How to Crochet a Monstera Leaf Jellycat Pot: A Step-by-Step Video Tutorial Guide

If you’ve been scrolling through craft communities lately, you’ve almost certainly come across the adorable world of Jellycat-inspired crochet. These soft, whimsical plush toys have taken the handmade community by storm, and one of the most charming projects to emerge from that trend is the crochet monstera leaf Jellycat pot — a cuddly, round-bottomed little plant pot complete with a signature monstera leaf that looks like it jumped straight off a nursery shelf. Whether you’re a beginner looking for your next project or an experienced crocheter wanting to add something fresh to your portfolio, this tutorial guide will walk you through everything you need to know to bring this adorable creation to life.

What Is a Monstera Leaf Jellycat Pot?

Before we dive into the how-to, let’s talk about what makes this project so special. Jellycat is a beloved British soft toy brand known for its impossibly soft plush toys with big round shapes, subtle expressions, and a certain irresistible charm. The “Jellycat aesthetic” — those soft, slightly exaggerated forms — has inspired an entire genre of crochet patterns, and crafters have been recreating everything from strawberries to avocados to little potted plants.

The monstera leaf pot combines two massive trends at once: houseplant love and Jellycat-inspired plushies. The finished piece typically features a round, chubby little terracotta-style pot with a rosy blush or warm earthy tone, and a perky monstera deliciosa leaf emerging from the top — complete with the iconic split leaves and fenestrations (those characteristic holes) that make the monstera so instantly recognizable. Add a tiny smiling face to the pot and you have something that looks genuinely like it belongs on a Jellycat product shelf.

These make incredible gifts, nursery decorations, desk companions, and photography props. They also sell extremely well at craft fairs and on platforms like Etsy.

Materials You’ll Need

Getting your materials together before you start is one of the best habits you can build as a crocheter. Here’s everything you’ll need for a standard monstera leaf Jellycat pot:

Yarn: You’ll want a soft, bulky or medium weight yarn (worsted weight is ideal for beginners) in the following colors — a warm terracotta or blush pink for the pot, a rich green for the monstera leaf, and a small amount of dark brown or raw umber for the soil layer at the top. If you want that authentic Jellycat look, opt for a chenille or velvet yarn for the pot itself. The plush texture is a huge part of the appeal and gives it that signature Jellycat softness. For the leaf, a standard smooth DK or worsted weight acrylic works beautifully and helps the leaf hold its shape.

Crochet Hook: For worsted weight yarn, a 4.5mm or 5.0mm hook is typically recommended. If you’re using chunky chenille, you may want to size up to a 5.5mm or 6.0mm hook. Always check your tension as you go, especially for the pot body — you want the fabric tight enough to hold the stuffing in but not so tight that your hands cramp.

Polyester Fiberfill: This is what gives your pot that wonderfully round, squishy shape. Use a good quality polyester stuffing and don’t be shy with it. The more firmly you stuff the pot, the more satisfying and durable the finished piece will be.

Safety Eyes: A pair of 10mm or 12mm black safety eyes gives your pot its Jellycat personality. Place them roughly in the lower third of the pot for that characteristic wide-eyed, innocent expression.

Embroidery Floss or Yarn: Use black or dark brown embroidery floss to add a small curved smile beneath the eyes. This tiny detail transforms a plain pot into a character.

Stitch Markers: Essential for keeping track of your rounds, especially in the pot body.

Tapestry Needle: For weaving in ends and sewing pieces together.

Wire or Floral Wire (optional): If you want your monstera leaf to stand upright on its own, inserting a piece of floral wire through the stem before sewing it to the pot will give it excellent posture and durability.

Understanding the Pattern Structure

The project is divided into three main components: the pot body, the soil topper, and the monstera leaf with its stem. Each is worked separately and then assembled at the end, which makes the whole thing much more manageable — especially if you’re new to amigurumi-style crochet.

