Monday 15 April 2013

Mini Monkeys - Free Amigurumi Pattern


If you've been following my blog you'll know that every year I make lots of little amigurumi for our school's Christmas Bazaar. I've been gradually putting the patterns on here, but I've still got quite a few to go.
 
 
I've made mini monkeys over several years, and tried all sorts of variations of the pattern, but this is the one I'm happiest with. You can make these little monkeys in two ways: either follow the main pattern to give them long legs or use the alternative instructions to have them sitting down with their little feet sticking out. Either way they're about 2"/5.5mm tall, not including legs. Make them in natural browns like mine or use any colour you like.

Abbreviations:
ch = chain
st = stitch or stitches
sc = single crochet (US), double crochet (UK)
dc = double crochet (US), treble crochet (UK)
hdc = half double crochet (US), half treble crochet (UK)
BLO = back loop only
FLO = front loop only
tog = together
sc2tog = decrease by working two sc together
bob = bobble (see special stitch instructions)
pop = popcorn (see special stitch instructions)
FO = fasten off

General instructions:
Work in rounds unless otherwise stated and do not join rounds unless told to. Use a stitch marker to mark the start of a round - a small piece of different coloured yarn placed under the stitch at the start of the round will do. To start a round, you can use the magic ring method, but I prefer (ch2, work 6 sc into 1st ch). If you work the 6 sc over the tail of yarn as well you can use that to pull the hole tight.

Work through both loops of stitches unless otherwise indicated.

The faces for these monkeys are made by changing the yarn colour as you crochet. Carry the body colour yarn under the face colour by crocheting over it every couple of stitches. Don't carry the face yarn under the body yarn, just leave it hanging and pick it up when you need it in the next round.

Special stitch instructions:
4 dc pop: popcorn stitch for ears and alternative feet. Work 4 dc into 1 st, take hook out leaving loop, put hook through 1st dc & pull loop through.

3 dc bob: bobble stitch for face, hands and feet. YOH (yarn over hook), insert hook into next stitch, YOH and pull through loop, YOH, pull through 2 loops, *YOH, insert hook into same stitch, YOH and pull through loop, YOH, pull through 2 loops, repeat once from*, YOH, pull through all 4 loops on hook.

You will need:
Small amount of double knitting or worsted weight yarn for the body of your monkey, any colour you like.
Small amount of double knitting or worsted weight yarn for the face of your monkey, pale brown or any colour you like.
Small of black yarn for eyes and mouth.
Small amount of stuffing.
3.5mm (E) hook.




Start with yarn for body.
Round 1: Ch 2, work 6 sc into 1st ch - 6 st.
Round 2: 2 sc in each st around - 12 st.
Round 3: [2 sc in next st, sc in next st] 6 times – 18 st.

Round 4: Sc in each st around - 18 st.
Round 5: Sc in next 6 st, change to face yarn, sc in next 5 st, change to body yarn, sc in next 7 st – 18 st.
Round 6: Sc in next 4 st, 4dc pop in next st, sc in next st, change to face yarn, sc in next 5 st, change to body yarn, sc in next 2 st, 4dc pop in next st, sc in next 4 st – 18 st.
Round 7: Sc in next 7 st, change to face yarn, 3dc bob in next 4 st, change to body yarn, sc in next 7 st – 18 st.
Round 8: [Sc2tog, sc in next st] 6 times – 12 st.
Round 9: [Sc2tog, sc in next 2 st] 3 times – 9 st.
Round 10: [2 sc in next st, sc in next 2 st] 3 times – 12 st.
Round 11: Sc in next 4 st, [arm: ss into next st, ch 7, 3dc bob into 3rd ch from hook, ss into next 4 ch, ss back into original st], sc in next 4 st, [arm], sc in next 2 st - 12 st.
Round 12 - 15: (4 rounds) Sc in each st around - 12 st.
Round 16: Sc in next 5 st ,[leg: make as arm], sc in next 4 st, [leg], sc in next st - 12 st.
Round 17: Sc in next 2 st, [tail: ss into next st, ch 13, miss ch next to hook, ss into next 12 ch, ss back into original st], sc in next 9 st - 12 st.
Round 18: [Sc2tog] 6 times – 6 sc. FO, leaving a length of yarn.

Stuff head and body. Push the bobbles on the face outwards and embroider eyes and mouth using black yarn. Use length of yarn to sew up hole at bottom.




