Amigurumi Little Monkey Keychain Free Pattern

There is something undeniably charming about a tiny crocheted monkey dangling from your keys, bag, or backpack zipper. It is small enough to tuck into a pocket yet detailed enough to stop people in their tracks and ask, “Did you make that yourself?” If you have been looking for a beginner-friendly amigurumi project that comes together in an afternoon and doubles as a heartfelt handmade gift, this little monkey keychain pattern is exactly what you need.

In this post, you will find everything: the full free pattern, a complete materials list, step-by-step instructions, tips for tightening your tension, and a few ideas for customizing your monkey once it is finished. Whether you are picking up a crochet hook for the first time or you already have a shelf full of amigurumi animals, this pattern is designed to be clear, enjoyable, and completely achievable.

What Is Amigurumi?

Before diving into the pattern itself, a quick word about the craft. Amigurumi is the Japanese art of crocheting or knitting small stuffed animals and characters. The word comes from the Japanese words “ami,” meaning knitted or crocheted, and “nuigurumi,” meaning stuffed doll. The style originated in Japan in the 1980s and 1990s and spread around the world thanks largely to the internet and the creative communities that formed around it.

What makes amigurumi special is the combination of simple stitches with expressive faces. Most amigurumi projects use only a handful of crochet techniques — the magic ring, single crochet, increases, and decreases — but the results look intricate and professional. The little monkey in this pattern is built on exactly those basics, so even if you have never tried amigurumi before, you are in good hands.

Materials You Will Need

Gathering your supplies before you begin makes the crocheting experience far more enjoyable. Here is what you need to make one amigurumi monkey keychain.

Yarn: You will need a small amount of brown yarn for the body, head, and limbs. Any worsted weight (size 4) or sport weight (size 3) yarn in brown will work well. For the belly, inner ear, and muzzle area, you will need a contrasting color — a warm tan or cream works beautifully. If you want to experiment, a mini-skein or even yarn scraps from previous projects are perfect for this pattern since the monkey is so small.

Hook: Use a 2.5 mm or 3.0 mm crochet hook depending on the weight of your yarn. A smaller hook creates a tighter fabric, which is especially important for amigurumi because it prevents the stuffing from showing through. If you find your tension is naturally loose, go down one hook size.

Safety eyes: Two black safety eyes, 6 mm in diameter, give the monkey its personality. If you are making this keychain for a small child under three years old, embroider the eyes with black yarn instead for safety reasons.

Stuffing: A small amount of polyester fiberfill is all you need. Because the monkey is tiny, you will likely use less than a tablespoon of stuffing for the body and head combined.

Keychain ring: A standard split keyring, available at any craft or hardware store, will attach the finished monkey to your keys. A lobster clasp keychain also works well if you prefer something more decorative.

Tapestry needle: You will use this to sew the pieces together and weave in your ends.

Stitch marker: Placing a stitch marker at the beginning of each round helps you keep track of where rounds start and end, which is crucial in amigurumi worked in a continuous spiral.

Scissors: A small pair of embroidery scissors is ideal.

Optional: A small piece of ribbon, twine, or a jump ring to attach the keychain hardware to the monkey’s head rather than crocheting directly around it.

Abbreviations Used in This Pattern

This pattern is written using standard US crochet abbreviations.

MR — magic ring
ch — chain
sl st — slip stitch
sc — single crochet
inc — increase (2 single crochet in the same stitch)
dec — invisible decrease (insert hook through front loops only of next two stitches, pull up a loop, yarn over, pull through both loops)
BLO — back loops only
FLO — front loops only
st — stitch
rnd — round

Pattern Notes

Work in a continuous spiral throughout unless otherwise stated. Do not join at the end of each round unless the instructions specify. Place a stitch marker in the first stitch of each round and move it up as you go. After crocheting the magic ring for each piece, pull the tail end tight to close the center hole completely before proceeding.

