Crochet Sloth Amigurumi Pattern with Embroidered Eyes & Long Claws (28cm Plush)
If you have ever wanted to make the most irresistibly sleepy, huggable creature imaginable, this crochet sloth amigurumi pattern is exactly what you have been looking for. At a finished size of approximately 28cm, this plush sloth features embroidered eyes with a dreamy, half-lidded expression and long, dramatic claws that give him that authentic hanging-from-a-tree pose. Whether you are a seasoned amigurumi maker or someone who has completed a few beginner projects and is ready for the next step, this pattern will walk you through every single detail so you can create a finished piece you are genuinely proud of.
Sloths have become one of the most beloved amigurumi subjects in the crafting world, and it is easy to see why. Their slow, gentle energy translates beautifully into a soft plush toy, and the combination of embroidered eyes and textured fur yarn makes for a result that looks almost professional. This particular pattern has been designed with a strong focus on proportion and character, so your sloth will have the long limbs, rounded belly, and sweet facial expression that makes these animals so endearing in real life.
Let us get started.
Materials You Will Need
Before you begin, gather all your materials. Having everything on hand before you start will make the process much smoother, especially when you are working on smaller pieces like the claws and face details.
For the yarn, you will need a main body color in a medium grey or warm taupe (approximately 200g), a cream or off-white for the face patch and belly (approximately 50g), and a dark brown or black for the claw sections (approximately 30g). The best yarn for this project is a chunky or bulky weight (weight category 5 or 6) with a slight fuzz or pile to it, as this mimics the texture of real sloth fur beautifully. Brands like Lion Brand Pound of Love, Paintbox Simply Chunky, or any soft chenille-style yarn work wonderfully. If you want a truly fluffy finish, a mohair-blend held alongside a standard DK weight in a matching color is a great combination.
You will also need a 4.0mm crochet hook for the main body pieces and a 3.5mm hook for the claws and any detail work where tighter tension is important. A pair of 12mm safety eyes can be used if you are making this sloth for display or for an adult, but if this is intended as a gift for a child under three years of age, please use only embroidered eyes for safety. This pattern includes full instructions for embroidered eyes regardless, since they give the sloth a much more expressive and artistic look than safety eyes alone.
Additional materials include polyester fiberfill stuffing (a good amount, as this sloth is meant to be plump and satisfying to squeeze), a yarn needle for sewing pieces together and for embroidery, stitch markers, scissors, and optional pipe cleaners or craft wire if you want to make the claws poseable. Dark brown embroidery floss in two or three shades will be used for the eyes and nose, and a small amount of black yarn or floss for the smile.
Understanding the Pattern Abbreviations
This pattern uses standard US crochet terminology. Here is a quick reference for the abbreviations used throughout.
MR stands for magic ring. Ch means chain. Sl st is slip stitch. Sc is single crochet. Inc is an increase, meaning two single crochets worked into the same stitch. Dec is an invisible decrease, meaning you insert your hook through the front loops of the next two stitches and complete a single crochet through both. Hdc is half double crochet. Dc is double crochet. BLO means back loop only. FLO means front loop only. St means stitch. Rnd means round.
The pattern is worked in continuous rounds unless otherwise stated. Use a stitch marker to mark the first stitch of each round.
The Pattern
Head
Begin with your main body color yarn and your 4.0mm hook.
Rnd 1: Start with a magic ring, 6 sc into the ring. (6 sts)
Rnd 2: Inc in each st around. (12 sts)
Rnd 3: (Sc 1, inc) repeat 6 times. (18 sts)
Rnd 4: (Sc 2, inc) repeat 6 times. (24 sts)
Rnd 5: (Sc 3, inc) repeat 6 times. (30 sts)
Rnd 6: (Sc 4, inc) repeat 6 times. (36 sts)
Rnd 7: (Sc 5, inc) repeat 6 times. (42 sts)
Rnd 8: (Sc 6, inc) repeat 6 times. (48 sts)
Rnd 9 through Rnd 14: Sc in each st around. (48 sts)
Rnd 15: (Sc 6, dec) repeat 6 times. (42 sts)
Rnd 16: (Sc 5, dec) repeat 6 times. (36 sts)
At this point, insert the safety eyes or mark the placement for embroidered eyes. The eyes should sit between rounds 11 and 12, with approximately 10 stitches between them. If using embroidered eyes, continue to the end of the head, stuff firmly, and close before embroidering.
