I am so excited to share my brand new free crochet sloth pattern with you to make my friend Seth the Sloth. This is a relatively simple amigurumi pattern that uses only basic stitches to create but looks incredible using faux fur yarn.
All my friends and family that have seen him want him or one of their own. This crochet sloth pattern is my favourite, adorable addition that I’ve created so far with fur yarn and I’m sure you’ll love him too.
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I have loved slow-moving animals for as long as I can remember. They have such happy, friendly faces and they just seem so cuddly! In fact, one year for my birthday. Instead of a birthday party, my husband got me an opportunity to cuddle a sloth and it was an incredible experience.
I have had the idea for making an amigurumi sloth for a long time but I never really felt happy with what I came up with. After I made my crochet koala, Kaya Koala (check out her free crochet pattern here) using a light gray fur yarn, I just knew that I had to use it to make a sloth it.
Once I had that I idea, I started immediately and worked on it, working late into the night. I was so inspired that I couldn’t put the hook down! I knew I’d pay for my lack of sleep the next day but I didn’t care. I HAD to finish the sloth and I wouldn’t rest until I did.
Free Crochet Patterns Using Faux Fur Yarn
Looking for other fur yarn amigurumi projects for when you’re finished with this sloth amigurumi pattern? Here are some free crochet patterns that I have available on my site to get you started:
- Taran Tarantula
- Kaya Koala
- Crochet Koala Keychain
- Flikka Flamingo
- Crochet Christmas Gnome Free Pattern: Gnorman the Gnome
- Salty the Seal (and her seal babies)
- Otis the Owl
- Baby Owl Crochet Tree Ornament
- Crochet Animal Ears Headband Free Pattern
- Polar Bear Christmas Tree Ornament Free Pattern
- Crochet Gnome Christmas Tree Ornament Pattern
When I was finally finished (at an obscenely late hour for someone whose kids were going to be waking up at 6am), I was ecstatic with my new, happy little guy. Tired, but ecstatic.
I put Seth up on a shelf so my kids couldn’t get a hold of him before I was able to take pictures of him and headed to bed. The next morning, my kids went crazy as soon as they saw him and immediately started arguing over who was going to keep him.
Get an ad-free PDF version of this pattern in my Ravelry or Etsy shops.
After explaining to them that Seth was for Mommy’s blog and that Mommy was going to keep him for a while, they agreed to wait until I was done with him to play with him… but only if I would let them each pet and cuddle him for a minute.
Honestly, seeing how excited my kids get over my projects makes me more excited about them and seeing the joy on their faces when I give them a new toy I create makes it all worth it.
This free crochet sloth pattern uses mushroom buttons instead of safety eyes, so for safety reasons, I wouldn’t recommend giving this toy to a small child that may put the toy in their mouth.
My children are past that stage so I feel comfortable letting them play a toy that has buttons for eyes like Seth does.
What materials do you need to crochet a sloth?
- Yarn: You’ll need a Super Bulky Weight Fur yarn and a smooth, worsted weight yarn in lighter, but similar colour as well as black worsted weight yarn or a darker shade of your coordinating colour for the eye patches and nose.
- For example, if I was making my sloth using a brown yarn, I’d need a brown fur, a lighter shade of brown for the face patch and a darker shade of brown for the eye patches. I got the yarn to make this project from Wecrochet.com. I am so in love with their Fable Fur yarn and their Brava Worsted yarns.
- For example, if I was making my sloth using a brown yarn, I’d need a brown fur, a lighter shade of brown for the face patch and a darker shade of brown for the eye patches. I got the yarn to make this project from Wecrochet.com. I am so in love with their Fable Fur yarn and their Brava Worsted yarns.
- Eyes: This free crochet sloth pattern uses mushroom buttons instead of safety eyes, so for safety reasons, I wouldn’t recommend giving this toy to a small child that may put the toy in their mouth. My children are past that stage so I feel comfortable letting them play with a toy that has buttons for eyes like Seth does.
