Hugamonster is an emergency monster. One of my kiddos is having a rough time and I had this feeling that I just needed to stop everything else I was doing and make something for him. I wasn’t sure what to make, but I wanted it to say, “I’m here for you. I love you. We’ll get through this.”
I picked some yarn from my stash and Hugamonster is what came off the hook.
I wasn’t intending to write a pattern when I started, but made a few notes to keep track of where I was in case I needed to undo something. I’m glad I did, because Smalls asked for a Hugamonster when he saw the one I made for his big brother.
Hugamonster is a really quick and easy amigurumi, so it’s a perfect emergency crochet project for someone who really needs a hug.
Hugamonster
Hugamonster is crocheted in continuous rounds from the top of its head down. The body is all one piece, and the only sewing you’ll have to do is embroidering a mouth and attaching the bottoms of the feet. It’s a confident beginner level pattern, but I took some photos to help you through the one tricky part (the arms).
Be sure to stuff your Hugamonster firmly if it’s going to get played with. 🙂
Supplies You’ll Need
- Red Heart Super Saver Stripes – I used Parrot Stripe and Favorite Stripe for my Hugamonsters. This yarn is still pretty hard to find in my area, so when I see it I grab as much as a I can. The colors are AHHHHHmazing!
- If self-striping yarn isn’t your cuppa, you could also make a rainbow Hugamonster! Here are some rainbow yarn ideas to get you started!
- Size G Crochet Hook
- Safety eyes in your favorite size – I used 12 mm
- Bit of black embroidery floss
- Small bit of cardboard
Hugamonster Body/Arms/Legs
Don’t let the number of rows scare you! This is basically all one piece, you’ll just be breaking and joining yarn three times – once for the second leg and twice for the arms.
Before you start hooking, check out photos below which show how to make the arms and legs. =)
- Make a magic loop
- sc 6 into magic loop (6)
- inc around (12)
- sc 1, inc around (18)
- sc 2, inc around (24)
- sc 3, inc around (30)
- sc 4, inc around (36)
- sc 5, inc around (42)
- sc around
- sc around
- sc around
- sc 6, inc around (48)
- sc around
- sc around
- sc around
- sc around
- sc around
- sc 7, inc around (54)
- sc around
- If you haven’t done so already, pull the magic loop closed tightly, weave in end, and trim the yarn.
- Here’s where you split the row into sections for arm, body, and arm: sk 12 sts, sc 15, sk 12 sts, sc 15 (30) *see photo below
- Continue working in rounds for the body section (middle) sc around (30)
- sc around
- sc around
- sc around
- sc around
- sc around
- sc around
- sc around
- sc around
- sc around
- sc around
- sc around
- sc around
- sc around
- sc around
- Insert your safety eyes if you’re using them.
- Insert stuffing into head and body.
- Now we’re going to split this row into two legs: sc 12, sk 15 sts, insert hook into st after the 15th skipped st, sc 3 (15)
- sc around (15)
- sc around
- sc around
- sc around
- sc around
- sc around
- sc around
- Break yarn, weave in end.
- For the second leg, leaving a long tail for sewing, sl st yarn to the back of 2nd leg opening and sc 15 around
- Use the beginning tail to sew up any gap between the legs, weave in the end, and trim yarn end.
- sc around (15)
- sc around
- sc around
- sc around
- sc around
- sc around
- sc around
- Break yarn, weave in end.
- Now you’re going to work on the arms. Leaving a long tail for sewing, sl st yarn to the back of an arm opening and sc 12 around
- Use the beginning tail to sew up any gap between the arm and body, weave in the end, and trim yarn end.
- sc around for 20 rows (12)
- sc 2, dec around
- dec around
- Break yarn, weave in end.
- Repeat instructions 58 through 63 for the second arm.
- Insert stuffing into arms and legs.
Bottom of Feet (make 2)
- Make a magic loop.
- sc 6 into magic loop
- inc around (12)
- sc 2, inc around (16)
- Break yarn, leave long tail for sewing.
Assembly
- On the cardboard, draw to circles by tracing a quarter, and then cut them out. You will use these to stabilize the bottom of Hugamonster’s feet so they stay flat. Tuck the cardboard circles in before you stitch the feet bottoms on.
- Sew bottoms of feet onto Hugamonster.
- Embroider mouth or whatever details you’d like.
- Enjoy your Hugamonster!
Notes
There are lots of ways you can modify Hugamonster to make it yours! You could make it taller or shorter by modifying the torso or legs. You could make the arms longer and not stuff them so they’re extra floppy. You could crochet embellishments or sew on beads or hair.
You could even bust out that fun fur from 2008 that’s buried under your yarn stash somewhere. 😉
We’ve been having lots of fun with our Hugamonster. Smalls decided we needed to take turns hiding Hugamonster for each other to find. Those extra long arms sure came in handy!
If you liked this pattern, don’t forget to pin and share!
P.S. If monsters are your jam, you might like this trick or treat bag, too!
Love the Hugamonster! Just got done making one! Even if you think arms and legs a little off or one bigger than the other no biggie its a monster!
Yes, Shelly, exactly! I’m glad you enjoyed the pattern! =)
I love this pattern and look forward to making it for my 12 grandchildren.
Wonderful! That’s a lot of Hugamonsters! Thank you so much, and please share photos when you’re done, Dorothy! =)
Love the pattern. Will be making 12. For my Grandchildren.
this is so cute and the write up about how it came to be made me want to share this too.
Awww, thank you! =)
These might be cool stuffed with beans or peas
Yes! Hugamonster would make an awesome beanbag!
