Mini Monkey

One mini monkey, just as cute as can be
Lounging on a banana bunch saying “You can knit me!  You can knit me!”
so out comes some yarn, some fluff, and the Sock Loom EFG
and you’ve knit a darling monkey, just as quick as can be!

Materials

Knitting Loom:  Sock Loom EFG

Yarn:  Small amount of fingering weight yarn in two different colors.

MC = Knit Picks Stroll Hand Painted Sock Yarn

CC = Knit Picks Bare Stroll Fingering Sock Yarn

Notions:  Knitting tool, scissors, yarn needle, fiberfill for stuffing, needle and black embroidery thread to embroider eyes, mouth and nose.

Finished Size:  Approximately 4” in height.

Gauge:  Not essential for this project.

Abbreviations:

MC = main color

CC = contrast color

Sl = Slip

K = Knit

K2tog = Knit 2 together

M1 = Make 1

Special Techniques:

Drawstring Cast-On:  Step 1: Pass the working yarn in front of peg 1.  Pass the working yarn behind peg 2.  Pass the working yarn in front of peg 3.  Pass the working yarn behind peg 4.  Continue weaving the working yarn in front of and behind the pegs until the working yarn reaches peg 1 again.

Step 2:  Lay the working yarn against peg 1, above the wrap from step 1.  Knit the lower wrap over the top wrap.  Pass the working yarn in front of peg 2.  Lay the working yarn against peg 3, above the wrap from step 1.  Knit the lower wrap over the top wrap.  Pass the working yarn in front of peg 4.  Continue working in this manner until the working yarn reaches peg 1 again.  Cast on is now complete.  Continue on as directed in the pattern.

U-wrap Knit Stitch:  Bring the working yarn in front of the peg to be worked, above the existing stitch on the peg.  Bend the working yarn around the peg, creating a u shaped wrap. Knit the lower stitch over the u wrap.

Adding a Gathering Thread:  Cut a 12” length of yarn and thread it on to the yarn needle.  Push the yarn needle up under the stitch on peg 1.  Pull the length of yarn out through the stitch, stopping when an inch or two remains at the bottom of the stitch. Move to the next peg and pull the yarn needle up under the stitch.  Pull the length of yarn until all of the slack is gone between the two pegs.  Continue working in this manner until the gathering line has been pulled up under the last stitch in the round. Remove the yarn needle.  Leave the gathering line in place.  It will be used later to shape the monkey’s neck.  Continue on as directed in the pattern.

K2tog:  Decrease- worked over two pegs.  Move the stitch from the first peg over to the second peg.  Knit both stitches on the second peg together as one.

3 Stitch I-Cord:  Using the double e-wrap cast-on method, cast on 3 stitches.  *Working yarn will be at peg 3.  Take the working yarn behind peg 2 and peg 1.  Bring the working yarn around the front of peg 1 and lay it across pegs 1, 2, and 3.  Knit peg 2, then peg 1, then peg 3.  Repeat from * as directed in pattern, or until I-cord reaches the desired length.  Gently pull on the cord every few inches to help set the stitches.

Bind the I-cord off by moving the stitch on the second peg over to the first peg, placing it above the stitch on the peg.  Knit the bottom stich over the top stitch.  Move the stitch from peg 3 over to peg 1, placing it above the stitch on the peg.  Knit the bottom stitch over the top stitch. With the working yarn, wrap peg 1 and knit it.  Cut the working yarn, leaving a yarn tail measuring about 5”.  Draw the working yarn out through the last stitch remaining on peg 1, then remove the cord from the loom.  Gently pull on the yarn tail to secure the bind off.

4 Stitch I-Cord:  Using the double e-wrap cast-on method, cast on 4 stitches.  *Working yarn will be at peg 4.  Take the working yarn behind peg 3, peg 2, and peg 1.  Bring the working yarn around the front of peg 1 and lay it across pegs 1, 2, 3 and 4.  Knit peg 3, then peg 2, then peg 1, then peg 4.  Repeat from * as directed in pattern, or until I-cord reaches the desired length.  Gently pull on the cord every few inches to help set the stitches.

