Rockin’ Sock Monkey

You’ll need a pair of socks. Trouser socks will give you a proportionate monkey.  I’m using knee-high socks for a whimsical monkey with long limbs.  Begin by turning the socks inside out. lay flat with the heel centered.

Now pin along the sides of the sock, starting about two inches down from the heel area.  This will help the stripes on your sock match up.

If your sock has a seam down the middle, you can use it as a sewing guide.  If not, use a straight edge and pen to draw a line down the center of your sock.  You’ll begin sewing about two inches down from the heel.  Line up the foot of your sewing machine with the center line of the sock.  You’ll be sewing to the side of the line, not right on top of it.

Now we’ll do the same thing on the other side of the center seam.  Line up the left edge of your sewing foot with the center line and sew all the way down to the cuff.  Remove the pins.

Next we’re going to round off the bottom cuff area to create feet.  Sew in a U shape, turning the fabric as you go.

Then cut down the center line, between your two seams.  Cut up to where you began sewing, about two inches below the heel.  Trim near the seam on the feet to round them off.

Now turn the body of your monkey right side out.  Then turn his legs right side out.  Stuff the monkey’s legs. It may be helpful to use a pencil to push down the stuffing.

Go ahead and stuff your monkey.

If you’d like to make your monkey extra special, you can tuck in a heart made from red felt.  No one will see it, but your monkey will be grateful.

Now we’ll make the monkeys limbs from the remaining sock.  Lay this sock down flat on its side.  Use a pen to draw a line about one inch wide, starting below the toe and going down the length of the sock.  Round out the cuff area as you did with the feet.

Cut alongside the seam to separate it from the sock. Round off the cuff area as you did with the feet.  This will become your monkey’s tail.  Turn the tail right side out.  Stuff the tail.

Now we’ll use the remaining portion of the sock to create the monkey’s arms, muzzle, and ears.  Carefully cut out the heel portion of the sock.  Now cut the longest sock segment in half lengthwise.  These will be you monkey’s arms.  Fold them in half, right sides together, and pin in place.  Sew along the raw edge.  Sew as close as you can to the edge so that your monkey’s arms aren’t too skinny.  Round off the cuff.  Turn right side out and stuff. repeat for the other arm.

Now we’ll make the monkey’s ears.  Begin by cutting the remaining sock square in half.  Now cut the two rectangles in half.  you should have four squares about the same size.

On the back side of a square, draw a U-shape to create the monkey’s ear.  Repeat on another square.  Lay down the square you drew on top of a blank square, right sides together.  Pin in place.  Sew together, leaving the bottom of the ear open for stuffing.

Unpin the ear and trim close to the seam.  Turn right side out.  Repeat these steps for the other ear.

Now we’ll sew up your monkey.  We’ll hand sew this with a needle and matching thread.  Fold in the raw edges of the hole and pinch together.  Sew shut (using a whip stitch)

Next we’ll attach his tail.  Again, fold in the raw edges of the hole and pinch shut. Sew onto the center of bottom heel area.

Attach both arms in the same manner.  Make sure they line up with each other.

Now we’ll add the muzzle using the heel portion of the sock.  You’ll want to place the muzzle about one inch below where the heel on the monkey’s head  begins.  Fold down the top raw edge.  Pin in place.  Fold in the raw edge of both sides and pin.  Remember, you want to leave room to stuff the muzzle, so don’t stretch the fabric flat and tight.

Sew the sides and top of the muzzle in place, using a whip stitch.  Remove the pins.

Fold under the bottom raw edge and pin in place.  Make sure you’re leaving plenty of room for the stuffing.  Sew shut, leaving a small opening on the left side so that you can fill it.  Remove the pins and stuff the muzzle.  Sew the remaining hole shut.

Now stuff both ears.  To give the ears more definition, use a long basting stitch to sew around the inside perimeter. I find it’s easier to sew the ear shut before attaching it the monkey… otherwise it’s hard to keep the stuffing from squeezing out.  Fold in the raw edges and pinch shut, sewing closed with a whip stitch.

Attach the monkey’s ears right above his arms.  Make sure they line up with each other.

Time to add his little button eyes!

And finally, his mouth.  I’m using embroidery floss.

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