Crochet Monkey Plush Pattern | Cute Amigurumi Stuffed Toy
There is something undeniably magical about creating a stuffed animal from scratch with nothing more than a hook, some yarn, and a little patience. Amigurumi — the Japanese art of crocheting small stuffed creatures — has captured the hearts of crafters all over the world, and for good reason. These tiny, round-faced figures are irresistibly charming, and once you make one, it is nearly impossible to stop. If you are ready to try your hand at a crochet monkey plush, you are in exactly the right place. This pattern is designed to be approachable for beginners who have a few basic stitches under their belt, while still being fun and satisfying for more experienced crocheters looking for a quick, delightful project.
This cute amigurumi stuffed monkey makes a wonderful gift for babies, toddlers, and children of all ages. It is equally popular as a decorative piece on a nursery shelf, a travel companion tucked into a backpack, or a sweet handmade keepsake for a baby shower. Whatever your reason for picking up your hook today, this pattern will walk you through every step with clear instructions, helpful tips, and plenty of encouragement along the way.
Materials You Will Need
Before diving into the pattern itself, let us gather everything you need so you can work from start to finish without interruption.
For yarn, you will want a light worsted weight or DK weight yarn in the colors of your choice. A classic amigurumi monkey typically uses a warm brown for the body, a lighter beige or tan for the face patch and belly, and a small amount of black or very dark brown for the pupils. That said, amigurumi is wonderfully flexible — if you want a purple monkey with a pink face, absolutely go for it. The magic of handmade crafts is the freedom to personalize.
You will need a 3.5mm or 4mm crochet hook, depending on your gauge and tension. Amigurumi works best when crocheted fairly tightly so the stuffing does not peek through. If your stitches feel loose, size down on your hook.
Other supplies include polyester fiberfill stuffing, a yarn needle for sewing pieces together, safety eyes in 9mm or 12mm size (or black yarn if you are making this toy for a very young child), stitch markers to track your rounds, and scissors. If you would like to add a little extra detail, a small amount of pink yarn or embroidery floss is perfect for stitching on a nose or rosy cheeks.
Understanding Amigurumi Basics
If this is your first amigurumi project, a quick overview of how these patterns work will make everything click into place. Amigurumi is worked almost entirely in continuous rounds rather than rows, meaning you do not turn your work at the end of each round. Instead, you simply keep spiraling around, which creates that smooth, seamless look that makes stuffed crochet animals so polished and cute.
You will start each piece with a magic ring, also called a magic circle. This technique creates a tight, adjustable loop at the center of your work so there is no hole at the top of the head or the bottom of the body. If you are not yet familiar with the magic ring, it is worth taking five minutes to practice it before starting — once you get it, it becomes second nature.
The main stitches used in this pattern are the chain stitch, slip stitch, single crochet, increase (two single crochets in the same stitch), and decrease (also called an invisible decrease, which pulls through the front loops of two consecutive stitches to create a nearly invisible reduction). All pieces are crocheted in continuous rounds unless otherwise noted, so keep your stitch marker in the last stitch of each round to stay on track.
The Pattern
Abbreviations
MR — magic ring
CH — chain
SC — single crochet
INC — increase (2 SC in same stitch)
DEC — invisible decrease
SL ST — slip stitch
ST — stitch
BLO — back loop only
FLO — front loop only
( ) — repeat instructions inside parentheses the indicated number of times
Head
The head is the first and most important piece. Getting a nice round, firm head sets the tone for the whole monkey.
Round 1: MR, 6 SC into ring (6 sts)
Round 2: INC in each st around (12 sts)
Round 3: (SC, INC) repeat around (18 sts)
Round 4: (SC, SC, INC) repeat around (24 sts)
Round 5: (SC x3, INC) repeat around (30 sts)
Round 6: (SC x4, INC) repeat around (36 sts)
Round 7: (SC x5, INC) repeat around (42 sts)
Rounds 8–14: SC in each st around (42 sts) — 7 rounds even
Round 15: (SC x5, DEC) repeat around (36 sts)
Round 16: (SC x4, DEC) repeat around (30 sts)
At this point, attach the safety eyes. Position them between rounds 10 and 11, with about 8 to 10 stitches between them. If you are using yarn eyes for a younger child, you will embroider them on after the head is closed.
