Miss Monkey - updated version

 Monkey pattern – updated version

 

I made my knitted monkey pattern decade, time really does fly. I had seen a picture of knotted legs in a soft day and wanted to incorporate that to knitting also and it worked really well. When I first made my original version I wasn’t confident enough to start designing a nose and opted to use just a felt circle and it worked really well. But this time I decided to try it looks pretty cute even though felt would also work.

I’m not the best toy knitter in the world, but seeing how my knitting and hopefully designing and pattern writing skills have improved during the years actually feels kinda great. Knitting is in that sense like any other skill, you get better by knitting and it really is worth trying new things in knitting, like using DPNs and work in round etc.

 

But now for the pattern

This pattern is knitted both in round and flat, because in my personal opinion sewing arm pieces especially if long ones is a pain and i have to seams less to sew if arms are knitted in round instead.

 

You need

Tilda Svarta Fåret: One skein on skincolour (C1) and Brown (C2) (Sport 12 wpi)

4 DPNs size 2,5mm

Polyester filling

A pair of safety eyes

Tapestry needle

 

Head and torso

Worked flat and in C2.

Cast on 33sts. P1 row.

Next row: K1, [m1, k4] repeat [_] to end. P1 row.

Next row: K1, [m1, k5] repeat [_] to end. P1 row.

Next row: K1, [m1, k8] repeat [_] to end. Beginning with P row st-st for 13 rows.

Next row: K1, [k2tog, k4], repeat [_] to end. St-st 3 rows.

Next row: K1, [k2tog, k3], repeat [_] to end. St-st 3 rows.

Next row: K1, [k2tog, k4], repeat [_] to end. P1 row.

Next row: K1, [k2tog, k3], repeat [_] to end. P1 row.

Next row: K1, [k2tog, k2], repeat [_] to end. P1 row.

Next row: K1, [k2tog, k1], repeat [_] to end. P1 row.

Next row: K1, [m1, k2] repeat [_] to end. P1 row.

Next row: K1, [m1, k3] repeat [_] to end. P1 row.

Next row: K1, [m1, k4] repeat [_] to end. P1 row.

Next row: K1, [m1, k5] repeat [_] to end. Beginning with P row st-st 17 rows.

Next row: [K2tog, k3], repeat [_] to end. P1 row.

Next row: [K2tog, k2], repeat [_] to end. P1 row.

Next row: [K2tog, k1], repeat [_] to end.

Next row: [P2tog] repeat [_] to end.

Cut yarn and pull it through the remaining stitches. Tighten. You can use the yarn ending to sew the back seam.

 

Legs (make 2)

Worked flat.

Cast on 16sts with C1. P1 row.

Next row: K1, [m1, k3] repeat [_] to end. P1 row.

Next row: K1, [m1, k4] repeat [_] to end. St-st 3 rows.

Next row: K4, [k2tog, k1] twice, skpo, k1, [k1, k2tog] thrice, k4. P1 row.

Next row: K2, [k2tog, k1] twice, skpo, k2tog, [k1, k2tog] twice, k2. P1 row.

Change to C2. St-st for 50 rows. Cast off knitwise.

 

Sew the back seam of the leg right sides facing each other, turn, stuff the foot firmly, stuff about 1/3 of the leg lightly, make a knot and stuff the rest of the leg lightly. Make the other leg the same way.

 

Arms (make 2).

Knitted in round.

Cast on 13sts with C2, divide the stitches (5-4-4 stitches/needle) when knitting the first round. Knit in round for 57 rows.

Next row: Change to C1. K1, [m1, k3] repeat to the end. Knit for 10 rounds.

Next row: K1 [k2tog], repeat [_] to end.

Cut yarn and pull through the stitches, finish the yarn ending securely. If you want to you can use this yarn-ending to shape the hand by sewing the yarn around the round where the colours change and then tightening it to give the hand more round shape.

 

Tail (make 1)

Cast on 6sts on DPNs with C2 and using an i-cord technique knit for about 19cm. Cut yarn and pull it through the stitches, secure the yarn ending firmly.

 

Ears (make 2)

Worked in flat with C2. Cast on 8sts. P1 row.

Next row: K1, m1, knit to last st, m1, K1. St-st 3 rows.

Next row: K1, skpo, k4, k2tog, k1. P1 row.

Next row: K1, skpo, k2, k2tog, k1. Knit 1 row.

Next row: K1, m1, knit to last st, m1, K1. P1 row.

