Greetings, fellow creators. It is Patricia. Today, we are bringing a piece of the Ice Age into our modern studios, softened by the irresistible squish of bulky chenille yarn. This woolly mammoth is a masterclass in structural shaping. We will manipulate tension and strategically place our decreases to craft that distinctive, curved trunk and those sweet, upward-sweeping tusks. The large, rounded head anchors the design, ensuring that signature youthful gaze we all strive for. Let us begin this project with intention and precision.
About This Creation
This mammoth relies heavily on the 60/40 head-to-body ratio. By oversizing the head and keeping the limbs short and stout, we achieve a highly stylized, endearing silhouette. The textured hair tuft adds vertical interest without throwing off the balance, while the cupped ears provide essential framing for the face.
Project Snapshot
🧶 Skill Level: Intermediate
🧶 Time Requirement: 4 to 6 hours
🧶 Finished Size: Approximately 10 inches tall (dependent on tension)
Materials
🧶 Super bulky weight (Size 6) chenille yarn in Brown (approx. 150g)
🧶 Super bulky weight (Size 6) chenille yarn in Beige (approx. 20g)
🧶 Super bulky weight (Size 6) chenille yarn in White (approx. 20g)
🧶 Small amount of white cotton yarn for eye accents
🧶 6.0mm crochet hook
🧶 18mm black safety eyes
🧶 Polyester fiberfill stuffing
🪡 Large-eye yarn needle
🪡 Stitch markers
🪡 Scissors
Abbreviations
➡️ Rnd: Round
➡️ Row: Row
➡️ MR: Magic Ring
➡️ ch: chain
➡️ sc: single crochet
➡️ inc: single crochet increase (2 sc in one stitch)
➡️ dec: single crochet invisible decrease (sc 2 together)
➡️ sl st: slip stitch
➡️ blo: back loop only
➡️ hdc: half double crochet
➡️ dc: double crochet
➡️ st/sts: stitch/stitches
The Pattern
Head (Brown Yarn)
Rnd 1: 6 sc in MR (6)
Rnd 2: 6 inc (12)
Rnd 3: [1 sc, inc] 6 times (18)
Rnd 4: [2 sc, inc] 6 times (24)
Rnd 5: [3 sc, inc] 6 times (30)
Rnd 6: [4 sc, inc] 6 times (36)
Rnd 7: [5 sc, inc] 6 times (42)
Rnd 8: [6 sc, inc] 6 times (48)
Rnd 9: [7 sc, inc] 6 times (54)
Rnd 10-17: sc in all 54 sts (54) for 8 rounds
Insert 18mm safety eyes between Rnd 14 and 15, spaced exactly 9 stitches apart. Embroider a small line of white cotton yarn below each eye.
Rnd 18: [7 sc, dec] 6 times (48)
Rnd 19: [6 sc, dec] 6 times (42)
Rnd 20: [5 sc, dec] 6 times (36)
Rnd 21: [4 sc, dec] 6 times (30)
Begin stuffing the head firmly, ensuring the cheeks are wide and round.
Rnd 22: [3 sc, dec] 6 times (24)
Rnd 23: [2 sc, dec] 6 times (18)
Rnd 24: [1 sc, dec] 6 times (12)
Rnd 25: 6 dec (6)
Fasten off, weave the tail through the remaining 6 stitches and pull tight to close.
Body (Brown Yarn)
Rnd 1: 6 sc in MR (6)
Rnd 2: 6 inc (12)
Rnd 3: [1 sc, inc] 6 times (18)
Rnd 4: [2 sc, inc] 6 times (24)
Rnd 5: [3 sc, inc] 6 times (30)
Rnd 6: [4 sc, inc] 6 times (36)
Rnd 7-10: sc in all 36 sts (36) for 4 rounds
Rnd 11: [4 sc, dec] 6 times (30)
Rnd 12-13: sc in all 30 sts (30) for 2 rounds
Rnd 14: [3 sc, dec] 6 times (24)
Rnd 15-16: sc in all 24 sts (24) for 2 rounds
Rnd 17: [2 sc, dec] 6 times (18)
Rnd 18: sc in all 18 sts (18)
Fasten off, leaving a long tail for sewing. Stuff the body firmly, focusing on a plump base.