Rnd 17: (Sc 4, dec) repeat 6 times. (30 sts)
Rnd 18: (Sc 3, dec) repeat 6 times. (24 sts)
Rnd 19: (Sc 2, dec) repeat 6 times. (18 sts)
Stuff the head firmly with fiberfill.
Rnd 20: (Sc 1, dec) repeat 6 times. (12 sts)
Rnd 21: Dec 6 times. (6 sts)
Fasten off and close the opening using your yarn needle, weaving through the front loops of the remaining stitches and pulling tight.
Face Patch
Using your cream or off-white yarn and a 3.5mm hook, work a flat oval.
Ch 4.
Rnd 1: Starting in the second ch from hook, sc 2, 3 sc in last ch, continue along the other side of the chain, sc 1, 3 sc in first ch. (10 sts)
Rnd 2: Inc, sc 1, inc 3 times, sc 1, inc 3 times. (17 sts)
Rnd 3: Sc 1, inc, sc 2, (inc, sc 1) 3 times, sc 1, (inc, sc 1) 3 times. (24 sts)
Fasten off, leaving a long tail for sewing. Pin the face patch to the lower center front of the head and sew it on neatly, weaving the yarn under the edges to create a smooth join.
Body
Using your main color and 4.0mm hook.
Rnd 1: MR, 6 sc. (6 sts)
Rnd 2: Inc in each st. (12 sts)
Rnd 3: (Sc 1, inc) x6. (18 sts)
Rnd 4: (Sc 2, inc) x6. (24 sts)
Rnd 5: (Sc 3, inc) x6. (30 sts)
Rnd 6: (Sc 4, inc) x6. (36 sts)
Rnd 7: (Sc 5, inc) x6. (42 sts)
Rnd 8 through Rnd 20: Sc around. (42 sts)
Rnd 21: (Sc 5, dec) x6. (36 sts)
Rnd 22: (Sc 4, dec) x6. (30 sts)
Rnd 23: (Sc 3, dec) x6. (24 sts)
Stuff the body generously. The belly should be round and full.
Rnd 24: (Sc 2, dec) x6. (18 sts)
Rnd 25: (Sc 1, dec) x6. (12 sts)
Rnd 26: Dec x6. (6 sts)
Fasten off and close.
Arms (Make 2)
Using your main color.
Rnd 1: MR, 6 sc. (6 sts)
Rnd 2: Inc in each st. (12 sts)
Rnd 3 through Rnd 5: Sc around. (12 sts)
Switch to your dark brown or black yarn for the claw section.
Rnd 6 through Rnd 8: Sc around in dark yarn. (12 sts)
Rnd 9: (Sc 1, dec) x4. (8 sts)
For the individual long claws, you will work three separate extensions from the closed end of the arm. To do this, after stuffing the arm lightly and closing the bottom with 4 stitches still open, work three small tubes separately and attach them. Each claw is made as follows: MR, 6 sc, then work 8 rounds even in sc. Fasten off with a short tail. These tubes are not stuffed and will hang naturally when the arm is positioned. Sew one claw to the center and one to each side of the closed arm end, spacing them evenly. If you want poseable claws, insert a pipe cleaner trimmed to length into each claw tube before closing.
Make the main arm tube about 16 rounds long before the claw section begins, which gives you the long, dangling limb length characteristic of a sloth.
Legs (Make 2)
Using your main color.
Rnd 1: MR, 6 sc. (6 sts)
Rnd 2: Inc in each st. (12 sts)
Rnd 3 through Rnd 4: Sc around. (12 sts)
Switch to dark color for claw section.
Rnd 5 through Rnd 7: Sc around. (12 sts)
Work the three claws at the end of each leg the same way as the arms, making them slightly shorter (6 rounds each instead of 8) since sloth back claws are a little less dramatic than the front ones.
The leg tubes should be approximately 12 rounds in the main color before the claw section.
Ears (Make 2)
Using your main color.
Rnd 1: MR, 6 sc. (6 sts)
Rnd 2: Inc in each st. (12 sts)
Rnd 3 through Rnd 4: Sc around. (12 sts)
Fasten off, leaving a long sewing tail. Do not stuff the ears. Flatten them gently and sew them to either side of the head, positioned between rounds 4 and 7 of the head.
