You, Me and the ABCs : Crochet ABC Toys: M is for Monkey

If you are a crocheter and have a baby or toddler, play room or nursery, and love organization and helping your child learn – this post is for you!  I am posting new patterns for each letter many times per week so keep checking back.

Want a fun way to use your scraps? Want to make a lot of little projects/toys that are great for little ones? Want to custom a special piece for a wee one? – and then end with one big finale? This project is for you! (And you can skip the big finale if it’s not for you and still have all the little toys and ABCs.)

I have compiled the first letters of this event in a convenient downloadable PDF if you prefer to print them out and have them all in one place.  And my printable paid patterns contain a lot more photo tutorials to help you if you need.  You can find the letters A-F HERE ON MY ETSY.

And NOW since I have finished the Letter M, you can get Part 2 HERE IN MY ETSY.  Part 2 contains the Letters G-M and you get a 39-page PDF plus my Hedgehog PDF pattern.

This project was in my head as I was designing all of these letters and I’m so excited to get this started! Won’t you join me? Here is the latest new pattern to go with the others already linked.  If you prefer to shop on Ravelry for your patterns I also have the entire alphabet PDF over there.

You can begin by deciding what colors you want to use for your letters – I’ll be using them all! – and make up the alphabet  or save this post and wait for the end and make it all at once.

I’m gonna give you some options at the end to make the final part right for you/your space.  Here are some of the previous toys so make sure to check out THE ORIGINAL POST to link hop to them all.

Here are the latest patterns – all free on my blog.  You can make them all today.  Crochet M is for Manatee, M is for Mermaid, and S is for Snake (or Snail)

I will using some of the patterns that I’ve already made for this ABC project and you will see those linked below at the end of this post.  You can go ahead and get started today! I can’t wait to share this with you. I’m planning on at least a weekly update, but I’m going to shoot for two per week. I’m gonna try. It is now gardening season and on the nice days that is where you might find me – so, my work may slow down just a wee bit until I can get everything in the ground.  I hope not – I still have night time 🙂

So, join me. Save this post. Let’s get started!

This post does contain affiliate links.  I will get a small percentage from any purchase made through my page here, but your price remains the same.  I appreciate any purchase made through my page as I can continue to offer free patterns here on my blog.

UPDATE: M is for Monkey: May 16, 2020

I want to say thank you for all who stop by to support my patterns and my blog.  I have chosen to NOT do ads on my blog (with the exception of my affiliate links) and offer FREE patterns, but please – if you love my patterns and want to say a little thank you- or just have some good small business karma support points- a purchase now and then or a visit to any of my affiliate links really helps.  It keeps this blog going so I can continue to offer free patterns for all to enjoy.  I also purchase a pattern now and then or visit an affiliate link from my favorite blogs and designers.  Thank you

I have compiled the first half of the alphabet from this event in two a convenient downloadable PDFs if you prefer to print them out and have them all in one place.  You can find the letters A-F HERE IN MY ETSY.

and also now the Letters G-M IN MY ETSY. 

I will be doing two more downable PDFs including N-S and T-Z once they are all finished – and that is very soon!  And then at the end ALL OF THE TOYS will be available in a bundle with savings.

This pattern is intended for personal use only. This pattern -and all my patterns- are offered for free or a small fee to help support my family so please do not redistribute, sell, copy or use them in any way not in accordance with fairness.

You may sell products made from this pattern, but please give me credit as the designer. Please do not use my photos as your own work, but you may use my photos to reference back to my blog, Etsy, Pinterest, IG or FB, but please link back to me.

If you find any problems with this pattern please let me know and if you have any problems with any of it feel free to message me and ask for support.

Kristi Bergin-Smith and The Burgundy Basket, 2020. Unauthorized use and/or duplication of this material without express and written permission from this site’s author and/or owner is strictly prohibited. Excerpts and links may be used, provided that full and clear credit is given to me, Kristi Bergin-Smith and The Burgundy Basket with appropriate and specific direction to the original content.

Pin this post and come back for all of the A-Z toys!

