Bring the animal world into your kitchen decor with this collection of 27+ crochet animal potholders!
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Potholders are some of my favorite things to crochet, and I’m always looking for fun and cute ideas to decorate my kitchen.
Here, I gathered 28 of my favorite animal potholders. You’ll find anything from vintage farmhouse animals, exotic and colorful creatures, or scary sharks and fish.
Besides being very practical and useful, crochet animal potholders can also be a fun and playful way to teach children about handling a hot bowl of their favorite soup or grabbing a cold cartoon from the fridge.
For some of these free patterns, you’ll be using tapestry crochet to create some beautiful animal charts and square potholders.
The other patterns are either for round hot pads or for different animal shapes.
Whatever their shape or the crochet technique, all the patterns that I selected are for potholders that you can safely use in the kitchen because they do not have holes, are solid, and in many cases are double thick!
What’s the Best Yarn for Potholders?
Before diving into these free animal potholder patterns, a quick note about the best yarn to use for making hot pads.
In one word, cotton yarn! You can find a few of my favorite cotton yarn HERE.
Also remember that when crocheting hot pads, it’s best to avoid acrylic or plastic eyes because they will melt in contact with hot pots and plates.
Free Crochet Animal Potholder Patterns
Here are my favorite crochet animal potholder patterns.
1. Chicken Potholder
When you’re looking for a quick and easy Chicken Potholder, this pattern by Crochet for You is just the cutest. And you can crochet an entire set of round animal potholders! Just keep scrolling to see a few more…
- Get the free crochet pattern HERE;
- Yarn Aran (4, Medium), such as Garnstudio DROPS Paris
- Crochet Hook 5.0 mm (H/8 US, 6 UK)
2. Rooster Potholder
Another kind of chicken potholder is my tapestry crochet Rooster Potholder. This pattern is part of the Farmhouse collection, and you’ll see a few more animals from the same collection below. But for now, enjoy the rooster!
- Get the free crochet pattern HERE;
- Yarn DK (3, Light), such as Paintbox Yarns Cotton DK
- Crochet Hook 3.0 mm (C/2 US, 11 UK)
3. Chickadee Potholder
Our chicken coop wouldn’t be complete without this Chickadee Potholder by Lion Brand Yarn. This hen and her little chick are the cutest and would be perfect for a little Easter decor as well!
- Get the free crochet pattern HERE;
- Yarn Aran (4, Medium), such as Lion Brand 24/7 Cotton
- Crochet Hook 4.0 mm (G/6 US, 8 UK)
4. Rabbit Potholder
Another great potholder to crochet for Easter is this Bunny Potholder from the A Year of Potholders collection. Choose your favorite pastel colors and make this fluffy tapestry crochet bunny!
- Get the free crochet pattern HERE;
- Yarn Aran (4, Medium), such as Paintbox Yarns Cotton Aran
- Crochet Hook 3.5 mm (E/4 US, 9 UK)
5. Bear Potholder
This adorable Bear Potholder by Lion Brand Yarn is a fun way to decorate your kitchen, especially when you match it with the Beehive Potholder that you see pictured below!
- Get the free crochet pattern HERE;
- Yarn Aran (4, Medium), such as Lion Brand 24/7 Cotton
- Crochet Hook 4.0 mm (G/6 US, 8 UK)
6. Tapestry Crochet Bear Potholder
Another pattern for a crochet bear potholder is this tapestry crochet gingham bear. The bear silhouette over a gingham background makes this potholder particularly festive and ideal for winter and Christmas.
- Get the free crochet pattern HERE;
- Yarn Sport (2, Fine), such as Schachenmayr Catania
- Crochet Hook 2.75-mm (C/2 USA, 12 UK)
7. Moose Potholder
The perfect match for your bear potholder above is this tapestry crochet moose potholder. This hot pad pattern has the same style with a moose silhouette over a very festive gingham background.
- Get the free crochet pattern HERE;
- Yarn Sport (2, Fine), such as Schachenmayr Catania
- Crochet Hook 2.75-mm (C/2 USA, 12 UK)
8. Bee Potholder
If you love honey and bees, you’ve got to try this tapestry crochet Bee Potholder. This pattern from the Farmhouse collection makes the perfect gift for your beekeeper friends!
- Get the free crochet pattern HERE;
- Yarn DK (3, Light), such as Paintbox Yarns Cotton DK
- Crochet Hook 3.0 mm (C/2 US, 11 UK)
9. Squirrel Potholder
The little squirrel of this Squirrel Potholder is hard at work looking for nuts to store for the winter. And he’s super cute with his long fluffy tail!
- Get the free crochet pattern HERE;
- Yarn DK (3, Light), such as Paintbox Yarns Cotton DK
- Crochet Hook 3.0 mm (C/2 US, 11 UK)
10. Dog Potholder
Dogs are our best friends, and they can be a great help in the kitchen too with this round Dog Potholder by Kerri Brown’s Crochet.
- Get the free crochet pattern HERE;
- Yarn DK (3, Light)
- Crochet Hook 2.5 mm (12 UK)
11. Cat Potholder
If you’re not much of a dog person and you prefer cats, here’s a beautiful Cat Potholder for you! This pattern is by Crochet 365 Knit Too.
- Get the free crochet pattern HERE;
- Yarn Worsted (4, Medium), such as Lily Sugar ‘n Cream Solids
- Crochet Hook 4.0 mm (G/6 US, 8 UK)
12. Mouse Potholder
Real mice might not be welcome in the kitchen, but this Mouse Potholder is just too cute to pass! The pattern is a free video tutorial by DIY-1000 Ideas.
- Get the free video tutorial HERE;
- Yarn Chunky
- Crochet Hook 9.0 mm (M/N/13 US, 0 UK)
13. Tapestry Crochet Cow Potholder
If you love farmhouse animals, you’ll definitely love this tapestry crochet Cow Potholder!
- Get the free crochet pattern HERE;
- Yarn DK (3, Light), such as Paintbox Yarns Cotton DK
- Crochet Hook 3.0 mm (C/2 US, 11 UK)
14. Cow Potholder
If you’d like to add a cow to your kitchen decor but you’re not into tapestry crochet, try this Cow Potholder by Crochet for You.
- Get the free crochet pattern HERE;
- Yarn Aran (4, Medium), such as Garnstudio DROPS Paris
- Crochet Hook 5.0 mm (H/8 US, 6 UK)
15. Horse Potholder
Whether you’re a horse lover or you’re looking for a gift for a horse-loving friend, this Horse Potholder is the right pattern for you.
- Get the free crochet pattern HERE;
- Yarn DK (3, Light), such as Paintbox Yarns Cotton DK
- Crochet Hook 3.0 mm (C/2 US, 11 UK)
16. Goose Potholder
To go back to the coop, how about a Goose Potholder? This goose is super chic and elegant and would look great in any farmhouse color.
- Get the free crochet pattern HERE;
- Yarn DK (3, Light), such as Paintbox Yarns Cotton DK
- Crochet Hook 3.0 mm (C/2 US, 11 UK)
17. Duck Pot holder
Vintage patterns can still be a great resource of inspiration for crocheters, and this Duck Pot Holder pattern from 1952 perfectly exemplifies it!
- Get the free crochet pattern HERE;
- Yarn Thread
- Crochet Hook 2.0 mm (14 UK)
18. Turkey Potholder
For Thanksgiving, it’s nice to bring all the Fall colors into your kitchen with this crochet this Turkey Potholder by Craft Passion.
- Get the free crochet pattern HERE;
- Yarn DK (3, Light)
- Crochet Hook 3.0 mm (C/2 US, 11 UK)
19. Love Birds Potholder
To stay on the topic of flying animals and festivities, here’s a perfect potholder for St. Valentine’s Day, the Love Birds Potholder!
- Get the free crochet pattern HERE;
- Yarn Aran (4, Medium), such as Paintbox Yarns Cotton Aran
- Crochet Hook 3.5 mm (E/4 US, 9 UK)
20. Tapestry Crochet Pig Potholder
This tapestry crochet Pig Potholder is another nice addition to your collection of farmhouse animals. The little heart on the belly of the pork gives this hot pad a vintage and rustic look.
- Get the free crochet pattern HERE;
- Yarn DK (3, Light), such as Paintbox Yarns Cotton DK
- Crochet Hook 3.0 mm (C/2 US, 11 UK)
21. Pig Potholder
Another kind of pig hot pad is the round Pig Potholder by Crochet for You. Get your pink yarn out for this fun piglet!
- Get the free crochet pattern HERE;
- Yarn Aran (4, Medium), such as Garnstudio DROPS Paris
- Crochet Hook 5.0 mm (H/8 US, 6 UK)
22. Dancing Sheep Potholder
It’s not a real farm without a sheep, is it? So, let’s make a Dancing Sheep Potholder with the help of this free pattern by Divine Debris.
- Get the free crochet pattern HERE;
- Yarn Worsted (4, Medium), such as Lily Sugar ‘n Cream Solids
- Crochet Hook 5.0 mm (H/8 US, 6 UK)
23. Sheep Potholder
Or make this round Sheep Potholder by Crochet for You for a perfect set of farm animals!
- Get the free crochet pattern HERE;
- Yarn Aran (4, Medium), such as Garnstudio DROPS Paris
- Crochet Hook 5.0 mm (H/8 US, 6 UK)
24. Koala Potholder
This fun Koala Potholder by Jess McCaughey is a quick and easy kitschy pattern for all lovers of Australia and animals.
- Get the free crochet pattern on Ravelry HERE;
- Yarn DK (3, Light)
- Crochet Hook 3.25 mm (D/3 US, 10 UK)
25. Platypus Potholder
The platypus is one of the iconic symbols of Australia. This egg-laying mammal is a very unique animal and a great subject for evolutionary studies. Crochet one for your kitchen with this Platypus Potholder pattern by Patalappumania.
- Get the free crochet pattern HERE;
- Yarn Worsted (4, Medium), such as Schachenmayr SMC Cotton Time or Schachenmayr Cotton Time
- Crochet Hook 4.0 mm (G/6 US, 8 UK)
26. Butterfly Potholder
This Butterfly Potholder by Artemis Sophia pictures a Blue Mountain Swallowtail (Papilio ulysses) from Australia. The same author has 2 more butterflies in her Ravelry store. Make sure to check those as well. They’re all stunning!
- Get the free crochet pattern HERE;
- Yarn Aran (4, Medium)
- Crochet Hook 3.5 mm (E/4 US, 9 UK)
27. Shark Kitchen Mitten
Let’s go on a little underwater adventure with the last two potholders of this list. The first pattern is this Jaws for Your Paws Kitchen Mitten by Yarnspirations. Protecting your hands from hot pots and dishes has never been more fun!
- Get the free crochet pattern HERE;
- Yarn Worsted (4, Medium), such as Lily Sugar ‘n Cream Solids
- Crochet Hook 5.0 mm (H/8 US, 6 UK)
28. Fish Potholder
This Fish Potholder by Chronicles of Yarnia is the cutest little clownfish for your kitchen!
- Get the free crochet pattern HERE;
- Yarn Worsted (4, Medium), such as Lily Sugar ‘n Cream Solids
- Crochet Hook 4.0 mm (G/6 US, 8 UK)
I HOPE YOU ENJOYED THIS COLLECTION OF FREE CROCHET Animal PotholderS!
Find more crochet home decor ideas here on the blog…
