It’s April! A time for spring to start showing her face, bunnies to start hopping and Mother Earth to wake up after her sleep. It’s also Earth Month, which means my stuffed animal instinct is back. And my feels? To sew a family of the sock monkey, Marcho Here’s what happened after a few days and nights of happy sewing!
A houseful of sock monkey!!!!
Do you love them?
I have been seeing a lot of sock monkey photos in photos and internet pictures. They’re so cute and, well, happy-looking that they make me want to have one of my own, or gift my kids to make them happy. They would make a great companion for the kiddos while mummy is busy at work. That got me thinking of new stuffed monkey animal patterns – I went into the store to get a few pairs of socks (maybe 4 or 5). I left with 20! It was just impossible to resist the colorful choices available which got me thinking of the cute, colorful sock monkeys I can make with them. After sewing some prototypes and showing them to my parents and siblings, and their families, now everyone wants one.
Sock Monkey – Free Sewing Pattern & Tutorial
scroll ⬇️ to get the free pattern & tutorial
You may want one too, so after doing some research and testing, here is my version of the sock monkey. It’s a little different from the other versions of monkey toys made of socks, and it doesn’t come with the typical red lips, but it’s just as lovely. And definitely, a great monkey stuffed animal pattern for you to try on your own. If you want a superhero version, try mine here.
Introducing the Marcho Monkey Family. Yes, I made an entire monkey family out of different sizes of socks. I had baby monkeys, toddlers, teens, and adult monkeys. The picture below is the sock monkey family – there’s a daddy and mommy, sister, brother, a set of toddler triplets, and the baby. And meet the brown monkey too. He’s the happy-go-lucky photographer who took this family photo and teaches yoga in his free time. Check out the sister monkey (she’s the one in purple stripes) – she’s got magnets on her limbs so she can be hung on any metal surface.
The Marcho Sock Monkey Family
Look at how much love the sock monkey family has for each other. They’re so huggable and cute. They love to hug humans and they hug each other too.
[Update: August 15, 2014] I have just done an amigurumi pattern for a crochet version of the sock monkey’s twin brother, the crochet amigurumi monkey, Kimira. Don’t they look identical? Click here for this free crochet pattern.
The bigger Monkey is hugging the baby, so sweet!
Adult monkey with the baby monkey
A lucky baby Monkey under the shelter and care from the adult.
What are these stuffed monkeys watching?
Bring out your socks (or, buy from here), follow the “How To Sew Sock Monkey Pattern & Tutorial” to sew your own Marcho Sock Monkey. Have Fun!
More stuffed monkey sewed from socks…
Sock Monkey Sewing Pattern
Make your own Marcho Sock Monkey by using this ultimate sewing pattern and tutorial. Easy to sew with guides from pictures and instructions. I made an entire sock monkey family out of different sizes of socks.
You can even make an entire sock monkey family out of different sizes of socks; from baby sock monkeys, toddlers, teens, and adult sock monkeys.
Enjoy sewing them!
Download and print separately SEWING PATTERN for the eyes, ears, and pattern for drawing the sock.
Materials
Adult Sock Monkey
Toddler Sock Monkey
Baby Sock Monkey
- Socks (Crew Length), 1 pair, Kids size
- Embroidery Floss Black
And These Common Materials
- White Felt
- Embroidery Floss, Yellow
- Poly-fill Stuffing Material
- Batting, or Thick Aquarium Filter Pad
- Paper or card stock for template printing
Tools
- Sewing machine. You can also hand-sew, if you prefer
- Long Sewing Needle (about 2") and pins
- Scissors
- Erasable fabric marker
- Iron
- Printer
Instructions
How To Sew Marcho Sock Monkey
- PREPARATION:
Prepare all materials above.
Take the white felt and cut the eyes following the downloaded pattern above. Mark the position for the button eye.
If your socks have a folded cuff, carefully remove the stitches without cutting the sock. Then, flatten out the fold so you have a longer sock length.
Turn the sock right-side in and align. Press with a warm iron.
- DRAW PATTERN:
Draw the pattern on the sock with an erasable fabric marker. If you don’t have the pattern, download it here and print it out. [Note: not all socks are the same so I can’t make a standard pattern for you to trace].
