|DICASTIO|

This classic, goofy sock toy has been a favorite of children and adults for many decades.^[1] Although there are a number of steps to making this popular toy, it is surprisingly easy and can be done by anyone with basic sewing skills. Each sock is cut to form different parts of the monkey's body and with careful following of each step, you'll see your own unique sock monkey appear before your eyes in no time!

[Edit]Steps

[Edit]Printable Pattern

Sock Monkey Template

[Edit]Making the Legs

Find 2 clean socks. The best ones will be ones with heels and toes in contrasting colors to the rest of the sock. One sock will be used to make the body, legs, and head, and the other will used to make the arms, tail, face, and ears. While the material of the socks isn't super important, cotton ones will be easier to work with than synthetic ones.^[2]
- Sock monkeys were traditionally made with "Rockford Red Heel Socks," which had a distinctive red heel on each sock.^[3] If you have striped socks, those work well, too.
- If your socks have cuffs (a turned over and stitched section at the top of the socks), be sure to undo the seam carefully; the extra length created from undoing the cuff is needed for the length of the monkey.
- Avoid using socks that are threadbare or past their best. This toy will look smarter and last longer if the socks are still in good condition and unstained.
Turn both socks inside-out. Reach into each sock and pull the toe up through the opening, then flatten them out on a flat surface in front of you (like a table or a countertop). It'll be much easier to start making your sock monkey once the socks are inside out, and you'll be able to flip them right side out again later on.^[4]
- This is also why it's important to use clean socks! You probably don't want to reach inside a dirty one to turn it inside out (yuck).
Flatten 1 sock with the heel side down. You may have to flatten the sock against its natural crease to make this happen. If it's not cooperating, grab an iron and give it a quick once-over. Really crease your fold that you're making so the sock keeps its shape.^[5]
- This is what you'll use to make the monkey's body and legs.
Cut the sock from the opening to from the colored heel. This will become the split in the monkey's legs. Again, the heel is actually hidden beneath the sock at this point, so you may have to flip it over briefly to double-check your positioning. You don't have to measure this cut out perfectly, but you should try to leave a bit of room above the heel to work with.^[6]
- If you need to, you can use a fabric marker to draw a line down the center of the sock as a guide.
- Make sure you're cutting through both layers of the sock, not just the top one.
Sew up one side of the legs and back down the other. Thread a needle with sewing thread (whatever color complements your monkey) and tie the ends in a knot. Start by sewing the top of one leg (the end of one split) with a running stitch. As you sew downward, leave about open in the middle of the monkey's legs, then hop over to the other leg and sew that one up.^[7]
- If you want to use a sewing machine instead, use your walking foot.
- Traditionally, sock monkeys are sewed with brown thread, but you can choose whatever color will look the best.

[Edit]Making the Body and Head

Turn the sock right-side out and stuff it with cotton balls. Reach into your sock and pull the top out through the hole to situate it normally. Tear up cotton balls and stuff them into your monkey, stopping when all of it is fluffy and full. You'll probably need about half a bag of cotton balls to fill up your monkey all the way, so don't skimp out!^[8]
- When stuffing the sock monkey, use small pieces of stuffing. Using bigger pieces may be quicker, but it might make your monkey look a little lumpy.
- The amount of stuffing is up to you. If the sock is thin, you may want to err on the side of under stuffing, as overstuffing it may cause it to stretch too much.
- If you don't have stuffing, you can use old pieces of t-shirts, crushed and dried flower petals, used dryer sheets, tissue paper, yarn, or rice.
Sew up the hole in the bottom of the monkey. Grab your needle and thread again and use a running stitch to sew up the opening in the middle of the monkey's legs. Make sure to sew this one really tight, as it's the most prone to opening up again (since you've already stuffed the monkey). Tie off your thread and cut off any excess so it doesn't look too noticeable at the bottom.^[9]
- To make this stitch look a little cleaner, you can pin it with sewing pins and remove them as you sew. That way, it won't pucker or bunch up as you make your stitches.
Tie a rubber band around the top 1/3 of the body. Grab a rubber band and loop it over the top of your monkey, then loop it once more to tighten it up. Adjust the stuffing inside the sock to make the head look rounded and proportionate to the rest of the body before you move on to your next steps.^[10]
- For an even cuter sock monkey, use a ribbon instead of a rubber band.

