Monkey Amigurumi Crochet Pattern | Cute Monkey Plush Crochet PDF | Jungle
If you’ve ever wanted to crochet your own adorable monkey plushie, you’re in exactly the right place. This monkey amigurumi crochet pattern is designed to guide you through every stitch, from the tip of his curly tail to the rounded top of his little head. Whether you’re a beginner who has just completed a few basic amigurumi projects or an experienced crocheter looking for your next jungle-themed creation, this cute monkey plush pattern has everything you need to make a toy that people will absolutely love.
Amigurumi has taken the crafting world by storm, and it’s easy to see why. These small, stuffed crocheted figures are endlessly charming, surprisingly portable to work on, and make wonderful handmade gifts for children and adults alike. A monkey is one of the most beloved amigurumi subjects because of its playful character, expressive face, and the satisfying way the finished piece captures the spirit of a real animal in miniature form. Let’s dive into everything you need to know about this pattern, including the materials, stitches, tips for success, and a full walkthrough of how to bring your jungle friend to life.
Why You’ll Love This Monkey Amigurumi Pattern
Before we get into the specifics of the pattern itself, it helps to understand what makes this particular design stand out. This cute monkey plush crochet pattern was designed with a few key goals in mind: it should be achievable for someone who knows basic amigurumi techniques, it should result in a monkey that looks genuinely expressive and sweet, and it should be fun to make from start to finish.
The finished monkey sits comfortably at around 7 to 8 inches tall when made with the recommended yarn and hook, making it a perfect size for a stuffed animal that can sit on a shelf, be carried around by a child, or tucked into a gift basket. The design features a rounded body, slightly oversized ears, long arms, a gently curved tail, and an embroidered or safety-eye face that gives the monkey a warm, curious expression. The contrast between the body color and the muzzle and inner ears creates that classic monkey look that is instantly recognizable and universally loved.
Materials You Will Need
To complete this monkey amigurumi pattern, gather the following supplies before you begin. Having everything on hand before you start crocheting will help the process flow smoothly without interruptions.
For the yarn, you will need a medium weight (category 4) yarn in brown for the main body. A warm medium brown works beautifully for a traditional monkey, but you could also use a golden tan, a chocolate brown, or even a grey if you prefer a different species look. You will also need a small amount of a lighter color, such as beige or cream, for the muzzle, the inner ears, and the belly area. The contrast between these two colors is what gives the monkey its characteristic face and makes the finished plush look so lifelike and adorable.
In terms of quantity, plan for roughly 100 to 150 yards of the main brown yarn and around 30 to 50 yards of the lighter contrast yarn. These amounts are estimates and may vary slightly depending on your tension.
You will also need a 3.5mm crochet hook, though if you tend to crochet loosely, you may want to go down to a 3.0mm hook to ensure your stitches are tight enough to hold the stuffing inside without showing gaps. Tight stitches are one of the hallmarks of quality amigurumi.
Other essential supplies include polyfill stuffing or fiber fill for the body and head, 12mm safety eyes (two of them), a yarn needle for sewing pieces together and weaving in ends, and stitch markers to help you keep track of rounds. Black embroidery floss or dark yarn is useful if you plan to embroider the nose and mouth, or you can use a small safety nose for a more polished look.
Optional but lovely additions include a small piece of ribbon or a tiny bow to tie around the monkey’s wrist or neck, a little flower or leaf accessory to tuck in the monkey’s hand, or small lengths of wire armature inside the arms and tail if you want them to be poseable.
Abbreviations and Stitches Used
This monkey amigurumi crochet pattern is written using standard US crochet terminology. Here are the abbreviations you will encounter throughout the pattern.
MR stands for magic ring. SC means single crochet. Inc means increase, which is two single crochets worked into the same stitch. Dec means decrease, which is an invisible decrease worked across two stitches. Ch means chain. Sl st means slip stitch. BLO means back loop only. FLO means front loop only. St means stitch, and sts means stitches. Rnd means round.
All rounds are worked in a continuous spiral unless otherwise indicated. Do not join at the end of each round. Use a stitch marker to track the beginning of each round and move it up as you go.
Pattern Instructions
Head
Start with your lighter contrast color yarn for the muzzle area, or begin in your main brown and switch colors partway through depending on your preferred method of color placement. For this pattern, the head is worked entirely in the main brown, and the muzzle is added as a separate flat piece that gets sewn on afterward, which many crocheters find easier and neater.
Begin with a magic ring and work 6 single crochets into it. Pull the ring closed tightly. This is your first round.
