Because I'm always making something for friends, they're always telling me I should make things to sell on the internet. This has always been an odd concept. Part of me is frightened that making a hobby into a job or chore would take the joy out of it, but mostly I'm pretty sure that I'm not good enough.
Sure, my friends like their loot and often pay me via meals or various alcoholic beverages (I'm easily bribed), but would you buy a silly little ninja from someone you don't know off the internet? It seems so impersonal.
The real confession I have to make is that I hate sidewalk art festivals. I feel like I see a bunch of generic, overpriced, "mommy" feeling items that I don't consider art. Once in a while you'll stumble upon a decent artist, but it's rather rare. I'm sometimes tempted by the jewelry, but even that seems to be mostly imported from Asia. Perhaps part of the problem is that I live in Florida, so it's usually close to 100F during these events. And my friends like to stay for hours and hours.
My grandmother used to make monkeys. That sounds odd, but even more so when you realize that I have started to make monkeys. I have made mostly knitted sock monkeys though, but I have fond memories of having a "family" of monkeys. Anytime someone had a child in our family, she would make a monkey. The name was stitched on the hat it wore (of course they wore hats!), and it would hang from some odd object. But a handmade monkey is not an item I would purchase either online or at an art festival.
Slightly off topic, I'm working on my first crochet monkey. I've just learned to crochet, so I'm hoping it turns out ok. It will be larger than I originally hoped since the yarn I'm using is thicker than called for. The pattern is here. I'll post it below as well. Mine will be pink and creme with hot pink mouth.
Monkey Toy
FINISHED MEASUREMENTS
Monkey measures approximately 16"/40.5 cm long
MATERIALS
Caron International's Simply Soft (100% acrylic; 6 oz/170 g, 315 yds/288 m skein):
#9750 Chocolate (MC), 1 skein
#9703 Bone (A), 1 skein
#9730 Autumn Red (B), 1 skein (small amount used for mouth)
#9727 Black (C), 1 skein (small amount used for eyes and nose)
One crochet hook size US G-6 (4.25 mm), or size to obtain gauge
Polyester fiberfill
Stitch marker
Yarn Needle
Row counter
STITCHES USED
Chain (ch)
Double crochet (dc)
Half double crochet (hdc)
Single crochet (sc)
Slip stitch (slip st)
SPECIAL TERM
sc2tog: Single crochet 2 together – Insert hook in next stitch, yarn over and pull up a loop, (two loops on hook), insert hook in next stitch, yarn over and pull up a loop (three loops on hook), yarn over and draw through all three loops on hook.
NOTES
1. Work stitches tightly so that the stuffing will not show through.
2. Firmly stuff the pieces of the monkey as you crochet.
3. Monkey is worked in the round. The rounds are not joined.
4. Place marker to indicate beginning of round. Move marker up as each round is completed.
HEAD & BODY
With MC, ch 2.
Round 1: Work 6 sc in second ch from hook—6 sts.
Round 2: 2 sc in each st around—12 sts.
Round 3: *Sc in next st, 2 sc in next st; repeat from * around—18 sts.
Round 4: *2 sc in next st, sc in next 2 sts; repeat from * around—24 sts.
Round 5: Sc in each st around.
Round 6: *Sc in next 3 sts, 2 sc in next st; repeat from * around—30 sts.
Round 7: *Sc in next 4 sts, 2 sc in next st; repeat from * around—36 sts.
Rounds 8 and 9: Sc in each st around.
Round 10: *Sc in next 5 sts, 2 sc in next st; repeat from * around—42 sts.
Round 11: Sc in each st around.
Round 12: *Sc in next 6 sts, 2 sc in next st; repeat from * around—48 sts.
Rounds 13–16: Sc in each st around.
Round 17: *Sc in next 6 sts, sc2tog; repeat from * around—42 sts.
Round 18: Sc in each st around.
Round 19: *Sc in next 5 sts, sc2tog; repeat from * around—36 sts.
Round 20: Sc in each st around.
Begin firmly stuffing head and body and continue to stuff as you go.
Round 21: *Sc in next 4 sts, sc2tog; repeat from * around—30 sts.
Round 22: *Sc in next 3 sts, sc2tog; repeat from * around—24 sts.
