Free Crochet Snake Pattern | Cute Amigurumi Snake Tutorial for Beginners

If you’ve been looking for a fun, quick, and beginner-friendly amigurumi project, you’ve landed in exactly the right place. This free crochet snake pattern is one of those projects that looks impressively detailed but is secretly very forgiving to make. Snakes are essentially a long tube with a cute face at one end, which means there are no fiddly arms or legs to attach, no complicated shaping to worry about, and no reason to feel intimidated even if you’re fairly new to crochet.

Whether you want to make a playful toy for a child, a quirky desk companion, or a handmade gift for someone who loves reptiles, this amigurumi snake is the perfect choice. It’s also a wonderful stitch practice project since the body gives you miles of consistent single crochet rounds to really nail your tension. By the time you finish your snake, your stitches will be noticeably more even than when you started.

Let’s get into everything you need to know before we begin the actual pattern.

What Is Amigurumi?

Amigurumi is the Japanese art of knitting or crocheting small stuffed animals and creatures. The word itself combines the Japanese words for “knitted or crocheted” and “stuffed doll.” While the craft has roots in Japanese pop culture from the 1950s, it exploded in global popularity in the early 2000s and has never slowed down. Amigurumi pieces are typically worked in the round using a tight tension to prevent the stuffing from showing through the stitches.

Snakes are one of the most popular beginner amigurumi patterns for good reason. The construction is logical, the pattern repeat is simple, and the finished piece has an adorable factor that far outweighs the skill required to make it.

Materials You’ll Need

Before you start, gather your supplies. You don’t need anything fancy for this project, which is part of what makes it so approachable.

Yarn: Worsted weight yarn (size 4) works beautifully for this pattern. You can use any color you like, and the snake looks gorgeous in a single solid color, in alternating stripes, or in a variegated yarn that does all the color work for you. You’ll need approximately 100 to 150 yards for a snake that’s around 18 to 24 inches long. For the tongue, you’ll need a small amount of red yarn.

Crochet Hook: A 3.5mm or 4.0mm hook pairs well with worsted weight yarn for amigurumi. You want to go down a hook size from what the yarn label recommends so that your stitches are nice and tight. This prevents your stuffing from peeking through gaps in the fabric.

Safety Eyes: Two 9mm or 12mm safety eyes give your snake that classic amigurumi look. If you’re making this for a child under three years old, skip the safety eyes and embroider the eyes instead using black yarn or embroidery floss for safety reasons.

Polyfill Stuffing: A standard polyester fiberfill works perfectly. You won’t need a huge amount since the snake’s body is relatively narrow.

Stitch Marker: A locking stitch marker or even just a piece of scrap yarn to mark the beginning of each round is genuinely helpful, especially for beginners.

Yarn Needle: You’ll need this to sew on the tongue, weave in ends, and close up the tail end of the snake.

Scissors: Any pair will do.

Gauge and Sizing

For this pattern, gauge isn’t critical the way it would be for a garment, but aim for approximately 4.5 stitches and 5 rows per inch with worsted weight yarn and a 3.5mm hook. The finished snake using these materials will be roughly 20 to 24 inches long and about 2 inches in diameter at its widest point. You can easily make a longer or shorter snake simply by working more or fewer rounds in the body section.

Abbreviations and Stitch Guide

This pattern uses standard US crochet terminology. Here’s a quick reference for the stitches you’ll encounter.

MR — Magic ring (also called magic circle or adjustable ring)

ch — chain

sc — single crochet

inc — increase (two single crochets worked into the same stitch)

dec — invisible decrease (insert hook into the front loop of the next two stitches, yarn over and pull through both loops, yarn over and pull through remaining two loops)

sl st — slip stitch

BLO — back loop only

FLO — front loop only

st(s) — stitch(es)

rnd — round

Working in continuous rounds (also called a spiral) is the standard method for amigurumi. This means you do not join at the end of each round with a slip stitch. Instead, you just keep going in a continuous spiral and use your stitch marker to track the beginning of each round. This gives you a seamless look.

Free Crochet Snake Pattern

HEAD

The head is slightly wider than the body, which gives your snake a bit of natural shape and makes it look more like a real snake.

