Top This Monkey! Using Top This! Yarn to make easy stuffed animals

DMC has a new hat yarn that comes with a skein of yarn and a character topper. I took one look at these and thought “stuffed animal kit!”

These are a great beginner project, using basic crochet stitches and a ready-made head, so no need to struggle with getting those eyes and nose positioned “just so” (or risk creating deranged monkey, rather then cute monkey!).

The 3 yarns, I only used 2 to make the monkey.

The yarn has 3 distinct types in one ball, so the first thing I did was divide the ball into the 3 yarns (sorry inventor, I’m reverse-engineering your whole product!). There were 2 sections of blue, 1.5 of the fuzzy green, and 2 sections of the variegated green. I haven’t figured out yet what monkey accessory the variegated yarn should be turned into.

Attaching the head, and leaving the tails of the ribbon in place to sew on the arms.

Then I started in, designing as I went. I attached the head before I stuffed and finished the body. Using the provided ribbon worked, but once my daughter started loving on him I decided to use a needle and thread and attach the head a little more securely.

I used the ends of the ribbon to attached the arms allowing them to be posable. Again, this worked, but if you are giving it to children it may need some sewn reinforcement.

He needed a tail, of course, which is just a chain and row of single crochets with a few increases to inspire the curl.

Here I am trying to take a picture of the monkey, but my daughter wanted to cuddle him. Note her toe sneaking into the picture as his toe flies out of the picture.

I made the whole monkey one morning during an hour drive and then finished him up at my destination. A quick easy project, and my children just love him!

Pattern is now available here.

Materials:

1 ball of Top This Monkey Yarn
Size H crochet hook (or hook needed to obtain gauge)
Stuffing
Sewing needle.

Gauge: 3.5 – 4 Single Crochet stitches per inch

Abbreviations:
sc = Single Crochet
2tog = decrease by crocheting two together

Start by dividing the ball of yarn up by color. I used the blue for the main color (MC), and the fuzzy green for the contract color (CC)

Separating the yarn by color

Body:

Start with MC yarn, Chain 2

8 single crochet in second chain from hook. You will be working in rounds, so mark the first stitch of each round.

Round 1: 2 sc in each stitch (16)

Round 2: 2 sc in next stitch, 1 sc in next stitch around (24)

Round 3: 2 sc in first stitch, 1 sc in each of next 10 stitches,  2 sc in each of the next 2 stitches, 1 sc in each of next 10 stitches, 2 sc in last stitch. (28)

Roand 4-9:  sc around

Attaching the head

Attach head before continuing, I attached it at round 6.

Round 10: *2tog , sc in each of next 2 stitches*, repeat around (21).

Finish off the MC, and join the CC. Stuff the body.

Round 11: 2 tog around, 1 sc in last stitch. 11

Round 12: 2 tog around 6 times (you will be crossing over the start of the round with the last decrees). Finish off, hide end in body.

Tail:

In MC chain 13

1 sc in second chain from hook. 2 sc in next stitch, 1 sc in each of next 2 stitches, 2 sc in next stitch, 1 sc in last 7 stitches. Finish off and leave a tail for sewing on to body.

Arms, make 2:

With CC chain 2.

Round 1: 6 sc in second chain from hook

Round 2: *1 sc in first stitch, 2 sc in next stitch* repeat around (9)

Finish off CC, join MC

Round 3 and 4: sc around 9

The cutie showing off his arm placement

Round 4: 2tog, sc in each of next 7 stitches. (8)

Stuff hand,

Round 5-10: sc around

Stuff arm

Fold in half and sc through both sides. (until I get a picture of my own to show this, the second picture on this page wee bear pattern shows how to fold and crochet through two layers)

Finish off leaving a tail or yarn to attach arms to body.

Legs, make 2:

In CC chain 2

Round 1: 6 sc in second chain from hook

Round 2: 2 sc in each stitch around (12)

Round 3: sc around,  finish off CC, join MC

Round 4-5: sc around

Round 6: *2tog, 1 sc in each of next 2 stitches* around (9)

Stuff foot.

Round 7-15 sc around

Stuff leg

Fold in half, crochet through both sides. Finish off leaving a tail or yarn to attach legs to body.

Attach arms, legs and tail to body.

I attached the tail in the back at row 3
I sewed the legs on over row 7
I sewed the arms across 5-6-7, 3-4 stitches down from head.

The yarn is available here.

There are so many options! Cat, puppy, giraffe, owl, and many more – you have to go take a look!