Bind the I-cord off by moving the stitch on the second peg over to the first peg, placing it above the stitch on the peg.  Knit the bottom stich over the top stitch.  Move the stitch from peg 3 over to peg 1, placing it above the stitch on the peg.  Knit the bottom stitch over the top stitch. Move the stitch from peg 4 over to peg 1.  Knit the bottom stitch over the top stitch.  With the working yarn, wrap peg 1 and knit it.  Cut the working yarn, leaving a yarn tail measuring about 5”.  Draw the working yarn out through the last stitch remaining on peg 1, then remove the cord from the loom.  Gently pull on the yarn tail to secure the bind off.

Make 1:  Increase.  For the purposes of this project, simply cast on a new stitch with the double e-wrap method when M1 is indicated in the pattern.

Instructions

Head and Body:

Prepare the loom to work over 24 pegs, in the round.  With MC, cast on 24 stitches using the drawstring cast-on method.  Work 15 rows using the u-wrap knit stitch.

Add a gathering thread.  (See special techniques)

Work 25 more rows using the u-wrap knit stitch.  Remove from the loom using the gathered bind off method, but do not gather yet.

Pull the ends of the gathering thread to cinch in and shape the neck area.  Tightly tie the ends together to secure the shaping.  Weave these yarn tails in.

Firmly stuff the head section.  Pull the yarn tail from the cast on to gather the top of the head closed.  Weave this yarn tail in.

Lightly stuff the body section.  Gently pull the yarn tail from the gathered bind off, gathering just until the bottom of the monkey starts to drawn in and become a bit rounded.  The shape will be a bit like a bowling pin.  There will still be a small opening on the bottom of the monkey.  Whip stitch this opening closed, then weave in the yarn tail. Set aside.

Ears (Make 2):

Leave a 5” yarn tail.  With MC, cast on 4 stitches using the double e-wrap cast on method.

Rows 1-3: Sl 1, K3.

Row 4: Sl 1, K1, K2tog.

Bind off using the basic bind off method.  Set aside.

Limbs (Make 4):

With CC, cast on 4 stitches.  Work a 4 stitch I-cord for four rows.  Switch to MC.  Work the 4 stitch I-cord for 12 more rows.  Bind off , leaving a 5″ yarn tail.  Set aside.  Repeat this process for the remaining limbs.

Tail:

With CC, cast on 3 stitches.  Work a 3 stitch I-cord for four rows.  Switch to MC.  Work the 3 stitch I-cord for 16 more rows.  Bind off, leaving a 5″ yarn tail.  Set aside.

Face:

Leave a 10″ yarn tail.  With CC, cast on 4 stitches.

Row 1: Sl 1, K3, M1.

Row 2: Sl 1, K4, M1.

Row 3: Sl 1, K5, M1.

Rows 4-6: Sl 1, K6.

Row 7: Sl 1, K3, K2tog, K1.

Row 8: Sl 1, K2, K2tog, K1.

Row 9: Sl 1, K1, K2tog, K1.

Bind off with basic bind off method.  Using the 10″ yarn tail, sew the face piece on to the front of the monkey’s head, with the purl side facing out.  Weave in both yarn tails.

Finishing:

Using the long yarn tails from the cast on, sew an ear to each side of the monkey’s head.  Weave in both yarn tails for each ear.

Using the long yarn tails from the bind off, sew a limb (arms) to each side of the monkey’s body, near the neckline.  Weave in all yarn tails for these limbs.

Using the long yarn tails from the bind off, sew two limbs (legs) on at the bottom of the monkey’s body.  Weave in all yarn tails for these limbs.

Using the long yarn tail from the bind off, sew the tail to the back of the monkey’s body  Weave in all yarn tails.

Using the needle and black embroidery thread, add eyes, nostrils, and a mouth to the little monkey’s face section.

Feel free to ‘go bananas’ and knit a whole ‘barrel full of monkeys’!