All About Axolotls

A playlist for your knitting

I published my Axolotl pattern in early 2018, before their popularity took off. My tech editor had never heard of them. I added a pronunciation guide to make the pattern more accessible. As you’ll hear in one of these podcast episodes, I also kept my fingers on the pulse of internet animal culture. Clearly I had seen them about online, but I can no longer say if there was one inciting meme that made me think “I have to make this.” Eight years later, Augie is still my top-selling pattern.

I’ve curated a playlist for you to listen to while you knit up an axolotl of your own. It’s a journey through biology, place, and pop culture. Hop over to Spotify to listen to the full playlist and be surprised, or you can read an overview of each episode below.

Model Organism - 99% Invisible

99PI highlights design in many forms. This episode gives an excellent overview of the axolotl, its role in scientific research, and the threatened native population in Mexico. Axolotls are exclusively indigenous to one lake outside of Mexico City, and conservation efforts have become increasingly important as human communities expand.

Mexico City - Far Flung

Learn more about this bustling cultural center and the axolotls’ home. Creativity thrives on the streets of Mexico City and in unique government offices. I really enjoyed this slice of life podcast, and I hope to visit Mexico City.

Mexico 68 - 99% Invisible

Continuing on with Mexico City, this episode of 99PI explores the design of signage for 1968 Olympics held there. How do you design for an influx of visitors with many different tongues? How can your art and design elevate your country and culture on the world’s stage?

Stuffed Animals Gone Wild - Decoder Ring

A look at how the internet and the desire for individuality have shaped pop culture. For a podcast about softies, there are parts that ask us to take a firm look at ourselves.

The Roblox Engine - Roblox Tech Talks

Axolotls started appearing in Roblox games as they took off in pop culture. Roblox isn’t a game but rather a platform for independent game development. Individuals and companies can and do build on the platform. I knew nothing about Roblox prior to listening, but I found this to be an interesting and helpful overview of the company and their goals.

Minecraft! Minecraft! Minecraft! - Stuff You Should Know

Minecraft is the one major video game that contains axolotls. Again, I’m not a video game player, so I wanted a podcast that would give me an overview of this cultural phenomenon and how it works. Full disclosure: I didn’t jive with the hosts and didn’t finish the episode. But I did learn a lot about the different ways to play Minecraft and why it’s so appealing to people of all ages.