The finished monkey measures approximately 7 to 8 centimeters tall (about 3 inches) when made with worsted weight yarn and a 3.0 mm hook. Using sport weight yarn and a 2.5 mm hook will produce a slightly smaller monkey, which works wonderfully as a keychain charm.

The Free Pattern

Head

Begin with brown yarn.

Rnd 1: MR, 6 sc in ring (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 5–8: Sc in each st around (24 sts)
Rnd 9: Sc 2, dec repeat around (18 sts)

Before you close the head completely, this is the moment to attach your safety eyes. Place them between rounds 5 and 6, with approximately 6 stitches between them. Once the eyes are secured, insert a small amount of stuffing into the head. You want it to feel firm but not stretched.

Rnd 10: Sc 1, dec repeat around (12 sts)
Rnd 11: Dec around (6 sts)

Fasten off, leaving a long tail for sewing. Use a tapestry needle to weave through the remaining 6 stitches and pull tight to close. Do not cut the tail yet — you will use it to attach the head to the body.

Muzzle

Switch to cream or tan yarn.

Rnd 1: MR, 6 sc in ring (6 sts)
Rnd 2: Inc in each st around (12 sts)
Rnd 3: Sc in each st around (12 sts)

Fasten off with a long tail for sewing. Flatten the muzzle slightly. You will sew this onto the front of the head between rounds 7 and 9. Before sewing it closed entirely, use a small piece of black yarn and a tapestry needle to embroider a nose and a small smile on the muzzle surface. A simple V shape for the nose and a slightly curved line beneath it for the mouth gives the monkey a sweet, friendly expression.

Ears (Make 2)

Begin with brown yarn.

Rnd 1: MR, 6 sc in ring (6 sts)
Rnd 2: Inc in each st around (12 sts)

Fasten off with a long tail. Do not stuff the ears. These remain flat discs. If you want a more realistic look, crochet the center of the ear in tan yarn for round 1 and switch to brown for round 2 before fastening off.

Body

Begin with brown yarn.

Rnd 1: MR, 6 sc in ring (6 sts)
Rnd 2: Inc in each st around (12 sts)
Rnd 3: Sc 1, inc repeat around (18 sts)
Rnd 4–7: Sc in each st around (18 sts)
Rnd 8: Sc 1, dec repeat around (12 sts)

Stuff the body firmly. The body should feel solid but not so tightly packed that the stitches pull apart.

Rnd 9: Dec around (6 sts)

Fasten off and close the opening the same way you closed the head.

Arms (Make 2)

Begin with brown yarn.

Rnd 1: MR, 6 sc in ring (6 sts)
Rnd 2: Inc in each st around (12 sts)
Rnd 3–4: Sc in each st around (12 sts)
Rnd 5: Sc 1, dec repeat around (8 sts)
Rnd 6–9: Sc in each st around (8 sts)

Fasten off with a long tail. Stuff the arms lightly — just a pinch of fiberfill is enough. The arms look more natural when they are slightly floppy rather than rigidly stuffed. Flatten the opening and sew it closed before attaching to the body.

Legs (Make 2)

Begin with brown yarn.

Rnd 1: MR, 8 sc in ring (8 sts)
Rnd 2: Inc in each st around (16 sts)
Rnd 3: Sc in each st around in BLO (16 sts)
Rnd 4: Sc 2, dec repeat around (12 sts)
Rnd 5: Sc 1, dec repeat around (8 sts)
Rnd 6–10: Sc in each st around (8 sts)

The first two rounds form the foot, and the stitch into the back loops only in round 3 creates a defined edge where the foot meets the leg — a small detail that makes a big difference in the final look. Stuff the feet and lower legs lightly, flatten the top opening, and sew shut.

Tail

Begin with brown yarn. Chain 25. Starting from the second chain from the hook, slip stitch into each chain back to the beginning. This creates a curled, rope-like tail that has a natural monkey curl. Fasten off with a long tail for sewing.

If you prefer a more structured tail, you can crochet a narrow tube instead: MR, 4 sc, and then sc in each st around for 20 rounds before fastening off and stuffing minimally.

