Funny Cow Crochet Coaster Pattern

This cow crochet coaster pattern turns your coffee break into something a little more playful. A round cotton base holds your mug, while four little legs, curved horns, and a pink tongue give the cow its surprised expression.

The finished piece is closer to a small animal mug rug than a standard coaster. Its decorative parts sit around the outside, leaving the center flat for your drink.

Make one for your desk or as a handmade gift for an animal lover. The base is straightforward, but the small parts and assembly make this an intermediate project.

Project Details

• Skill Level: Intermediate
• Estimated Time: Approximately 4–6 hours
• Finished Size: Estimated 6–7 inches across the circular base; approximately 8–9 inches overall with decorations
• Crochet Terminology: US terms
• Construction Method: Flat circle with separately crocheted head, legs, horns, ears, and tail

This version uses a sewn dark mouth patch and pink tongue to suggest an open mouth. It does not have a hollow sculpted jaw.

This written pattern has not been physically tested. Finished measurements, time, and yarn quantities are estimates.

Materials

You will need:

• Medium-weight cotton yarn in taupe, charcoal, cream, and pink
• 4 mm (G-6) crochet hook
• Blunt yarn needle
• Scissors
• Removable stitch markers
• A small amount of polyester fiberfill
• Measuring tape or ruler

The eyes are embroidered. No plastic eyes, glue, or wire are required.

Hook Size

Use a 4 mm (G-6) crochet hook.

The coaster should feel flexible but substantial enough to lie flat. The stuffed pieces need close stitches so the filling stays hidden.

If the head or legs have visible gaps, use a smaller hook for those pieces and check their proportions before assembly.

Yarn

Use category 4, medium/worsted cotton yarn.

Allow approximately:

• Taupe: 100–130 yards
• Charcoal: 25–35 yards
• Cream: 8–12 yards
• Pink: 3–5 yards

Taupe forms the base, head, legs, ears, and tail. Charcoal creates the hooves, mouth, eye details, and hair. Cream is used for the horns and embroidered eye backgrounds.

Cotton works well for a washable drink coaster. Follow the yarn label’s care instructions.

Abbreviations

This pattern uses US crochet terminology:

• ch = chain
• sc = single crochet
• dc = double crochet
• sl st = slip stitch
• inc = increase; work 2 sc in one stitch
• dec = single crochet decrease over 2 stitches
• st(s) = stitch(es)

Double crochet increases are written as “2 dc in the next stitch” to keep them distinct from single crochet increases.

Before You Start

The base is worked in joined rounds. The head and legs are worked in continuous rounds.

For joined rounds, the beginning chain does not count as a stitch. Join to the first actual stitch, not the beginning chain.

For continuous rounds, mark the first stitch and move the marker upward after each round.

Work through both top loops unless instructed otherwise.

Invisible decrease: Insert your hook under the front loops of the next two stitches, yarn over and pull through both loops, then yarn over and pull through the two loops remaining on the hook.

Gauge: There is no fixed gauge requirement, but the base must lie flat and be larger than your mug’s footprint.

Keep every stuffed or raised feature outside the area supporting your mug.

Cow Crochet Coaster Pattern Instructions

Part 1 — Crochet the Flat Base

Using taupe yarn, ch 4. Join with a sl st to the first chain to form a ring.

Round 1: Ch 2. Work 12 dc into the ring. Join with a sl st to the first dc. 12 sts.

Round 2: Ch 2. Work 2 dc in each stitch around. Join. 24 sts.

Round 3: Ch 2. Repeat [dc in the next stitch, 2 dc in the next stitch] 12 times. Join. 36 sts.

Round 4: Ch 2. Repeat [dc in the next 2 stitches, 2 dc in the next stitch] 12 times. Join. 48 sts.

Round 5: Ch 2. Repeat [dc in the next 3 stitches, 2 dc in the next stitch] 12 times. Join. 60 sts.

Round 6: Ch 2. Repeat [dc in the next 4 stitches, 2 dc in the next stitch] 12 times. Join. 72 sts.

Round 7: Ch 1. Sc in each stitch around. Join with a sl st to the first sc. 72 sts.

Fasten off and weave in the finishing tail.

Use the starting tail to close any remaining center gap without gathering the surrounding fabric.

Lay the base flat. Correct missed or extra stitches before making the decorative parts.

Part 2 — Crochet the Head

Using taupe yarn, ch 2.

Round 1: Work 6 sc into the second ch from the hook. 6 sts.

Round 2: Inc in each stitch around. 12 sts.

Round 3: Repeat [sc in the next stitch, inc] 6 times. 18 sts.

Round 4: Repeat [sc in the next 2 stitches, inc] 6 times. 24 sts.

Round 5: Repeat [sc in the next 3 stitches, inc] 6 times. 30 sts.

Round 6: Repeat [sc in the next 4 stitches, inc] 6 times. 36 sts.

Rounds 7–10: Sc in each stitch around. 36 sts per round.

Round 11: Repeat [sc in the next 4 stitches, dec] 6 times. 30 sts.

Round 12: Repeat [sc in the next 3 stitches, dec] 6 times. 24 sts.

Begin stuffing lightly. Shape the head into a slightly flattened oval rather than a firm ball.

Round 13: Repeat [sc in the next 2 stitches, dec] 6 times. 18 sts.

Round 14: Repeat [sc in the next stitch, dec] 6 times. 12 sts.

Adjust the stuffing.

Round 15: Dec 6 times. 6 sts.

Fasten off with a 20-inch tail. Thread it through the front loops of the six remaining stitches and close the opening.

Keep the tail for assembly.

Part 3 — Make the Dark Mouth Patch

Using charcoal yarn, ch 6.

Work around both sides of the foundation chain.

Round 1:

1. Sc in the second ch from the hook.
2. Sc in the next 3 chains.
3. Work 3 sc in the final chain.
4. Rotate and work along the unused side of the chain.
5. Sc in the next 3 chains.
6. Work 2 sc in the remaining chain, opposite the first sc.

12 sts.

Place a marker in the first stitch.

Round 2: Inc in the first stitch, sc in the next 3 stitches, inc in each of the next 3 stitches, sc in the next 3 stitches, inc in each of the last 2 stitches. 18 sts.

Sl st into the next stitch. Fasten off, leaving an 18-inch sewing tail.

Position the oval vertically on the lower front of the head. Sew around its perimeter without pulling it tight.

Part 4 — Crochet the Tongue

Using pink yarn, ch 4.

Row 1: Sc in the second ch from the hook and each remaining ch. Turn. 3 sts.

Rows 2–4: Ch 1. Sc in each stitch across. Turn after Rows 2 and 3. 3 sts per row.

Fasten off, leaving a 12-inch tail.

Position one short end against the lower half of the dark mouth patch. Sew that end and the adjacent side edges in place.

Leave the opposite end slightly free so it appears to project from the mouth. It must remain away from the mug’s supporting surface.

Part 5 — Embroider the Eyes

Place the eyes above the mouth, one on each side.

Using cream yarn, make two small filled oval shapes approximately ⅜–½ inch tall. Build each oval with several short stitches rather than one thick knot.

Using charcoal yarn, add a small pupil inside each cream oval.

Slightly different pupil positions create a playful expression. Keep the embroidery relaxed so it does not distort the head.

Secure the ends and bury them in the stuffing.

Part 6 — Crochet the Horns

Make two using cream yarn.

Foundation: Ch 2.

Round 1: Work 4 sc into the second ch from the hook. 4 sts.

Round 2: Sc in each stitch around. 4 sts.

Round 3: Repeat [sc in the next stitch, inc] 2 times. 6 sts.

Rounds 4–5: Sc in each stitch around. 6 sts per round.

Sl st into the next stitch. Fasten off, leaving a 12-inch tail.

