How to Crochet a Sock Monkey Cardigan | Free Pattern

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One of my coworkers has the cutest cardigan – it looks just like a sock monkey. Last Christmas, I found one online and when it arrived it was too big – the sleeves were too long and the overall length was too long. So I decided to crochet my own Sock Monkey cardigan.

Who doesn’t love a sock monkey? My very first blog post was a sock monkey cup cozy. I even have fabric with sock monkeys on it.

So now I wanted to make a sock monkey cardigan. The idea of making a garment may seem daunting. It’s a whole sweater after all! Buttons seem to be too much work, so I thought an open one, one in which I could wrap myself up in would be good. I can’t say I’m a big fan of those coccoon style ones – I think they give me bubble butt. So something simple.

I scoured the internet for cardigan patterns – I figured, why reinvent the wheel? I like doing that – using a pattern as a base and then putting my own spin on it. The pattern that I found that I really liked was the Kram Cardi from KT and the Squid. This designer created a “crochet a-long” (CAL) for this particular cardigan. Each week was a different part of the garment. It really is just 3 pieces – the body and 2 sleeves. Using that pattern as a basis, I was ready to make my sock monkey cardigan.

I like using another pattern as a basis because all the math for the sizing has been done for me. The pattern is quite easy – consisting only of single crochets (SC’s) and double crochets (DC’s). Because both of these stitches are done in the front loop of the preceding stitch, it creates a subtle striping.

There are a few options for colouring when it comes to a Sock Monkey Cardigan. The traditional set of colours is grey, white and red. I decided to make it my own by using charcoal, instead of grey (I prefer darker neutrals – especially for fall), cream (but a really light cream – almost off white) and pink (because pink and grey is such a good combination). You could certainly put your own spin on this as well. Try another neutral like a wheat brown. Instead of red or pink, try blue. The possibilities are endless.

Supplies Needed to Crochet Your Own Sock Monkey Cardigan

As mentioned, you can choose any colours. I chose yarns that are soft and easy to care for. This is what I used to make mine. I am typically a petite, size small.

• Dark Grey Yarn – Lion Brand Heartland in Great Smokey Mountains; 3 skeins
• Cream Yarn – Lion Brand Vanna’s Choice in Fisherman; 2 skeins
• Pink Yarn – Lion Brand Vanna’s Choice in Pink; barely half of 1 skein
• 5mm crochet hook

Sock Monkey Cardigan Construction

I followed along with Kram Cardi construction, going in the same order that she posted. Here are some notes which will help you follow along with her pattern, as well as the changes that I made.

WEEK 2 – Bottom/Body
This is actually the back and front (wrap around) up until the underarms.
I wanted a ribbed bottom and so I used alternating FPDC and BPDC. For details on this type of ribbed bottom, check out my post on How To Crochet a Ribbed Band.
Rows 1-5 – ribbed band, alternating FPDC & BPDC
Row 6 – SC, ch1, turn
Row 7 – SC in the front loop only all the way across, ch1, turn
To crochet in the front loop only, enter the stitch from the front and go up the first loop only and then yarn over.
Row 8 – DC in the front loop only all the way across, ch2, turn
Row 9 – SC in the front loop only all the way across, ch1, turn
Repeat rows 8 and 9 until the desired length is reached – remember it consists of bottom hem up until under your arm. You will need to end with a Row 9 row – in other words, you will have an ODD number of rows.
I went up until 37 rows.
Do NOT cut yarn. Go right away into week 3.

WEEK 3 – Front, Back and Trim
This is the shaping around the arms and shoulders, as well as the front collar/trim. You will work on one section at a time.
Carry on where you left off (for me, Row 37)
Row 38 – DC in the front loop only for 22 stitches, ch2, turn
Row 39 – SC in the front loop only, ch 1, turn (it will be 22 stitches)
Row 40 – as Row 38
Row 41 – as Row 39
Row 42 – as Row 38
Now you are going to start the neck shaping.
Follow for the next 7 rows as outlined in the pattern.

