You’re guaranteed a happy kid when you sew them this tongue-twister of an animal, an Axolotl!

I named him Aristotle because it rhymes with Axolotl (pronounce it “ax-oh-lot-L”). From toddlers to teens, these sweet smiley salamanders have become a worldwide sensation in the last few years. Don’t let that make you feel un-hip if you haven’t ever heard of one…I hadn’t either until until the requests started pouring in for an Axolotl toy pattern!

 

This blog post is all about the pattern–from fabric and color choices to eye options, fancy fabric for gills, and ideas for using this pattern for keepsakes (HINT: Got a large t-shirt logo or sports jersey logo you can’t fit on other toy patterns? The long side of this salamander will fit the job!)

 

What SIZE is the finished Axolotl toy?

He’s 49cm(19 inches) long – which makes him a fabulous size for cuddling! This pic of the Axolotl toy sewn by Courtney Schreiner of Monkey in the Mailbox will give you an idea of his size. This happy Aristotle owner is about 4 years old.

 

And here is the “model shot”….

 

LIFE-SIZE AXOLOTL TOY TIP:

If you want to make him life-size (hand-held) it’s easy! Just decrease the print percentage on your printer until you get a size you like.

Example: For a 12 inch(30 cm) axolotl, print at 63%.

 

Difficulty Level

I would say that this is an easy pattern – great for beginner toy makers. I worked hard to make this pattern easy for beginners, as I know some of you will be using this as a FIRST pattern.

Is there a Photo tutorial for the Axolotl Pattern?

YES! I have created a step-by-step photo tutorial so you can see EXACTLY how to sew this cute Axolotl Toy Pattern – with lots of clever toy making tips and tricks! As usual, you can access the tutorial using the link in the See-Me-Sew section of the pattern.

(*Please check you typed this link in correctly,
~> or you’ll get an error page! 😱 )

 

 

What fabric should you use/not use for a toy axolotl?

You can use MOST FABRICS for sewing the Axolotl pattern as you will see from the feedback photos below…

 

We’ll start with the most popular Axolotl color, PINK!

Barbara Weisenberger said that she was so excited she got a little carried away and made TWO test Axolotls. Her cat doesn’t seem as excited as she was!!!

 

 

I love the “eyelash fabric” that Barbara used for the FINS and GILLS…

It’s perfectly
frilly!

 

BABY-SAFE AXOLOTL TOY TIP:

Barbara made these eyes baby-safe for the smallest Axolotl fans. Felt circles and embroidered eyes are great for any fabric, if your toy is cotton, you can try fabric paint for eyes! (I have a blog post with more toy safety tips for home made toys.)

 

Feel free to mix fabric types on this pattern!

This adorable Aristotle Axolotl was sewn by Jenny Benfield using minky for the body and quilting cotton for the gills.

 

 

Paula Blevins sewed this fluffy Aristotle Axolotl with a faux fur body and sparkly accents.

 

KEEPSAKE AXLOTL TIP:

Use the small areas on this pattern to showcase keepsake fabric from a special outfit. The GILLS and FINS on this pattern are great places to use a fancy fabric because they won’t be too difficult to turn. This shiny fabric was part of a costume belonging to Paula’s daughter from many years ago. This Aristotle can now serve as both a keepsake and toy for Paula’s grandkids.

 

Use an EASY fabric if you’re a beginner!

If you’re a beginner and want to use the easiest fabric (in my opinion) for making toys, grab some FLEECE. It’s super forgiving and doesn’t fray. Shirls Smith sewed this pretty pink Aristole Axolotl in fleece fabric.

 

AXOLOTL TRIVIA:

Did you know WHY Axolotls have such baby-face looks?

They never outgrow their larva stage like most amphibians do.
So they are smiley little friends forever!

 

 

Want to make a sensory toy?

Shannon Fabric’s Dimple Cuddle® or bumpy minky adds some fun texture for a sensory toy. Tracy Leno sewed this Aristotle Axolotl in minky.

 

 

Plastic craft eyes have increased in variety in recent years. The clear rim craft eyes on this Aristotle Axolotl sewn by Kirsty Barnett give it a particularly amphibian look!

 

 

Polka dots are a cheerful choice for an Aristotle accent fabric, as seen on this Aristotle Axolotl sewn by Elizabeth Percival of Dolli-mixtures Keepsakes.

 

Your Axolotl doesn’t have to be PINK!

You can use ANY COLOUR for an Axolotl toy…

REAL Axolotls are
lots of different colours!

 

 

Emma Boulton-Hughes sewed this Aristotle Axolotl. She told me, “My son and I were so excited to see you were making an Axolotl pattern . I woke him up as soon as I’d printed the pattern and he immediately said it had to be orange with red gills so I had to make a quick dash to get fabric”.

 

PERFECT GIFT TIP:

Want to make your gift toy extra special?

 Involve your child or grandchild in the creation of their ideal axolotl by asking them to pick out fabric colors… their toy is bound to be a huge  hit if it’s the colour THEY wanted – even if it’s a colour that YOU would never have chosen! 🧡

 

 

This minky fabric Aristotle sewed by Barbara Crom looks perfect in pastels.

 

 

Axolotls may not have scales in real life, but they can in toy-form! Sandy Thurlow sewed Aristotle Axolotl in cool aqua quilting cottons that remind me of mermaids.

 

 

One of the things that makes axolotls so cute is their ability to grin all the time. This smiley guy was sewn with a particularly cute expression by Stephanie Pecor of Fleece Menagerie.

AXOLOTL SMILE TIP:

I made it easy for your Aristotle Axolotl to smile all the time because his mouth line is “built in” as part of the seam on his face. To make his smile more obvious, just add 2 quick stitches with a dark thread; there’s a diagram to explain it in the pattern. 

 

 

Terrific toy for a T-Shirt logo!

This photo of an Aristotle Axolotl sewn by Jane Tate shows off his LONG back piece – which is perfect for keepsake makers to feature t-shirt logos.

T-SHIRT LOGO KEEPSAKE TIP:

The back piece on Axolotl measures 15¾ inches(40cm). This really long area is perfect for the text portion of logos from college shirts, school uniforms, and sports jerseys. The feet are a great place to add dates or initials to keepsakes! 

 

 

If you own an embroidery machine you can give Aristotle multi-coloured eyes, like Kim Illarietti who sewed this Aristotle Axolotl

 

AND this cutie too!

 

 

Lorna Moore sewed this lacy Axolotl using interfaced net fabric for the fins and gills. She says the fins are quite translucent though it doesn’t come through on the photos.

 

AND last BUT not LEAST!!!

Margaret Miller sewed this adorable Aristotle Axolotl in fleece. She added some bright floral Kaffe fabric for the contrast fabric – which helps him blend in with the flowers in the garden!

 

FUN TIP: Why a TOY axolotl is more fun than a REAL one!

If your kids are asking for a real axolotl as a pet (it’s a popular request these days), try out Aristotle first ~>

he’s much cheaper
you don’t have to feed him live bait
you don’t have to clean a fish tank!

 

AND best of ALL ~>
you can’t take a real axolotl out of the water BUT Aristotle can go wherever he wants!

 

Aristotle on a road trip
with Margaret!😎

 

Well, that should have given you a GOOD idea of what Aristotle Axolotle will look like sewn up in most fabrics… plus some fun ideas for ways to customise him to make him extra unique and special!

THANK YOU
to ALL the Testers ~>
I love ALL of your lovely feedback photos!!!!

 

In case you missed the link above – the Axolotl Pattern is available to download from the website NOW!

Till next time – Happy Sewing!

xxx
Pauline