Keychain Attachment

There are two easy ways to attach the keychain ring. The first and simplest method is to cut a short piece of yarn or ribbon, loop it through the keychain ring, and then sew both ends securely to the top of the monkey’s head before you close the head entirely. The second method is to crochet a small loop at the top of the head: after finishing the head, slip stitch the yarn back to the top center stitch and chain 6, then slip stitch back into the same stitch to form a small loop. Thread the keychain ring through this loop.

Assembly

Lay all your pieces out on a flat surface before you begin sewing. Having everything visible makes the assembly process feel organized and satisfying.

Sew the muzzle to the center of the head between rounds 7 and 9. Pin it in place first if you like, using a straight pin through the center to keep it steady while you work. Sew around the edge using whip stitch, stuffing it slightly before you close the last few stitches to give it a little puffiness.

Attach the ears on either side of the head between rounds 2 and 4. Position them so they are symmetric — counting stitches helps here. Sew around the flat side of each ear, attaching it firmly so it does not flop forward.

Sew the head to the body with the long tail you left when closing the head. Make sure the face is pointing forward and the body is centered beneath it. Use the tapestry needle to stitch around the full circumference of the join, pulling the thread through multiple times to create a secure bond.

Attach the arms to the sides of the body between rounds 3 and 5. They should hang naturally downward, angled very slightly forward.

Position the legs at the base of the body, angling them slightly outward so the monkey appears to be sitting. Sew through the flattened top of each leg and into the body several times.

Sew the tail to the back of the body at the base, right above the lowest rounds. Let it curl upward naturally — if you made the chain version, it will curl on its own.

Finishing Touches

Once all the pieces are assembled, take a moment to look at your monkey from every angle. Tuck in any stray yarn ends and trim them close. If the muzzle or ears feel loose, go back and add a few extra stitches.

You can use a dry toothbrush to gently brush the surface of the finished monkey to give it a slightly fluffy, soft look. This works especially well with acrylic yarn.

If you want to add more personality, embroider small details: tiny eyebrows above the safety eyes using brown yarn, a small patch of lighter yarn on the belly, or even a tiny banana made from a slip stitched chain in yellow yarn for the monkey to hold.

Customization Ideas

One of the most delightful things about making a small project like this is how easy it is to personalize. You could make a whole troop of monkeys in different yarn colors — a purple monkey, a teal monkey, a striped monkey with a variegated yarn. Each one will have its own unique character simply because of the color choices.

Try changing the eye size to see how dramatically the expression shifts. Larger eyes make the monkey look wide-eyed and young. Smaller eyes give it a more mature, composed look. You can also experiment with the face placement: moving the eyes slightly higher on the head creates a different silhouette entirely.

If you are making these as gifts, consider attaching a small card that says the monkey was made by hand. People treasure handmade gifts far more when they know the story behind them.

Tips for Beginners

If this is your first amigurumi project, a few extra tips will help things go smoothly. First, always use a stitch marker — without it, it is very easy to lose your place in a continuous round and end up with extra or missing stitches. Second, do not skip the invisible decrease. It creates a much flatter, neater edge than a standard decrease and makes your finished piece look polished. Third, stuff as you go rather than waiting until the end. Once a piece is too closed to fit your fingers through, adding stuffing evenly becomes almost impossible.

Finally, do not be discouraged if your first monkey is not perfect. Every crochet project is a learning experience, and small imperfections are part of the charm of handmade work. The second monkey you make will be better than the first, and the third will be better still.

Sharing Your Work

If you make this little monkey keychain, please consider sharing a photo in your favorite crafting community or tagging it with the project name so other crocheters can find the pattern and inspiration. There is a wonderful ripple effect that happens when one person’s finished project inspires another crafter to pick up their hook. The amigurumi community is genuinely one of the warmest and most generous creative spaces on the internet, and your tiny handmade monkey is a perfect part of that tradition.

Happy crocheting — and may your yarn never tangle.