Crochet Snake Cobra Amigurumi Pattern | Easy Plush Animal Toy (PDF Download)

If you’ve been looking for a fun, satisfying crochet project that stands out from the usual bears and bunnies, a cobra amigurumi is exactly what you need. This crochet snake cobra amigurumi pattern is designed for crafters who want a project that feels a little bold, a little playful, and completely adorable. Whether you’re making it as a gift for a child, adding it to your amigurumi collection, or selling handmade toys at craft fairs, this easy plush animal toy pattern delivers stunning results with techniques that won’t leave you frustrated.

In this post, you’ll find everything you need to know about making your own crochet snake cobra — from the materials list and skill level guidance to step-by-step instructions, helpful tips, and ideas for customizing your finished toy. The full PDF pattern is available for download so you can print it out and keep it in your craft basket for easy reference.

Why You’ll Love This Crochet Cobra Pattern

Snakes don’t get nearly enough love in the world of amigurumi. Most soft toy patterns gravitate toward woodland creatures and farmyard animals, which means a crocheted cobra is genuinely eye-catching and unique. Here’s why this particular pattern has become a favorite:

It’s beginner-friendly without being boring. The construction is straightforward enough for someone who has made a few basic amigurumi before, but it has enough personality and detail to keep experienced crocheters engaged. The cobra’s signature hood, which is what separates a cobra from an ordinary snake, is worked in a flat panel that’s attached cleanly to the body — no complicated shaping, no confusing instructions.

It’s also a fantastic stash-buster. You don’t need a huge amount of yarn to complete this project. If you have leftover worsted weight yarn in a few colors sitting in your stash, there’s a very good chance you already have most of what you need.

The finished cobra makes a genuinely impressive plush toy. It sits upright in that classic cobra pose — hood flared, head raised — making it perfect for display on a shelf or desk, as well as for play. Kids love it. Adults who appreciate unusual handmade items love it. It photographs beautifully for social media and online shops.

Skill Level

This pattern is rated as easy to intermediate. You should be comfortable with the following before you begin:

Magic ring (also called a magic circle), single crochet, slip stitch, increases and decreases (sc2tog or invisible decrease), working in continuous rounds, and basic sewing and assembly.

If you’re brand new to amigurumi, you might want to try one or two simpler projects first just to get a feel for working in the round and stuffing as you go. But if you’ve made even one amigurumi before, you’ll be able to work through this cobra pattern with confidence.

Materials You’ll Need

To make this crochet snake cobra amigurumi, gather the following supplies before you start:

Yarn: Worsted weight yarn (Category 4) in your main color (the body of the snake), a contrasting color for the belly and hood interior, and a small amount of a third color if you want to add pattern details or stripes. Popular color combinations include classic green and yellow, vibrant teal and cream, dramatic black and red, or earthy brown and tan. Approximately 100–150 yards of your main color and 30–50 yards of your accent color.

Hook: A 3.5mm (E/4) or 4.0mm (G/6) crochet hook. Using a slightly smaller hook than the yarn recommends creates a tighter fabric that prevents stuffing from showing through, which is ideal for amigurumi.

Safety eyes: Two 9mm or 12mm black safety eyes. If you’re making this for a child under three, embroider the eyes instead for safety.

Polyester fiberfill: Enough to stuff the body, head, and hood firmly. The cobra should hold its shape well, so don’t be shy with the stuffing.

Yarn needle: For weaving in ends and sewing pieces together.

Stitch markers: These are invaluable for keeping track of rounds. Amigurumi worked in continuous rounds can be tricky to follow without them.

Scissors.

Optional: Wire armature or pipe cleaners if you’d like your cobra to be poseable. This works especially well in the tail section.

Finished Size

Using worsted weight yarn and a 3.5mm or 4.0mm hook, the finished cobra amigurumi will measure approximately 12 to 14 inches from the tip of the tail to the top of the raised head. The hood width is approximately 4 to 5 inches across at its widest point. Size will vary slightly depending on your tension.

Pattern Notes

Before jumping into the pattern, read through these notes. They’ll save you time and prevent common mistakes.

Work in continuous rounds (spiral) unless otherwise stated. Do not join rounds with a slip stitch unless the pattern specifically instructs you to do so. Place a stitch marker at the beginning of each round and move it up as you work.

The body of the cobra is worked from the tail up toward the head. The hood is crocheted separately and sewn on. The tongue is a simple loop of yarn or a small crocheted piece.