Rnd 1: Make a magic ring and work 6 sc into the ring. Pull the tail to close. (6 sts)

Rnd 2: Inc in each st around. (12 sts)

Rnd 3: Sc 1, inc repeat around. (18 sts)

Rnd 4: Sc 2, inc repeat around. (24 sts)

Rnd 5: Sc 3, inc repeat around. (30 sts)

Rnds 6–10: Sc in each st around. (30 sts) — Work 5 rounds even.

At this point you’ll want to place your safety eyes. Position them between rounds 6 and 7, with about 6 to 8 stitches between them. Take your time with eye placement because it makes a big difference in the final expression of your snake. Once you’re happy with the position, push the backs onto the safety eyes to secure them.

Rnd 11: Sc 3, dec repeat around. (24 sts)

Rnd 12: Sc 2, dec repeat around. (18 sts)

Begin stuffing the head firmly at this point. You want it to hold its shape nicely.

Rnd 13: Sc 1, dec repeat around. (12 sts)

Rnd 14: Sc in each st around. (12 sts)

Do not fasten off. You’ll continue directly into the body.

BODY

The body is where you spend most of your time on this project, and it’s also the most meditative part. You’re simply working even rounds of 12 single crochets, adding stuffing every few inches as you go. Don’t wait until the very end to stuff the body — you’ll never be able to get enough stuffing in evenly if you do.

Rnds 15 through approximately Rnd 80: Sc in each st around. (12 sts)

Keep going until your snake’s body is as long as you’d like it to be. For an 18-inch snake, aim for about 60 to 65 body rounds. For a longer 24-inch snake, work closer to 80 body rounds. Remember to stuff as you go, every 10 to 15 rounds, packing the stuffing in firmly enough to give the body good shape but not so tightly that it distorts the stitches.

If you want to add color stripes to your snake’s body, this is simple to do. Just work a few rounds in your main color, then switch to a contrast color at the beginning of a new round by completing the last pull-through of your final single crochet in the new color. Continue alternating as desired.

TAIL

The tail tapers down to a nice point, mimicking the natural shape of a snake’s tail.

When you’re ready to begin the tail (your body should already be the length you want minus about an inch):

Decrease Round 1: Sc 4, dec repeat around. (10 sts)

Work 3 rounds even at 10 sts.

Decrease Round 2: Sc 3, dec repeat around. (8 sts)

Work 2 rounds even at 8 sts.

Decrease Round 3: Sc 2, dec repeat around. (6 sts)

Work 2 rounds even at 6 sts.

Decrease Round 4: Sc 1, dec repeat around. (4 sts)

Work 1 round even at 4 sts.

Add a final bit of stuffing to the tail before you close it up.

Final decrease: Dec twice around. (2 sts)

Fasten off, leaving a tail of yarn. Thread the tail onto your yarn needle and weave it through the remaining 2 stitches to cinch them closed. Weave in the end securely.

TONGUE

The forked tongue is what takes this snake from cute to absolutely irresistible. It’s worked flat as a very simple chain construction.

Using red yarn, leave a 6-inch tail and chain 10. Slip stitch into the 2nd chain from the hook and the next 3 chains (you’ve worked 4 slip stitches). You’re now at the base of the fork. Slip stitch back along the same 4 chains to return to the beginning. Now chain 5 again from the same base point, and slip stitch back along these 5 chains the same way you did for the first fork. Fasten off, leaving another 6-inch tail.

Use your yarn needle to thread the tails of the tongue through the center bottom of the snake’s snout (about round 2 or 3 of the head). Knot them securely on the inside of the head and weave the ends in. Your snake’s tongue should stick out naturally from the tip of its nose.

Finishing Touches

With all the main pieces assembled, take a moment to look over your snake and make any adjustments. Check that the stuffing is evenly distributed throughout the body by gently squeezing and rolling it. Weave in all remaining yarn ends securely using your yarn needle, being sure to run each end through several stitches in different directions so it won’t come loose over time.

If you want to add extra detail to your snake, consider embroidering small nostrils using a few stitches of black yarn just above the mouth area. You can also use a small amount of yarn to embroider a subtle smile curve if you want your snake to have a particularly cheerful expression.

Tips for Beginners

If you’re new to amigurumi, a few pieces of advice will make this project go much more smoothly.

