Steps in Making A Monkey:

Listed below are detailed steps in the monkey making process. It is important to follow these steps to create a safe monkey for young children. We do ask that you use paint or felt for eyes, and no ribbon if your child is under the age of 3 and will be playing with it. The buttons and small pieces could lodge in a childs throat. Please use your best judgment in this area.

Important Reminders when making a Sock Monkey:

There are loose pieces in each bag... little ears and a muzzle can easily get lost.
We suggest you stuff in a sequence together
1. Stuff body first.
2. Place a foam heart in body.
3. Stuff one arm.
4. Stuff the second arm.
5. Then the tail.
Before you seal up the bag after stuffing, make sure that ALL the pieces are in there before you collect it.
Make sure that your monkey is not limp... stuff the body and arms well. Be careful with the tail... too much stuffing makes the tail stick out... better to have a limp tail!

Included parts to your Monkey

One Body
Two Arms
One Tail
Two Ears
Muzzle

How to assemble the Monkey!

Step 1: The body

Make sure the stuffing is sufficient in all areas... too much is too tight, to little makes a skinny monkey.
Sew the body closed with a whip stitch and tie off.
Look for any holes or runs that may need to be repaired with a whip stitch.

Step 2: Muzzle placement

Monkey - Step 2 Make sure you place the muzzle in a good spot. DO NOT PLACE TOO LOW OR TOO HIGH!!! (see photo). Then turn under the sock around it to make a good border, and whip stitch in place first. Leave a small area so that you can add stuffing before you close it up.

Step 3: Ears

Monkey - Step 3 Put a little stuffing inside, and sew closed. Then you can close the ends from point to point. You may want to pleat the ear before sewing onto the head about the middle from the muzzle to top (see photo). Make sure you sew all around the ear so it is tight, and won't easily pull off.

Step 4: Arm placement

Monkey - Step 4 The arms should follow a line from the ears down, leaving about 2-3 inches from the base of the muzzle. Turn under the end of the arm material and place on sock without flattening the ends. Sew around the arm with the whip stich. Make sure that the arms are low enough from the muzzle so you have no trouble tying the bow around the neck. Make sure in all your stitching, that you cannot see holes... kids will be able to tear them off easily!

Step 5: Tail placement

Monkey - Step 5 The tail should be right above the red line on the bottom (see photo)... again turn the material under, and whip stitch around.

Step 6: Eyes

Make sure the eyes are not too far apart, and not too close or hight. They should be placed approximately 1/2 inch from the top of the muzzle.

Step 7: Finishing Touches

Monkey - Step 5 Place hair on top, and stitch making sure that the strings do not pull off. Do the hair pull test... if it comes out, you need to sew around it more. Place a ribbon around neck, tie tightly in a double-knotted bow... you are almost done! You may want to paint the mouth line and eyelashes on with fabric paint.

Common Mistakes:

Muzzle sewn too low
Stitching too loosely
Eyes too high
Arms flattened and stitched together before attachment to body
Tail sewn in wrong place (belongs above red)

If you have any questions about making a sock monkey, just contact us and we can help!