Amigurumi Cute Monkey Free Pattern

Hello amigurumi lovers and beautiful visitors, I wanted to share the free amigurumi patterns for you here. In my article I will share 1 pattern and how to make it for you. At the end of my article, I will share amigurumi patterns that can generate ideas for you.

Materials:

  • lightweight tan yarn, level 3  (I used “Patons Astra” in “Medium tan”)
  • lightweight beige yarn, level 3  (I used “Patons Astra” in “Aran”)
  • sport weight yellow yarn, level 2 (I used Lion Brand Bonbons in the colour combo “Beach”)
  • 2 mm Clover Amour crochet hook
  • Yarn needle (bent tip helpful for attaching amigurumi parts- see HERE)
  • Fiberfill
  • 9 mm safety eyes
  • Brown embroidery floss (for nose/mouth and banana)
  • Beige felt (for lining of ear)
  • Clover lock ring stitch markers
  • Optional: Decorative Floral wire (12 gauge), pink sharpie/paint/blush for cheeks

Note: I worked in continuous rounds (vs. joined rounds).  The wiring in this amigurumi is optional and should be used with caution as it is not safe for babies and young children.  The wiring makes the tail and limbs poseable but is not necessary.

Finished Dimensions: 5.5″/14 cm tall and 4.5″/11.4 cm wide not including tail

FACE

Using beige yarn and 2 mm hook,
Chain 11 (we will be working in rows for this part).
R1: Starting from second chain from hook, Sc 10 (10 sts)
R2: Chain 1, turn.  Inc, Inc, Sc 6, Inc, Inc (14 sts)
R3: Chain 1, turn.  Inc, Sc 12, Inc (16 sts)
R4-5: Chain 1, turn.  Sc 16
R6: Chain 1, turn.Inc, Sc 14, Inc (18 sts)
R7-11: Chain 1, turn.  Sc 18 (18 sts)

We will now be dividing the face into half to form the heart-shaped forehead.  Place Clover lock ring stitch markersin the middle two stitches (9 sts in each half).

Crochet Chinese New Year Monkey

R12: Chain 1, turn.  Sc, Hdc, Hdc, Dc, Dc, Dc, Hdc, Hdc, Sc (9 sts)
R13: Chain 1, turn.  Dec, Hdc, Dc, Dc, Dc, Hdc, Dec (7 sts)
Fasten off.  Rejoin yarn on far right side as shown below.  Repeat Rows 12-13:

Crochet Chinese New Year Monkey

R12: Sc, Hdc, Hdc, Dc, Dc, Dc, Hdc, Hdc, Sc (9 sts)
R13: Chain 1, turn.
Dec, Hdc, Dc, Dc, Dc, Hdc, Dec (7 sts)
We will now crochet around the perimeter of the face as shown below.

Crochet Chinese New Year Monkey

R14:  Crochet counter-clockwise starting from red dot as shown in diagram above: 13 sc down the side, 10 sc across, 13 sc up the side, 7 sc around the curve, 5 slip stitches in the area between the dip of the curves (2 sl st, 1 sl st, 2 sl st), and then 7 sc around the other curve. (55 sts)
Fasten off.

HEAD

Switch to tan yarn as indicated by diagram below.  There are 10 sts along the bottom- mark off one of the halfway points with a stitch marker (the 6th stitch) and begin your brown yarn here:

Crochet Chinese New Year Monkey

R1: Sc 5, Inc, Sc 10, *Inc, Sc 1*, rep 5 times.  Sc 3, *Sc 1, Inc*, rep 5 times.  Sc 10, Inc, Sc 5 (67 sts)
R2: Sc 17, *Inc, Sc 2*, rep 4 times.  Dec x 2, Sc 1, Dec x 2.  *Sc 2, Inc*, rep 4 times.  Sc 17 (71 sts)
R3: Sc 33, Dec, Sc 1, Dec, Sc 33 (69 sts)
R4: Sc 32, Dec, Sc 1, Dec, Sc 32 (67 sts)
R5-9: Sc 67
R10: *Sc 5, Dec*, rep 9 times.  Sc 4 (58 sts).
R11-13: Sc 58
R14: *Sc 7, Dec*, rep 6 times.  Sc 4 (52 sts)
R15: *Sc 11, Dec*, rep 4 times (48 sts)
R16: *Sc 6, Dec*, rep 6 times (42 sts)
R17: *Sc 5, Dec*, rep 6 times (36 sts)
Embroider nose with brown embroidery floss and place safety eyes between Rows 7-8 and 8 stitches apart.  Begin stuffing head.

Crochet Chinese New Year Monkey

R18: *Sc 4, Dec*, rep 6 times (30 sts)
R19: *Sc 3, Dec*, rep 6 times (24 sts)
R20: *Sc 2, Dec*, rep 6 times (18 sts)
R21: *Sc, Dec*, rep 6 times (12 sts)
Finish stuffing head.
R22: *Dec*, rep 6 times (6 sts)
Draw through front loops of last stitches and pull tightly shut.  Add pink cheeks to Monkey’s face with pink sharpie, pink brads, or pink blush.

EARS (make 2)

Using tan yarn,
R1: 8 sc in Magic Ring (8 sts)
R2: 2 sc in each sc around (16 sts)
R3: *Sc 1, Inc*, rep 8 times (24 sts)
R4-6: Sc 24
Pinch shut and sew open ends together.  Sew onto sides of head across Rounds 8-10 of tan yarn.  For lining of ear, cut two semi-circles out of beige felt and glue to inner ear.

