This is an original pattern that I designed several years ago – it’s made its way around the world and is quite fun to knit.

Additional Yarn Information The designer often uses handspun with this pattern, and lists several options.

• Lamb’s Pride Superwash: (approximately) 75 g Charcoal Heather (MC), 70 g Alabaster (CC1) and 30 g Red Wing (CC2)
• 3-ply handspun Corriedale Cross, dyed using natural materials, cutch (brown), and cochineal (red), spun at approximately 735 ypp.
• hand-dyed alpaca/merino yarn from Edgewood Farms Aplacas
• Noro wool
• If you are working with handspun, handdyed yarns, it is best to prepare more than you think you will need.

Additional Gauge Information About 5.5 stitches and 7 rows per inch works well. The designer uses US 3 (3.25 mm) or US 4 (3.5 mm) double-pointed needles. For a smaller monkey, work a tighter gauge.

Additional Materials Needed

• Fiberfill for stuffing
• Buttons or felt for eyes
• Embroidery floss for moth and other facial features
• Additional yarn for optional clothing accessories

Chart Included Short-row heel with color pattern. An update/appendix to the pattern includes written row-by-row instructions for this section. Contact the designer if you require this section.

From Carol Wood’s Pattern Introduction …Unlike the original Red Heel Sock Monkey toy familiar to most people, this project does not start as socks, but rather, uses the shaping of the heel and toe to create a monkey.

The two legs are worked separately and are joined to begin body. The ‘toe’ of the sock is the top of the head. The sock ‘heel,’ which forms the monkey’s bottom and mouth, is worked from a chart, using short-row techniques. The mouth (a second ‘heel’ form), arms, ears and tail are each worked separately and sewn onto the body.