Mummy and baby Gorilla

Mummy and Baby Gorilla Knitted Toys by Sachiyo Ishii

What is Being Made

This downloadable knitting pattern creates a pair of adorable gorilla toys: a larger mother gorilla measuring 15cm in finished height and a smaller baby gorilla measuring 8cm. These are soft, stuffed toys designed as a parent-child set, perfect for collectors or as handmade gifts. The pattern is presented as a PDF download from designer Sachiyo Ishii.

Craft and Techniques

This is a knitting project suitable for knitters with intermediate skill level. The toys are constructed using fundamental knitting techniques including color work and shaping through decreases. The pattern requires careful attention to color changes and yarn management to prevent holes at transition points, demonstrating techniques commonly used in toy knitting. Stocking stitch forms the primary fabric structure, creating a smooth, even surface ideal for stuffed toys.

Stitches Used

• Stocking stitch (St st) – the main stitch used throughout the body pieces, created by alternating knit rows on the right side with purl rows on the wrong side
• Knit through front and back (kfb) – an increase stitch used to add stitches where shaping is needed
• Knit two together (k2tog) – a decrease stitch used to reduce stitches and shape the toy pieces
• Color changes – the pattern incorporates two-color knitting, requiring careful yarn management at color transitions to maintain fabric integrity

Materials and Yarn

The pattern specifies DK weight yarn (8-ply), which is a lightweight yarn ideal for creating toys with good stitch definition and appropriate density for stuffing. The recommended yarn is Sheepjes Colour Crafter DK, with 30g in shade 2018 Pollare for the primary color [A] and 20g in shade 2019 Sint Niklaas for accent color [B]. Alternative DK weight yarns are suggested including King Cole Pricewise DK, Stylecraft Finished DK, and Cygnet DK, offering flexibility for yarn substitution.

Essential tools include 3mm knitting needles for working with DK weight yarn, which produce the correct gauge of 24 stitches and 30 rows per 10cm square. Additional materials needed are a chenille needle for weaving in yarn ends, an all-purpose sewing needle for assembly, toy stuffing for filling the finished pieces, and safety features including a pair of 6mm mushroom-shaped eye beads or safety eyes for the mother gorilla and a pair of 4mm mushroom-shaped eye beads or safety eyes for the baby gorilla.

Pattern Structure and Finishing

The pattern includes detailed row-by-row instructions with specific attention to maintaining correct colors throughout construction. Key sections demonstrate how to work multiple colors in single rows while preventing holes at yarn junctions. Decreases are strategically placed (such as the k2tog decreases shown in Row 40) to shape the toy pieces into three-dimensional forms. Once knitted pieces are completed, they are sewn together using the sewing needle, stuffed with toy filling, and finished with eye bead attachment to create the completed gorilla figures.