- PIN, SEW, CUT & TURN:
1. Align the stripes on both layers, pin.
2. Sew the socks (black lines) with a sewing machine, best if you have walking foot so both layers walk together. You may hand sewn too.
3. Cut as per pattern.
4. Cut all pieces out.
There will be an opening created between the legs. Use this opening to turn the sock right side out.
1. Insert the thumb into the leg till the feet end. “Pinch” the feet end with your thumb and index finger.
2. Push the index finger into the sock while the thumb withdrawing from the sock to turn the sock right side out.
3. When the feet surface at the opening, pull the whole leg right side out.
4. Repeat the same to the other leg.
Finally, turn the body out. Smooth out all the seam lines.
Turn the rest of the body parts, except the tail.
- STUFFING:
Legs & Body: Stuff the legs with poly-fill stuffing material.
Fill the body round and to the firmness you like.
1. Sew slip/ladder stitch on the opening about 1/8″ from the raw edge. Let the thread loose and don’t pull it yet.
2. After finish slip-stitching, pull the thread to close the opening.
3. With the needle still on the sock, wrap 2 to 3 rounds of thread on it, pull the needle through while pressing the wrapping thread with your finger.
4. Insert the needle somewhere nearby and come out from the other side. Pull the thread and cut it close to the sock. The thread will be hidden in the sock neatly. Always do this when you sew.
Arms: Stuff the arm with poly stuffing material until about 1/2″ from the opening.
Roll the monkey arm with your hands to make the stuffing even and nice. You can do this now and/or after sewing up the opening.
1. Stuffed monkey arms waiting to be sewn.
2. Run stitches about 1/4″ from the raw edge.
3. Pull the thread to gather a bit, push the raw edge into the arm.
4. Tighten up the opening by pulling the thread fully, make a few stitches across, knot, and cut the thread.
Both arms waiting to be assembled to the sock monkey.
Ears: 1. Stuff the ear with a small amount of poly-fill. Fold the raw edges in and slip stitch.
2. Pull the thread to close the opening. Knot.
3. Fold the ear vertically and slip stitch the opening seam line.
4. The finished ear looks like this.
Tail: Cut a piece of batting or thick aquarium filter pad, 3 times the width of the tail and the length when it is stretched or partially stretched.
Fold the batting three times and sew the end to the seam line of the tail end (wrong side).
Whipstitch the folded batting in place until the other end.
Sew the batting again to tail seam allowance about 1/4″ below the raw edge.
(Note: I used this method since stuffing with poly-fill to a long narrow tail is difficult and uneven.)
1. The batting and the tail before turning.
2. Insert a finger into the sock and pull the tail right side out, portion by portion. Only turn the sock not the batting.
3. Repeat (2) until you reach the end. Continue with the turning by inserting the batting into the tail until it fully gets into it.
4. Adjust the batting so that it looks neat. Fold the raw edge in and stitch it up just like the arms method.
- ASSEMBLY:
Body, arms, ears, tail, mouth, felt eye, and button eyes are all set to be assembled into a sock monkey.
Divide the body into halve, with the top half being the face of the monkey where eyes and mouth are sewed to.
Sew Face Features: Position the felt eye with the center point align to the middle of the face portion. Pin it and sew with a blanket stitch.
You may want to decorate the felt eye with a line of running stitch with 6 strands of embroidery floss before sewing it on the face.
Sew the button eyes to the marked positions of the felt.
To make the eyes attach to the face closely, insert your needle as deep as possible into the face, turn and come out to another point of the same eye. Pull the thread tightly so that the eye attaches closely to the face.
1. Mark the mouth on the face with an erasable fabric marker. The shape is rounded corner rectangular, with bottom align to the face’s border and top covers a little on the felt eye.
2. Fold and baste the raw edge of the mouth, then pin it in place. Slip stitch around until you are about 1″ away from the starting point.
3. Stuff the mouth fully. Continue to slip stitch to the starting point to complete the mouth.
4. Embroidery branch stitches across the middle of the mouth. Tips: look out for the toe seam line of the sock, this is where the middle is.
Sew Ear & Tail: 1. Sew ears on the side of the face with slip stitch around (front and back of the ear).
