The Penguin Pages: April's Baby Monster Pattern

Back in April of last year, I designed a boxy-looking monster for my Monster of the Month series. This year, I had someone ask if I could make a smaller monster to match. So, I worked on it, and this is the result. The original monster was close to 10" tall. This one is closer to six.

April’s Baby Monster

This little guy has the same construction as my April Monster, but on a smaller scale, so you can have Mom & Baby monsters.

Made with worsted weight yarn and an F hook, he measures about 6" tall.

I used .8 ounce of the main color, less than half an ounce of the accent color, and less than a yard of white and black for eye accent and smile.

I used 10 mm safety eyes

Start at the top with main color. First section is worked in rows. Note: the body is done in HDC, while arms, legs and horns are made in SC

Row 1: Ch 10. Starting in 2nd ch from hook, hdc 9

Rows 2-3: Ch 1, turn, hdc 9.

Row 4: Do not turn. Add an additional hdc in the same stitch just worked. Rotate your work and work 2 hdc down the side, with an additional hdc in the corner. Rotate work and make 9 hdc across, with an additional hdc in the corner stitch. Rotate and work 2 hdc up the side. Place one more hdc in the corner. (26: 9 on each long side, 2 on each short side, and one additional hdc in each corner)

Now we work in continuous rounds. Use a stitch marker to mark your beginning point to help keep track of rows.

Round 1: BLO hdc (26)

Rounds 2-7: hdc (26)

Now we go back to working back and forth. If needed, hdc over to the beginning of a long row.

Row 1: BLO hdc 9

Rows 2-4: ch 1, turn, hdc 9. FO, leaving long tail for sewing closed.

Arms, starting with Fingers (make 2, starting with accent color)

Ch 6. Starting in 2nd chain from hook, sl st 2, *ch 2, sl st 2* x 3. Change to body color and continue with arm.

Round 1:Sc, skip one chain, sc, skip one chain, sc. Turn your work and sc in each of the skipped stitches, then make one last sc in the same chain as your first stitch. (6)

Alternate round 1. Sc 4 down the chain, with an increase in the last ch. Fold to form a tube and continue working in the round. (6) This is a bit easier, but it makes an open tube, which doesn't hide your yarn ends. You can use your yarn tail to sew it up a bit if you like. I like to make a closed tube, with the first option.

Rounds 2-5: sc (6)

FO, leaving a tail to sew to body.

Foot (make 2 in main color)

Round 1: sc 4 in mr (4)

Round 2: inc x 4 (8)

Round 3: *sc, inc* x 4 (12)

Rounds 4: sc (12)

Round 5: *sc 4, dec* x 2 (10)

Round 7: *sc 3, dec* x 2 (8)

Stuff lightly and fold the top together. Sc 4 across the top.

Ankle transition:

Ch 1, turn, hdc 4 (4)

Ch 1, turn, FLO sc 4, turn your work and BLO sc 4 on the other side. (8) Now we will go back to working in the round again.

Round 1-2: sc (8)

FO, leaving a tail to sew to body. You can stuff the legs or leave them unstuffed to make him more of a sitting monster.

Horns (make 2 in accent color)

Round 1: 3 sc in MR (3)

Round 2: inc, sc 2 (4)

Round 3: inc, sc 3 (5)

Round 4: inc, sc 4 (6)

FO, leaving tail to sew to head.

Eyebrows: (make 2 in accent color)

Ch 4. Starting in 2nd chain from hook, sl st, sc, sc. FO, leaving tail to sew to head.

Place safety eyes between rounds 3 & 4, with 4 stitches between. Before securing safety eyes, place the eyebrows above the eyes to make sure you have enough room. Use a little white yarn to make an accent on the outer side of each eye. Sew eyebrows over eyes, with the thickest part at the center of the face. Embroider a mouth over round 6. Stuff head/body and sew the bottom flap closed.

Sew the horns on the top of the head. I placed mine close to the outer edges.