Round 2: Increase in each stitch around. You now have 12 stitches.
Round 3: Work one single crochet in the first stitch, then increase in the next. Repeat this pattern around. You now have 18 stitches.
Round 4: Single crochet in the first two stitches, then increase in the third. Repeat around. You now have 24 stitches.
Round 5: Single crochet in the first three stitches, then increase in the fourth. Repeat around. You now have 30 stitches.
Round 6: Single crochet in the first four stitches, then increase in the fifth. Repeat around. You now have 36 stitches.
Rounds 7 through 12: Work even, meaning single crochet in every stitch around, for six rounds. You maintain 36 stitches.
This is the point where you will attach your safety eyes if you are using them. Place them between rounds 9 and 10, with approximately 8 to 10 stitches between them. The placement of the eyes makes a significant difference in the final expression of your monkey, so take a moment to try different positions before clicking the backings into place permanently.
Round 13: Single crochet in the first four stitches, then decrease. Repeat around. You now have 30 stitches.
Round 14: Single crochet in the first three stitches, then decrease. Repeat around. You now have 24 stitches.
Begin stuffing the head firmly at this point. Continue adding stuffing as you close up the remaining rounds so the head remains full and round.
Round 15: Single crochet in the first two stitches, then decrease. Repeat around. You now have 18 stitches.
Round 16: Single crochet in the first stitch, then decrease. Repeat around. You now have 12 stitches.
Round 17: Decrease around. You now have 6 stitches.
Fasten off and close the hole by weaving the yarn tail through the front loops of the remaining stitches and pulling tight. Weave in the end securely.
Muzzle
Using your contrast color yarn, make a magic ring and work 6 single crochets into it.
Round 2: Increase in each stitch. You now have 12 stitches.
Round 3: Single crochet in the first stitch, increase in the next. Repeat around. You now have 18 stitches.
Fasten off, leaving a long tail for sewing. Using your yarn needle, sew the muzzle to the center front of the head, positioned just below and between the eyes. Stuff it very lightly as you sew to give it a slight raised, puffy look. Then embroider a small V-shaped nose and a little smile using black embroidery floss or a length of dark yarn.
Body
Using your main brown yarn, make a magic ring and work 6 single crochets.
Round 2: Increase in each stitch. You now have 12 stitches.
Round 3: Single crochet in the first stitch, increase in the next. Repeat around. You now have 18 stitches.
Round 4: Single crochet in the first two stitches, increase in the third. Repeat around. You now have 24 stitches.
Round 5: Single crochet in the first three stitches, increase in the fourth. Repeat around. You now have 30 stitches.
Rounds 6 through 14: Work even for nine rounds. You maintain 30 stitches throughout.
If you would like to add a belly patch in the contrast color, now is a good time to do it. You can either sew a small flat oval piece onto the front of the body after it is complete, or you can work the contrast color directly into a few stitches in the front of rounds 8 through 12 using color changes.
Round 15: Single crochet in the first three stitches, then decrease. Repeat around. You now have 24 stitches.
Round 16: Single crochet in the first two stitches, then decrease. Repeat around. You now have 18 stitches.
Stuff the body firmly at this stage, making sure it holds a nice rounded shape.
Round 17: Single crochet in the first stitch, then decrease. Repeat around. You now have 12 stitches.
Round 18: Decrease around. You now have 6 stitches.
Fasten off and close the remaining hole. Weave in ends.
Arms (Make Two)
Using your main brown yarn, make a magic ring and work 6 single crochets.
Round 2: Increase in each stitch. You now have 12 stitches.
Rounds 3 through 4: Work even for 2 rounds.
Round 5: Decrease twice, then single crochet in the remaining 8 stitches. You now have 10 stitches.
Rounds 6 through 16: Work even for 11 rounds.
Stuff the arm lightly. The hands benefit from a slightly firmer stuffing than the upper arm. Flatten the open end and close it by working single crochets through both layers, or sew it shut with your yarn needle. Leave a long tail for attaching to the body.
Legs (Make Two)
Using your main brown yarn, make a magic ring and work 6 single crochets.
Round 2: Increase in each stitch. You now have 12 stitches.
Round 3: Work even. 12 stitches.
Round 4: Decrease twice, then single crochet in the remaining 8 stitches. You now have 10 stitches.
Rounds 5 through 12: Work even for 8 rounds.
Stuff, flatten, and close the same way as the arms. Leave a long tail for sewing.
Ears (Make Two)
Using your main brown yarn, make a magic ring and work 6 single crochets.