2. The front of the ear is aligned to the sideline of the monkey.
3. The position of the tail.4. Sew it with slip stitch around too.
Sew Arm: Sew the arm on the marked position with a slip stitch around. Knot the thread and insert the needle to the other side of the arm position. Pull the thread so that arm “squeezes” into the body, knot to secure the shape.
Sew another arm with a slip stitch.
If you think that the arms are not “sunken” enough, pass the needle to the other side, pull the thread to get the result you want, knot the thread securely.
Sometimes, you may find that the monkey’s head is a little tall and pointy. This is normal for adult socks due to their shape and design. I find this problem less so with children’s socks. Also, check the density of your sock stuffing. Are they packed equally or lumpy?
- HEAD ADJUSTMENT (OPTIONAL):
If you want a round sock monkey head like mine, try this:
1. The original pointy head is due to the toe compartment of the sock.
2. Pinch the top of the head to decide how much you want to sew to make it rounder. Mark with an erasable marker. Gradually decrease the width from the center towards the front and the back.
3. Join both lines with a slip stitch.
4. Here is it, a rounder head for your monkey.
I hope to see your version of Marcho Sock Monkey soon.
Happy Sewing!
Notes
HOW TO SECURE THE KNOT: Secure the knot by inserting the needle between the 2 threads.
The knot is locked with the sock and it won’t slip away through the knits when you pull the thread during sewing.
WHY DO WE HAVE TO HAND DRAWN PATTERN? Not all socks are the same size, so I can’t provide a standard printable template for this sock animal. The best way to proceed is to sketch out the sewing line by referring to the pictures.
DOLL SIZES: For different sizes of sock animals, use different sizes of socks.
SOCK CHOICE: Socks will be stretched after they are stuffed so thick socks that are close-knit make better quality sock sheep toys.
SEAM ALLOWANCE: Approximately 1/8” or 1/4”.
You need bigger seam allowance for loose-knit and thinner sock materials because they can be ripped off easily
STUFFING: always massage the stuffing to loosen out lumps. Long tubular parts should be rolled with both hands so any lumps will be smooth, and help to make the parts longer and firmer.
Recommended Products
Purchase the exact same material and tool used in this pattern from Craft Passion Shop.
Loved this page for awhile!
I have enjoyed reading your tutorial and it is easy to follow, your monkeys are adorable so I am off to stock up on some socks. I am new to this craze of sock sewing so while we are away in our bus over the Christmas break I will do some. Thank you for sharing the pattern
Adorable monkeys. I’d love to try one, but need to see the entire pattern, as I am not a confident seamstress. No matter what I try, I can’t download the pattern for eyes, etc. All that comes up is page after page of coding.
Please try this link to see if the download works.
Hi love your sock animals especially the monkeys. They are amazing.
Is there any way you can make a video tutorial on the sock monkeys? Yours look like they have a neck, if that makes sense. Did you pull it tighter between the mouth and the top of the arms some how? Hope to get a reply, thank you in advance.
Awsome! 🙂
I’m doing mine during quorentine
Hi. i’m loving your sock monkey page. Very talented indeed..
Would you know of anyone I could get in contact with to make me one of the large sock monkeys?
I have a particular sock I need to use. Unfortunately, I’m not handy when it comes to sewing so I thought id ask to see if you had any thoughts.
Love your sock pattern toys. Wish there was a way to print them out without all the ads. Any suggestions? I have tried to copy and paste into a Word document, but it doesn’t allow me to make the photo images smaller, which is resulting in many pages and lots of ink that could be saved by resizing. Any help you can lend me would be much appreciated.
Hi Laurie, please use the green print button to print or save to pdf, it is available at the bottom of the post before the “You will like this” section. This print button is powered by PrintFriendly, you may delete whatever you do not want to print in the pop-up.
Thank you!
Hi Joanne,
Before I do another I want to thank you for this lovely pattern. I started making these about a year ago. Made one for a friend and now everyone wants one. Even got a little creative and started putting names on them. I want to show you pics but don’t see an option to upload
We would love to see your sock monkeys. Our contact form file upload is not working well, otherwise, you can send the file via the form. Do you have any social media that you can upload to? Please tag @craftpassion if you do so with social media, we are on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and Pinterest.
