Crochet a Cute and Furry Monkey, Cat or Bear

In the following I’m going to tell you how to crochet a cute, furry animal.
I’m not sure what kind of being he is. When I started I was planning to make a monkey. After I added the snout he looked like a bear. After I added the ears he seemed to become a cat. So I gave him a pair of cat eyes and now it’s a…well…I don’t know. A monkey-bear-cat I guess.

I finished the monkey-bear-cat before I decided to make an Instructable (my first one, by the way) so there are no in-process pictures.
Everything is worked in spirals (amigurumi style).
You need to know how to do the single crochet stitch and how to increase and decrease stitches.

1 skein (50gr) of furry yarn in the color of your choice

1 skein of plain yarn in matching color
The plain yarn has to be in matching color for the body,
for the limbs, ears and snout you can also use another color if you like to.

small amount of yarn in contrast color
for the tail stripes and to stitch nose and mouth 

5mm crochet hook
(I'm sorry, i can only give the metric sizes)

3,5mm crochet hook

darning needle to weave in loose ends

scissors

hairbrush

cooking spoon
(for stuffing)

stuffing

eyes
you can use teddy-bear eyes, buttons, pearls... take a look at the picture.

Stitches (US style):

sc = single crochet

sl=slipstitch

st=stitch

inc=increase (2sc in 1st)

sc2tog=single crochet 2 stitches together (this reduces the number of stitches by 1) 

 Important (1):

The fur will be nicer on the backside (the side facing away from you while crocheting). So this side will be the outside of the body later!

Important (2)

While working with furry yarn, I found out that it makes a difference from which end of the skein you start working (inside or outside).

What difference? Well… that’s a little difficult to explain but I’ll do my best….

On furry yarn the “hair” usually “grows” into one direction.

If you work in this direction the hair will be laid flat and most of it will hide in the stitches. It will be more difficult to get it out again.

If you work in the opposite direction the hair will stand out. Here you work “against the grain” (if that is the correct term). It is easier to brush the fur out and it will be much nicer.

Well…that didn’t explain a lot I guess… I drew a picture …I hope it makes it clear…

Usually the end from INSIDE the skein is the right end to begin with.

Body (with head) (5mm hook)

For the body you need to use the 5mm hook and one strand of plain yarn together with one strand of furry yarn.

EDIT:
I am making another bear with furry yarn of another brand. This time it didn`t come out as nice as the first time. The fur is short and thin. You can see the stitches and it just doesn't look good. Also the body is a bit smaller that it should be. My first bear was fine, so I guess it depends on the kind of furry yarn you use.
I'll try to use 2 strand of furry yarn together without plain yarn, that should work (I hope, we'll see..)
As soon as I have new results, I'll post them here.
So take care which yarn you buy, choose one with nice, soft, long and thick fur.

 

1          Chain 2 and make 7 sc in the 2nd chain from the hook. (7st).

You can also use the adjustable (“magic”) ring technique and make 7sc into the ring.

2          2sc in every sc around (14st)

3          2sc in first sc, 1sc in next sc, repeat around (21st)

4          2sc in first sc, 1sc in next 2 sc, repeat around (28)

5          2sc in first st, 1sc in next 3 sc, repeat around (35)

6-12    sc around (35)

13        sc2tog, 1sc in next 3sc, repeat around (28)

14        sc2tog, 1sc in next 2sc, repeat around (21)

15        sc2tog, 1sc in next sc, repeat around (14)

16        sc around (14)

Stuff body

17        2sc in first sc, 1sc in next sc, repeat around (21st)

18        2sc in first sc, 1sc in next 2 sc, repeat around (28)

19-23 sc around (28)

24        sc2tog, 1sc in next 2sc, repeat around (21)

Stuff head

25        sc2tog, 1sc in next sc, repeat around (14)

26        sc2tog around (7)

fasten off and weave in loose ends

 
In the picture you can see all the parts you need to make

Arms (make 2) (3,5mm hook) 

Chain 8 and join with sl to form a ring

Sc in every st around (8) do not join

Sc around in spirals until arm has desired length (about 12-13 cm)

Now you increase 1sc per row to make the “hand” (keep on spiraling):

1          2sc in first sc, sc around (8)

2          2sc in first sc, sc around (9)

3          2sc in first sc, sc around (10)

4          2sc in first sc, sc around (11)

5          2sc in first sc, sc around (12)

6          2sc in first sc, sc around (13)

7          2sc in first sc, sc around (14)

8          2sc in first sc, sc around (15)

9          sc2tog, 1sc in next sc, repeat around (10)