Tail (Optional)
Some sloths have a small vestigial tail. If you want to include one, make a small flattened oval shape using your main color, working about 3 rounds, and sew it to the lower back of the body.
Embroidering the Eyes
This is the part that truly brings your sloth to life, so take your time here. The eyes on this pattern are meant to look sleepy and soft, with a heavy upper eyelid line and a gentle shine highlight.
Using dark brown embroidery floss (all six strands), embroider a large oval shape for each eye on the face patch, centered above the nose area. The eye oval should be about 1.5cm tall and 1.2cm wide. Fill in the oval completely with satin stitch, working vertically so the stitches look smooth and dense.
Once the base oval is filled, switch to black floss and embroider a slightly smaller oval inside the brown one, offset very slightly upward, to create the pupil. This layering of brown and black gives the eyes extraordinary depth.
For the eyelid line, use black floss to embroider a curved line across the upper third of the eye oval. Work this as a single long stitch or two stitches placed close together for a clean arc. This half-lidded eyelid is what gives the sloth its characteristic sleepy look.
Finally, using white embroidery floss or a single strand of white yarn, add two tiny highlight dots to each eye, one in the upper left of the pupil and one smaller one in the lower right. These highlights make the eyes appear to catch the light and give the sloth an endearing, almost emotional expression.
For the nose, use the same dark brown floss to embroider a small inverted triangle at the top of the face patch. The nose should sit about 1cm above the center of the patch. Work it in satin stitch just as you did the eyes.
For the smile, use a single strand of black floss or a length of thin black yarn to stitch a gentle curved line below the nose, extending it just a few millimeters to either side. The smile should be subtle and soft, not a wide cartoon grin.
Assembly
Begin by sewing the head to the body. The neck join is one of the most important elements of the finished look, so make sure the head is centered and positioned with a very slight forward tilt, as though the sloth is looking gently downward. Use a length of your main color yarn and your yarn needle to join through both pieces, making small, close stitches that draw the edges together firmly.
Next, attach the arms. Sloth arms should be positioned high on the body, close to where the neck meets the torso, and they should angle slightly upward and outward. This positioning suggests the natural stance of a sloth gripping a branch. Pin them in place before sewing to make sure the pose looks right from all angles.
Attach the legs lower on the body, angling them downward and slightly outward. The claws on both the arms and legs should be able to curve naturally when the plush is placed on a surface or hung from something.
Sew the ears in place last, and do a final check of all seams to make sure everything is secure.
Finishing Touches and Styling Tips
Once the sloth is fully assembled, take a soft bristle brush or a pet slicker brush and gently brush the surface of the yarn to raise the fibers slightly. This creates a fluffy, fur-like texture that makes the amigurumi look incredibly realistic and soft. Be gentle and work in small circular motions, especially around the face where you do not want to disturb the embroidery.
If you used pipe cleaners in the claws, you can now bend and position them to create that classic sloth grip. Wrapping the claws around a wooden dowel or hanging the sloth from a small branch makes for a stunning display piece.
For gifting, this sloth looks beautiful tucked into a kraft paper box with tissue paper, or photographed hanging from a small piece of driftwood.
Gauge and Sizing Notes
The finished sloth measures approximately 28cm from the top of the head to the bottom of the body, not including the claws. If you work with a tighter tension or a thinner yarn weight, your sloth will be smaller. If you use a bulkier yarn or a larger hook, it will come out larger. This pattern was designed with a 4.0mm hook and a bulky weight (category 5) yarn, producing a gauge of approximately 14 stitches and 16 rows per 10cm square in single crochet.
Skill Level and Time Estimate
This pattern is rated intermediate. You should be comfortable with magic rings, increases and decreases, working in continuous rounds, changing colors cleanly, and basic embroidery. If you have made at least one or two amigurumi figures before and want to step up to a more detailed project, this sloth is a perfect next challenge.
The total time to complete this project is approximately 12 to 18 hours depending on your speed, not including blocking or rest time between sessions. The body and head are the most time-intensive pieces. The claws, while fiddly, go quickly once you have made the first few.
Why This Sloth Pattern Works So Well
There is something deeply satisfying about making an amigurumi that genuinely captures the character of its subject. Sloths are animals of extraordinary patience, and there is a meditative quality to crocheting their long limbs round by round that feels rather appropriate. The combination of