Thanks, and we are looking forward to seeing your sock monkeys 🙂
Thank you so much with your tutorial. I love it. I have many old sock and i want to make them all.
Where do I get the stripped blue and brown socks that are in the photo
Hi Tami,
Sorry that the sock is not available. We have been searching every where for stock, unfortunately still can’t find it. You may try other socks that available in Craft Passion Shop.
thank you! Thank you for these very complete directions. I have been creating now for over 2 years. I began when I learned of becoming a Nana…Now she is 2 and I want to make her a special Sock Monkey. I have researched many different sites for directions, and no one compares to your site!
Glad that you find it useful 🙂
They are beautiful and adorable! I am going to try one myself but I am not too good with sewing;)
This is the best!! I have now made 4 and love everyone. Thank you very much for sharing..
Glad to know that you are happy with it 🙂
Do you have a sock elephant? I’m looking for items to make to help raise money for my adoption from India and I’ve been searching for a good sock elephant pattern. The elephant is my mascot of sorts for the adoption. 🙂
There is a sock elephant in Craft Passion. Please do a search and you will find it. 🙂
The original brown socks used for sock monkeys had a elephant pattern. That was several years back but you could check the company. I made one it’s cute, but I don’t have pattern.
These are so.great
I would love to.be able to.sell some I make for a charity which I support. Is it OK to.do so?
I have no problem with you selling your own handmade 🙂
Linda idéia! Amei seu site! Parabéns
Translation (by Google):
Beautiful idea! I loved your site! Congratulations
Where did you purchase the yellow gray and white crew socks? What size?
Hi Marie, I have answered your question in the previous comment.
Where do I get the yellow, grey and white crew socks? (like the one pictured in your post.) My granddaughter wants THAT monkey!!! They are CREW socks, correct? And they are ADULT mediums or large? Thank you for your response. Happy New Year.
It is an adult large size. Sorry that the socks are no longer available in the market.
Made one for each of my grandchildren for Christmas. I loved the one I had from my grandmother as a child! Used “Happy Socks” sold in department store…..very colorful! Although not cotton, turned out just like your pictures! Your pattern and directions are terrific!
Hi Marty, happy to know this. Would you share some photos of your monkey with us? You can send the pics via contact form or tag Craft Passion in social media.
Thank you so much!
Jyst made 3 of these for my daughter’s dance teachers as the end of year thank you presents. I even cross stitched the school logo on the tummys.
So cute and i can’t wait to give them to them!
That’s so sweet!!! I am sure the teachers will be very happy to receive the sock monkey 🙂
Ok, we’re BEST FRIENDS!, well in my head 🙂 you are super talented! Thank you so much for this tutorial. I’m going to attempt to make for my lovely nice and rambunctious nephew.
please en français. MERCI
Translation (by Google):
please in French. THANK YOU
I wish I can write in French, sorry.
These are so cute! Made one yesterday but your head is more defined in the neck giving the head a more rounded look. The only thing I can think to do is tie a tight string around the neck to make the head look more separate from the shoulders but i don’t really like that idea. Any thoughts on what i should have done different?
Thanks so much for these clear and detailed instructions!! I m now on my third sock monkey and they all have different personalities and quirks. Your project is brilliant and definitely the best instructions online for sock monkeys that I have found. Your monkeys are lovely, thanks for your inspiring post!! x
i would love too make all of these munkeys
they are so cuuuuuuuute
have you ever tried a “Mr Potato Head” sock monkey? I would like to make one for a friend!
thanks for any help!
I do not have a sewing machine. What type of thread do you recommend I use?
Hi Ruth, you may use ordinary seamstress’s sewing thread, a mixed poly and cotton thread.
Love your pattern, except for one thing…. Never put buttons on stuffed animals they are a chocking hazard.
For the older children, put on safety eyes… , because even little children/tots/toddlers can come in contact with them..
For monkeys for the smaller children… I use felt, sewn down, and/or embroidery the eyes on.
I would hate to be the person who is the maker of a monkey/stuffed animal that had buttons and a child would choke on it and die….
Thank you so much for your monkey tutorial, here is my first one
This one was a gift for little girl, but I plan to sew them a fundrising for our non-profit organisation.
Václava, Czech Republic
This is pretty!!!