- Stuffing
I’ve included a full list of the additional materials like what size / mm hook to use etc down below.
What Techniques Will I Need to Know to Crochet an Amigurumi Sloth?
I chose to make this crochet sloth in a more basic design so that there isn’t a lot of special stitches needed. You’ll need to know how to do the single crochet stitch (SC), Single Crochet Increase (SC INC), Single Crochet Decrease (SC DEC), the Magic Circle and how to work in a continuous spiral or back and forth in rows.
If this is your first time working with faux fur yarns, check out my video for my tips and tricks for working with faux fur yarn before you start working on your adorable sloth so that you can hit the ground running. If you prefer a written version, check out my Tips and Tricks for Working with Fur Yarn post.
Other Free Sloth Crochet Patterns Available on my Blog:
If you love sloths, you may be interested in checking out some of my other free crochet sloth patterns that I have here on my blog:
Disclaimer:
Feel free to sell the item created with this cute crochet sloth pattern or any of my other free patterns but please provide pattern credit back to me when posting online, and please provide a link to my blog: https://theloopylamb.com. This pattern is for personal use only. Please do not resell, distribute, duplicate, or share this pattern in any printed or digital form, or claim this pattern as your own original design. Please do not use my photos when selling your finished items.
Skill Level:
- Intermediate
Terminology:
- U.S. Terminology
Supplies:
- (E) 3.5 mm crochet hook
- (I) 5.5 mm crochet hook
- <0.5 oz/2g (4 yards/3.7 m) of WeCrochet Brava Worsted Weight Yarn in Black
- <0.5 oz/3g (7 yards/6.5 m) of WeCrochet Brava Worsted Weight Yarn in Dove Heather
- 3.75 oz/106g (76 yards/69.5 m) of WeCrochet Fable Fur in Kuma
- 2 – 9mm Mushroom Buttons
- Tapestry Needle / Yarn Needle
- Polyester Stuffing
- Scissors
Abbreviations:
- CH = Chain
- ST = Stitch
- MC = Magic Circle / Magic Ring
- SL ST = Slip Stitch
- SC = Single Crochet
- SCINC = Single Crochet Increase
- SCDEC = Single Crochet Decrease
- FO = Finish Off
Finished size:
- Approximately 12” Tall
Gauge:
- Faux Fur Sections: 6 sts x 6 rows = 2 inches
- Face Patch made with Worsted Yarn: 10 sts x 11 rows = 2 inches
NOTES:
- All pieces are worked and sewed onto the project with the wrong side facing out to show the better-looking side of the fur.
- All pieces with the exception of the face patch made with worsted yarn, are worked in continuous rounds. Do not join the ends of your rows (except where noted).
Get an ad-free PDF version of this pattern in my Ravelry or Etsy shops.
Free Crochet Sloth Pattern – Seth the Sloth
Face and Head:
Row 1: Using Dove Heather and 3.5mm hook, CH 9. SCINC in the 2nd chain from the hook. SC 6, SCINC in the last CH. (10)
Row 2: Turn. CH 1. SCINC in the first ST, SC 8, SCINC in the last ST. (12)
Row 3: Turn. CH 1. SCINC in the first ST, SC 10, SCINC in the last ST. (14)
Row 4: Turn. CH 1. SCINC in the first ST, SC 12, SCINC in the last ST. (16)
Rows 5 – 7: Turn. CH 1. SC across. (16)
Row 8: Turn. CH 1. SCDEC, SC 12, SCDEC (14)
Row 9: Turn. CH 1. SCDEC, SC 10, SCDEC (12)
Row 10: Turn. CH 1. SCDEC, SC 8, SCDEC (10)
Row 11: Turn. CH 1. SC across. Turn. (10)
Change to Fable Fur Kuma and 5.5mm hook.
