I know, I know — snakes are not everyone's cup of tea. But a crochet snake is a completely different creature: soft, squishy, a little bit silly, and honestly one of the most relaxing things you can make with a hook. There are no fiddly limbs to sew on, the body is mostly soothing spiral rounds you can work in front of the television, and the colour combinations are endless, from rainbow stripes to realistic browns.
So I have gathered twenty of my favourite snake patterns for you here, every single one genuinely free. There are giant plush cuddlers, a tiny baby snake just hatching out of its egg, a snake wearing a crown, a snake you can actually wear as a scarf, and one very clever curvy design that bends itself. I have noted the yarn, the size and the honest little details for each one as we go. Pick your favourite, raid the yarn stash, and let's make some friendly serpents.
1. The One-Piece Plush Snake You Can Drape Anywhere
We are starting with the snake I would hand to any beginner, because Wavode's plush design is worked in one single continuous piece from the tip of the tail right up to the snout. It grows to about 30 inches long in plush chenille yarn with a 5 mm hook, and the only sewing in the whole project is the tiny forked tongue at the very end. The body is kept at a slim twelve stitches a round, so most of it is pure, meditative single crochet that hides any little tension wobbles beautifully. Keep the stuffing light and the finished snake stays wonderfully bendy, ready to drape over a shoulder, loop around a wrist or coil on a bookshelf. One 300 g ball of plush yarn and a free evening or two is genuinely all this one asks of you.
Pattern: Plush Crochet Snake by Wavode — Get the free pattern
2. A Rainbow Snake in Two Sizes
If your DK leftovers are taking over a drawer, Rhondda Mol has the answer: a cheerful rainbow-striped snake that comes in two sizes, a small one at about 13 inches and a big cuddly one at 33 inches. It is worked in light DK yarn with a 3.25 mm hook, so the stripes stay neat and the fabric feels smooth rather than bulky. The colour changes are simple and regular, which makes this a lovely evening project where you can watch the rainbow grow round by round. The full written pattern is free on her blog, and if you prefer printing, there is an optional paid ad-free PDF as well. Make the little one as a toy and the big one as a draught excluder or sofa companion.
Pattern: Rainbow Snake by Rhondda Mol at Oombawka Design Crochet — Get the free pattern
3. The Super-Chunky Snake with a Scaly Texture
JJCrochet's snake is all about speed and texture. It is worked in super chunky Wool-Ease Thick & Quick with a big 8 mm hook, so it grows astonishingly fast compared with fine-yarn amigurumi. The clever bit is the stitch placement: working half double crochet into the front loops only leaves little ridges that read as scales running down the body. There is no complicated shaping to memorise, and the length is entirely up to you — just keep going until your snake feels right, then taper the tail. This is the one to choose when a birthday is looming and you need a handmade gift that still looks impressive.
Pattern: Free Crochet Snake Pattern by JJCrochet — Get the free pattern
4. Mr Edison Watts, the Lightbulb Snake
Some snakes have charm, and then there is Mr Edison Watts, whose head is shaped exactly like a plump lightbulb. Loopsan's design pairs a fresh lime-green DK body with bold red stripes, and those stripes are worked with a clever trick that keeps two colours live at once, so they spiral up the body without an ugly jog. His wobbly eyes sit right on top of that round head and give him a permanently surprised, very endearing expression. At desk-toy size he is a quick make, but the stripe technique alone makes him worth crocheting at least once. Pop him on a shelf and I promise visitors will ask about him.
Pattern: Mr Edison Watts, the Lightbulb Snake by Loopsan — Get the free pattern
5. A Snake You Can Actually Wear
This one always makes me smile, because it is not a toy at all — it is a scarf shaped like a snake, head at one end and a tapered tail at the other. Shooting Star Crafts works it flat in half double crochet stripes, and the sample in pink and white is pure playful charm. Because the body is built from stripe sections, lengthening it is as simple as adding a few more sections before the tail, so you can size it for a child or for yourself. It is a flat, forgiving project with no stuffing and no sewing pieces together, which makes it a restful change from amigurumi. Wear it with a straight face and enjoy every double-take it earns.
Pattern: Snake Scarf by Shooting Star Crafts — Get the free pattern
6. Loki the No-Sew Snake
If sewing pieces together is the part of amigurumi you quietly dread, Loki was designed for you: this snake is completely no-sew. Off the Beaten Hook's pattern grows the whole snake in one piece, head, body and taper, so when you fasten off, you are actually finished. The shaping is gentle and the instructions are beginner-friendly, with a smooth, classic snake silhouette that looks good in a single colour or in stripes. The written pattern is free on her blog; she also offers an optional paid printable PDF in her shop and on Ravelry if you like a paper copy. Long, soft and poseable, Loki is a lovely first "big" amigurumi project.
