To present a child with an original author's gift that he will like, sometimes you have to spend an impressive amount of money. And not always, even if you are ready to empty your budget by the required amount of funds, there is something in stores that will suit you and your child. Of course, you can order a wonderful handmade gift via the Internet or buy it in an expensive boutique, but the little thing that will be made with your hands will certainly delight the recipient and preserve a part of your soul. Moreover, you will always know what your gift consists of, and you can confidently say that it does not contain harmful, poor-quality and hazardous materials.
In this article, you will learn about one of the options for a homemade gift - a monkey crocheted using the amigurumi technique.
Such a toy can be given not only to a child. It will be nice to receive it for an adult as a souvenir, you can also perfectly fit this craft into the interior of your house or use it as a keychain.
Crocheting (monkey patterns provided below) is easy. Of course, if this is your first time picking up a hook, you will have to practice a bit.
What is amigurumi?
The term "amigurumi" appeared relatively recently. The word came to us from Japan. It is believed that Asian craftswomen have long used this technique as an alternative to the European method of knitting. However, the style became known to the whole world only after the release of Hello Kitty cartoon on the screens of world television, when Japanese cartoon fans posted photos of the first miniature copies of the characters on the Internet.
Now the amigurumi animals (in this case you will crochet a monkey, the knitting pattern is very simple) have captivated the whole world. There are several rules that you must follow in order for your related pet to be called "amigurumi."
Miniature
One of the main differences between amigurumi is the small size of the toy, it should not exceed 12 cm. After all, it is this miniature that makes them so cute.
Bright colors and the maximum personification of even inanimate objects
To create a Japanese style, your author’s creation must have a human face (mouth or nose, eyes). To further “humanize” the product, dress your pet. You can crochet a monkey costume , the scheme here is not even required. The colors for creating amigurumi must be chosen bright, it is important to avoid smooth color transitions. All details of the face are made in black or dark brown.
Disproportionality and technique
Amigurumi toys always have a relatively large head. Knit all the elements in a circle so that there are no unnecessary seams.
Now that you know briefly about the style in which you will crochet a monkey, the scheme described in this article will not come as a surprise to you.
So, let's proceed directly to the creation of our toys.
Materials and Tools
Before you learn how to crochet a monkey (a pattern, as you know, this is not the only thing you need), you need to prepare the following accessories:
- Threads for knitting different colors. For example, blue and white, white and orange yarn will perfectly combine, although in what colors your monkey will be made - it depends only on your desire, taste and imagination. Since we crochet a monkey (the diagram, description and photos are presented later in the text), an acrylic thread is best for you. A toy with such a composition will be better to keep in shape and look more natural, especially since now in stores a large selection of children's hypoallergenic acrylics is presented.
- Black or dark brown thread for embroidering face details.
- Crochet hook. His number should be a couple of sizes smaller than the yarn you choose.
- Cotton or synthetic winterizer filler.
- A needle with a thread to connect together all the parts of your monkey.
- Scissors.
- Beads or finished eyes (optional, eyes can also be knitted or embroidered)
We crochet a monkey: scheme, description
As mentioned earlier, in this article we will consider the Japanese technique of knitting a monkey-amigurumi.
Any product in this technique is knitted in a spiral, so that having mastered only the initial skills in crocheting, you can easily, following our advice, tie a cute pet to yourself.
The main task when knitting such a toy is to make the loops fit as tightly as possible to each other, without gaps and gaps. Otherwise, filler will climb out of the finished monkey, giving the finished product a sloppy appearance. That is why the size of the hook should be slightly smaller than the size of the thread used.
Creating our monkey, we first separately bind all its parts of the body, and then connect them after we fill each of them.
A small entry for beginners
Below you will find a brief description of the simplest types of loops that you need to master before crocheting a monkey. Schemes for beginners are visual and show the step-by-step execution of one or another type of loop.
Start loop
Put the end of the thread on the thumb on your left hand, stick the hook from left to right, grabbing the thread, and insert it into the resulting loop. Grab the thread that goes through your index finger and slip it into the ring that slid off your thumb. Tighten.
Air loop
The end of the thread with a loop lies on the thumb of the left hand and the rest of the thread hangs around the index finger of the same hand. The “bridge” of the thread between the fingers should be slightly stretched. You insert the hook into the loop, grab the thread from the “bridge” and pull it into the loop until a second one is formed. Put the hook in the loop just formed and repeat the operation until you get the chain of the desired length.