Master the magic ring first. The magic ring (also called a magic circle) is the standard starting method for amigurumi worked in the round. If you’ve never done one before, practice it a few times before starting your snake. It can feel awkward at first, but once it clicks, it becomes second nature. There are countless video tutorials available if you learn better by watching.

Use a stitch marker without fail. In continuous rounds, it’s surprisingly easy to lose track of where one round ends and the next begins. Moving your stitch marker at the end of every single round takes only a second and saves you from having to count back through your work to figure out where you are.

Go slowly with the decreases. The invisible decrease is a slightly tricky technique when you first encounter it, but it creates a much neater finish than a standard decrease. Take your time inserting your hook into the front loops of two consecutive stitches. The result is worth the extra attention.

Don’t skip stuffing as you go. It bears repeating because so many beginners make this mistake. Once your snake’s body tube is too long to reach into from either end, getting the stuffing distributed evenly becomes nearly impossible. Every 10 to 15 rounds, push a good amount of stuffing in and make sure it reaches all the way to the head. The tail end can be stuffed last.

Tension matters more than speed. As a beginner, your goal is consistent, even stitches rather than fast ones. If your tension is very loose, switch to a smaller hook. If your stitches are almost too tight to insert your hook, go up a size. Your snake’s body should feel firm but not stiff.

Customization Ideas

One of the most joyful parts of making amigurumi is making each piece your own. Here are some ways to put a personal spin on your snake.

Color combinations are the easiest way to customize. A classic green snake with a yellow belly section (worked in the front loops for a few rounds to create a color panel effect), a pastel rainbow stripe snake, or a realistic brown-and-black patterned snake are all beautiful options.

Size variations are easy to achieve by changing your yarn weight and hook size. Using a bulky yarn with a 6mm hook will give you a large, squishy plush snake. Using fingering weight yarn with a 2.5mm hook will create a tiny, delicate miniature snake that could double as a charm or keychain accessory.

Accessories take your snake to the next level. A tiny crocheted bow tie attached just behind the head makes for an adorable gentlesnake. A small crochet party hat in miniature can turn your snake into a birthday decoration. You could even make a pair of tiny round glasses out of wire or stitch them in embroidery floss.

Facial expressions are another great customization avenue. Changing the placement and size of the eyes dramatically changes the personality of your snake. Eyes placed wide apart and high on the head look innocent and sweet. Eyes placed closer together and slightly lower give a more intensely cute or slightly grumpy look. Adding embroidered eyebrows in a slightly furrowed angle gives your snake a hilariously serious expression.

Caring for Your Finished Snake

Once your snake is complete, knowing how to care for it will keep it looking its best for years. For most acrylic yarns, hand washing in cool water with a gentle soap is the safest option. Gently squeeze out excess water without wringing, then reshape the snake and allow it to air dry flat. If you used a superwash wool, check the yarn label since some can tolerate a gentle machine wash cycle.

If the snake is intended as a child’s toy and will see regular use and washing, make sure all your ends are very securely woven in. Safety eyes are not safe for very young children and should be replaced with embroidery for any toy given to a child under three.

Why Beginners Love This Pattern

This crochet snake pattern has a special place in the beginner amigurumi world because it genuinely teaches every fundamental skill you need for more complex projects without overwhelming you all at once. You’ll practice starting a magic ring, working in continuous rounds, making clean increases and decreases, stuffing as you go, attaching small details, and weaving in ends. Every skill that appears in this snake appears in virtually every other amigurumi pattern you’ll ever make.

After finishing one snake, many crafters find they want to make another immediately — trying a different color, a longer body, or new embellishments. It’s that kind of pattern. Quick enough to finish in a single weekend, satisfying enough to make you want to keep going.

Final Thoughts

There’s something undeniably charming about a crocheted snake. It doesn’t ask anything too complicated of the person making it, yet the finished piece is full of personality and warmth. This free crochet snake pattern gives you a complete project from start to finish, with room to experiment and make it completely your own.

If this is your first amigurumi, congratulations — you’ve picked a great place to start. And if you’re an experienced crocheter looking for a relaxing project to work on while watching your favorite show, this snake delivers exactly that kind of easy, enjoyable repetition.

Gather your yarn, thread your hook, and get started. Your new little snake friend is waiting to come to life.