Some coasters just sit there and hold your mug. This one has a wide-open mouth, a pink tongue, tiny toes, and enough charm that it might not even end up under a drink — it might just end up on a shelf. It's also a great excuse to dig through your scrap yarn basket, since the head, tongue, mouth, and eyes each only need a small amount of color.
Quick Overview
This pattern makes a flat lizard-shaped coaster with a dimensional head, an open mouth insert, a tongue, small eyes, and little legs with toes. It's worked entirely in rounds and rows with basic stitches, so if you're comfortable with single crochet, double crochet, increases, and decreases, you're ready to go.
Finished size: At worsted weight with a 4mm hook, the coaster body measures approximately 5–6 inches across. If you'd like a smaller version, simply stop after Round 3 of the body (36 stitches) instead of continuing to Round 4.
Hook size note: This pattern is happiest with a 3.5mm or 4mm hook, no matter what your yarn label recommends. Coasters need a tighter tension than a typical amigurumi project so they sit flat and firm instead of floppy. Sizing up to 5mm or larger will give you a noticeably bigger, softer coaster than intended.
Yarn note: Cotton yarn is the best choice here — it holds its shape and stands up to daily use far better than a fluffy or fuzzy yarn would. If your cotton is on the thinner side, you can hold two strands together for the body to add extra structure.
Materials
- Green yarn (for the body, head, legs, and tail/toe details)
- Red yarn (for the mouth insert)
- Pink yarn (for the tongue)
- White yarn (for the eye base)
- Small amount of black yarn or embroidery thread, or a pair of small black safety eyes
- Crochet hook to suit your yarn (3.5mm–4mm recommended for worsted weight cotton)
- Yarn needle
- Scissors
- Stitch marker (optional, but handy for keeping track of rounds)
- Hot glue gun or fabric glue (optional, for securing the smaller pieces), or a sewing needle if you'd rather stitch everything in place
A small crochet hook set and a mini glue gun are worth keeping nearby if you make crochet home decor pieces often — they make quick work of projects like this one.
Stitch Abbreviations
- ch – chain
- sl st – slip stitch
- sc – single crochet
- hdc – half double crochet
- dc – double crochet
- inc – increase (work 2 stitches into the same stitch)
- dec – decrease (crochet 2 stitches together)
- st / sts – stitch / stitches
- rnd – round
- rep – repeat
Step-by-Step Pattern
Part 1: The Coaster Body (Green)
Make a magic ring.
Rnd 1: Ch 3, work 11 dc into the ring. Join with a sl st to the top of the beginning ch 3. Pull the ring closed. (12 sts)
Rnd 2: Ch 3, dc in same st, 2 dc in each st around. Join with a sl st to the top of the beginning ch 3. (24 sts)
Rnd 3: Ch 3, dc in same st, dc in next st, *2 dc in next st, dc in next st; rep from * around. Join with a sl st to the top of the beginning ch 3. (36 sts)
Stopping here gives you the smaller coaster size mentioned above.
Rnd 4: Ch 3, dc in same st, dc in each of next 2 sts, *2 dc in next st, dc in each of next 2 sts; rep from * around. Join with a sl st to the top of the beginning ch 3. (48 sts)
Rnd 5: Ch 1, work reverse sc around the edge. Join with a sl st. Fasten off.
This finishes your base. Set it aside — everything else gets built and attached on top.
Part 2: The Legs (Green) — make 4
Make a magic ring.
Rnd 1: Work 4 sc into the ring. (4 sts) Rnd 2: *Sc in next st, inc in next st; rep from * around. (6 sts) Rnd 3: Sc in each st around. (6 sts) Rnd 4: *Sc in each of next 2 sts, inc in next st; rep from * around. (8 sts) Rnd 5: *Sc in each of next 3 sts, inc in next st; rep from * around. (10 sts) Rnd 6: Sc in each st around. (10 sts) Rnd 7: Sc in each st around. (10 sts) Rnd 8: *Sc in each of next 3 sts, dec; rep from * around. (8 sts) Rnd 9: *Sc in each of next 2 sts, dec; rep from * around. (6 sts) Rnd 10: *Sc in next st, dec; rep from * around. (4 sts)
Fasten off, leaving a tail for sewing. Repeat three more times so you have four legs total, adding a small pinch of stuffing to each if you'd like them to have some dimension.