Crochet Chinese New Year Monkey

BODY

Using tan yarn, begin forming triangular base:
Chain 2 (we will be working in rows for this part).
R1: Starting from second chain from hook, Sc 1 (1 st)
R2: Chain 1, turn.  Inc (2 sts)
R3: Chain 1, turn.  Inc x 2 (4 sts)
R4: Chain 1, turn.  Inc, Sc 2, Inc (6 sts)
R5: Chain 1, turn.  Sc 6 (6 sts)
R6: Chain 1, turn.Inc, Sc 4, Inc (8 sts)
R7: Chain 1, turn.  Sc 8 (8 sts)
R8: Chain 1, turn.  Inc, Sc 6, Inc (10 sts)
R9: Chain 1, turn.  Sc 10 (10 sts)

Crochet Chinese New Year Monkey

R10: Crochet counter-clockwise around triangle starting from the red dot as indicated in diagram above (we will now be working in rounds):

8 sc down the side, 1 sc at the bottom, 8 sc up the other side, 10 sc across the top.
R11: In back loops only, Sc 27 (27 sts)
R12-13: Sc 27 (27 sts)
R14: *Sc 7, Dec*, rep 3 times (24 sts)
R15: Sc 24 (24 sts)
R16: *Sc 6, Dec*, rep 3 times (21 sts)
R17: Sc 21 (21 sts)
R18: *Sc 5, Dec*, rep 3 times (18 sts)
R19-20: Sc 18 (18 sts)

Fasten off and leave long end for sewing.  If using wiring, cut at least 15″/38 cm of decorative wiring.  Form one end into triangular base that can fit into bottom of body.  Place triangular base into bottom of body while poking other end of wire out of corner of triangle to form tail.  Secure triangular base by tying each corner with yarn.   Bend end of tail and wrap electrical tape around it to prevent end from protruding out. Our final tail measured approximately 23 cm/9″ (with end bent).

Crochet Chinese New Year Monkey
Crochet Chinese New Year Monkey

Form wire arms and legs as shown below, once again wrapping ends with electrical tape.  Our limbs measured approximately 3 cm/1.18″ long after being bent..  You can also crochet the limbs first to gauge what size you need to make the wire inserts.

Crochet Chinese New Year Monkey

Now stuff and sew body to head.  Attach head so that it is tilting downwards, near where the beige face becomes the brown head.

ARMS (make 2)

Using beige yarn (no need to stuff if using wiring),
R1: 6 sc in Magic Ring (6 sts)
R2: *Sc 2, Inc*, rep 2 times (8 sts)
R3-4: Sc 8 (8 sts)
Switch to tan yarn,
R5-8: Sc 8 (8 sts)
Fasten off and leave long end for sewing.  Insert onto wire arms and sew onto body.

LEGS (make 2)

Using beige yarn (no need to stuff if using wiring),
R1: 6 sc in Magic Ring (6 sts)
R2: *Sc 2, Inc*, rep 2 times (8 sts)
R3: *Sc 3, Inc*, rep 2 times (10 sts)
R4: Sc 10 (10 sts)
Switch to tan yarn,
R5-8: Sc 10 (10 sts)
Fasten off and leave long end for sewing.  Insert onto wire legs and sew onto body.

TAIL

Using tan yarn (no need to stuff if using wiring),
R1: 6 sc in Magic Ring (5 sts)
R2-44: Sc 6 (6 sts).

Adjust tail to your desired length (shorter or longer based on your wire tail).  Insert onto wire tail and attach to back of body.

NOTES if not using wiring:

  • Stuff arms and legs very lightly.
  • Minimally stuff the tail (perhaps just at base where tail joins with body) to prevent the tail from weighing down the monkey too much.  Shorten the tail length (possibly to half) to minimize weight.
  • Do not stuff the body too much- make sure that the triangular base can be inverted so that your monkey can sit well.  If you stuff it too much, the triangular base will puff out, making it impossible for your monkey to sit and likely to topple over.

BANANA

Using yellow yarn,;
Chain 21 (we will be working in rows).
R1: Starting from second chain from hook, Sl st 2, Hdc 16, Sl st 2 (20 sts).
R2: Chain 1, turn.  In front loops only, Sl st 2.  In third loops only, Hdc 16.  In front loops only, Sl 2 (20 sts).  [See tutorial HERE to learn how to locate third loops of half double crochets!]
R3: Chain 1, turn.  Sl st 2, Hdc 16, Sl st 2 (20 sts).
R4: Repeat Row 2.
R5: Repeat Row 3.
R6: Repeat Row 2.
R7: Repeat Row 3.
R8: Sl st 2, *Hdc 2, Hdc dec*, rep 4 times, sl st 2. (16 sts)

Crochet Chinese New Year Monkey

Sew banana shut by sewing onto second last row as shown below.

Crochet Chinese New Year Monkey

Using brown embroidery floss, sew a star/asterisk onto bottom of banana.  Then, sew around perimeter of star.

Crochet Chinese New Year Monkey

To create stem:

Round 1: Pick up 4 stitches- Sc 4 (4 sts).
R2-4: Sc 4 (4 sts)
R5: Sc 1, Inc, Sc 2 (5 sts).
Fasten off and weave in ends.

Crochet Chinese New Year Monkey
Crochet Chinese New Year Monkey

More Amigurumi Monkey Ideas: