©Barbara Matthiessen 2008
The sweater used to make this monkey was purchased in good shape at a thrift store. The 100% wool sweater was pretty, I intended to wear it, but, after trying it on I decided it was too scratchy. After two hot water washes the large sweater was reduced to about one third of its original size and one thousand times softer.
I used a cardigan style sweater with a border design and red cuffs and banding. The diagram below shows how and where I cut out the parts. No exact measurements are given since each shrunken sweater will vary. If you follow my diagram you will be able to create the monkey out of a single sweater. If you want to use bits from multiple sweaters that will be great too; it’s your monkey!
You can stitch sweater monkey by hand or use a machine to speed up the process. Hand stitching is involved either way.
The button eyes are only for older children; if you are making one of these for a small child please embroider the eyes to be safe.
Supplies:
1 or more shrunken sweaters (machine felted)
Stuffing material such as fiberfill
Black embroidery floss
Red embroidery floss or floss that matches cuffs and banding
3-1” buttons if desired
Sewing thread
Optional: Sewing machine and 1 ½” of hook and loop tape for hands
Sewing supplies: pins, needles for hand sewing and embroidery, scissors
Instructions: All seams are 5/8” and right sides together unless otherwise noted.
1. Use enclosed/attached diagram to cut out your monkey parts reserving any leftover bits for trimming later.
2. You can stitch this entirely by hand or use a sewing machine to speed up the process. Pin arms and legs together forming tubes. Stitch across one short end of tube then up length. Turn right side out and stuff semi-firmly leaving top 1 1/2” unstuffed.
3. Cut body section in half lengthwise. On one body piece pin open side of arms 1” down from top. Arm should be pointed in towards center of body. Repeat for other arm. Place second body piece on top and pin down sides. Stitch side seams securing arms.
4. Pin open side of legs to bottom of body leaving a 1 ½” gap between legs. Make sure legs point in towards center of body. Stitch across bottom of body securing legs.
5. Cut four 2”-3” circles from ear section. Sew 2 ear circles together leaving a 2” gap. Turn right side out. Cut head section in half lengthwise. Pin ears to center of head with ears facing in towards center of head. Place opening for turning past sides of head so it will be closed by side seam. Place second head section on top. Stitch up one side, across top and down other side.
6. Stuff both body and head. Pin head to body then hand ladder stitch head to body. It looks better if you slightly gather both top edges as you are stitching to form the neck.
7. Sew one short end of tail section then up length. Stuff leaving top 1” unstuffed. Hand ladder stitch tail to back bottom where a tail should be!
8. Cut 2” x 4” oval from mouth section. Hand stitch mouth to head around edges.
9. Use 6 strands of black floss to embroider a line across mouth section using a backstitch. Embroider 2 straight lines for nostrils. (Refer to photograph for placement.) Embroider eyes or stitch on button eyes. Stitch a giant X in center of each ear using black floss. Use red or color to match cuffs and banding to slightly gather around legs 2”-3” up from bottom to form feet.
10. Measure around head to get hat measurement. Cut this measurement plus 1” by 3” tall. For pompom on top of hat: Cut 2” circle from scraps, gather around outside edge with a running stitch then stuff lightly. Pull thread tight and knot off. Pin pompom to center top of hat pointing in towards center of hat. Sew up side, across top securing in pompom and down other side of hat. Turn right side out. Hand stitch to monkey head using a whip stitch and turning up bottom edge.
11. Stitch on additional trims as desired. Red bands cut from cuffs were added to arms and a collar cut from banding was made by joining top edges with floss and a button.
12. Stitch or glue hook and loop tape to hands if desired.