Monkey:

This scrappy monkey might be one of my favorite toys ever. It’s fun to think outside the box for colors sometimes -especially for kids, but you can also use some traditional “monkey” colors as well like browns, black, tan etc. For this guy, I have used a wide assortment of scrap yarn. If you are using scrap yarns as well just make sure they are all the same weight/size yarns. For example, even among store bought #4 worsted weight yarn, there can be a big size difference. I have found that I can use Red Heart Super Saver, Red Heart With Love, Caron One Pound, Big Twist, and Impeccable all in the same project with no trouble.

I have also used my size G/4mm and H/5mm hooks for this guy. *I used my size H hook on the arms, legs, and ears because I was adding stuffing only lightly in the arms and legs and none in the ears. For the body, I have used my smaller hook because it was going to be well stuffed.

These are the hooks I use now – only these – but, if these are a little too high priced for your budget, I have the large set of these – and aside from the fact that they letters/size has smudged from use – they are just as nice I think.

For the eyes, I had these two matching buttons so that is what I used. You can embroider them for a smaller child or baby or use safety eyes if you don’t want to do buttons. NOTE: if using safety eyes, I recommend making the eye/nose pieces first that go on the face so that you can insert the safety eyes before closing up the head and positioning it all right. The safety eyes would need to go through both the face pieces and the head so you might have trouble if you have shorter post on your safety eyes since it is 3 layers of crochet. For the buttons, they got sewed onto the eye pieces and then the eye piece got sewed to the head in my example and I did this after it was all stuffed so that I could stretch it out and position it in place.

This is like all the patterns previously; I work in the round in a continuous spiral and do not join and chain up. But what I find hides the changes in colors the best when making stripes is to make your first stitch of the new color a looser slip stitch and then carry on in your single crochet. You might also know, that due to the nature of crocheting in the round you get a slight diagonal in your work. I like all my color changes to line up on one place so that I can turn them to the back; therefore, I will make a few extra stitches sometimes in a color to keep the join in the same place every couple of rounds.

I chose to use the following colors in the following sequence:

Lace, pink, raspberry, lace, gold, eggplant, lace, purple, pink, red, lace, purple, gold, peach, blue, mint, lace, peach, eggplant, pink, raspberry, lace, gold, red, and aqua (if changing colors like me you may want to also make your last arm/leg color the same as your body color – this will help blend in your sewing stitches. *also, TIP: make little bobbins of yarn and carry the strands up the inside of your work instead of cutting each one.

I chose to make the arms and legs first because they will take the most about of time and then the body. So, I will put them in the order that I made up my example, but feel free to work the parts how you like.

LEGS: The legs are a simple starting circle like you’ve done many times above (6, 12, 18) – if you need help with the counting, jump down to the “Body” section and do Rounds 1-3. After you have 18 stitches around, work straight with one sc in each stitch around. For my example, I did the color sequence above with 2 rounds in each color. Feel free to adjust the number of rows to make shorter or longer legs. I only lightly stuffed the leg up to ¾ so that I could tie/sit/fold etc.

ARMS: The arms are made just like the legs, but instead of doing 6, 12, 18 for my increases, I made them a little smaller by using the same increase method, but did 5, 10 and 15. So, each round of the arms has 15 stitches around. Same for the legs on everything else.

TAIL: The tail is made with the increases of 6 and then 12. I used mainly the lace in my example with two stripes of each color on the tail. I did not stuff the tail at all. My sequence was lace for the first 10 rounds and then 2 rounds each of: pink, raspberry, gold, eggplant, purple, red, peach, blue and mint. Lace again to length – for my example that is 12 more rounds.

**STEAM BLOCK** Note: if you have never steam blocked using your iron or steamer you may want to look this up, but I steamed my arms/legs and tail and soften up the fibers. This helps them hang looser and they feel really soft.

BODY/HEAD:

For the main body/head: size G/4mm hook. I have used aqua for the entire body. This part starts at the top of the head and finishes under the body.

Chain 2.

Single crochet 6 in the second chain from the hook and work over your starting tail.

