In order to knit your very own monkee made of knit, you will need the following ….
- the ability to knit …. or a supply of chocolate and/or wine to bribe someone who can ….
- two different coloured yarns (contrasting or complimenting, it’s up to you). Less than 100g is
needed for the body / arms / legs, and much less than that for the mouth / hands / feet / ears.
I favour 100% acrylic Double Knitting yarn (Worsted Weight), but I’m sure proper wool would
work equally well. Possibly even better ….
- one pair of 3.25 mm knitting needles (US size 3 or UK/Canadian size 10)
- a darning needle
- toy stuffing
Abbreviations used in this pattern …. (I’m trying to make this pattern as easy as possible so
that even a novice knitter can make their own monkee - apologies if grandmothers sucking eggs
spring to mind with some of my explanations) (on the other hand, if you still can’t work out what
needs to be done, google it - there are some excellent knitting tutorials to be found)
K - knit
P - purl
St/s - stitch/es
Pic 1
Pic 2 Pic 3
The Pattern ….
FRONT
Row 4 - P
Row 6 - P
Row 7 - K1, M1, K4, M1, K10, M1, K5, M1, K1 (25)
Row 8 - P
Row 9 - K1, M1, K5, M1, K12, M1, K6, M1, K1 (29)
Row 10 - P
Row 12 - P
Row 14 - Increase in first and last sts of this purl row (35)
St/st 10 rows
St/st 7 rows
*****
K7, turn
P2tog, P to end
P2tog, P to end
St/st 6 rows
Cast off
Pic 4
K2 tog, K to end
St/st 6 rows
Cast off
Pic 5
BACK
St/st 10 rows
St/st 5 rows
Cast off
ARMS - make 2
Increase in first st, K1, inc in next 2 sts, K1, inc in next 3 sts, K1, inc in last st (17)
P*
St/st for as long as you want the arm to be (I like a nice long arm - the ones knitted for this
pattern are about 9 inches / 23 cm long)
Cast off
* Note - if you want a “smooth” monkee, i.e. Knit side facing, don’t do the second P row, K
instead. (I like my monkees to be purl side facing, apart from the variegated yarn ones, which I
prefer smooth)
LEGS - make 2
Increase in first st, K1, inc in next 6 sts, K1, inc in last st (18)
P*
St/st for as long as you want the legs to be (the legs on this monkee are about 5 inches / 13 cm
long). About halfway up the leg, on a K row, K2tog at both ends of row (16)
Cast off
P **
Break yarn
St/st 2 rows
Decrease first and last sts of all rows until 5 sts remain
Cast off
NOSE & UPPER JAW
Using mouth colour yarn and with purl side facing (knit side facing if you‘re knitting a smooth
monkee), pick up and knit 25 sts evenly along the bottom of the head piece (the curve in the
picture above)
K21, turn
P17, turn
K16, turn
P15, turn
K14, turn
P13, turn
K12, turn
P11, turn
Cast off
LOWER JAW
Using mouth colour yarn and with purl side facing (knit side if making a smooth monkee), pick up
and knit 27 sts evenly along the neck curve of the front body (see Pic 5)
St/St 6 rows
K1, M1, K to last st, M1, K1
Cast off
TO MAKE UP
I always top-stitch the monkees …. actually, I don’t even know if that’s the right terminology …. I
sew them up with wrong sides together - but obviously you can sew yours up however you like.
The neatest way would probably be mattress stitch, but I’ve always gone for a more ironic look
(meaning : I can’t do mattress stitch!)
Holding the mouth pieces together (see Pic 6), sew along the sides and the inside of the mouth.
Also sew the small section of body at the shoulder to the base of the front side of the head (next
to my thumb in Pic 7)
Sew up the holes in the side of the nose, then turn the mouth right side out …. in ….(see Pic 8)
and attach two strands of yarn to both edges of the inside of the mouth (see Pic 9), then sew
these strands quite tightly to the seam at the bottom of the jaw (see Pic 10). This is to stop the
mouth turning inside out.
Pic 6
Pic 7 Pic 8
Pic 9 Pic 10
Now sew the back of the body to the front, leaving a hole at the bottom for stuffing purposes.
Sew up the arms and legs.
Stuff the head and snout, making the nose as rounded and monkey-ish as you can.
In order to achieve a more Wallace & Gromit-y look, I force my thumbs into the sides of the
mouth to shape.
And I don’t put much stuffing in the bottom jaw
Stuff the body, leaving a small well in the bottom for dried peas or plastic pellets (see Pics 11 and
12) (I’ve always used dried peas and have had no problems) (that said, I have only washed 007
once and his hands and feet did “puff up” for a bit!)
Pic 11 Pic12
When you’ve stuffed your monkee and moulded the mouth into a shape you’re happy with, sew a
few stitches into the sides of the mouth to keep it like that. (Occasional vigorous thumb insertion
may be required to keep the mouth shape correct!)
Pour peas / pellets into the hands and feet, then stuff the arms and legs. Sew them on - sew
around them twice for security.
EYE PATCH
Sew the eye patch in place and attach googly eyes (see Pic. 13). If your monkee is for a young
child, or if you prefer them, sew eyes with yarn and cotton (like 007’s) (See Pic 14)
Pic 13 Pic 14
EARS - Make 2
K2tog, K to end
Cast off
Fold in half and sew edges together, then attach to the head.