Next row: K1, m1, knit to last st, m1, K1. St-st 3 rows.

Next row: K1, skpo, k4, k2tog, k1. P1 row.

Cast off knitwise.

 

Fold the ear (cast on and cast off edges together) right sides together and sew the top and bottom seam of the ear turn around and sew the cast on and off edges together. Knit the other ear the same way.

Nose (make 1)

Knitted flat with C1. Cast on 12sts. P1 row.

Next row: K1, m1, knit to last st, m1, K1. St-st 3 rows.

Next row: K1, skpo, k8, k2tog, k1. P1 row.

Next row: K1, skpo, k6, k2tog, k1. P 1 row.

Cast off knitwise.

 

Assembling the monkey

 

Sew the back seam of head and torso (if you haven’t already done it) right sides facing each other. Turn and stuff the head, but not too firmly. Pin the nose to the head to a position that looks good. The shorter edge is the top edge. I placed my lower edge one row above the last increase row of the head. Sew the nose around to its place. Before sewing the nose completely, stuff it lightly. Embroider nostrils and the mouth to the nose piece.

Place the safety eyes above the nose. Stuff the head and the torso firmly. Attach the legs to the bottom of the torso, sew the bottom edge securely. Sew the tail about 1cm above the bottom edge between the legs.

Sew the arms to sides of the body, a bit below the neck. Sew ears to sides of the head about the same level as the eyes.

 

The monkey is done 😊

 

Dress (optional)

Worked flat

This dress was supposed to be a skirt with a bikini top, but somehow ended up being a dress. I once drew a monkey with this type of skirt in my sketch book where I draw my knitting ideas and thought that I would finally be nice to actually make it. The dress is a bit tight on the monkey, so I left the top part of open in the back.

 

You need

Svarta Fåret Tilda in two colours of you choice

2,5mm knitting needles

Tapestry needle

 

Skirt (make 8 petals in total)

Cast on 7sts. Beginning with P row st-st 3rows.

Next row: K1, m1, knit to last st, m1, K1. St-st 5 rows.

Next row: K1, m1, knit to last st, m1, K1. St-st 5 rows.

Next row: K1, m1, knit to last st, m1, K1. St-st 5rows.

Next row: K1, skpo, knit to last 3, k2tog, k1. P1 row (on the wrong side of the petal, knit the 1st and last sts of the p row during the last). Repeat these last two rows until you have knitted the right side row and have 5sts left.

Next row: K2tog, p1, k2tog.

Next row: slip 1sts, k2tog, psso.

Cut yarn and pull it through the remaining stitches.

 

Make 8 petals in total. I made 4 green and 4 pink petals.

Sew the sides seams of the petals together from the cast on edge until the decrease rows. Sew all petals together, but don’t sew the back seam together.

 

Top of the dress

 Pick up 7sts per petal and join the yarn to the right side of the skirt and knit across the picked stitches. 

Picking up stitches can be a bit tricky. You can also add the missing stitches on the next row.

Next two rows: Rib knit [k1, p1] repeat [_] to end.

Beginning with P row st-st 13 rows.

Next row: K10, cast off 4sts, k20, cast off 4sts, k10.

Continue knitting with the last 10 sts of the previous row. Beginning with P row st-st 5 rows.

Next row: K2tog, knit to end. P1 row.

Next row: k2 tog, knit to end. Cut yarn and leave the stitches to wait on a holder.

Join yarn to the wrong side of the 20sts of the previous row and beginning with P row st-st 5 rows.

Next row: k2tog, knit to last 2sts, k2tog. P1 row:

Next row: K2tog, knit to last 2sts, k2tog. Cut the yarn and leave the stitches also to wai.t

Join yarn to the RIGHT side of the last 10sts. Beginning with K row st-st 4 rows.

Next row: K2tog, k to end. P1 row.

Next row: K2tog, k to end.

Next row: Rib knit (K1, P1) across all the stitches (also the ones on the holders). Rib knit for 1 more row. Cast off.

 

Sew the back seam of the skirt (petals in to a circle) and then stitches the rib knit part of back seam also together right sides facing each other. Finish of all the yarn endings securely. I crocheted two of the yarn endings in the center so that I could tie them and have a way to secure the dress in the neckline, but also a button with a crocheted loop on the other back piece would also work.

Finally ready :)

P.s. Please note that the pattern isn't tested, please tell me if you find any errors. You can sell toys made from this pattern, but don't sell the pattern itself :)