Round 17: (SC x3, DEC) repeat around (24 sts)
Round 18: (SC x2, DEC) repeat around (18 sts)
Begin stuffing the head firmly with fiberfill now, making sure it is full and round before you close it up.
Round 19: (SC, DEC) repeat around (12 sts)
Round 20: DEC around (6 sts)
Fasten off, leaving a tail to close the hole. Thread the tail through the front loops of the remaining 6 stitches, pull tight, and weave in the end.
Face Patch (Muzzle)
The muzzle gives your monkey that classic sweet face. Work this piece in your lighter beige or tan yarn.
Round 1: MR, 6 SC into ring (6 sts)
Round 2: INC in each st around (12 sts)
Round 3: (SC, INC) repeat around (18 sts)
Round 4: (SC x2, INC) repeat around (24 sts)
Rounds 5–6: SC in each st around (24 sts)
Fasten off, leaving a long tail for sewing. Do not stuff the muzzle — it should lie flat against the face. Before sewing it on, use black yarn or embroidery floss to stitch on a small nose (a few horizontal stitches work beautifully) and a simple U-shaped mouth. Position the muzzle centered on the face, just below the safety eyes, and sew it on with your yarn needle.
Body
Round 1: MR, 6 SC into ring (6 sts)
Round 2: INC in each st around (12 sts)
Round 3: (SC, INC) repeat around (18 sts)
Round 4: (SC x2, INC) repeat around (24 sts)
Round 5: (SC x3, INC) repeat around (30 sts)
Round 6: (SC x4, INC) repeat around (36 sts)
Rounds 7–15: SC in each st around (36 sts) — 9 rounds even
Round 16: (SC x4, DEC) repeat around (30 sts)
Round 17: SC in each st around (30 sts)
Round 18: (SC x3, DEC) repeat around (24 sts)
Round 19: SC in each st around (24 sts)
Round 20: (SC x2, DEC) repeat around (18 sts)
Stuff the body firmly before closing.
Round 21: (SC, DEC) repeat around (12 sts)
Round 22: DEC around (6 sts)
Fasten off and close as you did for the head.
Arms (Make 2)
Round 1: MR, 6 SC into ring (6 sts)
Round 2: INC in each st around (12 sts)
Round 3: (SC, INC) repeat around (18 sts)
Rounds 4–5: SC in each st around (18 sts)
Round 6: (SC, DEC) repeat around (12 sts)
Rounds 7–16: SC in each st around (12 sts) — 10 rounds even
Lightly stuff the rounded tip of the arm (the hand area), then leave the rest unstuffed or very lightly stuffed so the arm stays floppy and poseable. Flatten the opening and sew it closed with a few whipstitches, leaving a long tail for attaching to the body. Fasten off.
Legs (Make 2)
Round 1: MR, 6 SC into ring (6 sts)
Round 2: INC in each st around (12 sts)
Round 3: (SC, INC) repeat around (18 sts)
Rounds 4–6: SC in each st around (18 sts)
Round 7: (SC x4, DEC) repeat around (15 sts)
Round 8: SC in each st around (15 sts)
Round 9: (SC x3, DEC) repeat around (12 sts)
Rounds 10–18: SC in each st around (12 sts) — 9 rounds even
Stuff the foot and lower leg, then flatten and close the opening. Leave a long tail for sewing. Fasten off.
Ears (Make 2)
Using your main brown yarn:
Round 1: MR, 6 SC into ring (6 sts)
Round 2: INC in each st around (12 sts)
Round 3: (SC, INC) repeat around (18 sts)
Round 4: SC in each st around (18 sts)
Fasten off, leaving a long tail. Do not stuff the ears — they are sewn flat onto the sides of the head. If you like, use your lighter yarn to crochet a small inner ear circle (Rounds 1–2 only, 12 sts) and sew it onto the front of each ear before attaching them to the head.
Tail
Chain 30 (or longer for a curlier tail). SC in each chain back to the starting point. For extra curl, chain 30 but SC back with an increase every 3rd stitch — this creates a natural spiral. Fasten off, leaving a long tail for sewing.
Assembling Your Monkey
Assembly is where the real magic happens and your monkey goes from a collection of parts to a fully realized character. Lay all of your finished pieces out on a flat surface and take a moment to decide on placement before you commit to any sewing.