I’ve made four Hugamonsters in the past week. I made 2 with Caron Cupcake yarn and then got some Red Heart Stripes & made 2 more. SO cute! To see how they came out go to
https://www.facebook.com/myfancythreads/
I wanted to post the picture here but wasn’t sure how.
I LOVE them! Thank you so much for sharing! I hope they bring someone lots of joy!❤️
Love this! Am making the first of what may be many. Suggestion for the feet bottoms. Cardboard will disintegrate if washed. What about cutting a circle of plastic canvas or maybe even a plastic milk jug instead.
Hi Joann! Yay! So glad you like Hugamonster! That’s a great point about the cardboard disintegrating. You could definitely use plastic canvas or a milk jug, thank you for this great idea! ❤️
Hi this is a great easy pattern. Since I can’t read a pattern I have made a couple to try on my own just looking at yours. Now I’m going to make plenty to be given to our local Children’s hospice hoping to give them something to cherish as they go thru their sickness. Thank you for this idea it’s great!
Thank you Kathy! That’s such a sweet idea! I’m glad you were able to whip up some Hugamonsters based on the photos – that’s an amazing talent! 🙂
This is the best pattern ever! Thank you so much for sharing it. I made one for each grandchildren and great nieces and nephews for christmas (that was 8). I have made them for birthday presents. I even doubled your pattern to make a large one for my daughter in Seahawk colors and called it a hugahawk, lol!!!
I just finished making 12 hugamonsters for my granddaughters preschool class. I would add a picture here but I can’t figure out how.
Thank you again for sharing this fun pattern!
Nanakim, thank you so so much for this, you made my day! 🙂 That’s amazing that you’ve made so many Hugamonsters and I love your Hugahawk idea! I’d love to see photos of your Hugamonsters. Feel free to email them to me at jennifer@jensalittleloopy.com, or share them on my Facebook page right here: https://www.facebook.com/jensalittleloopy/
You’re such a blessing to everyone around you, thank you for sharing your gift!
Hi Jen. I we allowed to sell the finished hugamonster ? Thank you
Hi yes! Absolutely! 🙂
As it is written how much yarn does this take? I’d assume not more than 1 skein but I’m trying to gauge how much actual yarn it requires so I know how much I’ll need if I want to adjust the size. Thank you in advance!!
Oh gosh I’m so sorry it took me forever to see this comment. It uses less than half a skein of yarn.
Thank you for this great little pattern! I hate seeing things together to make stuffies so this is perfect! I may try and shrink it a little so I can get two out of one skein of yarn. This one took just over half (2.7 oz and the stripes yarn comes in 5 oz skeins). I am planning to make a bunch to send to the You Are Loved Dolls organization.
Awww, thank you! It makes my heart so happy that you’re using your crochet skills to help others. 🙂
Hi there
I must have found this pattern not long after you first posted it and made one for my the 3 year old son. he’s now 6 and has taken “Sullivan” on a lot of adventures, this year he even went to school for the first time and all the kids loved him. My son came home that day and asked if I could make one for all his friends at school, I have just finished my 30th monster and can’t wait for my son to give them out in a few weeks
Thank you for this amazing pattern
Ahhhhh Courtney!!! You are an absolute gem! How sweet of you to make hugamonsters for your son’s entire classroom! I hope you get all of the love and hugs from the kiddos, what an amazing thing to do! 🙂
Wow I love this pattern! Recently I graduated highschool and my two neatest friends in the whole world moved to Washington state and Virginia, it’s been hard on all of us and I’m just so excited to make some of these and send them to my girls for hugs when I can’t be there! It should make the distance feel so much shorter. I live in Texas btw so they are quite far. Thank you so much for the pattern because I hate sewing a bunch of stuff together and they should just love them!!!!
Awwwwww thanks! It’s so nice of you to hook up some Hugamonsters for your friends. 🙂
By chance do you know the approximate yardage used? I have a friend that wants one made with bulky weight or jumbo weight and jumbo is 34yds @8$ a skein.
I don’t know exactly how much yardage, but if I had to guess I’d say about 100 yards of worsted weight yarn. That’s a cool idea to make one with bulky or jumbo weight!
I loved the story about how these little monsters came to be. I have made wll over 2dozen. My last ones went to. My friends grands. The eldest girl has a bestie who has been fighting cancer and asked for one for her. Needless to say shee fell in love with hers and the nursing staff went crazy over them. Asked if the could order some My friend says..> think she would be happy To help you out. So to day she tells me they want 28 as of now.Asked her if they would specify Boy or Girl. Even in that the nurses are going shopping for yarn and stuffing. I m thrilled that they love these little guys. 😍 l have monsters, I’ve made cute girly ones, they have all been received with so much love it is inspiring. I was also told that the 6 grands go to a very small country school and they showed their classmates their new friends, they put them on their FB pages to show off their new friends. Now I understand some of them are drawing pics of how they would like them t o look like so I asked grandma to bring me the pics to see if I might be able to reproduce them. Hope I can.
Sorry this is so long.
Hello! This is adorable, and I’d love to make one for the precious little boy I’m about to start babysitting next week. I was wondering, using the typical worsted weight 4 that Red Heart comes in, what is the approximate length of the finished Hugamonster when using your original pattern? I understand it’s easy to adjust length if needed, but yours looks so perfect!
Awww thanks Layla! They’re around 7-8 inches tall using the Red Heart worsted weight, depending on your tension. Would love to see yours when it’s done! 🙂