Crochet monkey in a striped sweater

Mika the Monkey: Easy Crochet Monkey Free Pattern

Crochet a monkey in this free pattern

We think you’ll go ape over this amigurumi pattern! Meet Mika the crochet monkey in this free pattern from our Juna Series of amigurumi animals. We’ve actually been planning to make an amigurumi monkey for the series for a while, but just weren’t getting it right. (Writing crochet patterns is no monkey business. Lol.) I had a partially finished crochet monkey plushie sitting in my work bin for the longest time – but I wasn’t happy with it and so couldn’t get myself to finish it.

Then, a few months ago, we went to the mountains in northern Pakistan on holiday and, while I was walking around with some food to feed the boys, suddenly a couple monkeys jumped out of a tree to try and grab the food out of my hands! (Lesson learnt – do not walk around with food in areas full of monkeys!). Anyway, I decided that that was definitely a sign that I had to get the monkey off my back and finish my crochet monkey toy – and so Mika was born.

I’m bananas about Mika! This cute crochet monkey is an easy amigurumi pattern for beginners. I love the striped shirt that he’s wearing. We often get requests for amigurumi stuffies with names embroidered on for a personalized amigurumi toy. This tshirt works really well to embroider a name onto. We often mix and match it with the other crochet animals in our Juna Series, when we’re making personalized crochet toys. You can also pair the pattern with our Mika the crochet monkey baby rattle for a really special handmade crochet baby gift.

Crochet monkey toy and baby rattle in a basket

Now, enough monkeying around. Lets move onto the free amigurumi pattern so that you can get started crocheting your monkey!

(Apologies for all the puns – but they are more fun than a barrel of monkeys! Okay, okay – I’ll stop!)

If you would like an ads-free, print-friendly PDF version of our pattern, you can buy it from our Ravelry store.

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Crochet monkey wearing a striped shirt. The text says "Crochet Monkey free amigurumi pattern"

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Easy Amigurumi Monkey Free Pattern

This pattern is for your personal use only and cannot be sold, copied, or reproduced in any way without permission from the designers. You may sell finished objects made from this pattern in small quantities but please give credit to chaicoffeecrochet.com as the pattern designer.

Tools & Materials You Will Need to Crochet this Monkey

  • Yarn:  Less than 50 grams of DK yarn in brown and a small amount in beige and three colours for the shirt.
  • 3mm crochet hook
  • Tapestry needle
  • Stitch marker
  • Polyfill stuffing
  • Two 10 mm safety eyes or you can crochet eyes for children under 3
  • Embroidery thread in black for the facial features

Easy Crochet Monkey: Stitches and Abbreviations Used

This pattern is written in US terms and crocheted in a spiral unless stated otherwise.

Sl st: slip stitch

Ch: Ch

SC: single crochet

INVDEC: invisible decrease

INC: two SC in the same stitch

BLO: back loops only

How to crochet a monkey

Muzzle

crochet monkey muzzle

Tip: The base shape of the muzzle is an oval, so we will be crocheting around chain, rather than a magic circle as we usually do with amigurumi. If you are new to crocheting around a chain, we have a tutorial on how to crochet an oval for amigurumi.

Using beige yarn

Round 1: Ch 10. Starting in the second chain from the hook, 8 SC, 3 SC in the next chain as your work turns. Now continue on the other side of the chain. 7 SC and INC in the last chain (20)

Round 2: INC, 7 SC, (INC) in each of the next three stitches, 7 SC, (INC) in each of the next two stitches (26)

Round 3: SC around (26)

Round 4: (11 SC, INVDEC) twice (24)

Fasten off and leave a long tail for sewing.

Legs (make 2)

Stuff legs lightly as you go.

Using beige

Round 1: 6 SC into a magic circle (6)

Round 2: INC in each stitch around (12)

Round 3: (SC, INC) six times (18)

Round 4: (2 SC, INC) six times (24)

Change to brown

Round 5: SC in BLO around (24)

Round 6-12 (7 rounds): SC around (24) 

Fasten off for the first leg. Leave a long tail to sew the hole between the legs when joining.

Repeat rounds 1-12 for the second leg but don’t fasten off.

Body

Now we will join the legs

Note: the colours for the shirt will be noted as C1, C2, C3. In our monkey, C1 is mint green, C2 is coral, and C3 is yellow.

Round 13: Sl st into the first unworked stitch of the first leg. SC in the remaining 23 stitches of the first leg and the 24 stitches of the second leg. (48) 

Use the yarn tail from the first leg to sew closed any hole between the legs.