Leave the horns unstuffed. Bend them gently outward when attaching them.

Part 7 — Crochet the Ears

Make two using taupe yarn.

Foundation: Ch 5.

Work around both sides of the chain:

1. Sc in the second ch from the hook.
2. Sc in the next 2 chains.
3. Work 3 sc in the final chain.
4. Rotate and work along the unused side.
5. Sc in the next 2 chains.
6. Work 2 sc in the remaining chain, opposite the first sc.

10 sts.

Sl st into the first sc. Fasten off, leaving a 12-inch tail.

Pinch one rounded end of each oval and secure it with a stitch to create a shallow cup. This pinched end will be sewn to the head.

Part 8 — Crochet the Four Legs

Make four, beginning with charcoal yarn.

Foundation: Ch 2.

Round 1: Work 6 sc into the second ch from the hook. 6 sts.

Round 2: Inc in each stitch around. 12 sts.

On the last stitch, complete the final pull-through with taupe.

Rounds 3–6: Sc in each stitch around using taupe. 12 sts per round.

Secure the color-change ends inside.

Add a small amount of stuffing to the charcoal hoof and lower leg.

Round 7: Dec 6 times. 6 sts.

Fasten off, leaving a 16-inch tail.

Flatten the opening into three matched stitch pairs and sew through them to close it.

Keep the remaining tail for attachment.

Part 9 — Make the Tail

Using taupe yarn, ch 10.

Sl st in the second ch from the hook and each remaining chain. 9 slip stitches.

Fasten off, leaving a 12-inch sewing tail at the base.

For the tuft, cut three 4-inch strands of charcoal yarn. Fold them in half, pull the folded ends through the free tip of the tail, and pass the loose ends through the folded loops.

Pull snugly and trim the tuft to approximately ¾ inch.

Part 10 — Assemble the Head

Sew the horns to the upper left and right sides of the head.

Attach the ears immediately below and outside the horns, with their cupped surfaces facing forward.

For a small fringe, attach three or four folded charcoal strands between the horns using the same loop method as the tail tuft. Trim them to approximately ½ inch.

Keep the head’s expression visible and all strands clear of the coaster center.

Part 11 — Attach the Parts to the Base

Lay the base flat and imagine it as a clock face.

• Place the head at 12 o’clock.
• Place the legs near 2, 4, 8, and 10 o’clock.
• Place the tail at 6 o’clock.

Position the head mostly outside the circle, with its lower back overlapping only the outermost rounds.

Sew its lower back to the base at several points. Keep the face angled upward and outward.

Attach each leg by its flattened end to the outer edge. Angle the hooves outward so they do not lean into the mug area.

Sew the tail base securely to the edge opposite the head.

Keep the sewing stitches on the top or edge where possible. Avoid bulky knots underneath the base.

Finishing

Weave in every remaining tail securely.

Lightly dampen the flat base if the yarn label allows. Smooth it on a towel and let it dry completely, keeping the stuffed parts supported.

Check that the base lies flat on a table without rocking.

Test with an empty mug before using it with a drink. The mug’s entire base should rest on the flat center without touching the head, tongue, legs, or tail.

This is a drink coaster, not a trivet for hot cookware.

Finished Size

Estimated dimensions are:

• Circular base: Approximately 6–7 inches (15–18 cm) across
• Overall size: Approximately 8–9 inches (20–23 cm), including decorations

Actual measurements depend on yarn, hook, tension, and assembly.

Tips and Customization

• Use warm brown instead of taupe for a different cow-inspired look.
• Change the pupil positions for a surprised or slightly cross-eyed expression.
• Skip the hair fringe for simpler finishing.
• Omit the tongue if you prefer a smaller mouth detail.
• If the base curls strongly, check stitch counts before blocking.
• If your mug touches the decorations, move the attachments farther outward before use.

For a smaller decorative make, try our easy crochet heart pattern for beginners.

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