10        sc2tog around (5)

fasten off, sew hole shut and weave in yarn

Legs (make 2) (3,5mm hook) 

Chain 10 and join with sl to form a ring

Sc in every st around (10) do not join

Sc around in spirals until arm has desired length (about 13-14 cm)

Now you increase 1sc per row to make the “foot” (keep on spiraling):

1          2sc in first sc, sc around (10)

2          2sc in first sc, sc around (11)

3          2sc in first sc, sc around (12)

4          2sc in first sc, sc around (13)

5          2sc in first sc, sc around (14)

6          2sc in first sc, sc around (15)

7          2sc in first sc, sc around (16)

8          2sc in first sc, sc around (17)

9          2sc in first sc, sc around (18)

10        2sc in first sc, sc around (19)

11        2sc in first sc, sc around (20)

12        sc2tog, 1sc in next 2 sc, repeat around (15)

13        sc2tog, 1sc in next sc, repeat around (10)

14        sc2tog around (5)

fasten off, sew hole shut and weave in yarn.

Of course (just in case), when I say “sew hole shut” I’m talking about the one at the END (hand/foot) where you fasten off! The one at the beginning (upper arm/thigh) has to stay open for stuffing!

Stuff arm and legs. Use the handle of a cooking spoon (or something similar) to push stuffing inside.

Using plain yarn, make a seam in the middle of arms and legs to make knees and elbows (see picture). So they bend more easily, and the monkey-bear-cat’s sitting abilities are better. Especially when you want it to sit on an edge, with the legs dangling.

Ears (make 2) (3,5mm hook)

 1          Chain 2 and make 5 sc in the 2nd chain from the hook. (5st).

You can also use the adjustable (“magic”) ring technique and make 5sc into the ring.

2          2sc in every sc around (10st)

3          2sc in first sc, 1sc in next 4 sc, repeat once more (12st)

4          2sc in first sc, 1sc in next 5 sc, repeat once more (14st)

5          2sc in first sc, 1sc in next 6 sc, repeat once more (16st)

6          2sc in first sc, 1sc in next 7 sc, repeat once more (18st)

7-12    sc around

fasten off and leave tail for sewing.

 Snout (3,5mm hook)

1          Chain 2 and make 6 sc in the 2nd chain from the hook. (6).

You can also use the adjustable (“magic”) ring technique and make 6sc into the ring.

2          2sc in every sc around (12st)

3          2sc in first sc, 1sc in next sc, repeat around (18st)

4          sc around

5          2sc in first sc, 1sc in next 2 sc, repeat around (24st)

6          sc around

fasten off and leave tail for sewing.

Tail (3,5mm hook)

When changing the color, pull up the first loop for a single crochet in the old color, then, pull the new color through the last two loops to complete that single crochet. Continue crocheting in the new color. In this way you get a neat color change.

Start with main color

1          Chain 12 and join with sl to form a ring

2-3      Sc in every st around (12) (do not join, we are going in spirals again)

4          sc2tog, 1sc in next 4 sc, repeat once more (10st)

5          sc2tog, 1sc in next 3 sc, repeat once more (8st)

6-10    sc around

change to contrast color

11-14  sc around

change to main color

15-18 sc around

keep crocheting with alternating colors till the tail has the desired length.

For a tassel at the end of the tail:

Brush the body with the hairbrush. This will pull the fur out of the stitches and make the creature look plushy and fluffy.

Really, you don’t have to be careful here. I was at first, but then I learned that furry yarn can easily take this. And I’m using super-cheap no-name yarn!

IN THE UNLIKELY CASE that the fringes are ripped out, check if the bristles of your brush are too sharp or too close together and try another brush. If that doesn’t help it’s probably the yarn and you have to be more careful with the brushing (but as I said, that shouldn’t happen).

 Fold the ears flat (so they have 2 layers). Sew them to the head.

Sew the arms and legs to the body.

Sew the tail to the body

With the contrast color, stitch a nose and a mouth on the snout.

Sew the snout to the face, add a small amount of stuffing.

Attach eyes.

For the fur around wrists and ankles:

chain the necessary length,

fasten off and leave tail for sewing

put around ankle/wrist and tack with tail

weave in ends


Your monkey-bear-cat is now finished! Have a lot of fun with it!


If you change the color, the ears, the snout, the eyes or the tail, you can make this creature look completely different. Actually you could make all kinds of animals (cat, dog, monkey, bear, meerkat or lemur...) let your imagination run wild!


If somebody makes one, I would be thrilled to see pictures!

If something is difficult to understand, please tell me, so I can change it. Thanks in advance!