The pot is worked in continuous rounds from the bottom up using the magic ring method. This gives you a smooth, seamless base and the classic rounded bottom that defines the Jellycat aesthetic. The shape is achieved by increasing in the early rounds to build a flat circle, then working even rounds to create the sides, then decreasing slightly at the rim to give it that inward taper before the soil layer goes on top.

The monstera leaf is typically worked flat, meaning you’ll be going back and forth in rows rather than in continuous rounds. This creates a two-dimensional leaf that you can then stuff lightly and close, giving it just a touch of dimension. The fenestrations — those iconic cutouts — are created by working chain spaces and skipping stitches, which creates gaps in the leaf that look exactly like the real plant’s distinctive holes.

The stem is usually a simple crocheted tube or twisted chain that connects the leaf to the pot.

Step-by-Step Instructions

Making the Pot Body

Start with a magic ring. If you haven’t worked with a magic ring before, it’s one of the most useful techniques in amigurumi crochet — it allows you to start a circle with no visible hole in the center. Pull up a loop of your terracotta or blush yarn through the loop, chain one, then work six single crochet stitches into the ring. Pull the tail to close the ring. You now have your starting circle of six stitches.

Round 1 is your foundation. From here, you’ll increase in every single stitch — that means two single crochets into each stitch — to give you twelve stitches total. In Round 2, alternate between a plain single crochet and an increase, working your way around for eighteen stitches. Continue this pattern of increases — each round adds one extra plain stitch between your increases — until your circle is wide and flat enough to form the bottom of a pot. Most patterns call for six to eight increase rounds depending on your desired size.

Once you’ve reached your target diameter, work several even rounds (no increases, no decreases) to build up the straight sides of the pot. This is where you can place your safety eyes — snapping them into position now while the piece is still open and accessible is much easier than trying to reach in later. Find the point that looks right visually, typically about one third of the way down from the future opening, and snap them in firmly.

After placing the eyes, work your embroidered smile. Thread your embroidery floss onto a tapestry needle, pull it through the fabric just beneath and between the eyes, and work a small curved stitch to create that signature gentle smile. Bring the needle back through to the inside of the pot and secure with a knot.

Now work a few decrease rounds to create the gentle inward taper of the rim. A round of alternating single crochets and invisible decreases works beautifully here. You want the opening to be slightly narrower than the widest part of the pot but still wide enough to stuff comfortably.

Before you close the pot completely, stuff it generously with fiberfill. Really pack it in — the firmness is what creates that satisfying, squishy roundness. Once you’re happy with the shape, work a final few decrease rounds to close the opening down to a small hole, then fasten off and weave in your ends.

Making the Soil Topper

The soil topper is a flat circle worked in your dark brown yarn that sits on top of the pot opening and creates the illusion of soil. Work it the same way you started the pot — magic ring, six stitches, increasing each round — but stop when the circle is exactly the right size to fit the opening of your pot. You don’t need to stuff this piece; it just needs to cover the top of the pot neatly. Set it aside for now.

Making the Monstera Leaf

This is the most satisfying part of the whole project. Working the leaf flat in rows, you’ll build up the general teardrop or heart-shaped outline of a young monstera leaf. Cast on a foundation chain of the desired leaf length — around twenty to twenty-five chains works well for a leaf that’s proportional to a medium pot.

Work back along the chain in single or half-double crochet stitches, adding increases along the outer edge to give the leaf its wide, rounded shape. As you work additional rows, you’ll create the characteristic lobes by chaining across gaps — these chain bridges will become the fenestrations when the leaf is finished and the gaps are visible.

The number of lobes and holes varies by pattern and your desired level of detail. A simplified version for beginners might just have two or three chain-gap sections, while a more advanced version can closely mimic the real leaf’s complex fenestration pattern. Both look beautiful and entirely recognizable.

Work a second identical leaf piece if you want a front and back that can be sewn together, or work a single piece folded and joined at the edges for a slightly different look. If you’re inserting wire for structure, now is the time — lay the wire along the center vein line and fold or sew around it before fully closing the leaf.

