Monkeymen Testknit

This is a test-knit only!

Monkeymen

By Maire Martin
– variations on “Monkey” by Cookie A

I don’t know about the rest of you, but I find that the original “Monkey” sock by Cookie A. is a quick but attractive knit. The only problem is that there isn’t really any male equivalent…and my guy, at least, does not cotton to the whole concept of lace. Holes in his socks usually mean that something is wrong, not right.

So I decided to whip up a pair of manly monkeys for my mate. And then there were a few problems with the amount of yarn vs. the size of feet. So as a result…we have two patterns in one. A cuff-down pattern, and a toe-up pattern, both of which should give us the same result.

I use the Magic Loop method, but those of you who use 4 or 5 DPNs or 2 Circulars should be able to follow along just fine. This pattern will give you a sock that’s sized for a gentleman with size 10 or 11 feet (average width). For a lady’s sock, please see the info at the end of this pattern.

The toe-up pattern is a more advanced pattern, so if you’re not comfortable with terms like “wrap and turn”, you may wish to stick to top-down. The variation for ladies is at the end of this document.

You’ll need at least 420 to 500 yards of fingering-weight yarn and size 1 needles. I used 420 yards of Cherry Tree Hill supersock, and size 1 Addi Turbos (2.50 mm barrel). I generally knit to about 8 stitches to the inch for gauge

Abbreviations:
k: Knit
p: Purl
k2tog: Knit Two Together
ssk: Slip, Slip Knit
sl: Slip
kfb: Knit through front loop, then through back loop (increase)
pfb: Purl through front loop, then through back loop (increase)
ptbl: Purl through back loop
m1f: Make 1 Front (lift “bar” between stitches from back w/left needle. Knit through front loop)
m1b: Make 1 Back (lift “bar” between stitches from front w/left needle. Knit through back loop)
m1bf: Make 1 Back/Front (do an m1b, then also knit thru front loop like a kfb. Increases by 2 stitches with a very minimal hole.
w&t: Wrap & Turn

Cuff down:

CO 80 Stitches. Divide equally between your needles & join (as always, being sure not to twist). Work around in a K2P2 pattern for about an inch.

Cuff Down Pattern:

  1. knit
  2. *k4, k2tog, k4, m1bf, k4, ssk, k4*
  3. knit
  4. *k3, k2tog, k4, m1b, k2, m1f, k4, ssk, k3*
  5. knit
  6. *k2, k2tog, k4, m1b, k4, m1f, k4, ssk, k2*
  7. knit
  8. *k1, k2tog, k4, m1b, k6, m1f, k4, ssk, k1*
  9. knit
  10. *k2tog, k4, m1b, k8, m1f, k4, ssk*
  11. knit
  12. knit

Cuff Down with Purls (Sukuti’s Remix)
(for guys with bigger feetses)

  1. *P5, K10, P10, K10, P5* Repeat on next needle.
  2. *P4, k2tog, k4, m1bf, k4, ssk, p4*
  3. knit the knits, purl the purls
  4. *p3, k2tog, k4, m1b, k2, m1f, k4, ssk, p3*
  5. knit the knits, purl the purls
  6. *p2, k2tog, k4, m1b, k4, m1f, k4, ssk, p2*
  7. knit the knits, purl the purls
  8. *p1, k2tog, k4, m1b, k6, m1f, k4, ssk, p1*
  9. knit the knits, purl the purls
  10. *k2tog, k4, m1b, k8, m1f, k4, ssk*
  11. Knit all.
  12. Knit all.
  13. Knit all.

Work this pattern for about 4 to 5 repeats, depending on how tall you want these puppies to be. Remember, if you’re going for taller, you may want a second ball of yarn. I was working with a ball of 420 yards, and it wasn’t gonna happen. Be safe…plan ahead.

Prep for the heel:
Knit 20 stitches. Turn your work, slip 1 stitch and place stitch marker around stitch (so it hangs down and stays on this row, not on the needle itself). Knit 39 and place a stitch marker around the last stitch.

You can now forget about the stitch markers for awhile. You want them to stay put.

Heel Flap: (Eye of Partridge)

  1. sl1, k1 all the way to the end. Turn and purl back.
  2. sl l…then sl1 k1 to the end. Turn and purl back.

Repeat these steps until you’ve done 10 repeats of this pattern (40 rows total). You remember the stitch markers that are marking the first slipped stitches? Yeah…start counting here. You can now remove the stitch markers. This gives you a nice deep heel for any man in your life who has complained that the heels of his socks are a bit tight. The eye of partridge pattern should also be able to take any kind of normal wear & tear.

Turn the heel:

  • sl1, k21, ssk, k1. Turn.
  • Sl1, p1 tbl, p3, p2tog, p1, turn
  • sl1, k til 1 st before gap, ssk, k2tog, k1, turn.
  • Sl1, p1 tbl, p til 1 st before gap, p2tog, p1, turn

Continue in this pattern until all stitches after the gap have been worked. You should have 22 stitches total.

Working the gusset:
K11 stitches of the 22 remaining.