Part 3: The Feet and Toes (Green) — make 4
Using green yarn, ch 7.
Starting in the 2nd ch from hook, sl st in each of the next 2 chains.
First toe: Ch 3, sl st in the 2nd ch from hook and the next ch, then sl st back into the same main chain stitch.
Second toe: Ch 3, sl st in the 2nd ch from hook and the next ch, then sl st back into the next main chain stitch.
Work 4 sc along the remaining main chain. Fasten off, leaving a tail. Make four of these and attach one to the end of each leg before sewing the legs to the underside of the coaster.
Part 4: The Head (Green)
Using green yarn, ch 14. Join with a sl st to the first chain to form a ring, being careful not to twist the chain.
Rnd 1: Ch 1, hdc dec, 10 dc, hdc dec. Join with a sl st. (12 sts)
Rnd 2: Ch 2, dc inc, 2 dc, 6 hdc, 2 dc, dc inc. Join with a sl st. (14 sts)
Rnd 3: Ch 2, 2 dc, 3 hdc, 4 sc, 3 hdc, 2 dc. Join with a sl st. (14 sts)
Do not fasten off — you'll now work the upper jaw across the next 8 stitches.
Upper Jaw
Row 1: Dc inc, 6 dc, dc inc. (10 sts) Row 2: Dc dec, 6 dc, dc dec. (8 sts) Row 3: Dc dec, 4 dc, dc dec. (6 sts) Row 4: Dc dec, 2 dc, dc dec. (4 sts)
Fasten off.
Lower Jaw
Rejoin green yarn to the remaining lower front section of the head, directly underneath the upper jaw.
Row 1: Ch 1, work 6 hdc evenly across the lower jaw stitches. Turn. (6 sts)
Row 2: Ch 1, hdc dec, 2 hdc, hdc dec. (4 sts)
Fasten off.
Part 5: The Mouth Insert (Red)
Using red yarn, ch 10.
This piece is worked around both sides of the foundation chain to make a small oval that fills the open mouth.
Rnd 1: Starting in the 2nd ch from hook, work 8 sc, 3 sc in the last ch. Working along the opposite side of the foundation chain, work 7 sc, 2 sc in the last ch. Join with a sl st. (20 sts)
Rnd 2: Ch 1, 2 sc in first st, 7 sc, 2 sc in each of next 3 sts, 7 sc, 2 sc in each of last 2 sts. Join with a sl st. (26 sts)
Fasten off and sew this oval into the open mouth between the upper and lower jaw before you attach the head to the body.
Part 6: The Tongue (Pink)
Using pink yarn, attach yarn to the centre front of the red mouthpiece. Chain 10.
Starting in the 2nd ch from hook, work 9 sc back along the chain. Fasten off, leaving a tail to sew the base of the tongue to the mouth insert.
If you'd like a forked tongue instead, split the last couple of chains at the tip into two tiny ch-2 prongs — but a simple straight tongue is quicker and keeps the finished coaster from getting too bulky in the mouth area.
Part 7: The Eyes (White) — make 2
Make a magic ring.
Rnd 1: Work 6 sc into the ring. (6 sts) Rnd 2: Sc in each st around. (6 sts)
Fasten off, leaving a tail. These small white circles sit behind your safety eyes (or serve as the base for embroidered eyes) — attach a black safety eye to the centre of each, or embroider a black pupil on top with your needle and black yarn.
Assembly
- Sew the head to the front edge of the coaster body, positioning the open mouth so it faces outward.
- Sew the red mouth insert into the gap between the upper and lower jaw.
- Attach the pink tongue inside the mouth, over the mouth insert.
- Glue or sew the white eye circles to the top of the head, then attach the safety eyes or embroider the pupils.
- Sew a foot to the base of each leg, then sew all four legs to the underside of the coaster body, spaced evenly so the lizard sits flat.
- Weave in any remaining ends.
Set your finished lizard coaster somewhere it'll actually get used — or somewhere it'll just get admired, no judgment either way.
