtle look or pastel stripes for a nursery version.

You can make Xander larger or smaller by changing yarn weight and hook size — use bulky yarn for a cuddly chunky zebra or fingering weight for a delicate mini version.

I often swap safety eyes for embroidered eyes on toys intended for very young children to make them safer and add a softer expression.

Try adding little accessories like a crocheted scarf, tiny hat, or a felt saddle to give your zebra character and make it gift-ready.

I enjoy experimenting with different mane styles — longer yarn pieces for a shaggy mane or short trimmed loops for a tidy look.

If you want posable limbs, add thin wire inside the arms and legs before stuffing, or use the recommended doll joints for movable attachment.

For a textured finish, substitute some rounds with a different stitch like HDC or add surface slip-stitch stripes for a raised effect.

I like to embroider small details such as eyelashes or hoof lines with embroidery floss to increase the handmade charm.

To create a set, change color palettes for a family of zebras — matching but varied stripes make an adorable collection.

Don't be afraid to adjust proportions slightly: increase rounds in the body or head for a chubbier look, or lengthen the legs for a lankier silhouette; I always try a few variations to see what personality emerges.

Common Mistakes & How to Fix Them

✗ Skipping the stitch marker when instructed can make eye placement difficult later; place a marker in the specified stitch to mark the center of the face and use it as a guide. ✗ Not stuffing gradually causes uneven shaping and lumps; add a little fiberfill every few rounds and shape as you go to keep the head and limbs smooth. ✗ Changing colors without securing tails can cause loose ends and gaps; tie and weave in the yarn tails neatly when switching from black to white to keep stripes tidy. ✗ Forgetting to count stitches after increases or decreases leads to incorrect shaping; count the stitch totals shown at the end of each round to stay on track. ✗ Ignoring recommended hook size will change final size and tightness; use 2.5–3.0 mm hooks as suggested for correct gauge and firm stuffing. ✗ Attaching limbs or eyes before checking placement can look off-center; pin and check placement (count stitches between attachments) before sewing or fixing safety eyes.

Xander The Zebra Amigurumi Pattern

Crochet your own striped friend with this detailed Xander the Zebra pattern. You will be guided step-by-step through the head, ears, limbs, body, tail and mane with clear instructions and photos. Perfect for making a cute handmade gift or a charming nursery companion. The pattern includes materials, abbreviations and assembly tips so you can finish Xander with confidence.

Intermediate 5-7 Hours

Materials Needed for Xander The Zebra Amigurumi Pattern

— Main Fabric

  • 01
    DK weight alpaca and wool blend yarn (Lana Gatto 'Super Aplaca' suggested), 115 m = 50 g
  • 02
    Approximately 60 g white yarn (main color)
  • 03
    Approximately 50 g black yarn (accent color for stripes, muzzle and hooves)
  • 04
    Small amounts of extra colors only if personalizing mane or details

— Tools Required

  • 01
    Crochet hook size 2.50 - 3.00 mm (US size 2/C - 3/D)
  • 02
    Polyester fiberfill, wool or wadding for stuffing
  • 03
    12 mm (1/2") safety eyes (or buttons, beads, felt)
  • 04
    Two 20 mm (4/5") and two 25 mm (1") doll joints or safety eyes/buttons and thread
  • 05
    White cotton embroidery floss
  • 06
    Yarn needle for sewing
  • 07
    Scissors
  • 08
    Stitch markers
  • 09
    Pins for assembly (optional)

Progress Tracker

0% Complete

— Head :

Round 1 :

With black yarn: mr, sc 6 (6)

Round 2 :

inc x 6 (12)

Round 3 :

(sc, inc) x 6 (18)

Round 4 :

(inc, sc 2) x 6 (24)

Round 5 :

(sc 7, inc) x 3 (27)

Round 6 :

sc in each st (27)

Round 7 :

sc 3, inc, (sc 8, inc) x 2, sc 5 (30)

Round 8 :

sc in each st (30)

Round 9 :

With white yarn: (sc 9, inc) x 3 (33)

Round 10 :

sc in each st (33)

Round 11 :

With black yarn: sc 4, inc, (sc 10, inc) x 2, sc 6 (36)

Round 12 :

sc 2, inc, (sc 5, inc) x 5, sc 3 (42)

Info :

On round 13 place a stitch marker in the 24th stitch to mark the center of the face. Use it as guide when placing the eyes.