Pattern: Loki the Snake by Off the Beaten Hook — Get the free pattern
7. The Easy Super-Bulky Cuddler
Here is the snake for everyone who wants maximum squish with minimum fuss. This design from TheAmigurumi.com is worked in super bulky Premier Parfait Chunky yarn, and it finishes at a very huggable 19.5 inches long. The construction is a straightforward spiral with simple shaping, so the soft plush stitches do all the showing off. Because the yarn is thick, your rounds fly by and small imperfections simply disappear into the fluff. It is a kind, forgiving pattern for a first plush toy, and in pastel colours it makes the sweetest nursery gift. Keep one spare ball of the chunky yarn, because people tend to request a second snake.
Pattern: Easy Crochet Snake Amigurumi by TheAmigurumi.com — Get the free pattern
8. The Sweet Smiling Cotton Snake
Not every snake in this list is a plush giant — this one is a neat, classic amigurumi in smooth cotton. AmigurumiBook's smiling snake measures about 53 cm in cotton yarn of roughly 110 metres per 50 g ball, worked with a 3 mm hook for a firm, tidy fabric. The face is the charm here: embroidered features and a little pink tongue give it a grin that softens even committed snake-sceptics. Embroidered eyes also mean it is a thoughtful choice for a baby gift, with no plastic parts involved. Work it in one colour for elegance or use up cotton scraps in stripes; either way it drapes beautifully over an arm or a pram handle.
Pattern: Cute Snake Amigurumi by AmigurumiBook — Get the free pattern
9. The Realistic Snake for Reptile Fans
Every roundup needs one showstopper, and this is ours: a properly realistic snake in worsted-weight yarn, worked in a single piece from head to tail. TopAmigurumi's design uses dark and light browns with worked-in spots, so the markings grow as you crochet rather than being added afterwards. The shaping follows a real snake's proportions, wider through the body and narrowing to a fine tail tip. There is an optional pipe cleaner slipped inside, which lets you pose it in convincing S-curves and coils for display or photographs. If you are crocheting for a reptile keeper or a nature-mad teenager, this is the pattern that will genuinely impress them.
Pattern: Realistic Snake by TopAmigurumi — Get the free pattern
10. Sammy, the Extra-Long Striped Snake
Sammy is the marathon make of the list, in the nicest possible way: a full 92 cm of slim, rainbow-striped snake that is only 6 cm wide. Cuddly Stitches Craft designed him in YarnArt Jeans sport-weight yarn with a 3 mm hook, so he stays light and floppy rather than heavy. The stripes repeat regularly, which turns the long body into a relaxing rhythm of colour changes — perfect podcast crocheting. The designer is refreshingly honest about safety, too, noting that safety eyes are a choking hazard for the very young and suggesting embroidery for little ones. Coil him in a basket, drape him along a headboard, or let him live across the back of the sofa.
Pattern: Striped Crochet Snake (Sammy) by Cuddly Stitches Craft — Get the free pattern
11. Simon the Classic Amigurumi Snake
Simon is the friendly, traditional snake of the bunch — the one that looks like he stepped straight out of a storybook. Yarn Society's pattern is labelled for beginners and works up to about 19 inches in worsted-weight yarn, with a rounded head, a gentle body and a bright red felt tongue that pops against green yarn. The written instructions are clear and unhurried, and there is also a free PDF version on the site if you prefer to work from paper. Because the shape is so classic, he adapts to any colour story: garden green, desert tan, or full candy stripes. He is a lovely pattern to teach a new crocheter with, too.
Pattern: Simon the Snake by Yarn Society — Get the free pattern
12. The Mindless TV-Watching Snake
Fay Lyth understands exactly what evening crocheting should feel like. Her snake is worked in super bulky yarn over seventy rounds, and here is the relaxing secret: only the head is stuffed, so the long body stays soft and floppy with no fiddly stuffing-as-you-go. The length is completely adjustable — stop when your snake feels right, whether that is a short desk companion or a full arm's-length cuddler at about 19.5 inches. The rounds are simple single crochet spirals that your hands will memorise within minutes. This is my pick for film nights, long phone calls and any day when your brain is done but your hands are not.
Pattern: Easy Crochet Snake by Fay Lyth at Stitch by Fay — Get the free pattern
13. Suki, the Curvy Snake Who Bends Herself
Most crochet snakes are straight tubes you bend afterwards, but Suki's curve is built right into the stitches. Craft Passion uses short rows in the orange segments of her blue body, so she naturally sweeps into an elegant S-shape as you work — a genuinely interesting technique hidden inside a small, cute project. A little forked tongue and blushing cheeks keep her sweet rather than slithery. She is a satisfying step up if plain spiral rounds are starting to feel too easy, and the finished curve photographs beautifully. Try her in other colour pairs as well; teal with mustard is especially pretty.
Pattern: Suki, Curvy Striped Amigurumi Snake by Craft Passion — Get the free pattern
14. The No-Sew Baby Snake
June Gilbank's baby snake is the small, sweet one of the collection: a no-sew design of about 13 to 15 inches in worsted yarn with a 3.5 mm hook. There are no parts to attach at all, which makes it a fast, satisfying finish and a great confidence-builder for newer amigurumi makers. Now the honest detail, because June is always upfront about it: this is a donationware pattern. The complete basic pattern is free to read on her page, and if you choose to donate any amount, you unlock the printer-friendly PDF with a bonus rainbow ombré version and extra tips. It is a fair arrangement for a beautifully engineered little pattern, and the basic free version is genuinely complete.
