Armadillo crochet pattern
Time to show you the results of my latest crochet pattern commission: I’ve designed an amigurumi Armadillo!
Armadillo Fun Facts
- Armadillos are very unusual-looking mammals; they are covered in bony plates of armour that form a protective shell over their backs.
- They are primarily nocturnal, live in burrows, and eat insects.
- Armadillos come from South and Central America, and there are 20 different species. My design is based on the nine-banded armadillo (the only variety that’s also found in the United States).
- The bands in an armadillo’s armour provide flexibility. The nine-banded armadillo may actually have between 7 and 11 bands (my design has 7)!
- Although you’ve probably heard that armadillos roll into a ball to escape predation, only three-banded armadillos have this ability; other armadillos run away or can jump several feet into the air to escape danger.
- A nine-banded armadillo always gives birth to exactly 4 identical babies (quadruplets!)
About the Pattern
It was an interesting challenge to come up with techniques to replicate the shape and texture of an armadillo’s amazing armour while still creating a sturdy toy without any holes that could leave ugly gaping holes. I spent a long time playing with different stitches and shaping techniques to give the effect I wanted without making the pattern overly-complicated, and I’m really happy with how it turned out.
I hope my photos convey the shape of the armour and the way it curves over the neck and tail just like it does on a real nine-banded armadillo. The armadillo uses three different techniques to produce that wonderful textured armour over the back and on the tail, but the pattern still only uses combinations of the most basic crochet stitches.
My nine-banded armadillo is 13″ (33cm) long – although a large fraction of that is tail! The special techniques used for crocheting and assembling the armadillo’s armour are all explained in full in the pattern, with lots of step-by-step photos to help you along the way.
Armadillos & Aardvarks…
Armadillos and Aardvarks are an example of convergent evolution – although they hail from different continents and aren’t closely related, they have similar diets and lifestyles and they independently evolved to look similar. I find this concept fascinating, so I designed my Armadillo to form a matched set with my Aardvark – don’t they look cute together?
(Now I just need to design an Anteater and Pangolin to complete the ‘family’ of long-nosed insectivorous mammals!)
Ready to Crochet?
I’d like to thank everyone who commissioned this design – it was certainly a challenge to develop such innovative techniques, but one I was very happy to undertake! You can download the pattern from your PlanetJune account whenever you’re ready – I hope you’re as pleased with the results as I am…
If you weren’t one of the commissioners, my Armadillo pattern is now available to purchase from the PlanetJune shop.
Or, if you’re not ready to buy just yet, please add my Armadillo to your queue or favourites on Ravelry, so you don’t forget about it: 
I really hope you like my Armadillo design!
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Jasmine Reid said
Im new to crochet and would like some lesson sand wanna know how to crochet animals for my family members.
June said
Hi Jasmine, I recommend you take a look at my book, The Essential Guide to Amigurumi – it’ll take you step by step through everything you need to know to crochet animals, from picking up a hook and yarn for the first time to adding the finishing touches (and much more)!
Iris said
Hi June, I was wondering if if I would be able to sell the product?
June said
Hi Iris, yes you can, provided you credit me as the pattern designer! Please see my Selling Items FAQ for details 🙂
Donna Fay Alquist said
What a wonderful accomplishment! I love it! I am an 80 year old Great Grandma who would love to make this pattern for my great grandchildren. Could you send me the cost and shipping price soon for the pattern, please?
Thank you so much for your help.
Sincerely,
Donna
June said
Hi Donna, there’s no shipping cost – you can download the pattern as a PDF file as soon as you complete your order! You can find the pattern in my shop, [here] 🙂
Sue Millar said
I just purchased the armadillo pattern thru Raverly with pay pal and downloaded the pattern on my iPad but cannot find it. Please help
June said
Sue, please see the instructions here for the locations where downloads are stored on your iPad. If you still have problems, please email me for assistance 🙂
Nati said
Podr
June said
You can buy my crochet pattern for this armadillo with full instructions to make an armadillo of your own (but please note that all PlanetJune patterns are available in English language only!)
Carla said
Hi June,
I find anteaters and armadillos so cute and I love your work!
But I am not into crocheting so much..so I wonder if you could crochet me one and how much you would charge for it?
Thank you so much for your reply!
Love
C
June said
Carla, I’m afraid I don’t have time to accept commissions for finished items based on my patterns, but some of my customers do: you can find the list of customers who sell items based on my patterns at www.planetjune.com/buytoys
Maybe you’ll find one of them who has what you’re looking for in stock, or can custom-make it for you 🙂
Alicia said
As one of the pledgers for the Armadillo I am so pleased with the outcome. Very real looking and very cute. Can’t wait to make one. I’m with Judy may have to put aside dinos for her.
Ale said
I LOVE armadillos and love your pattern! I’ve got no money now but will definitely purchase it later.
Judy Carlson said
Masterfully done! I love this armadillo! I must make her! (Sorry dinosaurs!) I have pledged toward the giant anteater. Seeing this armadillo pattern is the first thing to have made me feel happiness since Smokey died.
Jennifer B said
I love it! I used to live in Texas and loved the armadillos. I’m so glad you made this realistic and cute pattern! It’s adorable.
Deborah said
Oh my gosh! I love the armadillo and aardvark. I live in Texas so we see armadillos in the wild and yours look just like live ones. Very good job. You are talented!