The MONKEY: Chinese Zodiac Animals #9

Ah.  The monkey.  My firstborn.  My challenge :)  

Monkeys are curious, mischievous and clever.  They love to play.  They are often in need of challenges though and get bored quickly.  They love to show off their problem solving skills and other accomplishments.  They are intelligent and possess a certain wit and charm that others are drawn to.  However, these monkeys care more about being happy than what others think about them.  They crave attention and are willing to be a little obnoxious to gain it.

Wow, sometimes these zodiac predictions are super creepy because they are bang on.  My daughter.  To a tee.

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For this pattern, you can choose whether to do the monkey's face all in brown (beginner, no colour changing), or to do a white face as in the pictures (more advanced, colour changing).  Either way is cute!  Please visit the main pattern page first for more tips and important information.  With worsted yarn and size A hook, the monkey will be approximately 7 inches in circumference.

You will need:

white and brown yarn (and a little bit of pink) in worsted weight
stuffing (polyfill or wool)
safety eyes
crochet hook (size A recommended but any hook up to size G will work)

tapestry needle


Key:

Ch = chain

INC = 2 sc into one stitch

#INC = do # increases in a row

DEC = invisible decrease turns the next 2 sts into one st

# or sc# = separate sc stitches (no increasing or decreasing)

Begin here:

Start with brown yarn if you are doing the all brown face.

Start with white yarn if you are doing the white face.

R1  Magic circle with 6 stitches into the loop.

R2  INC around. (12)
R3  (1, INC) around (18)
R4  1, INC, 2, INC, 3, INC, 2, INC, 3, INC, 2 (23)

R5  INC, 4, INC, 3, INC, 4, INC, 3, INC, 4 (28)

Skip to R6 below if you are doing the brown face.   

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Continue here if you are doing the white face.

When I say CHANGE on the next stitch, this means: insert hook, draw up a loop so there are 2 loops on your hook, yarn over WITH NEW COLOUR and pull the new colour through.  This equals one stitch. 

*R6  sc 3 (changing to BR on 1^st st), INC, sc 5, CHANGE to WHITE on nx st (allow plenty of slack in the yarn you are carrying across the work), INC, sc 6, INC, sc 4, CHANGE to BR on nx st, sc, INC, 3 sc (32)

*R7  sc 5, INC, sc 5, CHANGE TO WHITE on nx st, sc 3, INC, sc 1, CHANGE TO BR on nx st, sc 1, CHANGE TO WH on nx st, sc 4, INC, CH to BR on nx st, sc 6 (35)

*R8  sc 3, INC, sc 9, CH to WH on nx st, INC, sc  3, CH to BR on nx st, sc 3, CH to WH on nx st, sc 3, INC, CH to BR on nx st, sc 7 (38)  Go to R9 below.

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Brown face only.

R6  3, INC, 6, INC, 6, INC, 6, INC, 3 (32) 

R7  5, INC, 9, INC, 9, INC, 6 (35) 

R8  3, INC, 10, INC, 11, INC, 8 (38)

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Both white and brown faces, continue here until the end.

R9  12, INC, 25 (39)

R10  INC, 38 (40) place eyes between rounds 5 and 6. 

R11  sc around                                                                                           

R12  38, DEC (39)
R13  25, DEC, 12 (38)
R14  8, DEC, 11, DEC, 10, DEC, 3 (35)
R15  6, DEC, 9, DEC, 9, DEC, 5 (32)
R16  3, DEC, 6, DEC, 6, DEC, 6, DEC, 3 (28)        (FILL WITH STUFFING)

R17  4, DEC, 3, DEC, 4, DEC, 3, DEC, 4, DEC (23)

R18  2, DEC, 3, DEC, 2, DEC, 3, DEC, 2, DEC, 1 (18)
R19  (DEC, 1) repeat around (12)
R20  (DEC, 1) repeat around. Fasten off. Weave loose end through each stitch in the opening. Fill completely with stuffing.  Pull tightly to close.  Sew in your end.

Ears (make 4 pieces with med brown yarn):

R1  Magic circle with 6 sts into the loop.

R2  INC around (12)

R3  (1, INC) six times around (18).

R4  (2, INC) six times around (24).  Finish off.  Make a second one this time leaving a tail about 14” long.  Put both pieces against each other with the wrong sides facing in.  Whipstitch the front and backs together.  You should still have a tail remaining to sew onto the head.  Repeat so you have two ears.  Place on the head where you would like and sew the ears on.

Embroider mouth in pink between R3/4.  To do this, poke pink yarn back and forth inside the head a few times to secure yarn.  Then come out at one corner of the mouth and back in thru the other corner.  Then come out in the centre of the mouth at the lowest point where you want your smile, catch the yarn of the mouth and go right back into the head at the same point but a few plies of yarn over to hold the stitch.  Weave in the end.  You can add eyebrows if you wish!!

How's it going?  Keeping up?  I'd love to see your creations!  Post them on Instagram with hashtag #turtlekeeperdesigns or drop by my Facebook page and post your pics!  As always, if you have any questions (especially since this monkey can be a little confusing), you can email, IG me, FB me etc. and I will always answer you!