Rounds 23 and 24: Sc in each st around.
Round 25: *Sc in next 3 sts, 2 sc in next st; repeat from * around—30 sts.
Rounds 26 and 27: Sc in each st around.
Round 28: *Sc in next 4 sts, 2 sc in next st; repeat from * around—36 sts.
Rounds 29–32: Sc in each st around.
Round 33: *Sc in next 5 sts, 2 sc in next st; repeat from * around—42 sts.
Rounds 34–36: Sc in each st around.
Round 37: *Sc in next 6 sts, 2 sc in next st; repeat from * around—48 sts
Rounds 38 and 39: Sc in each st around.
Round 40: *Sc in next 7 sts, 2 sc in next st; repeat from * 2 more times, sc in next 24 sts—51 sts
Rounds 41 and 42: Sc in each st around.
Round 43: *Sc in next 8 sts, 2 sc in next st; repeat from * 2 more times, sc in next 24 sts—54 sts
Rounds 44 and 45: Sc in each st around.
Round 46: *Sc in next 8 sts, sc2tog; repeat from * 2 more times, sc in next 24 sts—51 sts
Round 47: Sc in each st around.
Round 48: *Sc in next 7 sts, sc2tog; repeat from * 2 more times, sc in next 24 sts—48 sts
Rounds 49 and 50: Sc in each st around.
Round 51: *Sc in next 6 sts, sc2tog; repeat from * around—42 sts.
Round 52: *Sc in next 5 sts, sc2tog; repeat from * around—36 sts.
Round 53: *Sc in next 4 sts, sc2tog; repeat from * around—30 sts.
Round 54: *Sc in next 3 sts, sc2tog; repeat from * around—24 sts.
Round 55: *Sc in next 2 sts, sc2tog; repeat from * around—18 sts.
Round 56: *Sc in next st, sc2tog; repeat from * around—12 sts.
Round 57: (Sc2tog) around—6 sts.
Round 58: *Skip next st, slip st in next st; repeat from * around.
Fasten off.
FACE
With A, ch 2.
Round 1: Work 6 sc in second ch from hook—6 sts.
Round 2: 2 sc in each st around—12 sts.
Round 3: *Sc in next st, 2 sc in next st; repeat from * around—18 sts.
Round 4: *2 sc in next st, sc in next 2 sts; repeat from * around—24 sts.
Round 5: *Sc in next 3 sts, 2 sc in next st; repeat from * around—30 sts.
Rounds 6 and 7: Sc in each st around.
Round 8: Sc in next 15 sts, *2 sc in next st, sc in next 4 sts; repeat from * 2 more times—33 sts.
Round 9: Sc in next 15 sts, *2 sc in next st, sc in next 5 sts; repeat from * 2 more times—36 sts.
Round 10: Sc in next 18 sts, *2 sc in next st, sc in next 6 sts; repeat from * 1 more time; sc in last 4 sts—38 sts.
Round 11: Sc in next 18 sts, *2 sc in next st, sc in next 7 sts; repeat from * 1 more time; sc in last 4 sts—40 sts.
Fasten off leaving a long tail for sewing.
INNER EAR (make 2)
With A, ch 2.
Round 1: Work 6 sc in second ch from hook—6 sts.
Round 2: 2 sc in each st around—12 sts.
Fasten off.
OUTER EAR (make 2)
With MC, ch 2.
Round 1: Work 6 sc in second ch from hook—6 sts.
Round 2: 2 sc in each st around—12 sts.
Lay inner ear on top of outer ear.
Round 3: Working through both thicknesses (inner and outer ear), ch 1, (dc, hdc) in next st, sc in next 7 sts, (hdc, dc) in next st; leave remaining sts unworked.
Fasten off leaving a long tail for sewing.
ARM (make 2)
With A, ch 2.
Round 1: Work 6 sc in second ch from hook—6 sts.
Round 2: 2 sc in each st around—12 sts.
Round 3: *Sc in next st, 2 sc in next st; repeat from * around—18 sts.
Rounds 4 and 5: Sc in each st around.
Round 6: *2 sc in next st, sc in next 2 sts; repeat from * around—24 sts.
Rounds 7 and 8: Sc in each st around.
Round 9: *Sc in next 2 sts, sc2tog; repeat from * around—18 sts.