Single crochet
Pass the hook into the last loop on the air loop, then thread it into the previous loop and grab the thread, pulling it back through both. Now you have a loop on the hook. Without removing it, insert the hook into the next loop of the previous row and repeat the action, etc.
Connecting loop
To complete it, put the hook in the last loop of the row and, without removing it, thread the hook into the first loop of the row, grab the thread, and then thread it through both loops. Everything, you can knit the next row.
We have examined all the nuances that we have to face in the course of work, and now we crochet a monkey step by step.
Head and body
- We knit 7 air loops.
- A row of single crochets, this will be the first row. All subsequent rows are connected by a connecting loop.
- Rows 2, 3 are knitted, imposing on each loop of the row going in front of them two single crochets.
- Row 4: knit, alternating the loops of the previous row, on one you are fastening 1 single crochet, on the second 2, on the third 1, on the fourth 2, etc.
- Row 5: you knit by imposing 2 single crochet columns on each loop of the row going in front of it.
Since we crochet a small monkey, you will have to fill parts of its body as you knit, so already at this stage you can put a little filler in the connected part.
- Rows 6, 7, 8 are knitted with an ordinary single crochet, imposing 1 stitch on each loop of the row going in front of them.
- Rows 9-13 knit, reducing as much as added in the 2nd, 3rd, 4th and 5th rows.
Add filler.
- Rows 14, 15 are knitted with an ordinary single crochet, tying 1 stitch on each loop of the previous row.
- Rows 16, 17, and 18, you loop 1 stitch single crochet into three stitches of the previous row, and 2 single crochet stitches in one.
- Next, we knit the rows with the usual single crochet until the torso of the monkey reaches the size you need.
- Adding filler, we knit the last three rows with decreases corresponding to the additions in rows 16, 17, 18.
When we crochet a monkey step by step and have already tied the main element - the head with the torso, we should not relax, because there is still a lot of parts that are simple to knit, but no less necessary.
Ears
- Knit 7 stitches, then 6 single crochet stitches. Connect this whole structure into a ring.
- Knit row 2, passing two single crochet into each loop of the row that goes earlier.
- Rows 3, 4, 5 are knitted with an ordinary single crochet, 1 in each previous loop.
You need to knit two such parts, and you can also knit 2 more parts for the ears of a different color and smaller size and sew them together.
In the same way, tie your eyes.
Pattern knitting muzzle
- Knit 4 air loops and close them to the ring.
- Rows 2 and 3 are knitted in a loop located in the middle, 2 single crochet.
- Rows 4 and 5 knit 1 with a regular single crochet.
You only need this part.
Monkey legs
- Row 1: we knit 7 air loops, make 6 single crochet and tie them into a ring.
- Rows 2, 3 and 4: we knit 2 single crochet in each loop of the previous row.
- We stuff with a filler.
- Rows 5, 6 and 7: we reduce as many loops as we added in rows 2, 3 and 4.
- We stuff with a filler.
- Next, we knit the rows with an ordinary crochet column with a thread of a different color, until the leg is the length you need.
Do not forget to add filler from time to time. You will need a couple of such details.
We continue to crochet the monkey.
Hand outline
- Row 1: we knit 7 loops of air loops, make 6 single crochet and tie them into a ring.
- Row 2: we knit 2 single crochet stitches for each loop in the row in front of it.
- We knit rows 3 and 4 with the usual single crochet.
- Row 5: decrease loops, respectively, increase in row 2.
- We knit subsequent rows with a thread of a different color until the hand reaches the desired size.
We make these 2 details.
Tie the tail like hands, only longer.
So you finished crocheting the monkey, the assembly scheme is described below.
Putting the monkey parts together
- First of all, you need to sew your hands at the junction of the torso with the head.
- Then to the bottom of the trunk along the edges we sew legs parallel to each other.
- Now you can sew on the tail, it is located in the back in the middle in the lower part of the trunk.
- On the face with a secret seam, attach the muzzle to the lower part and the eyes above the muzzle.
- Embroider your mouth on the face.
- Attach the ears to the sides of the head.
Well, now you have become the happy owner of a small handmade monkey. Now, if you have a desire, we crochet a basket monkey. You already have a monkey scheme, but how to tie a basket? Tie a small “bowl” in a circle with a contrasting color and attach the toys to the hands. You can fold small jewelry, such as earrings.