Start by attaching the muzzle to the head if you have not already done so. Sew the ears onto the sides of the head, positioned at about Rounds 8 through 12, with the opening of the ear facing downward. Pin them before sewing to make sure they look symmetrical.
Next, attach the head to the body. The top of the body should sit snugly beneath the head. Use a length of yarn and your needle to sew all the way around the joining point, reinforcing it a couple of times for durability. This joint takes the most wear on a stuffed toy, so make it sturdy.
Attach the arms on either side of the body at about Round 2 or 3 from the top, just below the neck. The legs attach at the bottom of the body, positioned so the monkey can sit naturally with its legs extending forward.
Finally, sew the tail to the lower back of the body, centered. If you made a curly tail, give it a gentle tug to encourage the spiral before sewing it in place.
Tips for a Perfect Finish
Tension is everything in amigurumi. Crocheting too loosely will cause gaps in your stitches and allow stuffing to show through. If this is happening, try going down a hook size or consciously tighten your tension as you work.
When stuffing, use small pinches of fiberfill rather than large chunks. Large pieces tend to create lumpy spots, while small, layered amounts give you a smooth, even shape. The head in particular benefits from being stuffed firmly — a soft head tends to flop forward and the face loses its shape over time.
For the face, taking time with the embroidery details makes an enormous difference. Even a few extra minutes perfecting the nose and mouth placement will give your monkey a sweet, intentional expression that ties the whole toy together.
If you are giving this monkey to a young child under three years old, skip the safety eyes entirely and embroider all facial features with yarn. Safety eyes, as their name implies, are safer than buttons, but they should still not be used on toys intended for very young children who put everything in their mouths.
Customizing Your Amigurumi Monkey
One of the most joyful parts of making amigurumi is that every single monkey you make can be completely unique. Here are a few ideas to make this pattern your own.
Try switching up your color palette entirely. A pastel monkey in lavender with a cream muzzle has a completely different personality than a classic brown version. You could make a rainbow set of monkeys in different colors for a whimsical nursery display.
Add a little banana accessory. Simply chain 8, single crochet across in yellow yarn, and curve the piece slightly before sewing the ends together. Tuck it into one of your monkey’s arms for an adorable detail.
Experiment with different yarn textures. A fluffy chenille yarn gives your monkey an incredibly soft, velvety look that is irresistible to touch. Just keep in mind that fluffier yarns make it harder to count stitches, so they are better suited to crocheters who already feel comfortable with the pattern.
Give your monkey a little outfit. A simple rectangle of yarn sewn into a tube makes a tiny sweater. A small crocheted hat adds even more personality. Once you have the basic monkey down, dressing it up is wonderfully addictive.
Why Handmade Toys Matter
In a world full of mass-produced plastic toys, there is something deeply meaningful about putting hours of care and creativity into a handmade stuffed animal. Crochet toys are durable, washable (on a gentle cycle in a mesh laundry bag), free of the chemicals sometimes found in factory-made toys, and they carry an emotional value that cannot be replicated by anything bought off a shelf.
When you give someone a handmade amigurumi, you are giving them something that will last for years, maybe decades. It might become a beloved childhood companion, a keepsake passed down to the next generation, or a comfort object that travels the world in a child’s backpack. The time you invested is woven right into the stitches.
Caring for Your Crochet Monkey
To keep your finished monkey looking its best, hand wash it gently in cool water with a mild soap, reshape it while damp, and allow it to air dry completely before it is used or stored. If you used acrylic yarn, many makers find that a short tumble in the dryer on low heat (inside a mesh bag) helps fluff the toy back up after washing. Always check your specific yarn’s care label first.
Store the toy away from direct sunlight to prevent color fading over time. With a little basic care, your crocheted monkey will remain a beautiful, cherished object for years to come.
Final Thoughts
Making this crochet monkey plush is more than just a craft project — it is an act of creativity and love poured into something tangible. Whether you are a seasoned amigurumi maker adding another cute stuffed animal to your collection or a newer crocheter tackling your very first stuffed toy, this pattern offers a satisfying and achievable project with a result that is genuinely delightful.
Take your time with each piece, do not rush the assembly, and remember that tiny imperfections are part of what makes handmade items so special. No two handmade monkeys will ever look exactly alike, and that is exactly the point.
Happy crocheting — may your hook glide smoothly, your yarn never tangle, and your finished monkey bring a huge smile to whoever receives it.