Round 13 :

With white yarn: (sc 6, inc) x 6 (48)

Round 14 :

sc 18, inc, sc 8, inc, sc 20 (50)

Round 15 :

sc 21, inc, sc 5, inc, sc 22 (52)

Round 16 :

With black yarn: (sc 25, inc) x 2 (54)

Round 17 :

sc 23, inc, sc 4, inc, sc 25 (56)

Info :

Attach safety eyes between rows 13 and 14, leaving 16 stitches (count 15 holes) between them (see page 9).

Round 18-20 :

With white yarn: sc in each st (56)

Round 21-22 :

With black yarn: sc in each st (56)

Round 23-24 :

With white yarn: sc in each st (56)

Round 25 :

sc 5, dec, (sc 12, dec) x 3, sc 7 (52)

Info :

...

Round 26 :

With black yarn: (sc 11, dec) x 4 (48)

Round 27 :

sc 4, dec, (sc 10, dec) x 3, sc 6 (44)

Info :

Sc in next stitch, count it as the end of the round from now on.

Info :

Start stuffing the head. Keep adding a bit of fiberfill after every few rounds, stuffing the head firmly.

Round 28 :

With white yarn: (sc 9, dec) x 4 (40)

Round 29 :

sc 3, dec, (sc 8, dec) x 3, sc 5 (36)

Round 30 :

(sc 7, dec) x 4 (32)

Round 31 :

With black yarn: sc 2, dec, (sc 6, dec) x 3, sc 4 (28)

Round 32 :

(sc 5, dec) x 4 (24)

Info :

Sc in next stitch, count it as the end of the round from now on.

Round 33 :

With white yarn: (dec, sc 2) x 6 (18)

Round 34 :

(sc, dec) x 6 (12)

Round 35 :

dec x 6 (6)

Info :

Finish stuffing the head. Cut the yarn, leaving a long yarn tail, and fasten off. Pick up all the remaining stitches and close the opening (see page 9).

— Ears (make 2) :

Round 1 :

With white yarn: mr, sc 6 (6)

Round 2 :

(inc, sc) x 3 (9)

Round 3 :

(sc 2, inc) x 3 (12)

Round 4 :

sc, inc, (sc 3, inc) x 2, sc 2 (15)

Round 5 :

(sc 4, inc) x 3 (18)

Round 6 :

sc 2, inc, (sc 5, inc) x 2, sc 3 (21)

Round 7-11 :

sc in each st (21)

Round 12 :

sc 5, dec, sc 14 (20)

Round 13 :

sc in each st (20)

Info :

Sl st in next stitch. Cut the yarn, leaving a long yarn tail for sewing, and fasten off. Do not stuff the ears.

— Left Arm :

Round 1 :

With black yarn: mr, sc 7 (7)

Round 2 :

inc x 7 (14)

Round 3 :

(sc, inc) x 7 (21)

Round 4 :

bpsc in each st (21)

Round 5 :

sc 9, dec, sc 4, dec, sc 4 (19)

Round 6 :

sc 11, dec, sc 6 (18)

Round 7 :

sc 6, dec, sc 7, dec, sc (16)

Info :

Start stuffing the arm. Keep adding a bit of fiberfill after every few rounds, stuffing the arms firmly.

Round 8 :

With white yarn: sc 8, dec, sc, dec, sc 3 (14)

Round 9 :

sc in each st (14)

Round 10 :

sc 9, dec, sc 3 (13)

Round 11 :

With black yarn: sc in each st (13)

Round 12 :

sc 9, dec, sc 2 (12)

Info :

Sc in next stitch, count it as the end of the round from now on.

Round 13-15 :

With white yarn: sc in each st (12)

Round 16-17 :

With black yarn: sc in each st (12)

Info :

Sc in next stitch, count it as the end of the round from now on.

Round 18-20 :

With white yarn: sc in each st (13)

Round 21-22 :

With black yarn: sc in each st (13)

Info :

Sc in next stitch, count it as the end of the round from now on.

