Big Fuzzy – Love Monster Free Crochet Pattern

Hi, friends!

Do you know about Love Monsters? They’re voraciously lovable *and* loving! And since Valentine’s Day is just around the corner, a Love Monster is also a fun little way to show some love to a little one, a friend, or family member! Just the right amount of quirkiness, fuzziness, and cuddliness!

This is one of two Love Monsters that I designed (find the other one here!). The two are very different but they’re best buds! I can’t wait to gift these little guys to my nieces on Valentine’s Day. 

As usual, this pattern is made in the same style as my Ragdoll patterns; separate pieces worked in flat rows and then joined together to give them that unique 2-D look. Love Monster has 14 separate pieces, so there is a fair amount of sewing and assembling involved. This pattern also incorporates the tapestry (or intarsia) crochet technique and, as mentioned, has a lot of colour-work.

The finished measurement is approximately 28cm/11″ from the top of the antennae to the bottom.

I encourage you to read everything thoroughly before beginning, particularly if you don’t have a lot of experience with tapestry crochet.

Let’s get started! (Or Pin/Shop for later!)

If you’d prefer a downloadable or printable version of this pattern, an inexpensive, formatted, and ad-free PDF can be purchased HERE or through the “Shop It” button above!

Materials:

Stitches and Special Terms (US Terminology):

Ch – Chain

Slst – Slip stitch

Sc – Single crochet

Inc – Increase. Work 2 sc in the same st.

Dec – Decrease. Work a regular sc decrease.

Reading this Pattern and Colour Changing:

When switching to a new colour, insert your hook into the stitch for the last stitch of Colour A and pull up a loop, then, with Colour B, yarn over and complete the stitch by pulling through both loops with Colour B. Drop your working yarn in Colour A and continue with Colour B. This applies when switching colours at the end of a row before starting a new row in a different colour too. 

Everything is worked in single crochet stitches. So, in order to indicate the colour-changes, I have omitted the usual “sc” in front of the stitch counts in any lines with colour-changes and I’ve used the associated colour letter instead. For example, “Rdec” means to work a sc decrease in Red yarn. “R4, P4” means to work the next 4 sc in Red and the next 4 sc in Pink, and so on.

Due to the colour-changes, you will have several skeins or balls of yarn attached to your project at once. Carry the yarn on the back of the panels by dropping the working yarn when you switch colours and picking it back up again when you need it. Always carry the yarn on the wrong side (instead of carrying it inside the stitch as you go); this ensures the front of the panel has clear lines and colours without any of the yarn carries showing through.

*Make sure to always drop your yarn on the WRONG side of your panel!* So, for example, when you are working on a row where the wrong side of the panel is facing you, you will have to make a conscious effort to pull your yarn toward you to the wrong side of the panel when dropping your yarn during a colour-change. This is because it will naturally drop to the side furthest away from you if you don’t. 

Colour Legend:

R – Red

P – Pink

B – Black

Front Body (make 1 panel) with 3.25mm hook.

Start with Pink fuzzy yarn. The panels are worked from the bottom up.

*Ch 1 and turn at the end of each row*

Row 1: Ch 12, sc across (11 sts)

Row 2: Inc twice, sc 7, inc twice (15 sts)

Row 3: Inc twice, sc 11, inc twice (19 sts)

Row 4: Inc, sc 17, inc (21 sts)

Row 5: Inc, sc 19, inc (23 sts)

Row 6: Inc, sc 21, inc (25 sts)

Now we will start the colour-work for the heart.

Row 7: Pinc, P11, R1, P11, Pinc (27 sts)

Row 8: P12, R3, P12 (27 sts)

Row 9: Pinc, P10, R5, P10, Pinc (29 sts)

Row 10: P11, R7, P11 (29 sts)

Row 11: Pinc, P9, R9, P9, Pinc (31 sts)

Row 12: P9, R13, P9 (31 sts)

Row 13: P8, R15, P8 (31 sts)

Row 14: P7, R17, P7 (31 sts)

Row 15: P7, R17, P7 (31 sts)

Row 16: P6, R19, P6 (31 sts)

Row 17: P6, R19, P6 (31 sts)

Row 18: Pdec, P4, R9, P1, R9, P4, Pdec (29 sts)

Row 19: P5, R9, P1, R9, P5 (29 sts)

Row 20: Pdec, P4, R7, P3, R7, P4, Pdec (27 sts)

Row 21: P6, R4, P7, R4, P6 (27 sts)

Rows 22-26 of the Love Monster are completed entirely in Pink.