[Edit]Making the Arms, Tail, and Ears

Grab your second sock and cut it into 5 pieces. This will make the nose, arms, tail, and ears. Cut the heel of the sock off for the nose, use the tall part of the sock for each arm, make the longest strip of fabric the tail, and cut out 2 tiny pieces for the ears. Make sure you cut through both layers of fabric, keeping them together at the seams of the sock if you can.^[11]
- You can probably use up the entire sock in this step so that you don't have any scrap fabric left over.
Fold both arm pieces in half lengthwise, then sew them up. Crease each arm piece until it's folded in half with the wrong side of the sock facing out, then grab your sewing needle and thread again. Sew from the bottom to the top, leaving about open at the top of the arm so you can stuff them later on.^[12]
- The top opening is also where the arms will attach to the body of your monkey.
Fold the tailpiece in half lengthwise, then sew it up. Like you did with the arms, fold the long tail piece in half lengthwise with the wrong side facing out and use your sewing needle and thread again. Leave a small opening at the top so you can stuff it later on to give your tail a little girth.^[13]
- It's important for the wrong side of the sock to face outwards since that will help to hide your stitches.
Sew the ears together with an opening at the bottom. Take the 2 small ear pieces you cut out and turn them inside out, then fold them in half to make 2 semi-circles. Use your sewing needle and thread again to sew them up, leaving the bottom seam untouched so you can stuff them later.^[14]
- It's a lot of sewing, but it will be worth it in the end!
Flip the sewn pieces right-side out and stuff them. Take your arms, tail, and ears, and turn them all right side out through the openings you left. Grab your cotton balls again and tear them up into small pieces, then stuff them inside of every piece to make them 3D. You don't have to sew the openings closed yet, since you'll be attaching them to your monkey.^[15]
- You can leave the heel of the sock, or the monkey's nose, alone for now.
- If you're having trouble stuffing the long tail, use a pen or a pencil to shove the stuffing all the way to the bottom.
Stitch the tail to the rump. Position the tail on the backside of the monkey just above where the monkey will sit. Hold it onto the monkey with one hand and use a slip stitch to attach the tail to the back of the monkey, then tie off your thread and cut off the excess.^[16]
- The tail should be right above the heel of the sock so that the monkey can still sit up on its own.
Attach the arms to either side of the body. Take note of where the head is on your sock monkey and put the arms just slightly lower than that. Use a slip stitch again to attach the arms to the body, making sure they're relatively even with each other. Your monkey is really starting to come together now!^[17]
- You may want to position them a little higher than your natural inclination suggests; this will give your sock a more monkey-like posture.

[Edit]Assembling the Face and Ears

Stitch a mouth onto the nose piece with black thread. Remember that heel you cut out earlier? Take it and draw a faint outline of a mouth, sticking as close to the center of it as possible. Use black thread and a stem stitch (a stitch in a straight line) to follow the line of the mouth and make your monkey's features pop.^[18]
- For an extra special touch, add 2 dots above the mouth to make nose holes.
Stuff the nose piece with cotton and attach it to the monkey's face. Grab your nose (and mouth) piece and fill it with as much cotton as you can. Then, line it up with the lower half of the monkey's face and use a slip stitch to sew all around the edges to give your monkey a nose.^[19]
- You can fold the raw edges underneath for a more polished look, or leave them out to make your monkey look a little homemade.
- Your monkey's nose should be really puffy and stick out a lot. This will give it some personality and charm.
Fold the raw edges of each ear to the inside and stitch them closed. Stitch the completed ears to the sides of the head. They should be in line with where the eyes will be, just above the muzzle. They'll look kind of large on the monkey's head, and they might stick out on the side, too, which is great!^[20]
- If you're worried about making them even, you can use a fabric marker to draw dots on either side of the head where you'd like the ears to go.
Sew on black buttons for the eyes. Take 2 large, black buttons and either sew them through the holes or glue them onto the front of your monkey. Position them above the mouth and below the ears to finish off its face, then enjoy your standard sock monkey!^[21]
- If you do want to use glue, use fabric glue so the buttons don't fall off over time.

[Edit]Decorating the Monkey

Use googly eyes instead of buttons for a realistic monkey. If you aren't a fan of the standard monkey face, grab 2 large googly eyes instead of buttons and position them on your monkey's face. Use fabric glue to attach the eyes and watch them roll around as you play with your monkey throughout the day.^[22]
- You can find large bags of googly eyes at most craft supply stores.
Cut out a red heart and put it in your monkey for a personal touch. If you want to make your monkey extra special, cut out a red heart (either anatomical or a love heart) and put it into your sock before you add the stuffing. Now, your monkey has a heart of their own that they can use to love you with!^[23]
- This is a great way to give the monkey a special touch, especially if you're making it for a young child.
Make a cute pom pom hat for the monkey to wear in the winter. Grab a large, fluffy pom pom and position it on the top of the monkey's head. You can either use a running stitch to sew the pom pom on or grab your fabric glue again to attach the pom pom to your monkey. Now it has a cute little hat to keep it warm during the chilly winter.^[24]
- Red pom poms work great with classic sock monkeys, but you can choose whichever color you like the best.
Try making a bandana out of ribbon for a feminine touch. If you'd like your sock monkey to have a little bit of style, grab a thin ribbon and wrap it around the top of your monkey's head. Glue the ribbon down with fabric glue, then attach a small bow or a fake flower to the side of the ribbon for a cute embellishment.^[25]
- Pink is always a great choice for a headband, but you can pick out whichever color is your favorite.
Keep your monkey warm with a sweater made from a sock. Grab a small ankle sock with a fun design and cut the toe part off. Hold the sock up to your monkey's torso and cut out 2 holes on either side for the arms, then slide the sock sweater over your monkey's head and onto their body. Pull their arms through to show off their stylish new sweater vest!^[26]
- Go with a striped sock for a classic sweater pattern, or pick something bright and colorful for a whimsical twist.

[Edit]Tips

Try doing this as a craft with your kids to get them excited about reusing old clothing.

[Edit]Warnings

If you're giving the sock monkey to a child under three years old, don't use buttons for the eyes. Instead, embroider the eyes on so they can't come off.