Round 23-25 :

With white yarn: sc in each st (12)

Round 26-27 :

With black yarn: sc in each st (12)

Info :

...

— Right Arm :

Round 1 :

With black yarn: mr, sc 7 (7)

Round 2 :

inc x 7 (14)

Round 3 :

(sc, inc) x 7 (21)

Round 4 :

bpsc in each st (21)

Round 5 :

sc 3, dec, sc 4, dec, sc 10 (19)

Round 6 :

sc 5, dec, sc 12 (18)

Round 7 :

(dec, sc 7) x 2 (16)

Info :

Start stuffing the arm. Keep adding a bit of fiberfill after every few rounds, stuffing the arms firmly.

Round 8 :

With white yarn: sc 2, dec, sc, dec, sc 9 (14)

Round 9 :

sc in each st (14)

Round 10 :

sc 3, dec, sc 9 (13)

Round 11 :

With black yarn: sc in each st (13)

Round 12 :

sc 3, dec, sc 8 (12)

Info :

Sc in next stitch, count it as the end of the round from now on.

Round 13-15 :

With white yarn: sc in each st (12)

Round 16-17 :

With black yarn: sc in each st (12)

Info :

Sc in next stitch, count it as the end of the round from now on.

Round 18-20 :

With white yarn: sc in each st (12)

Round 21-22 :

With black yarn: sc in each st (12)

Info :

Sc in next stitch, count it as the end of the round from now on.

Round 23-25 :

With white yarn: sc in each st (14)

Round 28-30 :

With white yarn: sc in each st (12)

Round 31 :

sc 2, dec x 5 (7)

Info :

Finish stuffing the arm. Cut the yarn, leaving a long yarn tail, and fasten off. Pick up all the remaining stitches and close the opening (see page 9).

— Left Leg :

Round 1 :

With black yarn: mr, sc 7 (7)

Round 2 :

inc x 7 (14)

Round 3 :

(sc, inc) x 7 (21)

Round 4 :

(inc, sc 2) x 7 (28)

Round 5 :

bpsc in each st (28)

Round 6 :

sc 15, dec, sc 4, dec, sc 5 (26)

Round 7 :

sc 12, dec, (sc 3, dec) x 2, sc 2 (23)

Round 8 :

dec, sc 6, dec, sc 13 (21)

Round 9 :

sc 11, dec, sc 4, dec, sc 2 (19)

Info :

Start stuffing the leg. Keep adding a bit of fiberfill after every few rounds, stuffing the legs firmly.

Round 10 :

With white yarn: sc, (dec, sc 4) x 3 (16)

Info :

...

Round 11 :

With white yarn: sc in each st (16)

Round 12 :

With black yarn: sc in each st (16)

Round 13-14 :

With black yarn: sc in each st (15) (14: sc 11, dec, sc 3 (15))

Info :

Sc in next stitch, count it as the end of the round from now on.

Round 15-17 :

With white yarn: sc in each st (14)

Round 18-19 :

With black yarn: sc in each st (14)

Info :

Sc in next stitch, count it as the end of the round from now on.

Round 20-22 :

With white yarn: sc in each st (14)

Round 23-24 :

With black yarn: sc in each st (14)

Info :

Sc in next stitch, count it as the end of the round from now on.

Round 25-27 :

With white yarn: sc in each st (14)

Round 28-29 :

With black yarn: sc in each st (14)

Info :

Sc in next stitch, count it as the end of the round from now on.

Round 30-32 :

With white yarn: sc in each st (14)

Info :

Attach the joint between rows 31 and 32, placing it so the stem is facing straight towards the body (see page 11).

Round 33 :

sc 2, dec, sc 5, dec, sc 3 (12)

Round 34 :

sc 2, dec x 5 (7)

Info :

Finish stuffing the leg. Cut the yarn, leaving a long yarn tail, and fasten off. Pick up all the remaining stitches and close the opening (see page 9).