Row 22: Dec, sc 23, dec (25 sts)

Row 23: Sc across (25 sts)

Row 24: Dec, sc 21, dec (23 sts)

Row 25: Sc across (23 sts)

Row 26: Dec twice, sc 15, dec twice (19 sts)

Now we will start the colour-work for the mouth.

Row 27: Pdec, P4, B7, P4, Pdec (17 sts)

Row 28: Pinc, P3, B9, P3, Pinc (19 sts)

Row 29: P4, B11, P4 (19 sts)

Row 30: P4, B2, P7, B2, P4 (19 sts)

The rest of the Love Monster is completed entirely in Pink.

Rows 31-32: Sc across (19 sts)

Row 33: Dec, sc 15, dec (17 sts)

Rows 34-35: Sc across (17 sts)

Row 36: Dec, sc 13, dec (15 sts)

Row 37: Dec, sc 11, dec (13 sts)

Row 38: Dec twice, sc 5, dec twice (9 sts)

Tie off. Put aside for assembly later.

Back Body (make 1 panel) with 3.25mm hook:

The back panel is made exactly the same as the front panel EXCEPT the entire panel can be worked in Pink (i.e. no colourwork). 

Here is the front panel again, but without all the abbreviations:

*Ch 1 and turn at the end of each row*

Row 1: Ch 12, sc across (11 sts)

Row 2: Inc twice, sc 7, inc twice (15 sts)

Row 3: Inc twice, sc 11, inc twice (19 sts)

Row 4: Inc, sc 17, inc (21 sts)

Row 5: Inc, sc 19, inc (23 sts)

Row 6: Inc, sc 21, inc (25 sts)

Row 7: Inc, sc 23, inc (27 sts)

Row 8: Sc across (27 sts)

Row 9: Inc, sc 25, inc (29 sts)

Row 10: Sc across (29 sts)

Row 11: Inc, sc 27, inc (31 sts)

Rows 12-17: Sc across (31 sts)

Row 18: Dec, sc 27, dec (29 sts)

Row 19: Sc across (29 sts)

Row 20: Dec, sc 25, dec (27 sts)

Row 21: Sc across (27 sts)

Row 22: Dec, sc 23, dec (25 sts)

Row 23: Sc across (25 sts)

Row 24: Dec, sc 21, dec (23 sts)

Row 25: Sc across (23 sts)

Row 26: Dec twice, sc 15, dec twice (19 sts)

Row 27: Dec, sc 15, dec (17 sts)

Row 28: Inc, sc 15, inc (19 sts)

Rows 29-32: Sc across (19 sts)

Row 33: Dec, sc 15, dec (17 sts)

Rows 34-35: Sc across (17 sts)

Row 36: Dec, sc 13, dec (15 sts)

Row 37: Dec, sc 11, dec (13 sts)

Row 38: Dec twice, sc 5, dec twice (9 sts)

Tie off. Put aside for assembly later.

Arms (make 2 – four panels in total):

In Red with 3.25mm hook, the arm panels are basically one long row of a single stitch (1 st worked on top of the next). 

Row 1: Ch 2, sc 1 (1 st)

Rows 2-18: Sc 1 (1 st)

Tie off.

Repeat rows 1-18 for second panel. Do not tie off second panel. Put both panels together, matching up all sides. Chain 1 and sc around the entire piece. You don’t need to stuff the arms. Slst to beginning st to close. Tie off. Repeat for second arm.  Set these aside for assembly later.

Legs (make 2 – 4 panels total):

In Red using 3.25mm hook.

Row 1: Ch 3, sc 2 (2 sts)

Rows 2-10: Sc 2 (2 sts)

Do not tie off yet. Ch 1 and turn your work sideways so that it is horizontal and crochet the following to make a foot shape:

Rows 11-13: Sc 2 (2 sts)

Tie off.