Pattern: Baby Snake by June Gilbank at PlanetJune — Get the free pattern
15. A Whole Pile of Plush Snakes
StringyDingDing designed this one to be made in multiples, and honestly, stopping at one takes willpower. The plush snakes are worked in bulky yarn such as Premier Parfait with a 6 mm hook and big 18 mm safety eyes, finishing at about 23 inches of pure squish. The pattern is rated easy, with a simple spiral body that shows off speckled and variegated plush yarns beautifully. The full written pattern is free on the page, with an optional paid PDF available if you like a printable copy. Make a rainbow pile of them for party favours, classroom rewards or your own sofa — they stack into the happiest heap.
Pattern: Plush Snakes Amigurumi by StringyDingDing — Get the free pattern
16. The Variegated Snake That Colours Itself
This vintage favourite from Repeat Crafter Me solves the stripe problem in the laziest, cleverest way: let the yarn do it. The 20-inch body is worked in a variegated Red Heart With Love yarn, so soft bands of colour appear on their own as you spiral round, then the head is finished in a solid shade for contrast. You will need an H hook, 6 mm safety eyes and a scrap of red felt, which is cut into a tongue and sewn in just before the head is closed — a small step that adds a lot of character. Remember to stuff as you go, because that long body will not let you add filling at the end. Every variegated ball gives a different snake, which makes it dangerously collectable.
Pattern: Crochet Snake by Repeat Crafter Me — Get the free pattern
17. The Upright Snake with Felt Fangs
Most snakes in this list lie down; this one sits up and poses. All About Ami's snake comes from her much-loved Chinese New Year zodiac collection, and the details are pure storybook: a beige felt belly panel stitched with little scale lines, tiny white felt fangs glued at the mouth, and a tail that is picked up and crocheted directly from the body so he stands in that classic charmer pose. He is worked in worsted yarn with a small 2 mm hook for firm, neat stitches and 12 mm safety eyes. The pattern is free on her blog, with an optional paid PDF on Etsy if you want the tidy printable. For a Year of the Snake baby or a zodiac gift, nothing else on this list comes close.
Pattern: Snake by All About Ami — Get the free pattern
18. A Snake Wearing a Crown
Every collection deserves a little royalty, so let me introduce the snake with a crown. Designed by Tansuluu CraftHaus and published free on the Crazypatterns blog, this elegant serpent is about 45 cm long in smooth Schachenmayr Catania cotton with a 3 mm hook. A length of wire worked inside the body means she holds graceful poses, and the separate pieces — white belly, shaped muzzle panel, forked tongue and a tiny yellow crown — give her a polished, storybook finish. Embroidered brows and lashes complete the regal expression. She takes a little more sewing than most patterns here, but the result looks like a boutique toy. A truly special gift for a small prince or princess.
Pattern: Snake with a Crown by Tansuluu CraftHaus via Crazypatterns — Get the free pattern
19. A Baby Snake Hatching from Its Egg
If the crowned snake is royalty, this is the nursery: the same designer, Tansuluu CraftHaus, imagines a baby snake, just 19 cm long, peeking out of a cracked egg. The eggshell is crocheted in two parts with a zigzag cracked rim, and the little snake itself is worked from head to tail in Catania cotton with a 2.5 mm hook, finished with a sunny yellow belly strip. The two shell halves let you tuck the baby in or pop it out, which toddlers find endlessly entertaining. It is an easy-level pattern and a natural fit for spring and Easter gifting, though a new-baby present is surely its highest calling. That tiny face peeking over the shell edge gets me every time.
Pattern: Baby Snake in a Cracked Egg by Tansuluu CraftHaus via Crazypatterns — Get the free pattern
20. The Open-Mouthed Snake with a Wire Frame
We are finishing with the most engineered snake of the twenty — one with a real open mouth. Shared by CSR Life, this medium-difficulty pattern builds the lower muzzle separately and crochets it into the head as you work, using shaped triple half-double-crochet stitches to sculpt the jaw. A 40 cm wire frame runs through the body, glossy glass cabochon eyes are glued on, and the finished snake reaches 32 to 36 cm depending on how many body rounds you add. Stripes are optional, and the smooth Novelty-style yarn in the sample gives it an almost glassy, lifelike sheen. It asks for a little more experience than the others here, but as a display piece it is in a class of its own.
Pattern: Snake Amigurumi by CSR Life — Get the free pattern
Conclusion
Twenty snakes, and not a scary one among them — that is the magic of yarn. Whether you reach for the two-hour plush cuddler, the rainbow stash-buster, the hatching baby or the crowned queen herself, every pattern above is free, tested by its designer, and ready when you are. My honest advice: start with whichever one made you smile first, because that is the one you will actually finish, and a finished snake coiled on the sofa beats five half-made ones in a project bag. Tell me in the comments — which of these twenty will you crochet first, and what colours are you dreaming of for her?
