I have mentioned this before, but I love giving the gift of handmade. There’s something so heartfelt about handing over a gift you have made with your own two hands… even if the recipient isn’t old enough to understand what that means. One day they will. 🙂
I made these monkeys for my daughter who is three now, and it’s amazing what the addition of a pocket does for a toy. Often she will love a stuffed animal until the newness wears off, and then it sits untouched. Adding a pocket to this monkey has added a whole new level of playability. Poesy has had a blast filling them drawings, crayons, small toys, and basically anything else that will fit into the pockets of these little stuffies.
Step 1: Download the pattern above, print it out, and tape together. Cut out all the pieces of fabric you will be needing for this tutorial.
Step 2: Grab an embroidery hoop and a piece of felt and stitch the face for your monkey. You will end up cutting this down, so don’t worry about the size just yet. Go ahead and stitch the ears together at this point as well. Make sure the back side of the fabric is out, because you will be flipping these right-side out. Also, make sure to leave the bottom part of the ear unsewn.
Step 3: Take the felt you just embroidered and cut it down to fit your monkey. (Mine was about 3 3/4″ across.) Fold and iron the edges of the pocket square.
Step 4: Use your sewing machine to stitch the face and pocket to the top piece of fabric for your monkey.
Step 5: Now it’s time to sew the body! Put your main fabric pieces together with the back sides of the fabric out. You will also want to pin the ears in place because they will be sewn on in this step too. (See picture for help on lining them up.) Sew all the way around the edges of the monkey, but leave the bottom portion open.
Step 6: Flip your monkey right-side out and stuff! Use a chopstick to push that stuffing through the tail.
Step 7: Hand sew the bottom of the monkey closed. I left a generous opening on mine because it makes stuffing a little bit easier! Step
8: All finished! Yay!
I made these monkeys with kiddos in mind, but I also think they’d make adorable love note keepers for couples. Maybe I need to borrow one from the girls… xo. Katie
Credits // Author and Photography: Katie Shelton
Anyone up for turning this monkey-adorable-ness into a frog?
Really cute! My girl loves her new monkey 🙂
http://www.pinterest.com/pin/221802350372163943/
Cute DIY 🙂 Lovely photos ! Great post ℓα ℒιcσrηe – â„’a vie est â„“a petite â„“icorne.
Hello and a nice sunday afternoon!
Your monkey DIY are so sweet and lovely, I cant stand fore the eyelashes and funnt tales:-)
Thank you fore the inspiration!
Tina mommy to a krative daughter
http://www.mariahoffbeck.blogspot.com
Those are sooo cute!!! I’ve linked to your post on Craft Gossip:
http://sewing.craftgossip.com/free-pattern-secret-notes-monkey-softie/2014/02/16/
–Anne
Hey does the pattern come with a sewing allowance or do i have to add i first?
So super sweet!
Those are so adorable I cannot wait to make one. Better work on my sewing skills first though xD
http://olivia-savannah.blogspot.nl/2014/02/high-end-vs-high-street-2014-blogger.html
Whoa! What a cute idea 🙂
http://thepinnestsjournal.blogspot.com
Soo cute and lovely! I am going to have to make this!
I am wondering if you give them a base if they would stand nicely on my desk, and put a beanie bag in the bottom for weight. Love the look of these though 🙂
I adore this! Will definitely be trying my hand at these for my daughter!
These are absolutely precious. I’m in monkey love.
This is crazy adorable!! Thank you for the pattern! I’ll try this once I get a bit better at sewing 🙂
Grey
http://lovewishfully.com
Love them! I’ll sure put this project to my to do list. Right now I’m in the process of buying a sewing machine for the first time and I’m so lost with all the options out there. I’d like to suggest a post about buying a first sewing machine, with tips and insights. Thanks for considering the idea! xoxo
how adorable are these!!
xxoo,
nikki
www.dreaminneon.blogspot.com
I love this idea! I can imagine my little sister LOVING this (especially if it’s pokemon-shaped and she can stick her pokemon cards inside).
xoxo
Taylor
www.welcomehometaylor.com
Oh wow this is absolutely adorable! I’ll be doing this with the kids today. 🙂
These are so adorable I actually want one too!
This is a great idea! I also thin it would be a cute “tooth fairy monkey” pillow.