I like to rearrange my stitches at this point so that I’m working left side / right side on my needles instead of front/back. Those using Magic Loop or 2 circs will want to move half the “front” stitches to the opposite cable or needle.

Pick up 23 stitches down the side of the heel flap, place stitch marker, k20.
K20, place stitch marker, pick up 23 stitches up the other side. K the remaining 11 st.

Start decreasing the gusset. You will note that you’ll be starting on round 2 of the pattern. Pretty convenient, eh?

  1. k until 3 st before the first marker. K2tog, k1; continue in pattern over top of foot; k1, ssk, k to end.
  2. K all stitches.

Keep decreasing in this manner until you have 36 sole stitches. K all sole stitches & continue in pattern over the top of the foot until the sock is the length you desire. Keep the stitch markers where they are for now.

Toe:

  • k all st up to the marker. K1, ssk, k until 3 before next marker, 2ktog, k1.
  • K 1 row plain, then repeat the last decrease for the top of the toe. You should now have 36 st. on both the top and sole of the toe.
  • *K to 3 before the marker, k2tog, k1. After the marker k1, ssk, k* rep to end of round
  • K all plain.

Continue decreasing in this manner until you have 14 stitches on each needle. Rearrange stitches on the needles for top & sole. Graft however you wish (I either kitchener stitch or use the “graft on the needles” method).

Weave in your ends.

Toe -up method:

Again, I’m the unapologetic Magic Looper, so that’s the method I describe. Feel free to make your alterations for your personal style of sock knitting.

Use your preferred toe-up cast on to cast on 28 stitches (14 per needle). I like Judy’s Magic Cast On, personally.

  • *K1, kfb, k til last 2 st. on needle, kfb, k1* repeat to end of round.
  • K all plain

Repeat this pattern until you have 36 St on both front and back. Needle 1 holding the front stitches will be the top of the sock, Needle 2 will hold the sole.

Increase 2 more times on the top of the sock only. This will give you 40 stitches on needle 1 and 36 stitches on needle 2
Start knitting in pattern on needle 1 as follows:

Pattern:

  1. Knit
  2. *m1f, k4, ssk, k8, k2tog, k4 m1b*
  3. Knit
  4. *k1, m1f, k4, ssk, k6, k2tog, k4, m1b, k1*
  5. Knit
  6. *k2, m1f, k4, ssk, k4, k2tog, k4, m1b, k2*
  7. Knit
  8. *k3, m1f, k4, ssk, k2, k2tog, k4, m1b, k3*
  9. Knit
  10. *k4, m1f, k4, ssk, k2tog, k4, m1b, k4*
  11. Knit
  12. Knit

Knit until approx. 3 inches shy of the desired length of the foot. You’ll be ending on Round 12 with the following modification : k17, kfb, k18. You should now have 37 st. on needle 2.

Create the Gusset:
Work Needle 1 per the pattern. On Needle 2 increase just like we did on the toe:

K1, kfb, k until 2 st. from the end, kfb, k1.

Increase until there are 61 stitches total on Needle 2. If you’re lucky like me, you’ll have wound up on Row 11 of the pattern

Turn the heel:
You’ll now be working just on Needle 2.

  1. k33, kfb, k1, w&t.
  2. P 24, pfb, p1, w&t
  3. k 22, kfb, k1, w&t
  4. p 20, pfb, p1, w&t
  5. k 18, kfb, k1, w&t
  6. p 16, pfb, p1, w&t
  7. k 14, kfb, k1, w&t
  8. p 12, pfb, p1, w&t

Heel Flap:

  1. k52, ssk, turn.
  2. Sl1, p35, p2tog, turn.
  3. Sl1, k1 14 times , ssk, turn
  4. Sl 1, p to 1 st before the gap, p2tog, turn.
  5. Sl1, sl1 k1 to 1 st before the gap. ssk, turn.

Repeat the last 4 lines until all stitches are worked on needle 2. You should have 37 stitches.

You’ll notice that you’re about 3 stitches short of the 40 you need in order to start working around in pattern again. As I mentioned, I wound up on row 11 of the pattern, so I picked up a stitch at the end of needle 2, knit plain on the top of the foot, picked up 1 stitch at the beginning of needle 2 in order to close the gap, and then kfb at the middle of needle 2. Now we should be back to Row 2 of the pattern with a hopefully seamless join at the top of the heel. Yay!

Continue around in pattern on both front & back of the sock, until about 1 inch short of desired length. End off with 1 inch of K2 P2 rib. Use a stretchy bind off.

All done! If you don’t knit two socks at the same time, have fun with sock 2!

Monkeymen For Her

Follow the Cookie A. Monkey pattern as written with the following changes:

  1. knit
  2. *k3, k2tog, k3, m1bf, k3, ssk, k3*
  3. knit
  4. *k2, k2tog, k3, m1b, k2, m1f, k3, ssk, k2*
  5. knit
  6. *k1, k2tog, k3, m1b, k4, m1f, k3, ssk, k1*
  7. knit
  8. *k2tog, k3, m1b, k6, m1f, k3, ssk*
  9. knit
  10. knit

Basically, all you’re doing is making a stitch where you would normally have a yarn over. It’s that simple :)