The Seamless Dangly...

The Brown Monkey
(a.k.a. the seamless mr. dangly)
by Ruth H. Bennett

My mother is a shameless addict. Yep. It’s true. Thankfully, she has a good sense of humor about it all. Alcohol? Nope. Prescription Pain Pills? Nope.
She’s a junkie for high quality dark chocolate. She can’t start her day or her body in the morning without a small piece of it.
So, my sister Anne has euphemized her addiction as “the visit from the Brown Monkey”... Yes. Brown Monkey... as in “monkey on her back”.
This reference to the “Brown Monkey” pops up everywhere in our daily conversations... it’s a bona fide family inside joke at this point. I was inspired to make an actual monkey to be hidden around & pop up for a visit whenever my sister wanted or needed a laugh.
He also hangs quite nicely over your shoulders by his long arms... on your back!
(Come to think of it... I probably should have stuffed him with old Dove “Promise” wrappers instead of Fiber-fil...)

I have made several monkeys modeled after this fine pattern ( Mr. Dangly) I found on ravelry. I think his styling is beyond adorable.
Yep. I took a look at the pattern & said, these Brits sure are great knitters, but DAMN they love to knit everything in pieces & seam it all. I have a compulsion to go seamless when I am able, so I took the basic dimensions of the Dangly & worked it over as seamless pieces that are only sewn together at their joints.

Here is the address for the inspiration: http://electricbiscuitonline.blogspot.com/2005/06/clone-mr-dangly.html

Gentle Reader,

Please remember general free pattern etiquette.

Which means: This is a free pattern & you get what you pay for. Management is not responsible for honest typos & missed counts. Please do not sell or pass this pattern off for your own.
All of my patterns are meant for personal, educational use, not for profit! If you wish to use it for a class, please ask first... I will most likely say YES!

If you wish to share it, please link directly to my blog or my Ravelry page. This is not copyrighted, but misuse of it will generally be found out, mocked by other knitters & punished with bad knitting karma.

Thank You. -Ru.

The Pattern for THE BROWN MONKEY:

Yarn: Lily Sugar & Cream Solids Cotton
(just use any worsted weight yarn you like, really...)
CC: 1 skein Jute (less than 120 yds)
MC: 2 skeins Warm Brown (280 yds)

Needles: US 5 / 3.75 mm DPNs

Gauge: Not important, but 4.5 sts & 6 rows = 1”
Just keep the gauge kinda tight to hold in the stuffing

Supplies:
~Size F crochet hook
~Yarn Needle
~Poly Fiber-Fil
~Scissors
~12” of Saran Wrap
~Safety Eyes or buttons (I used bare wooden ones) in your chosen color
Optional: Little bean bags (you can use old nylons & plastic pellets!) for “feet & hands”

Head:

Row 1: Long Tail CO 6 sts over 3 DPNs using CC (Jute)
Row 2: Knit
Row 3: (M1, K1, M1, K1)* = 12 sts
Row 4: Knit
Row 5: (K1, M1, K2, M1, K1)* = 18 sts
Row 6: Knit
Row 7: (K1, M1, K4, M1, K1)* = 24 sts
Row 8: Knit
Row 9: (K1, M1, K2, M1, K2, M1, K2, M1, K1)* = 36 sts
Row 10: Knit
Row 11: (K1, M1, K4, M1, K2, M1, K4, M1, K1)* = 48 sts
Row 12: Knit
Row 13: (K1, M1, K6, M1, K2, M1, K6, M1, K1)* = 60 sts
Rows 14-19: Knit
Row 20: (K1, K2tog, K4, K2tog, K1)* =48 sts
Rows 21-24: Knit
Break Yarn, Switch to MC (Warm Brown)
Rows 25-48: Knit

(if you are using safety eyes, place them now before you start closure...)

Begin Decreases:
Row 49: (K4, K2tog)* = 40 sts
Row 50: Knit
Row 51: (K3, K2tog)* = 32 sts
Row 52: Knit
Row 53: (K2, K2tog)* = 24 sts
Row 54: Knit
(this is the time to sew the opening hole shut & stuff the head with fiber-fil...)
Row 55: (K1, K2tog)* = 16 sts
Row 56: Knit
Row 57: (K2tog)* = 8 sts
Break yarn, run tail through the 8 loops, pull tight & tie off as if finishing a beanie hat.

Body:

Row 1: Long Tail CO 12 sts over 4 DPNs using MC (Warm Brown)
Rows 2-5: Knit
Row 6: (K1, M1, K4, M1, K1)* = 16 sts
Rows 7-10: Knit
Row 11: (K1, M1, K6, M1, K1)* = 20 sts
Rows 12-15: Knit
Row 16: (K1, M1, K8, M1, K1)* = 24 sts
Rows 17-20: Knit
Row 21: (K1, M1, K10, M1, K1)* = 28 sts
Rows 22-25: Knit
Row 26: (K1, M1, K12, M1, K1)* = 32 sts
Rows 27-30: Knit
Row 31: (K1, M1, K14, M1, K1)* = 36 sts
Rows 32-35: Knit
Row 36: (K1, M1, K16, M1, K1)* = 40 sts
Rows 37-40: Knit
Row 41: (K1, M1, K18, M1, K1)* = 44 sts
Rows 42-45: Knit
Row 46: (K1, M1, K20, M1, K1)* = 48 sts
Rows 47-50: Knit
Row 51: (K1, M1, K22, M1, K1)* = 52 sts
Rows 52-55: Knit
Row 56: (K1, M1, K24, M1, K1)* = 56 sts
Rows 57-60: Knit
Row 61: (K1, M1, K26, M1, K1)* = 60 sts
Rows 62-85: Knit

Begin Decreases:
Row 86: (K4, K2tog)* = 50 sts
Row 87: Knit
Row 88: (K3, K2tog)* = 40 sts
Row 89: Knit
Row 90: (K2, K2tog)* = 30 sts
Row 91: Knit
(this is the time to sew the opening hole shut & stuff the head with fiber-fil...)
Row 92: (K1, K2tog)* = 20 sts
Row 93: Knit
Row 94: (K2tog)* = 10 sts
Break yarn, run tail through the 10 loops, pull tight & tie off as if finishing a beanie hat.

