Hugamonsters!
In the summer of 2017 my middle kiddo, then a teenager, was going through his first and worst heartbreak. My heart was breaking right alongside his. There was nothing I could do to change what he was going through or make it easier. He didn’t want to talk about it, he didn’t want hugs, he didn’t even want a pint of Ben & Jerry’s (my go-to for bad times).
So I sat down on the sofa with some yarn and just randomly crocheted a weird shape while watching Stampycat feed cake to his cats with my youngest for a few hours and…
The very first Hugamonster was born!
I don’t know if this Hugamonster actually made my son feel better, but it did make him smile for a few minutes and it also made me feel less helpless.
I decided to crochet another one and write the pattern so other people could make these weird little monsters too. It was published as a free pattern with permission for anyone to make and sell finished Hugamonsters themselves if they’d like.
The pattern went viral.
I didn’t fully realize what that meant until I started getting the most amazing emails!
- A teacher made a Hugamonster for each student in her kindergarten classroom for a holiday gift.
- A bus driver’s mother crocheted Hugamonsters for all of the kiddos on the bus.
- People have crocheted boxes of Hugamonsters and dropped them off at police stations, shelters, and hospitals to comfort kiddos who are having scary times.
- Someone who was struggling with a loss crocheted one for a friend who was having a hard time, and crocheting a cute monster made her feel a little better too.
I still get emails and comments like this seven years later, and every time I do I end up crying my eyes out because it makes me so happy that something I created spreads joy.
People have made Hugamonsters in all shapes and sizes, furry ones, sparkly ones, Hugamonsters with accessories…there are thousands of Hugamonsters in the world! It’s so much fun to see a new one pop up!
I’m in the process of sunsetting my old website but believe that Hugamonsters are needed now more than ever. So, I’m reposting the pattern here.
Hugamonsters are a quick and easy amigurumi – a perfect emergency crochet project for someone who needs a hug ASAP.
Hugamonster
Hugamonsters are crocheted in continuous rounds from the top of their head down. The body is all one piece. 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 pretty hard to find all these years later, so when I see it I grab as much as a I can. The colors are AHHHHHmazing!
- OR any worsted-weight self-striping yarn will work.
- OR any yarn weight with the appropriate sized hook for amigurumi will work, this pattern works with whatever you have.
- If self-striping yarn isn’t your cuppa, you could also make a stripy Hugamonster using whatever scraps you have on hand.
- Size E Crochet Hook
- Safety eyes in your favorite size – I used 12 mm — or felt to sew eyes on if you’re making this for a little one (safety first!)
- 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 15 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 2 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) *stuff the arms as you go
sc 2, dec around
dec around
Break yarn, weave in end.
Repeat instructions 58 through 63 for the second arm.
Insert stuffing into 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. 😉
I’ve made LOTS of Hugamonsters over the years and they live all over the world! There are a few in the UK, one in Ireland, many scattered throughout the United States, and even one in Australia (!!!). Here are some more Hugamonsters.