Alternative sitting monkey
Make as above up to round 14.
Round 15: [2 sc in next st, sc in next 3 st] 3 times – 15 st.
Round 16: Sc in next 8 st, 4dc pop, sc in next 3 st, 4dc pop, sc in next 2 st - 15 st.
Round 17: Sc in next 3 st, [tail: ss into next st, ch 13, miss ch next to hook, ss into next 12 ch, ss back into original st], sc in next 11 st - 15 st.
Round 18: [Sc2tog, sc in next 3 st] 3 times – 12 st.
Round 19: [Sc2tog] 6 times – 6 sc. FO, leaving a length of yarn.

Finish off as above.
 
Keep watching this space, I'll put up a pattern for a mini frog tomorrow.


 

22 comments:

  1. Adorable! This is just the type of Amigurumi that I like to make a couple dozen, or more, of so I can give them to children at the craft fair!

    Thank you so much for sharing!

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  2. Thanks you so much. I'm working on a jungle play set for a June birthday. I have the mat almost finished and printed your lion the other day. I'm so excited to get some extra animals!!

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  3. Thank you!These do make perfect tiny toys for children.

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  4. Saw the pattern and made one last night to match a sweater I just finished. The sweater has a pouch so I want to hide the monkey in the pouch. Adorable! Will probably add the frog now too. Thanks for the free pattern.

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  5. Thanks - a monkey in a pouch on a sweater sounds really cute!

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  6. love your monkey. i made my own tutorial of mini monkey some time ago
    http://homemoma.blogspot.com/p/tutorials.html

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  7. Thank you! Your monkey is really cute too!

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  8. Soooooooooooooooooo cute!!!!! one of my friends LOVES monkeys and so for her 37th birthday I'm making 37 of these for her and draping them on a scarf lol...I KNOW she's going to love it! thank you for the pattern!

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  9. Thanks! I love the idea of a scarf covered in monkeys!

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  10. Thank you very much for this pattern, it was a sweet and short project and so easy to made. :-)

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  11. Hello! I just discovered your blog and I just love all your amigurumi, especially the tiny ones. They will make great gifts :)

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  12. Thanks! Hopefully the little patterns are good for stocking fillers.

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  13. Thanks for sharing this! I made a couple for my grandson--he loves them! So cute and so simple and so nice of you to share!!

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  14. I have just added a monkey to my collection of tiny lions, pigs, caterpillars and sheep, and I wanted to thank you for making these patterns available, they are so lovely. I am particularly impressed by the all-in-one aspect of all that I have made, and the brilliant use of popcorn and bobble stitches to make it happen - did you learn that from somewhere? So much better than all the fuss of joining pieces, like the 7 part gummy bear I made before coming across your designs! I have been convalescing after an illness and I am no good at doing nothing, you have really helped!

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  15. Thank you, I'm pleased you're enjoying the patterns. I ended up working out how to make little things with the minimum of sewing because I was trying to make as many as possible for our school Christmas bazaar. It's always the sewing that takes the time, so I experimented with bobble and popcorn stitches and so on to make legs and ears.

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  16. Thank you for sharing.

    I have linked you in my Chinese Zodiac Monkey Collection blog:

    http://cuteyamigurumi.blogspot.com/2015/05/chinese-zodiac-series-part-1-monkey.html

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  17. Thank you! That's a good selection of monkey patterns.

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  18. Hey!
    I'm new to crocheting, I´ve done your teeny tiny turtle and your small teddy bear.

    I'm having problems with this pattern, the face of the monkey gets skew and the ears does not match.
    I don't know what is happening but perhaps it is when I'm changing yarn,
    when I do that I do a new sc with body yarn but adds the face yarn and pulls it through the two loops of the sc.
    for example;
    round6: sc in next 4 st, 4dc pop in next st, sc in next st, change to face yarn...
    I do a new sc after the "sc in next st" or am I supposed to change yarn in that sc?

    Or is it when I am doing the 4dc pop, I don't quite understand the special instructions you have for it;
    "Work 4 dc into 1 st, take hook out leaving loop, put hook through 1st dc & pull loop through."
    What is the 1st dc? is it the one you made first or the one you made last? I don't get it.

    Please, help me out, and Thank you in advance! I enjoy your free patterns a lot!

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  19. When it says to change colour, you pull the new colour through the last two loops of the previous sc. When the loop on your hook is the new colour, then you're ready to do the first stitch in that colour. So yes, it sounds like you're changing colour one stitch too late.

    When you make popcorn stitches following my instructions, the first dc is the first one of the four that you made. I would suggest googling 'popcorn stitch', it might make more sense if you could see it done, either in pictures or a video.

    I hope that helps!

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  20. Just made this in pink. Cute pattern!

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