Trunk (Brown Yarn)
Rnd 1: 6 sc in MR (6)
Rnd 2: blo sc in all 6 sts (6)
Rnd 3: sc in all 6 sts (6)
Rnd 4: 2 inc, 4 sc (8)
Rnd 5: sc in all 8 sts (8)
Rnd 6: 1 sc, 2 inc, 5 sc (10)
Rnd 7-8: sc in all 10 sts (10) for 2 rounds
Rnd 9: 2 sc, 2 inc, 6 sc (12)
Rnd 10-11: sc in all 12 sts (12) for 2 rounds
Rnd 12: 3 sc, 2 inc, 7 sc (14)
Rnd 13-14: sc in all 14 sts (14) for 2 rounds
Fasten off, leaving a long tail. Lightly stuff the trunk. The asymmetrical increases naturally create the top curve.
Textured Hair Tuft (Brown Yarn)
Rnd 1: 6 sc in MR (6)
Rnd 2: [sl st, ch 15, sl st in same st] in each of the 6 sts (6 large loops)
Rnd 3: Working into the base stitches behind the loops: 6 inc (12)
Rnd 4: [sl st, ch 15, sl st in same st] in each of the 12 sts (12 large loops)
Fasten off, leaving a long tail for sewing.
Ears – Make 2 (Start with Beige Yarn)
Row 1: 4 sc in MR, turn – do not join (4)
Row 2: ch 1, 4 inc, turn (8)
Row 3: ch 1, [1 sc, inc] 4 times, turn (12)
Row 4: ch 1, [2 sc, inc] 4 times, turn (16)
Row 5: ch 1, [3 sc, inc] 4 times, turn (20)
Change to Brown Yarn.
Row 6: ch 1, [4 sc, inc] 4 times (24)
Do not turn. Crochet evenly across the flat bottom edge of the semi-circle to create a clean finish. Fasten off, leaving a long tail for sewing.
Tusks – Make 2 (White Yarn)
Rnd 1: 4 sc in MR (4)
Rnd 2: 1 inc, 3 sc (5)
Rnd 3: 1 inc, 4 sc (6)
Rnd 4: 1 inc, 5 sc (7)
Rnd 5: 1 inc, 6 sc (8)
Rnd 6-8: sc in all 8 sts (8) for 3 rounds
Fasten off, leaving a tail for sewing. Lightly stuff.
Arms – Make 2 (Start with White Yarn)
Rnd 1: 6 sc in MR (6)
Rnd 2: 6 inc (12)
To make the toes, we will use bobble stitches (3 dc closed together in the same stitch).
Rnd 3: 3 sc, [bobble st, 1 sc] 3 times, 3 sc (12)
Change to Brown Yarn.
Rnd 4: blo sc in all 12 sts (12)
Rnd 5-6: sc in all 12 sts (12) for 2 rounds
Rnd 7: [2 sc, dec] 3 times (9)
Rnd 8-11: sc in all 9 sts (9) for 4 rounds
Stuff the bottom half firmly, leave the top half empty. Pinch the top flat and crochet 4 sc across both layers to close. Fasten off, leaving a tail.
Legs – Make 2 (Start with White Yarn)
Rnd 1: 6 sc in MR (6)
Rnd 2: 6 inc (12)
Rnd 3: [1 sc, inc] 6 times (18)
Rnd 4: 5 sc, [bobble st, 1 sc] 3 times, 7 sc (18)
Change to Brown Yarn.
Rnd 5: blo sc in all 18 sts (18)
Rnd 6-7: sc in all 18 sts (18) for 2 rounds
Rnd 8: [1 sc, dec] 6 times (12)
Rnd 9-11: sc in all 12 sts (12) for 3 rounds
Stuff firmly. Fasten off, leaving a long tail for sewing.
Assembly
✨ Position the trunk exactly centered between the eyes on the face, spanning Rnds 14 to 18. Sew securely around the base.
✨ Place the tusks on either side of the trunk base, curving slightly upward. Sew them securely to the face.
✨ Attach the ears to the sides of the head. Align the flat edge of the ear with Rnds 9 through 16 of the head. Pin them slightly curved forward to cup the face, then sew the flat edge securely.
✨ Sew the textured hair tuft directly to the top center of the head, covering the magic ring and ensuring the loops fall naturally.
✨ Center the head onto the open neck of the body. Sew the remaining 18 stitches of the body to the base of the head securely. Add extra stuffing before closing the gap entirely to support the heavy head.
✨ Sew the arms to the sides of the body, just one round below the neck seam. Because they are pinched closed, they will lie flat and neatly against the body.
✨ Attach the legs to the bottom sides of the body, spanning Rnds 4 through 8. Pin them first to ensure the mammoth can sit upright independently. The white bobble toes must face completely forward before sewing.