Front Trim – since I shortened the body part from Week 2, when it came to add the trim, it was only 78 stitches plus the extra chain stitches.
For the trim, I added the cream coloured yarn and did a row of 78 SCs plus the 13 chain stitches. The pattern calls for 12 chain stitches, but since I was doing DC’s, I added an extra chain.
Row 1 (this is the row that attaches to the body) – with cream yarn, join and crochet 78 SCs (basically 2 SCs for every DC in the body and 1 SC for every SC in the body), ch 13.
Row 2 – DC in the 3rd chain from your hook and continue DC’ing all the way down. Ch 2, turn.
Row 3 – alternate FPDC and BPDC, ch 2, turn
Rows 4 and 5 – continue with alternating FPDC and BPDC, ch 2, turn
Row 6 – chain to pink yarn. Alternate FPDC and BPDC, ch 2, turn
Row 7 – as row 6
Row 8 – change back to cream coloured yarn. Alternate FPDC and BPDC, ch 2, turn.
Rows 9 and 10 – as row 8

WEEK 4 – Sleeves
The sleeves are created in the round – no sewing needed! I missed the part about how you should TURN after each round. In order to maintain the subtle striping, I did all the DC rows in the front loop and all the SC rows in the back loop. The result is the same.

Okay – making the sleeves was a bit trickier as I needed to shorten the sleeves. The pattern writer gives an explanation – I needed to read it a couple times to make sure I got it right. Even then, I had to frog my sleeve a few times to make sure it was right.

Here is what I did to make the sleeves shorter. My sleeves measure 18 inches long. Of that, the sleeve part (which you make first) is 15 inches and the cuff (added later) is 3 inches.

Here is what I did for my sleeves. Work the pattern until Round 24.
Round 25 – do the usual DC increase (43)
Round 26 – add an SC increase (44)
Round 27 – do the usual DC increase (45)
Round 28 – add an SC increase (46)
Round 29 – do the usual DC increase (47)
Round 30 – add an SC increase (48)
Round 31 – do the usual DC increase (49)
Round 32 – add an SC increase (50)

The key is to end with 50 stitches. From there, continue on with the pattern crocheting 2 more rows.

In order to continue with the pattern of alternating DC rows with SC rows, I actually swapped the rows – meaning after turning, Row 1 was actually DC’s and Row 2 was SC’s. I’m not too sure why there are 2 SC rows in a row. I did re-read and check this a few times to make sure I was doing it right.

I didn’t turn my work after Round 32. I simply carried on with a DC row – at then I did NOT join. This is when I turned. So to sum up:
Row 1 – continue on as the round, DC’ing in the front loop (50). Do NOT join. Ch 1, turn.
Row 2 – SC increase in front loop, then continue SC in front loop across (51)
Cut yarn – leave a length long enough for sewing.

Once done, add the cuff.
Round 1 – With cream coloured yarn, join, ch 2 and add 30 DC stitches all the way around. This should work out perfectly as you started with 30 stitches. Ch 2, turn.
Round 2 – alternate FPDC and BPDC all the way around. Ch 2, turn
Round 3 – as round 2
Round 4 – change to pink yarn, alternate FPDC and BPDC all the way around. Ch 2, turn.
Round 5 – as round 4
Round 6 – change back to cream coloured yarn, alternate FPDC and BPDC all the way around. Ch 2 turn.
Round 7 – as round 6.

The first sleeve took the longest with all the fiddling with the increase to make sure it was the right length. My best advice to you would be to count, count, count! I was continually counting each row to make sure it was right. Basically, you start with 30 stitches and end with 51. My The second sleeve was much easier once I figured everything out. The sleeves literally took me longer than the body.

WEEK 5 – Blocking and Sewing
To block, I put my pieces in my washing machine and use the steam feature. It’s quicker that way and doesn’t require any wringing out of excess moisture. I’ve done it this way many times – it seems to be enough moisture to block.

You will sew your sock monkey cardigan together in the following order:
1. Shoulder Seams
2. Collar
3. Sleeves

This sock monkey cardigan turned out exactly how I wanted. It’s soft and cozy without being too heavy. I’m so pleased with how it turned out.

Stayed tuned next week for information on how to make a matching crochet sock monkey hat.

Interested in making a matching sock monkey cup cozy? Check out my very first blog post on how to make the perfect cup cozy. This is a free pattern for both a knit and crochet version. Simply use the same yarn. This is a great scrap-busting project.

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