Arms (make 2):

Be sure to keep stuffing as you go... These thin limbs are hard to stuff evenly after the fact.)
Row 1: Long Tail CO 12 sts over 3 DPNs using MC (Warm Brown)
Rows 2-5: Knit
Row 6: (K1, M1, K4, M1, K1)* = 16 sts
Rows 7-36: Knit
Row 37: (K1, M1, K6, M1, K1)* = 20 sts
Rows 38-57: Knit
Row 58: (K1, M1, K1)* = 30 sts
Rows 59-60: Knit
Break Yarn, Switch to CC (Jute)
Rows 61-70: Knit

Begin Decreases:
Row 71: (K3, K2tog)* = 24 sts
Row 72: Knit
Row 73: (K2, K2tog)* = 18 sts
Row 74: Knit
Row 75: (K1, K2tog)* = 12 sts
Row 76: Knit
Row 77: (K2tog)* = 6 sts
Finish stuffing or place bean bags in the “hands” (I hope you remembered to stuff as you go)
Break yarn, run tail through the 6 loops, pull tight & tie off as if finishing a beanie hat.

Legs (make 2):

Be sure to keep stuffing as you go... These thin limbs are hard to stuff evenly after the fact.)
Row 1: Long Tail CO 12 sts over 3 DPNs using MC (Warm Brown)
Rows 2-5: Knit
Row 6: (K1, M1, K4, M1, K1)* = 16 sts
Rows 7-16: Knit
Row 17: (K1, M1, K6, M1, K1)* = 20 sts
Rows 18-37: Knit
Row 38: (K1, M1, K1)* = 30 sts
Rows 39-40: Knit
Break Yarn, Switch to CC (Jute)
Rows 41-50: Knit

Begin Decreases:
Row 51: (K3, K2tog)* = 24 sts
Row 52: Knit
Row 53: (K2, K2tog)* = 18 sts
Row 54: Knit
Row 55: (K1, K2tog)* = 12 sts
Row 56: Knit
Row 57: (K2tog)* = 6 sts
Finish stuffing or place bean bags in the “footpads” (I hope you remembered to stuff as you go)
Break yarn, run tail through the 6 loops, pull tight & tie off as if finishing a beanie hat.

Tail:

Long Tail CO 12 sts, Knit in the round for 10 “.
Use crochet hook to pull Saran Wrap through tube to stuff & trim to measure.
To close: (K2tog)* = 6 sts
Pull yarn trough loops to close.

Ears (make 2):

Row 1: Longtail CO 8 sts
Row 2: Sl1 Purl
Row 3: Sl1, M1, K6, M1, K1 = 10 sts
Row 4: Sl1, Purl
Row 5: Sl1, M1, K8, M1, K1 = 12 sts
Row 6: Sl1, Purl
Row 7: Sl1, Knit
Row 8: Sl1, Purl
Row 9: Sl1, Knit
Row 10: Sl1, Purl
Row 11: Sl1, Knit
Row 12: Sl1, Purl
Row 13: Sl1, K10, P1
Row 14: Sl1 K wise, K10, P1
Break yarn & switch to CC (Jute)
Row 15: Sl1, Knit
Row 16: Sl1, Purl
Row 17: Sl1, Knit
Row 18: Sl1, Purl
Row 19: Sl1, Knit
Row 20: Sl1, Purl
Row 21: Sl1, Knit
Row 22: Sl1, Purl
Row 23: Sl1, K2tog, K6, PSSO, K1 = 10 sts
Row 24: Sl1, Purl
Row 25: Sl1, K2tog, K4, PSSO, K1 = 8 sts
Row 26: Sl1, Purl
Row 27: BO in Knit

Weave in ends. Fold ear in half along center line of purl sts, knit side out. Align slipped stitch edges & join the 2 sides with a line of single crochet using MC (Warm Brown).
(If you are uncomfortable with even single crochet, you can use a whip stitch or even a back stitch to join the two sides of the ear, but it won't have as finished a look.)
Use the "tail" of the crochet to whip stitch the ear to the side of the head using purl bump guides, CC color facing front as shown.

Finishing:
I sewed this guy up as I went along, but you can please yourself...
I sewed the neck closed & sewed on the head near the bottom/rear...
The arms were sewed on just below the neck, as shown. The legs were sewed on along the bottom edges of the body , aligned with the increase “seams”. I sewed the ears on the sides of the head, I just eyed them in & counted knit stitches on the head to make them as even as I could.
You can now sew on buttons for eyes (if you did not use safety eyes...)or embroider nostrils or any other embellishment you like!
I gave the Brown Monkey six strands of crochet chain “hair” at the crown of his head for added character, but the customize-able possibilities are endless.

Oh... just because I haven't posted any Sam knitting photos recently...
Please note the "Brown Monkey" shoes!