Lightly stuff the leaf with a small amount of fiberfill, just enough to give it a gentle puff of dimension without making it look like a pillow. Sew the edges closed using your tapestry needle and the yarn tail.

Making the Stem

For the stem, you can either crochet a simple tube by working rounds over three or four stitches until it reaches the desired length, or simply chain a length that you then roll and sew into a tube. If you used wire in your leaf, extend it down through the stem as well for maximum posture. Sew one end of the stem securely to the base of the leaf.

Assembly

Lay out all your pieces — the pot, the soil topper, the leaf with stem — and dry-assemble them to check proportions before you commit to sewing. Position the stem so the leaf will extend upward and slightly outward from the pot center.

Sew the stem to the soil topper first, securing it firmly so it won’t wobble. Then pin the soil topper onto the top of your pot and sew it into place all the way around the edge, hiding the pot opening neatly. Take your time with this step — neat assembly is what separates a good finished piece from a great one.

Tips for Getting the Jellycat Look Just Right

The magic of the Jellycat aesthetic lies in a few key details. First, tension matters enormously. Work your pot stitches tightly enough that no stuffing peeks through but loosely enough that the fabric has a soft, draped quality. Second, don’t underestimate the power of chenille or velvet yarn for the pot — the texture difference between a smooth yarn pot and a velvet yarn pot is immediately visible, and the velvet version looks far more professional and plush. Third, be generous with your stuffing. A slightly overstuffed pot has that satisfying, round-as-a-ball quality that makes Jellycat toys so irresistible.

For the face placement, less is more. The eyes should be close together — closer than you might instinctively place them — and the smile should be small and subtle. Resist the urge to add blush cheeks or extra embellishment; simplicity is the Jellycat way.

Customization Ideas

Once you’ve mastered the basic pattern, the possibilities for customization are genuinely endless. Swap the monstera leaf for a cactus, a sunflower, or a tiny palm tree. Change the pot color to classic terracotta orange, pale sage green, or soft lavender. Make a matching set of mini pots in different sizes for a shelf display. Add a tiny bow or a stripe detail to the pot rim. Work the pot in stripes using self-striping yarn for a bohemian look.

You can also adjust the size dramatically by changing your yarn weight. Using a super chunky yarn and a 10mm hook will give you a pot the size of a grapefruit, while using fingering weight yarn and a 2mm hook will produce a pot small enough to sit on a keychain. Both extremes are adorable for entirely different reasons.

Watching the Video Tutorial

While written patterns are invaluable as reference guides, there’s truly no substitute for watching the process in real time, especially for techniques like the magic ring, working fenestrations into the leaf, and assembling the final piece. Video tutorials allow you to pause, rewind, and watch tricky moments at half speed — an option that written instructions simply can’t offer.

When looking for a monstera leaf Jellycat pot video tutorial, look for creators who narrate their process clearly, show their yarn and hook close up, and take the time to explain the logic behind each step rather than just rushing through the motions. The best tutorials also show the finished piece from multiple angles so you can visualize exactly where you’re headed. Many crochet creators post their tutorials on YouTube and often pair them with free written pattern downloads linked in the description — a combination that gives you the best of both worlds.

Final Thoughts

The crochet monstera leaf Jellycat pot is one of those projects that delivers a huge reward for a surprisingly manageable amount of effort. It comes together relatively quickly compared to larger amigurumi projects, it uses only a small amount of yarn, and the finished piece is genuinely professional-looking with just a little care and attention to detail. Whether you’re making one for yourself, as a gift, or to sell, it’s the kind of project that consistently draws compliments and delighted double-takes.

Take your time, enjoy the process, and don’t be discouraged if your first attempt isn’t perfect — every crocheter produces a slightly lumpy first pot, and that’s entirely part of the charm. By your second or third, you’ll have your tension dialed in, your face placement perfected, and a little colony of smiling monstera pots taking over your workspace in the very best possible way.

Happy hooking!