— Right Leg :

Round 1 :

With black yarn: mr, sc 7 (7)

Round 2 :

inc x 7 (14)

Round 3 :

(sc, inc) x 7 (21)

Round 4 :

(inc, sc 2) x 7 (28)

Round 5 :

bpsc in each st (28)

Round 6 :

sc 5, dec, sc 4, dec, sc 15 (26)

Round 7 :

sc 2, dec, (sc 3, dec) x 2, sc 12 (23)

Round 8 :

sc 13, dec, sc 6, dec (21)

Round 9 :

sc 3, dec, sc 4, dec, sc 10 (19)

Info :

Sc in next stitch, count it as the end of the round from now on.

Info :

Start stuffing the leg. Keep adding a bit of fiberfill after every few rounds, stuffing the legs firmly.

Round 10 :

With white yarn: (sc 4, dec) x 3, sc (16)

Round 11 :

sc in each st (16)

Round 12 :

sc 4, dec, sc 10 (15)

Round 13 :

With black yarn: sc in each st (15)

Round 14 :

sc 4, dec, sc 9 (14)

Info :

Sc in next stitch, count it as the end of the round from now on.

Round 15-17 :

With white yarn: sc in each st (14)

Round 18-19 :

With black yarn: sc in each st (14)

Info :

Sc in next stitch, count it as the end of the round from now on.

Round 20-22 :

With white yarn: sc in each st (14)

Round 23-24 :

With black yarn: sc in each st (14)

Info :

Sc in next stitch, count it as the end of the round from now on.

Round 25-27 :

With white yarn: sc in each st (14)

Round 28-29 :

With black yarn: sc in each st (14)

Info :

Sc in next stitch, count it as the end of the round from now on.

Round 30-32 :

With white yarn: sc in each st (14)

Info :

Attach the joint between rows 31 and 32, placing it so the stem is facing straight towards the body (see page 11).

Round 33 :

sc 2, dec, sc 5, dec, sc 3 (12)

Round 34 :

sc 2, dec x 5 (7)

Info :

Finish stuffing the leg. Cut the yarn, leaving a long yarn tail, and fasten off. Pick up all the remaining stitches and close the opening (see page 9).

— Body :

Round 1 :

With white yarn: mr, sc 6 (6)

Round 2 :

inc x 6 (12)

Round 3 :

(sc, inc) x 6 (18)

Round 4 :

inc, sc, with black yarn: sc, (inc, sc 2) x 5 (24)

Round 5 :

(sc 3, inc) x 6 (30)

Round 6 :

sc, inc, sc 3, with white yarn: sc, inc, (sc 4, inc) x 4, sc 3 (36)

Round 7 :

sc 3, inc, (sc 8, inc) x 3, sc 5 (40)

Round 8 :

(sc 9, inc) x 4 (44)

Info :

Sc in next 8 stitches. Count the last sc as the end of the round from now on.

Round 9-10 :

With black yarn: sc in each st (44)

Info :

Sc in next stitch, count it as the end of the round from now on.

Info :

Turn the body so the end of the round is at your zebra's left hand side. Attach the legs to the sides of the body, between rounds 9 and 10 (see page 12).

Round 16 :

With white yarn: (sc 10, dec) x 2, (sc 8, dec) x 2 (40)

Round 17 :

sc 4, dec, (sc 8, dec) x 3, sc 4 (36)

Round 18 :

(dec, sc 7) x 4 (32)

Round 19 :

With black yarn: sc in each st (32)

Round 20 :

sc 8, dec, sc 22 (31)

Info :

Sc in next stitch, count it as the end of the round from now on.

Info :

Start stuffing the body. Keep adding a bit of fiberfill after every few rounds, stuffing the body firmly.

Round 21 :

With white yarn: sc 22, dec, sc 7 (30)

Round 22 :

sc (4, dec) x 2, sc 18 (28)

Round 23 :

sc 14, dec, sc 10, dec (26)

Round 24 :

With black yarn: sc 6, dec, sc 11, dec, sc 5 (24)

Round 25 :

sc in each st (24)

Info :

Sc in next stitch, count it as the end of the round from now on.

Round 26 :

With white yarn: (sc 3, dec) x 2, sc 14 (22)

Round 27 :

sc in each st (22)

Round 28 :

dec, sc 7, dec, sc 11 (20)

Info :

...