Repeat rows 1-13 for second panel. Do not tie off second panel. Put both panels together, matching up all sides. Chain 1 and sc around the entire piece. (Sc, ch, sc) into each corner. You do not need to stuff the legs. Slst to beginning st to close. Tie off.

Repeat the above for the second leg, BUT make sure when you are crocheting around the second leg, that it is facing in the opposite direction as the first so that the crochet edging is facing out on both.

Set these aside for assembly later.

Antennae (make 2 – 4 panels total):

In Red using a 3.25mm hook.

Row 1: Ch 3, sc 2 (2 sts)

Rows 2-8: Sc 2 (2 sts)

Row 9: Inc in each st (4 sts)

Row 10: Inc, sc 2, inc (6 sts)

Row 11: Sc across (6 sts)

Row 12: Dec, sc 2, dec (4 sts)

Row 13: Dec twice (2 sts)

Tie off.

Repeat rows 1-13 for second panel. Do not tie off second panel. Put both panels together, matching up all sides. Chain 1 and sc around the entire piece. (Sc, ch, sc) into each of the bottom corners. Stuff when you’ve crocheted about two-thirds of the way around. Slst to beginning st to close. Tie off. Repeat for second antenna. 

Move on to assembly below!

Assembly:

Step 1: Eyes and Mouth

First we need to attach all of our facial features to the front panel.

The first thing I did was cut out small circles from a piece of white felt, just slightly bigger than the 12 mm safety eyes. 

Fold each circle of felt in half and make two small cuts in an ‘X’ shape slightly off centre (i.e. not directly in the middle of the circle but more toward the side).

Next, insert the 12mm safety eyes into the white circles, then position them on your Monster and insert them through the front panel and fasten. To finish the eyes, use a sewing needle and white sewing thread to stitch around the white felt circles to secure them.

Finally, I decided to add some little teeth to my Monster. I simply cut out teeny little triangles and sewed them onto the black mouth section. Don’t worry about making them all uniform; the more jagged, the better!

Step 2: Body, Arms, Legs and Antennae

Okay, here are all the pieces you should now have at this step.

Okay, cut off six lengths of the Pink Pipsqueak yarn about 30cm/12″ long each and set them aside for later.

Place the two body panels together, matching up all sides.

**Make sure the front of your Monster is facing you as you crochet around the outside.**

Starting on the left side, in the middle of the head begin attaching the panels together by chaining one and single crocheting around the outside of the panels starting in Pipsqueak.

Stop when you get to the bottom of the head/top of the shoulder and pull up a long loop.

With your tapestry needle and a length of Pink yarn that you set aside earlier, place the first arm between the panels and attach it by sewing through all three pieces; the top panel, the arm, and the bottom panel. When finished, tie a knot to secure and hide the yarn tails between the panels of the body.

Continue crocheting down the body. When you get to the arm, simply crochet in the stitches of the front panel only, since this portion is already sewn shut.

Stop when you get about halfway down the body and pull up a loop. Using another length of Pink yarn that you set aside earlier, attach the first leg the same way you did for the arm. 

Continue crocheting down and around the body. When you get to the leg, remember, you can crochet the stitches of the front panel only, since it is already sewn shut. Continue crocheting both panels together as usual when you get passed the leg.

Stop about half way across the bottom of the body. Attach the second leg.

Once attached, continue crocheting up the body and stop about halfway. Attach the second arm.

Once attached, continue crocheting up the body and stop when you get about halfway up the head. 

Stuff the body now.

Now place the first antenna and attach the same way you did for the arms and legs.

Continue crocheting around. Stop about halfway across the top of the head. Top up stuffing.

Attach second antenna the same way you did for the first.

You should now only have a very small hole in your Monster (below the antenna but above where you started). Finish topping up stuffing! Use the back of your crochet hook to push and even out the stuffing if you need to.

When you’re satisfied, continue crocheting around and close with a slst to first st. Tie off. With your tapestry needle, poke the yarn tail back inside the piece.

That’s it! You’re done!

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