When the pattern says “invisible decrease,” this refers to inserting your hook through the front loops only of the next two stitches and completing as a normal decrease. It creates a much smoother finish than the standard sc2tog.

Stuff firmly as you go rather than waiting until the end. It’s much easier to get a good shape this way, especially in the tapered tail section.

Step-by-Step Pattern Instructions

The Tail

Begin with a magic ring.

Round 1: 6 sc into the magic ring. (6 stitches)
Round 2: Increase in each stitch around. (12 stitches)
Round 3: Work even. (12 stitches)
Round 4: [Sc 1, increase] repeat 6 times. (18 stitches)
Rounds 5–8: Work even for 4 rounds. (18 stitches)

Begin adding a small amount of stuffing to the tail tip before it gets too narrow to reach inside easily.

The Body

Round 9: [Sc 2, increase] repeat 6 times. (24 stitches)
Rounds 10–15: Work even for 6 rounds. (24 stitches)
Round 16: [Sc 3, increase] repeat 6 times. (30 stitches)
Rounds 17–24: Work even for 8 rounds. (30 stitches)

This is the main body section. Continue stuffing as you work. The body should feel firm but not so tightly packed that it distorts the stitches.

The Neck Shaping

Round 25: [Sc 3, decrease] repeat 6 times. (24 stitches)
Rounds 26–28: Work even. (24 stitches)
Round 29: [Sc 2, decrease] repeat 6 times. (18 stitches)
Rounds 30–31: Work even. (18 stitches)

The neck narrows here to create that characteristic cobra silhouette. Stuff firmly before the opening becomes too small.

The Head

Round 32: [Sc 2, increase] repeat 6 times. (24 stitches)
Round 33: [Sc 3, increase] repeat 6 times. (30 stitches)
Rounds 34–38: Work even for 5 rounds. (30 stitches)

This is when you attach your safety eyes. Position them between rounds 35 and 36, about 6 to 7 stitches apart. The exact placement is up to you, but symmetry is key. Take your time here — once they’re locked in place, they can’t be moved.

Round 39: [Sc 3, decrease] repeat 6 times. (24 stitches)
Round 40: [Sc 2, decrease] repeat 6 times. (18 stitches)

Add the final stuffing to the head, making it nice and round. The head should have a slightly flattened oval shape when viewed from the front — use your fingers to shape it before you close up.

Round 41: [Sc 1, decrease] repeat 6 times. (12 stitches)
Round 42: Decrease 6 times. (6 stitches)

Fasten off and use your yarn needle to close the remaining 6 stitches by weaving through the front loops and pulling tight. Weave in the end securely.

The Hood

The hood is worked flat in two layers — an outer layer and an inner layer that are sewn together and then attached to the neck of the cobra.

Outer Hood

Chain 20. Turn.
Row 1: Sc across. (20 stitches)
Row 2: Chain 1, turn. Increase in first stitch, sc to last stitch, increase in last stitch. (22 stitches)
Row 3: Chain 1, turn. Work even. (22 stitches)
Row 4: Chain 1, turn. Increase in first stitch, sc to last stitch, increase in last stitch. (24 stitches)
Rows 5–8: Repeat rows 3 and 4 twice more. (28 stitches after row 8)
Rows 9–12: Work even for 4 rows. (28 stitches)
Row 13: Chain 1, turn. Decrease, sc to last 2 stitches, decrease. (26 stitches)
Rows 14–16: Repeat row 13 twice more. (22 stitches after row 16)
Fasten off and leave a long tail for sewing.

Inner Hood

Work exactly the same as the outer hood but in your contrasting belly/interior color. Fasten off and leave a long tail.

Assembling the Hood

Place the two hood pieces together with wrong sides facing each other. Using your yarn needle and one of the long tails, whip stitch or mattress stitch around the outer curved edge, leaving the straight bottom edge open. This is the edge that will attach to the neck.

Once the two layers are sewn together, pin the hood to the neck area of the body. The straight bottom edge should wrap around the neck and overlap slightly on the back side. Sew it on securely, working through both the hood and the body. This is the most important sewing step in the whole pattern, so take your time and go around twice if needed to make sure it won’t pop off with handling.

The Tongue

Cut two lengths of red or dark pink yarn, each about 6 inches long. Thread both through a yarn needle and pull through the front of the cobra’s snout, leaving equal lengths on either side. Tie a small knot close to the face to secure. Trim the ends to your desired tongue length — a classic forked snake tongue look works beautifully. Optionally, add a tiny drop of fabric glue to keep the ends from fraying.