Round 2: Increase in each stitch. You now have 12 stitches.
Fasten off, leaving a long tail. Repeat with contrast color yarn for the inner ear. Place the contrast colored circle on top of the brown circle and sew them together around the edges, then sew the assembled ear to the side of the head.
Tail
Using your main brown yarn, chain 30. Single crochet in the second chain from the hook and in each chain across. Fasten off, leaving a long tail for attaching. You can stiffen the tail with a wire insert for a curled or poised look, or simply sew it on in a gentle curve.
Assembly
Lay out all your finished pieces before you begin sewing. Position the head on top of the body and use pins to find the placement you like before committing to sewing. The head should sit slightly forward-facing to give the monkey a curious, alert expression. Sew the head to the body securely using the long tail and your yarn needle, working all the way around the join at least twice.
Attach the arms to either side of the body near the top, positioning them so they angle slightly downward and forward. The legs attach to the bottom of the body, spaced apart to allow the monkey to sit in a stable position. Sew the tail to the back center of the body near the base.
Once everything is attached, go back and check all your seams, add any final embellishments, weave in all remaining yarn tails, and trim them close.
Tips for a Perfect Monkey Amigurumi
Amigurumi has a few quirks that can trip up even experienced crocheters, so here are some practical tips to help your monkey turn out beautifully.
Always use a hook slightly smaller than recommended for your yarn weight. This creates tighter stitches that prevent the stuffing from showing through and give the finished piece a cleaner, firmer look. If you find you are fighting your hook or the yarn feels stiff, go up slightly, but err on the tighter side.
Use stitch markers consistently. Losing track of where your round starts is the most common amigurumi mistake, and it can throw off your stitch counts and cause pieces to become lopsided.
Stuff as you go rather than trying to stuff at the very end. Pushing stuffing into a nearly-closed piece is frustrating and often leads to uneven results. For the head especially, add stuffing by round 13 or 14 and keep adding a little at a time as you decrease.
When sewing pieces together, use the same yarn as the piece you are attaching. This makes the seam nearly invisible and gives the monkey a seamless, professional look.
If you want your monkey to be safe for babies or very young children, omit the safety eyes and embroider eyes using yarn or embroidery floss instead. Felt circles with embroidered pupils are another charming option that completely eliminates any choking hazard.
Customization Ideas
One of the most joyful parts of working with this cute monkey plush crochet pattern is how easy it is to customize. With just a few small changes, you can create an entire jungle family.
Try making a mama monkey with a tiny baby monkey attached to her back. The baby is simply a smaller version of the same pattern, worked with fewer rounds in each section. A simple length of yarn looped through the baby’s arms and around the mama’s neck keeps the pair together.
Experiment with different color combinations to create different species. A soft grey and white version resembles a langur or spider monkey. A golden yellow and white version could be a tiny lion-tailed macaque. Deep brown with pale gold accents makes a beautiful howler monkey.
Add accessories to give your monkey personality. A tiny crocheted banana is very simple to make and looks adorable in the monkey’s hand. A small leaf hat, a woven basket, or a crochet flower wreath are all quick additions that make the finished piece feel truly unique.
Gifting and Display Ideas
This monkey amigurumi is one of those gifts that genuinely delights people of all ages. For new babies, it makes a beautiful nursery decoration and eventual first soft toy. For children who love animals, a handmade monkey feels more special than any mass-produced stuffed animal. For adults who appreciate handmade crafts, it’s a charming desk companion or shelf decoration.
If you’re selling your finished pieces, a jungle-themed display with leaves, small wooden logs, and natural elements makes your monkey photograph beautifully for online listings. Pair the monkey with other jungle amigurumi like lions, elephants, and toucans for a truly stunning display.
For a gift presentation, tuck the finished monkey into a small basket with some shredded paper or dried flowers, add a handwritten tag noting that it is handmade with love, and tie the whole thing up with a ribbon that matches the monkey’s accent color.
Final Thoughts
This monkey amigurumi crochet pattern brings together everything that makes handmade toys so special. Each stitch is placed with care, each piece assembled by hand, and the finished result is something that carries warmth and personality that factory-made toys simply cannot replicate. Whether you’re making this cute monkey plush for your own collection, for a gift, or to sell, you’re creating something genuinely lovely.
The jungle-inspired design translates beautifully in any colorway, and the pattern is flexible enough to accommodate beginners while still being engaging for more advanced crocheters. Once you’ve made your first monkey, you’ll likely find yourself planning the next one immediately. That’s the
