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Easy Crochet Monkey Pattern for Beginners, Step by Step
The same body-and-head build as the crochet duck, plus four small limbs and a curled tail — great practice for sewing multiple pieces onto one body.
What you'll need
- Worsted weight yarn in brown and tan (for the face and tummy patch)
- 3.5mm crochet hook
- Polyester stuffing
- Yarn needle, stitch marker, scissors
- Safety eyes or small black beads
Abbreviations used
Make a magic ring and start the sphere
Start with a magic ring in brown — this becomes the monkey's body. Rnd 1: 6 sc in the ring (6). Rnd 2: inc in each st around (12). Rnd 3: *sc 1, inc* repeat around (18). Rnd 4: *sc 2, inc* repeat around (24).
24 stitchesWork even for a few rounds
Rnd 5–7: sc in each st around, no increases (24). This is where the ball gains height without getting any wider.
24 stitchesDecrease and stuff
Rnd 8: *sc 2, dec* repeat around (18). Rnd 9: *sc 1, dec* repeat around (12) — begin stuffing firmly now. Rnd 10: dec around (6).
6 stitchesClose the hole
Fasten off, leaving a long tail. Thread it onto a yarn needle, weave through the front loops of the remaining 6 stitches, pull tight to close the hole, then weave the end inside to hide it.
Make the head
Work a smaller ball in brown: Rnd 1: 6 sc in a magic ring (6). Rnd 2: inc around (12). Rnd 3: *sc 1, inc* repeat around (18). Rnd 4–5: sc around, no increase (18). Rnd 6: *sc 1, dec* repeat around (12) — begin stuffing. Rnd 7: dec around (6). Leave a long tail for sewing.
6 stitchesMake four limbs
Make four identical pieces in brown. Rnd 1: 6 sc in a magic ring (6). Rnd 2–5: sc around, no increase (6). Stuff very lightly, fasten off leaving a tail for sewing. Two become arms, two become legs.
Make the tail and tummy patch
Tail: chain 12, then sc into the 2nd chain from your hook and every chain after that. Fasten off leaving a tail at both ends. Tummy and face patch (optional, in tan): magic ring, 6 sc, then inc around once for 12 sc total.
Assemble the monkey
Sew the head to the body, going around the seam twice. Sew the two arms to the upper sides and the two legs to the bottom, angled slightly forward so it can sit. Curl the tail and tack it in two or three spots to the back of the body. Sew on the tummy and face patches, then attach safety eyes above the face patch.
Tip Pin all four limbs and the tail in place with stitch markers before sewing anything — it's much easier to fix the placement now than to unpick yarn later.
Frequently asked questions
Do the arms and legs need to be different sizes?
No — using four identical small tubes keeps this pattern simple. You can shorten the legs slightly if you want the monkey to look like it's sitting more naturally, but it's optional.
Why is my tail floppy instead of curled?
An unstuffed chain-and-sc tail is naturally floppy — that's expected. Curl it by hand around a pencil or your finger before tacking it down, which trains the curl in place.
Can I use this same limb pattern for other animals?
Yes — this simple 6-stitch tube is a standard amigurumi limb used across many patterns, not just this one.