Alternatively, you can crochet a tiny tongue by chaining 6, slipping the chain in half, and fastening off. This gives a slightly more dimensional look.

Assembly Tips and Finishing Touches

Once all the pieces are together, take a moment to really finesse the shape of your cobra. Hold it upright by the body and let the head and hood fall naturally into position. If you want the head to tilt slightly upward in that classic striking cobra pose, you can achieve this by inserting a small piece of wire or pipe cleaner through the neck before closing the head, bending it to the angle you want.

Check that the safety eyes are centered and secure. If you’ve embroidered the eyes, add a small white highlight stitch next to each one to give them life and dimension.

You can add markings to the body using surface slip stitches, embroidery, or by crocheting small flat patches and sewing them on. Some popular options include a diamond pattern in a contrasting color down the back, horizontal stripe bands around the body, or a simple contrast-color blotch pattern.

Give the finished cobra a gentle fluffing and reshape by hand. If any seams or joins look uneven, a steam iron held a few inches away (never directly touching the yarn) can help smooth things out.

Customization Ideas

One of the most enjoyable parts of working with amigurumi is that every maker can put their own stamp on the finished piece. Here are some ideas to make your cobra uniquely yours:

Color it your way. Real cobras come in an extraordinary range of colors, from the classic Indian cobra’s earthy brown to vivid albino morphs in bright yellow and white. A glossy black cobra with a red belly looks dramatic and bold. A pastel mint green cobra with a white interior hood is unexpected and charming.

Make it a king cobra. King cobras have distinctive banded markings. Add yellow or cream horizontal bands around the body using surface crochet or embroidery to transform your pattern into the world’s longest venomous snake — in soft plush form.

Add a rattle. Insert a small plastic rattle or jingle bell into the tail section before stuffing to create a toy that makes a fun sound when shaken. This is a hit with babies and toddlers (always ensure it’s sewn in completely securely).

Adjust the size. Use bulky yarn and a 6.0mm hook to make an extra-large, extra-squishy cobra. Use fingering weight yarn and a 1.75mm hook to make a miniature keepsake cobra. The proportions will stay the same; only the scale changes.

Create a themed set. Pair your cobra with a crocheted mongoose, a woven basket, or a tiny crocheted charmer’s flute. These make incredible display sets or photography props.

About the PDF Download

The complete crochet snake cobra amigurumi pattern PDF includes the full written pattern with stitch counts for every round, a materials list, assembly diagrams, notes on customization, and tips for getting the best results. The PDF is formatted for easy printing — clean, clearly written, and designed to stay flat when printed so you don’t lose stitches in the binding margin.

Once you purchase and download the PDF, it’s yours to keep forever. Print as many copies as you like for your personal use, use it on a tablet while you crochet, or both. The file is compatible with all standard PDF readers.

Care Instructions for Your Finished Cobra

Amigurumi made with acrylic yarn are generally machine washable on a gentle cycle in a mesh laundry bag, then air dried flat or reshaped and left to dry on a towel. If you’ve used natural fibers like cotton or wool, check the yarn label and hand wash as needed. For toys intended for young children, acrylic is usually the most practical choice since it holds up to frequent washing.

If you’ve added a wire armature, keep in mind that bending the toy repeatedly over time can cause the wire to fatigue and break. Check the integrity of the armature periodically, especially in children’s toys.

Sharing Your Finished Make

There’s nothing quite like the feeling of finishing an amigurumi and holding the completed piece in your hands. If you use this pattern to make your own crochet cobra, sharing photos in crochet communities is a wonderful way to connect with other makers and show off your work.

If you’re selling finished items made from this pattern, please check the licensing terms included in the PDF. Most indie pattern designers allow the sale of handmade items made from their patterns with credit given to the original pattern designer.

Tag your photos and projects so other crafters can find inspiration from your finished cobra. Every maker brings something a little different to the same pattern, and the variety of finished cobras out there is genuinely remarkable.

Final Thoughts

A crochet snake cobra amigurumi is one of those projects that surprises people — both to make and to receive. It’s more approachable than it looks, more striking than most standard soft toy patterns, and endlessly satisfying to customize. Whether you’re a longtime amigurumi collector or someone looking to try something a little different, this easy plush animal toy pattern is well worth adding to your project queue.

Download the PDF, get your yarn ready, and enjoy every stitch of this wonderfully unusual little creature.