Round 12: Turn piece clockwise and place 24 SC evenly around the outside edge of the piece. When you get to first and last rows of the piece, you will have to insert your hook into the top of the first row (between Rows 1 and 2 – see picture below for help) and the top of Row 10 (between Rows 10 and 11 – see picture below for help) in order to get your hook and yarn through the piece.
Turn the piece so the furriest side is facing you. That’s now the right side.
Round 13: Working in continuous round now with the right side facing you, SC in each ST around (24)
Round 14: SC around (24)
Round 15: (SCINC, SC 3) x 6 (30)
Rounds 16 -17: SC around (30)
Round 18: (SCDEC, SC 3) x 6 (24)
Round 19: SC around (24)
Round 20: (SCDEC, SC 2) x 6 (18) – start stuffing, adding more stuffing as you go.
Round 21: (SCDEC, SC 1) x 6 (12)
Round 22: (SCDEC) x 6 (6)
FO leaving a long tail. Use the tail to sew up the hole.
Eye Patches: (Make 2)
Using Black yarn and 3.5mm hook, CH 7.
Round 1: SCINC in the 2nd CH from the hook. SC 4, SC 5 in the last CH. On the other side of the CH, SC 4, SC3 in the last CH. (18)
Join with a sl st and FO leaving a long tail to sew onto the face. Place the back of the button through the small gap created when you put 5 SCs in the last CH of the eye patch.
Secure button using a length of black yarn and your tapestry needle. Repeat with the other eye patch. Position each eye patch on the face, slightly overlapping the edge of the face and sew onto the face.
Nose
Using a length of black yarn approximately 15 inches long, embroider a nose onto the face of your sloth approximately 3 stitches long.
There should be 3 stitches on either side of the nose between the nose and the end of eye patches.
Body
Round 1: Using 5.5mm hook and Fable Fur yarn, make a MC and SC 6 into the MC. (6)
Round 2: (SCINC) x 6 (12)
Round 3: (SCINC, SC 1) x 6 (18)
Round 4: (SCINC, SC 2) x 6 (24)
Round 5: (SCINC, SC 3) x 6 (30)
Rounds 6 – 7: SC around (30)
Round 8: (SCDEC, SC 3) x 6 (24)
Round 9: SC around (24)
Round 10: (SCDEC, SC 2) x 6 (18)
Round 11: SC around (18)
Round 12: (SCDEC, SC 1) x 6 (12) – Start stuffing. Adding a bit more stuffing after each round.
Rounds 13 – 14: SC around (12)
FO leaving a long tail to secure to the head. Sew the body onto the head, adding more stuffing as you seam to support the head. Stuff firmly.
Looking for Another Free Amigurumi Pattern to Try Next? Check These Out!
Arms (Make 2)
Round 1: Using 5.5mm hook and Fable Fur yarn, make a MC and SC 6 into the MC. (6)
Rounds 2 – 14: SC around (6)
FO leaving a long tail to sew arms onto body. Do not stuff.
Sew arms onto either side of the body just below where the head meets the body.
Legs (Make 2)
Round 1: Using 5.5mm hook and Fable Fur yarn, make a MC and SC 6 into the MC. (6)
Rounds 2 – 14: SC around (6)
FO leaving a long tail to sew legs onto body. Do not stuff.
Sew legs onto either side of the bottoms of the body.
I hope that you enjoyed making Seth the Sloth with this free crochet sloth pattern. I’d love to see your beautiful finished project! Share your adorable little sloths with me on social media by tagging me @theloopylamb or using #theloopylamb in your posts.
Love fur yarn and want to make a BIGGER SLOTH? Check out my new book Crochet Furry Friends!
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Thank you for the free pattern for this adorable little sloth.
You’re welcome 😀
I have a co-worker who just adores sloths, she will absolutely adore him thank you so much!
you’re welcome! I hope your coworker loves him <3
Thank you for the free pattern, it’s adorable!
