Easter Donkey - Mix and Match Free Crochet Pattern Links

Rejoice greatly, O daughter of Zion! Shout aloud, O daughter of Jerusalem! Behold, your king is coming to you; righteous and having salvation is he, humble and mounted on a donkey, on a colt, the foal of a donkey.  Zechariah 9:9 ESV

I burned the midnight oil last night (and this morning) putting the finishing touches on these little guys, trying to have them ready to set out as a Palm Sunday surprise for the younger children.

I was pretty proud of myself for having three donkeys done, and in place, waiting to be discovered on the table, before we headed out to church.  That was until we got home, and I realized I'd forgotten to sew the nostrils on the last one.

Happily it was an easily rectified oversight.

I wouldn't have been quite so rushed if I hadn't had a terribly difficult time choosing a pattern.  Google images offered up plenty of adorable amigurumi donkeys, but most of the patterns turned out to be for sale - and I prefer not to pay for patterns whenever possible (which is why I try to offer up free patterns in return whenever I can).  Finally, I followed a suggestion from Sweet Crocheting Time to modify the baby unicorn pattern from Little Yarn Friends by leaving off the horn, replacing the mane with a tied on fringe, and a braided tail - and in my case, trading out the small unicorn ears, with some nice long bunny ears from Amigurumibb's Blog.  They were a perfect fit.

It took a little bit searching and combining, but in the end I had a pattern for the perfectly huggable, floppy kind of fellows I was hoping for - as well as three very happy children, and a couple of slightly miffed teenage girls, who are not buying the argument, that they are too old for stuffed animals (or that they are old enough to crochet their own).

Thanks so much to the bloggers listed above for offering up your hard work, time, and tips for free for the rest of us to enjoy.

Oh, and just in case you're wondering the candy rocks in the bowl, pictured with the donkeys, were what the teens had waiting for them on the table.

You know...from Luke 19:39-49.

And some of the Pharisees in the crowd said to him, “Teacher, rebuke your disciples.” He answered, “I tell you, if these were silent, the very stones would cry out.”

Happy Palm Sunday!