Monkey

Monkey Boy and Girl Knitted Toy by Stana D. Sortor

What is Being Made

This downloadable knitting pattern creates a pair of adorable stuffed monkey toys standing 18 inches (46 cm) tall from head to toes. The pattern includes instructions for both a boy monkey and a girl monkey, each with distinct clothing details. The boy monkey features navy and denim-colored shorts, while the girl monkey wears a white dress with red accents. These are finished toys designed for display or play, suitable for intermediate knitters seeking a charming handmade project.

Knitting Techniques and Construction

The monkeys are constructed using knitting in the round, a fundamental technique for creating seamless three-dimensional toys and garments. This method is worked on double-pointed needles (DPN), which allow stitches to be distributed across multiple needles while maintaining a continuous circular fabric. The pattern employs strategic decreasing techniques to shape the toy's body, head, and limbs into realistic proportions.

The construction process involves creating individual body components—head, body, arms, and legs—which are then assembled and stuffed to create the finished toy. This modular approach is typical of amigurumi-style toy knitting, though worked at a larger scale than traditional amigurumi.

Stitches Used

• Knit (K): The fundamental stitch forming the base fabric
• Knit Two Together (K2tog): A single decrease that reduces two stitches to one, used for shaping
• Knit Three Together (K3tog): A double decrease reducing three stitches to one, used for more pronounced shaping
• Bind Off (BO): The finishing technique to secure stitches and complete edges
• Embroidery: Black yarn is used for embroidered details such as eyes and facial features

Yarn and Materials

The pattern calls for Cascade Superwash 220, a worsted weight yarn composed of 100% superwash wool. This yarn weight provides excellent stitch definition while remaining soft and durable for a toy that may receive frequent handling. The superwash treatment makes the finished toy machine-washable, a practical feature for toys intended for children.

Yardage Requirements: Approximately 170 to 180 yards (156 to 165 meters) of the main color (MC) in Cocoa (color 211) and 40 to 50 yards (37 to 46 meters) each of the contrast colors. For the boy monkey, contrast colors include In the Navy (885) and Baby Denim (897). For the girl monkey, contrast colors are White (871) and Really Red (809).

Tools and Notions: The project requires a set of five US size 5 (3.75 mm) double-pointed needles, or alternative circular needles if preferred for knitting in the round. Additional supplies include a yarn needle for weaving in ends and seaming, scissors, a stitch marker to track the beginning of rounds, two small stitch holders for managing stitches during construction, polyester fiberfill for stuffing, and a small amount of black yarn for embroidered facial features.

Difficulty Level

Rated as intermediate, this pattern is suitable for knitters with foundational skills who are comfortable working in the round and executing basic decreases. The combination of circular knitting, shaping techniques, and toy assembly requires more experience than a beginner project but remains accessible to those with prior knitting experience.