Round 14-16 (3 rounds): SC around (48)

Change to C1

Round 17: SC around (48)

Round 18: SC around in BLO(48)

Change to C2

Round 19-20 (2 rounds): SC around (48)

Change to C3

Round 21-24 (4 rounds): SC around (48)

Change to C2

Round 25-26 (2 rounds): SC around (48)

Change to C1

Round 27-28 (2 rounds): SC around (48)

Change to brown

Round 29: SC around in BLO (48)

Round 30-41 (12 rounds): SC around (48)

incomplete amigurumi monkey with eyes inserted and muzzle sewn on

Now stuff the muzzle and sew it on between rounds 30 and 35, approximately. Insert the eyes between rounds 38 and 39 approximately 5 stitches apart, centred to the muzzle. Using black embroidery thread, embroider on a mouth, nostrils and eyebrows. Stuff the body.

Round 42: (6 SC, INVDEC) six times (42)

Round 43: (5 SC, INVDEC) six times (36)

Round 44: (4 SC, INVDEC) six times (30)

Round 45: (3 SC, INVDEC) six times (24)

Round 46: (2 SC, INVDEC) six times (18)

Round 47: (SC, INVDEC) six times (12)

Ensure that the body is stuffed firmly.

Round 48: INVDEC six times (6)

Fasten off. Insert needle in front loop of each stitch and pull tight to close.

Arms (make 2)

Using brown
Round 1:
6 SC into a magic circle (6)

Round 2: INC in each stitch around (12)

Round 3: (5 SC, INC) twice (14)

Round 4-5 (2 rounds): SC around (14)

Round 6: (5 SC, INVDEC) twice (12)

Stuff the bottom of the arms lightly.

Change to C1

Round 7: (4 SC, INVDEC) twice (10)

Change to C2

Round 8-9 (2 rounds): SC around (10)

Change to C3

Round 10-13 (4 rounds): SC around (10)

Change to C2

Round 14-15 (2 rounds): SC around (10)

Change to C1

Round 16: SC around (10)

Fasten off and leave a long tail for sewing. Do not stuff the rest of the arm.

Sew the arms onto the body between Round 27 and 28, aligning the stripes on the sleeve with those on the shirt.

Ears (make 2)

crochet monkey ears

Using beige

Do not stuff

Round 1: 6 SC into a magic circle (6)

Round 2: INC in each stitch around (12)

Round 3: (SC, INC) six times (18)

Change to brown

Round 4: (2 SC, INC) six times (24)

Round 5: (3 SC, INC) six times (30)

Round 6: SC around in BLO (30)

Round 7: (3 SC, INVDEC) six times (24)

Round 8: (2 SC, INVDEC) six times (18)

Round 9: (SC, INVDEC) six times (12)

Round 10: INVDEC six times (6)

Fasten off and leave a long tail for sewing.

Bring the yarn tail through the ear and out onto the side of the ear. Sew the ear between Rounds 9 and 12.

Tail

Using brown

Round 1: 5 SC into a magic circle (5)

Round 2-15 (14 rounds): SC around (5)

Fasten off and sew onto the back of your monkey, between Rounds 16 and 17.

Hair

Cut four strands of brown yarn approximately 5 inches in length. Fold them in half and latch them on the top of the head. You can knot the strands to reinforce them. Trim the strands to your desired length See how to latch hair.

Your Mika amigurumi monkey is complete! We hope you enjoyed this free pattern! We would love to see your finished crochet monkey, so share it in our Facebook group Amigurumi with Chai Coffee Crochet or tag us on Instagram @chaicoffeecrochet

If you enjoyed this free pattern, why not try more patterns in our Juna series of crochet animals.

amigurumi animals standing on steps

Is it easy to crochet this monkey?

Yes, this monkey is a very easy pattern for familiar beginners You will need to know the basics of crochet such as the magic circle, single crochet, single crochet increases, invisible decreases, colour changes, and how to crochet around a chain, how to join legs for amigurumi. However, these are all basic skills and this monkey is very easy to learn. We have used this pattern to teach a class on amigurumi to absolute beginners!

How do you crochet a small monkey?

If you would prefer to crochet a small monkey, don’t miss our adorable small crochet monkey from our Kozu Palm Pets series of small animals.

How long does it take to crochet this monkey?

The time that it will take you to crochet this monkey will depend on your own speed. However, on average, this monkey should take about five to six hours to crochet – which isn’t bad because you can have an adorable monkey toy ready in one day. Perfect for last minute gifting!