Lilac Crocodile Rearview Mirror Cover - Free Crochet Pattern

Introduction

This lilac crocodile rearview mirror cover is a small, satisfying project that turns an everyday car accessory into something soft, textured, and a little bit special. It's designed for advanced beginners who are comfortable with single crochet and ready to try their first crocodile stitch scales. The finished cover is a snug rectangular tube in a warm lilac bulky wool, with raised, overlapping scales running across the visible face and neat plain single-crochet bands above and below. It feels cozy and plush in the hand, and it brings a gentle coastal grandmother charm to any car interior.

Materials Needed

• Yarn: Bulky weight wool, approximately 100 yards of lilac. Sample used: Lion Brand Wool-Ease Thick & Quick (80% acrylic, 20% wool, 106 yards/170g per skein) — 1 skein.
• Hook: 6.5 mm (K-10.5) crochet hook.
• Notions: Tapestry needle for seaming and weaving in ends, scissors, and a stitch marker (optional, to mark the first stitch of each row).
• Finished size: Approximately 10 inches wide x 3.5 inches high. Fits a standard rearview mirror up to 10 inches wide and 3 inches high.

Abbreviations

• ch — chain: yarn over and pull through the loop on your hook.
• sc — single crochet: insert hook, yarn over, pull up a loop, yarn over, pull through both loops.
• dc — double crochet: yarn over, insert hook, pull up a loop, yarn over and pull through two loops twice.
• sp(s) — space(s): a gap in the fabric, here the ch-3 spaces.
• st(s) — stitch(es).
• sl st — slip stitch: insert hook, yarn over, pull through everything on the hook.
• rep — repeat.

Gauge

4 stitches and 4 rows = 1 inch in single crochet. To check, crochet a small swatch in sc and measure a 1-inch section; adjust your hook size if you have more or fewer than 4 stitches per inch.

Tips Before You Start

• Keep your single crochet rows relaxed but even — tight sc rows make it hard to work the 5-dc scales into the ch-3 spaces later.
• Count your ch-3 spaces on every scale-base row: you should always have 10 before you begin the scale row.
• When working the scales, the first 5 dc go down the first ch-3 space and the next 5 dc go up the following ch-3 space, so each scale spans two spaces.
• Try the tube on your mirror (or measure it) before seaming — bulky wool stretches slightly, so a snug fit is ideal.

Step-by-Step Instructions

Main Rectangle

Foundation: Ch 41.

Row 1: Sc in 2nd ch from hook and in each ch across (40 sc).

Rows 2-3: Ch 1, turn, sc in each st across (40 sc).

Row 4 (scale base): Ch 1, turn, sc in first 2 sts, *ch 3, skip 2 sts, sc in next 2 sts; rep from * across, ending with sc in last 2 sts (10 ch-3 sps).

Row 5 (scales): Ch 1, turn, sc in first 2 sts, *work 5 dc down first ch-3 sp, ch 1, work 5 dc up next ch-3 sp, sc in next 2 sts; rep from * across (10 scales).

Rows 6-13: Rep Rows 4-5 four times more (5 scale rows total, 10 scales per row).

Row 14: Ch 1, turn, sc in each st and ch-1 sp across (40 sc).

Rows 15-16: Ch 1, turn, sc in each st across (40 sc). Do not fasten off.

Border

Border: Ch 1, turn, sc evenly around entire piece, working 3 sc in each corner; join with sl st to first sc. Fasten off.

Seaming

Assembly: Fold piece in half with wrong sides together, matching short ends. Whipstitch or sl st seam along both short ends to form a tube. Turn right side out.

Openings Edging

Edging (first opening): Join yarn at one long edge, ch 1, sc evenly around entire opening, join with sl st to first sc.

Edging (second opening): Rep for other opening. Fasten off.

Assembly and Finishing

Weave in all ends with your tapestry needle, working them into the wrong side of the fabric so they don't show through the scales. Gently smooth the scales with your fingers so they sit evenly across the front face. Lightly steam-block the finished cover (do not press flat, or you'll crush the scale texture) and let it dry fully before sliding it onto the mirror.

Pro Tips and Variations

• Swap the lilac for a soft sage or cream to lean further into the coastal grandmother look.
• Add a second scale row color for a two-tone effect — just change yarn at the start of each scale row.
• For a snugger fit on a smaller mirror, reduce the foundation chain by 4 stitches (keeping the sc-pair and ch-3 spacing even).