Starting in the first sc make 2 sc in that stitch and in each stitch around. (12) *Still work over the starting tail. After getting done with all 12 sc for that round, pull the starting tail to cinch up the opening. You can now trim that tail or weave it in or just leave it if it will be on the inside of your work.

Round 3: (1 sc in next stitch, 2 sc in the next stitch) repeat around (18)

Round 4: (1 sc in next 2 stitches, 2 sc in the next stitch) repeat around (24)

Round 5: (1 sc in next 3 stitches, 2 sc in the next stitch) repeat around (30)

Round 6: (1 sc in next 4 stitches, 2 sc in the next stitch) repeat around (36)

Round 7: (1 sc in next 5 stitches, 2 sc in the next stitch) repeat around (42)

Round 8: (1 sc in next 6 stitches, 2 sc in the next stitch) repeat around (48)

Rounds 9-15: sc in each stitch around (48)

Round 16: (1 sc in next 6 stitches, inv dec over the next two stitches) repeat around (42)

Round 17: (1 sc in next 5 stitches, inv dec over the next two stitches) repeat around (36)

Round 18: (1 sc in next 4 stitches, inv dec over the next two stitches) repeat around (30)

Stuff as you go.

Round 19: (1 sc in next 3 stitches, inv dec over the next two stitches) repeat around (24)

Round 20: (1 sc in next 2 stitches, inv dec over the next two stitches) repeat around (18)

Rounds 21-24: sc in each stitch around (18)

Make sure to stuff well – stuff the neck area – continue to stuff as you go

Round 25: (1 sc in next 2 stitches, 2 sc in the next stitch) repeat around (24)

Round 26: (1 sc in next 3 stitches, 2 sc in the next stitch) repeat around (30)

Round 27: (1 sc in next 4 stitches, 2 sc in the next stitch) repeat around (36)

Round 28: sc in each stitch around (36)

Round 29: (1 sc in next 5 stitches, 2 sc in the next stitch) repeat around (42)

Round 30: (1 sc in next 6 stitches, 2 sc in the next stitch) repeat around (48)

Rounds 31-40: sc in each stitch around (48)

Round 41: (1 sc in next 6 stitches, inv dec over the next two stitches) repeat around (42)

Round 42: (1 sc in next 5 stitches, inv dec over the next two stitches) repeat around (36)

Round 43: (1 sc in next 4 stitches, inv dec over the next two stitches) repeat around (30)

Round 44: (1 sc in next 3 stitches, inv dec over the next two stitches) repeat around (24)

Round 45: (1 sc in next 2 stitches, inv dec over the next two stitches) repeat around (18)

Round 46: (1 sc in next stitch, inv dec over the next two stitches) repeat around (12)

Round 47: (inv dec over the next two stitches) repeat around (6) – sew shut

FACE:

This is the order I recommend if you are making a monkey face like I have: nose, large face piece, small outer eyes and then the ears.

The nose is an oval. It is worked on both sides around the chain. I work my ovals also in a continuous spiral and do not join and chain so you might think that rounds 3-4 have typos – they do not – follow the counts and you will wind up with an oval nose – use a stitch marker if you fear getting lost.

Reminder: sc 2 means single crochet in the next two stitches, but 2sc means make 2 sc in the same next stitch.

Chain 6 and start your work in the 2^nd chain from the hook: sc 4, 3sc, sc 3, 2sc (12)

Round 2: sc 5, 3sc, sc 5, 3sc (16)

Round 3: sc 6, 3sc, sc 7, 3sc, sc (20)

Round 4: sc 6, (2sc) x 3, sc 8, (2sc) x 3 (26)

Rounds 5-6: sc in each stitch around. Slip stitch in next and finish with a long tail to sew.

Embroider nose/mouth.

The smaller eye piece is made just like the above nose – work rounds 1-2 and finish off with a tail to sew.

The large face piece is made in rows, but the reason that I suggest making it after the nose is so that you can make sure it’s the right size for the face of your monkey – so, as you work hold this piece on the face and place the nose section on top to check the size. You may decide that you need more or less chains/increases/rows etc.

Chain 10 and starting in 2^nd chain from the hook make 9 single crochet. Chain 1 and turn on this row and every row.

