Crochet your Chinese Zodiac Animal

2023 is the Chinese Year of the Rabbit, with those born in this year said to be kind and gentle, modest, elegant and quiet. For those born in 2023, a special handmade rabbit would make a wonderful gift to welcome them into the world, and for older friends and family, we think a knitted or crocheted version of their own zodiac animal would be a beautiful way to remind them of all the positive qualities associated with them and their Chinese zodiac. So we’ve rounded up a collection of fantastic free crochet patterns for a rat, ox, tiger, rabbit, dragon, snake, horse, goat, monkey, rooster, dog, and pig.

What is the Chinese Zodiac?

The Chinese Zodiac, known as Sheng Xiao or Shu Xiang, is an integral part of Chinese culture and boasts a history of more than 2,000 years. There are twelve different animals in the Chinese Zodiac, which appear in the following order: rat, ox, tiger, rabbit, dragon, snake, horse, goat, monkey, rooster, dog, and pig. Not only do these animals mark the years in China, but they are also believed to predict the personality traits, relationship compatibility and fortune of those who are born into the years they represent.

What is my Chinese Zodiac?

Got a loved one’s birthday coming up but not sure of their Chinese Zodiac? Or perhaps you are curious of your own? We’ve got you covered! If your birthday falls between March and December, it’s pretty simple to work out which Zodiac animal you are, but since the year is defined by the Chinese Lunar Calendar which varies, it’s less straight-forward if you’re born in January or February. So here’s a handy calculator which will tell you which Chinese Zodiac animal belongs to which birthdays!

Make your own Chinese Zodiac animals

If you want to make a full matching collection of crochet Zodiac animals, we haven’t found anything better than this one by Stephanie Lau of All About Ami – the series has just been completed in January 2023, with all the Chinese New Year Zodiac animals, plus a sweet Chinese New Year doll. And they’re all available for free!