You’re welcome
This is by far the most adorable sloth pattern I have ever seen. I can’t wait to get some yarn to make him.
thank you so much! :-D. I hope you enjoy making him
My friend, who taught me to crochet, sent me this pattern because she knew I was looking for a sloth pattern for my daughter who is big on sloths. (She turned 8 in February and her birthday party was sloth themed.)
First off, the instructions were wonderful. And you didn’t mention how quickly the sloth comes together. I’d budgeted a week or two (I’m a slow crocheter) to work on it, but it was done in basically a day. If my daughter hadn’t kept stealing it to cuddle on it, it would have been done quicker.
Second, my girlfriend cautioned me against feeling compelled to use the fur yarn because novelty yarns are so challenging to work with. This yarn was amazing. Following your tips I was able to feel my way through the pattern and except for one minor screwup on an arm where I apparently missed a stitch and so the yarn wasn’t secure (there was a big whole) and I had to unworn about four rows to get back to it; I had no problems. (And again, how much of a problem was it really if I still finished the sloth in day.
While I have a short list of things I’d do differently (including seating the head better on the body. It’s a bit wobbly), in general we love it.
Thank you so much for your kind words! You really made my day today <3 . I am so thrilled that you and your daugther love Seth the Sloth.
Sorry about all the typos in my previous comment. I blame the phone. (Never me!) I wanted to mention that we didn’t do button eyes, I made pompom eyes using the same black yarn as the eye patches and a fork. I think the eyes are a little too big (or the patches a little too small) so I might investigate a smaller pompom for next time, but again, limited regret. He’s like an anime sloth with the big black eyes!
No worries :-). I bet he is adorable!
This such an adorable sloth. How many skeins did you use
Thank you :-). I used just over one skein of Fable Fur. Each Skein is 71 yards and I used 76 yards to make Seth.
Adorable !!!!!!!!!!!
Anna
Thank you so much 🙂
Hi, thanks for the pattern, just made Seth using James C Brett Chinchilla. First time using a faux fur yarn and definitely needed your hints and tips. Pattern was great to follow, cant wait to get some more yarn and have a go at tour other patterns.
Thank you so much! I’m glad you enjoyed the pattern and that my tips helped you :-). I haven’t heard of James C. Brett Chinchilla yarn so I’ll have to check it out 😉
Adorable! I really must try this, but is there a specific reason you didn’t use safety eyes? I would just feel a little better using them.
The safety eyes weren’t able to go through both the layer of the eye patches and the face. When I tried using safety eyes between the layers, it was creating some weird bulging on the face so I decided to use the mushroom buttons. You can definitely use them if that’s your preference but to get the look I wanted, I went with the mushroom buttons 🙂
Can You please tell me how much poly-fil I need to stuff this sloth? Thanks in advance!
I don’t have the exact amount of stuffing used but if you have a 12 oz bag of stuffing, you should have more than enough to stuff the sloth. You won’t use it all by any means but if you don’t already have stuffing on hand, that size bag will be more than enough.
Hi! I’m wondering if you have any suggestions for making a version of Seth that is a little bigger (or smaller) so there is a momma & her baby? I just ordered the Brava yarn and I’m excited to make them!
Hi Heather,
I’m so glad you’re excited to make him! He is one of my favourite designs. Unfortunately, to make Seth in a different size with most fur yarns would require a significant amount of math/redesigning. I have a larger version of Seth on my list of potential future designs but currently, he is available in only this size.
I am having problems with the change from regular yarn to the faux fur on the face. I am confused on how to have only 24 stitches around. There are 10 on each long side then the other sides. So how am I to divide it up to come out with 24. Thanks for your help.
Because the fur is bulkier, you wont’ be able to properly fit it into every stitch without warping the face patch. Do your best to evenly place 24 stitches around the perimeter of the face.
This is an awesome pattern!! Really simple and turned out great. I loved your tips for working with faux fur too since this was my first time using it.
I’m so thrilled that you enjoyed it and the tips for working with fur yarn! Thanks for letting me know! I appreciate it