Rounds 10 and 11: Sc in each st around.
Fasten off A. Begin firmly stuffing arm and continue to stuff as you go.
Round 12: Join MC with sc in any st of last round, sc in next 3 sts, sc2tog, *sc in next 4 sts, sc2tog; repeat from * 1 more time—15 sts.
Rounds 13–16: Sc in each st around.
Round 17: *Sc in next 4 sts, 2 sc in next st; repeat from * around—18 sts.
Rounds 18–34: Sc in each st around.
Round 35: *Sc in next 4 sts, sc2tog; repeat from * around—15 sts.
Round 36: Sc in each st around.
Round 37: *Sc in next 3 sts, sc2tog; repeat from * around—12 sts.
Round 38: Sc in each st around.
Round 39: *Sc in next 2 sts, sc2tog; repeat from * around—9 sts.
Round 40: Flatten opening; working through both thicknesses, sc in each st across.
Fasten off leaving a long tail for sewing.
LEG (make 2)
With A, ch 2.
Round 1: Work 6 sc in second ch from hook—6 sts.
Round 2: 2 sc in each st around—12 sts.
Round 3: *Sc in next st, 2 sc in next st; repeat from * around—18 sts.
Round 4: *2 sc in next st, sc in next 2 sts; repeat from * around—24 sts.
Round 5: *Sc in next 3 sts, 2 sc in next st; repeat from * around—30 sts.
Round 6: Sc in next 6 sts, *2 sc in next st, sc in next 5 sts; repeat from * 2 more times, sc in next 6 sts—33 sts.
Round 7: Sc in next 6 sts, *2 sc in next st, sc in next 6 sts; repeat from * 2 more times, sc in next 6 sts—36 sts.
Round 8: Sc in next 6 sts, *sc2tog, sc in next 6 sts; repeat from * 2 more times, sc in next 6 sts—33 sts.
Round 9: Sc in next 6 sts, *sc2tog, sc in next 5 sts; repeat from * 2 more times, sc in next 6 sts—30 sts.
Round 10: Sc in next 6 sts, *sc2tog, sc in next 4 sts; repeat from * 2 more times, sc in next 6 sts—27 sts.
Round 11: Sc in next 6 sts, *sc2tog, sc in next 3 sts; repeat from * 2 more times, sc in next 6 sts—24 sts.
Round 12: Sc in each st around.
Fasten off A. Begin firmly stuffing leg and continue to stuff as you go.
Round 13: Join MC with sc in any st of last round, sc in each remaining st around.
Rounds 14–37: Sc in each st around.
Round 38: *Sc in next 6 sts, sc2tog; repeat from * around—21 sts.
Rounds 39 and 40: Sc in each st around.
Round 41: *Sc in next 5 sts, sc2tog; repeat from * around—18 sts.
Round 42: Sc in each st around.
Round 43: Flatten opening; working through both thicknesses, sc in each st across.
Fasten off leaving a long tail for sewing.
TAIL
With MC, ch 2.
Round 1: Work 6 sc in second ch from hook—6 sts.
Round 2: 2 sc in each st around—12 sts.
Round 3: Sc in each st around.
Round 4: *Sc in next 3 sts, 2 sc in next st—15 sts.
Round 5: Sc in each st around.
Rounds 6–15: Sc in next 8 sts, hdc in next 7 sts.
Begin firmly stuffing tail and continue to stuff as you go.
Rounds 16–21: Sc in each st around.
Rounds 22–30: Hdc in next 7 sts, sc in next 8 sts.
Rounds 31–39: Sc in each st around.
Round 40: Flatten opening; working through both thicknesses, sc in each st across.
Fasten off leaving a long tail for sewing.
EYE (make 2)
With C, ch 2.
Round 1: Work 6 sc in second ch from hook; join with slip st in first sc—6 sts.
Fasten off leaving a long tail for sewing.
FINISHING
Sew arms to sides of body. Sew legs to bottom of body. Sew tail to lower back of body. Using photograph as a guide, with B and yarn needle, embroider a mouth onto the face. With C and yarn needle, sew eyes to face and embroider nostrils. Sew face to front of head. Sew ears to side of head.
Using yarn needle, weave in ends. (I hate weaving in ends!)