Row 2: sc in each stitch across

Row 3: inc, sc 7, inc (11)

Row 4: sc in each stitch across

Row 5: inc, sc 9, inc (13)

Row 6: sc in each stitch across

Row 7: [hdc, dc, tr, dc, hdc], slip stitch in the next 3, repeat [] once more. Sc around the entire face piece making 3sc in each of the corners. Leave a long tail to sew the piece of the head.

After all of your pieces are done – sew the eyes/buttons onto the small eye piece, sew the small eye pieces onto the large face piece, sew the nose onto the large face piece and light stuff. Sew the entire piece onto the head.

EARS:

The ears are simply two circles that are crocheted together at the end. I chose to use blue for the inside ear and mint for the outside ear. I also used my size H hook for these.

Make the inside circles by repeating rounds 1-5 of the body (6, 12, 18, 24, and 30) and finish off and weave in the end.

Make the outer ear the same as above, but when you get finished do not finish off, but gather the two pieces together with wrong sides facing and sc together. You can do a sc in each stitch around, or increase around to 36 to make sure they don’t pucker. I did 36 sc around the outer two pieces to join. Finish with a tail to sew to the side of the head.

Wouldn’t it be super adorable to make up a few of these and link them together by their tied arms and legs?

I realized after I started this project that I would never be able to update every new post with every new link – once I got down to the end of the alphabet, I would have to update about 20 post with all the links to all the new patters – So, I will be keeping THIS ORIGINAL POST updated with all the new links for all of the new toys.  <3

In addition to the alphabet patterns, below you will find a list of toys that will be linked right here starting now. *these are not set in stone and I may decide to switch them as I work if I am inspired in a different direction. So, pin or save this post and come back and follow along with me or subscribe to my blog and get email updates when I make a new post.

I highly recommend the monthly Bark Box.  We have been getting this since last year for our Blue Heeler, Ruger, that is our big couch companion.  This year we got him a girlfriend, Rebel, and she also approves!  This is our latest box from May and I wish I could show you the video – I have it over on my Faceboook page.  They love their boxes and have so much fun “opening” them.

Ball – for the ball toys in this project, I refer you to this post to make one – or many – crochet balls using your scrap yarns.  The more textures the better.  You can also add rattle boxes, squeakers, stress balls as filler and more.

Bunny – I have made a few bunnies in the past and  I will be making another version of my Clover the Baby Bunny Pattern

Dinosaur – here on my blog you will find an entire Dinosaur Family.  For this ABC event, I will be making a different version of Scrappy.  He’s the perfect size and uses up some assorted scrap yarns.  If you want a different option, Baby Pea is also a nice small size and also Pinky the Dezzy Inspired DRAGON is a good choice for D is for Dragon.

Eye – I will be using the eyeball pattern from my Halloween Bag of Balls for this project, but if you find it too weird or spooky for a baby let me know and I’m sure I can whip up a different one.  This one would be super cute with some crinkle paper inside.  *Also, when you visit this post there is a Zombie ball that would make a cute Z word  and I will most likely be altering the colors on this Zombie ball and making a few additions to do a Ninja toy for N.

Goat – here on my blog you will find Ginger the Goat in my Farm Series.  She is a bit large for this project so she will get a few modifications to be a bit smaller.  Feel free to make her if you want a larger goat.

Lamb– another make from my Farm Series is Lonny the Lamb.  Lonny is a  nice, small size so I will be using this pattern here for the  Lamb, but will switch up the colors I’m sure. Maybe bright? Maybe a girl?

Octopus – in my opinion this octopus squeeze ball is the perfect baby toy when made from cotton so this is the pattern that I will be using right here.  I like to use 100% cotton and the stress/squeeze balls on the inside of the head and it makes these the perfect baby toy with teether capabilities.  And they are so quick to make you can make a handful.

 

Will you be joining in the fun? I’d love for you to make all of this with me, but if not pick a few and make it with me.

I’d love to see all your work or catch up with your progress so connect with me over on IG @theburgundybasket

#youandmeabccrochet

 

XOXO,

Kristi