Round 29-30 :

With black yarn: sc in each st (20)

Info :

Sc in next stitch, count it as the end of the round from now on.

Round 31-32 :

With white yarn: sc in each st (20)

Info :

Sl st in next stitch. Cut the yarn, leaving a long yarn tail for sewing, and fasten off. Attach the arms to the sides of the body, between rounds 28 and 29 (see page 12). Finish stuffing the body.

— Tail :

Round 1 :

With white yarn: mr, sc 5 (5)

Round 2-4 :

sc in each st (5)

Info :

Start stuffing the tail. Keep adding a bit of fiberfill after every few rounds, stuffing the tail lightly.

Round 5 :

With black yarn: sc 2, inc, sc 2 (6)

Info :

Sc in next stitch, count it as the end of the round from now on.

Round 6-7 :

With white yarn: sc in each st (6)

Round 8 :

With black yarn: sc in each st (6)

Round 9 :

sc 2, inc, sc 3 (7)

Info :

Sc in next stitch, count it as the end of the round from now on.

Round 10-11 :

With white yarn: sc in each st (7)

Info :

Sl st in next stitch. Cut the yarn, leaving a long yarn tail for sewing, and fasten off. Finish stuffing the tail.

Assembly Instructions

  • Attach safety eyes after finishing round 17 by placing the eyes to either side of the stitch marker between rows 13 and 14, leaving 16 stitches (count 15 holes) between them, then secure the washer.
  • Finish the head and close the opening by cutting the yarn leaving a long tail, threading the tail onto a needle, picking up remaining stitches through the front loop only, pulling tight to close and pulling the yarn through to the bottom of the head before fastening off.
  • Sew the ears to the head just behind round 19, leaving 11-12 stitches between them; flatten each ear and sew in a V-shape, folding the ear in half when you reach the center for a neat front.
  • Attach legs to the sides of the body between rounds 9 and 10, making sure the body is turned so the end of the round is at the zebra's left hand side, then sew the head to the body so the front edge is just behind round 14 of the head.
  • Place disk with a stem or a button inside the arms and legs so the stem is facing straight towards the body, then lock the disk/post in place inside the body or secure with button-and-thread method as instructed.
  • Flatten the tail and place it over round 9 of the body, then sew the tail to the body with whip or mattress stitch as directed; attach the mane pieces by folding yarn, hooking a loop into stitches and pulling tails through, following stripe placement.

Important Notes

  • 💡Work in a continuous spiral; do not join rounds or turn your work unless instructed otherwise in the pattern.
  • 💡Use a stitch marker or a piece of yarn to mark the end or the beginning of a round to keep track of your rounds, especially after the instruction to count the next stitch as the end of the round.
  • 💡Work all stitches in both loops unless instructed otherwise; maintain consistent tension for even stripes and neat shaping.
  • 💡Stuff parts gradually and firmly but not too tightly to avoid distorting stitches and to achieve correct shaping during decreases and closures.

Xander the Zebra is a sweet handmade amigurumi toy that combines classic crocheting with playful striping and charming details. Whether you make one for a loved child or as a thoughtful handmade gift, Xander brings personality and joy to any shelf or nursery. Happy crocheting and enjoy bringing this little zebra to life! 🧶🦓

You ask,

we answer.

FAQs

What size will the finished piece be?

The finished zebra measures approximately 32 cm (12 1/2") including ears when crocheted with DK weight alpaca-wool blend yarn and a 2.5 mm hook.

Can I use different yarn weights for this pattern?

Yes, you can substitute yarn weights but the final size and stitch tension will change; adjust your hook size accordingly and keep stuffing firm for best results.

Do I need prior crochet experience for this pattern?

This pattern is rated intermediate and requires knowledge of single crochet, increases, decreases, back post stitches, changing yarns, and working in continuous spiral rounds.

How long does this project typically take to complete?

Most crocheters complete this project in 5-7 hours, depending on experience level and how much time you spend on finishing details like the mane and assembly.

What tools are recommended for attaching limbs securely?

The pattern recommends plastic doll joints (two 20 mm and two 25 mm), safety eyes, or button-and-thread joints; plastic doll joints are durable and easy to install, while button joints are a good alternative.