Knit a munching monkey: free pattern
Knit your own adorable toy monkey, from Debbie Long's book 'Kniteracy' - a literacy book full of cute, cuddly characters designed to make reading and writing fun for children

You will need
● Size 4 needles
● Light brown double knitting wool (tweed or flecked yarn if you can find it)
Head, body and legs
Cast on 9 sts in light brown
Row 1: [kfb, k1] 4 times, k1 (13sts)
Row 2: p
Row 3: [kfb, k1, kfb] 4 times, k1 (21sts)
Row 4: p
Row 5: [kfb, k3, kfb] 4 times, k1 (29sts)
Row 6: p
Row 7: [kfb, k5, kfb] 4 times, k1 (37sts)
Row 8: p
Row 9: [kfb, k7, kfb] 4 times, k1 (45sts)
Row 10: p
Stocking stitch for 6 rows
Row 17: [k2tog, k7, skpo] 4 times, k1 (37sts)
Row 18: p
Row 19: [k2tog, 5, skpo] 4 times, k1 (29sts)
Row 20: p
Row 21: k
Row 22: p
Row 23: [kfb, k5, kfb] 4 times, k1 (37sts)
Row 24: p
Row 25: [kfb, k7, kfb] 4 times, k1 (45sts)
Row 26: p
Row 27: [kfb, k9, kfb] 4 times, k1 (53 st)
Row 28: p
Stocking stitch for 12 rows
Row 41: [k2tog, k9, skpo] 4 times, k1 (45sts)
Row 42: p
Row 43: [k2tog, k7, skpo] 4 times, k1 (37sts)
Row 44: p
Row 45: [k2tog, k5, skpo] 4 times, k1 (29sts)
Row 46: p
Row 47: k1 [k1, k2tog] rep to last st, k1 (20 st)
Row 48: p
Legs - continuing on the remaining 20 sts
Row 49: k 10 sts (turn - continue on these sts for right leg)
Row 50: p
Stocking stitch for 28 rows
Feet
Row 79: k4, kfb, kfb, k4
Row 80: p
Row 81: k5, kfb, kfb, k5
Row 82: p
Row 83: k6, kfb, kfb, k6
Row 84: p
Row 85: k7, kfb, kfb, k7
Row 86: p
Row 87: k2 tog to end of row
Thread yarn through remaining stitches and pull together
Repeat leg and feet pattern on the remaining 10sts for left side
Arms x 2
Cast on 10 sts in light brown
Stocking stitch for 30 rows
Thread yarn through remaining stitches and pull together
Ears x 2
Cast on 16 sts in light brown
Stocking stitch for 4 rows
Row 5: k2 tog to end of row
Thread yarn through remaining stitches and pull together
Tail
Cast on 10sts
Stocking stitch for 30 rows
Row 31: [k1, k2 tog] repeat to last stitch, k1
Row 32: p
Row 33: k
Row 34: p
Thread yarn through remaining stitches and pull together.
Cast on 10 stitches.
Stocking stitch 10 rows. Cast off, leaving enough yarn to sew the pocket on to the monkey's back.
Making up
Head, body and legs
Sew up from top of head to legs leaving a gap for stuffing. It is easier to stuff the legs as you go. Fill with stuffing and sew up gap.
Arms and hands
Sew from each end leaving approx 3cm gap in the middle. Fill with stuffing. Sew on to the body using shaping to position correctly.
Ears
Fold ears in half and sew round the edges, slightly pulling in the side which you attach to the head. Sew on to the body using shaping to position correctly.
Tail
Sew from each end leaving approx
3cm gap in the middle. Fill with stuffing.
Sew on to the back of the body.
Finishing off
Embroider mouth and nose using brown wool. Cut circles out of white felt for eyes. Sew eyes on to the head using an overstitch and embroider a dot in the centre of each circle. Cut a banana out of yellow felt using the template below. Stitch the two sides of the banana together using brown cotton. In brown cotton embroider lines on to the banana. Sew the banana onto monkeys hand. Sew the pocket on to the back side of the monkey. Using two strands of double knitting wool, embroider the letter m on to the monkey.
This pattern is taken from Planet Phonics 'Kniteracy' (£12.99, Outhouse Publishing). Buy it online at www.planetphonics.co.uk or www.amazon.co.uk
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