Sock monkeys, as the name suggests, is a toy that is designed from socks and made to resemble a monkey. The sock monkey has been a favorite with most kids for years and remains second only to teddy bears in popularity. Another reason for their popularity is the fact that they are very easy to make at home. The first sock monkey as we know it was probably made in the 1920s by the Nelson knitting mills in Rockford, Illinois. But surprisingly it was only in the 1950s and '40s that these toys were made using socks. Traditional sock monkeys could be distinguished by the red yarn that was clumped together at the crown of the head. Today many malls and shops store sock monkey fabrics which are neon colored and also tie and dyed. Learning to make a sock monkey is very easy and there are a variety of different artifacts including toys, costumes, slippers, and even sock monkey hats that can be made using these instructions. Making a sock monkey hat is an extremely easy craft. Given below are the materials that you will need in order to make this hat and the instructions for the knitting pattern. Material Needed

• Measuring tape
• Brown knit fabric, ¼ yard
• White knit fabric, ¼ yard
• Red yarn, 2 oz.
• Scissors for fabric
• Pattern paper or newspaper
• Threads, for sewing machine and quilting
• Sewing machine
• Needle
• Traditional sock monkey socks

Instructions Measure your hat size using the measuring tape at a distance of one and half inches from the crown of your head. This will give you the measurement necessary for the band of the hat. On a pattern paper, draw a circle using the measurement for the band that you have taken. Divide the circle into pie pieces, which measure at 2 inches at their widest part. Cut one of these pie pieces and note down the number of pieces that are needed to make the complete circle. It is important that the fabric that you buy to make the hat has enough stretchability to extend up to ¼ to ½ inches enabling you to pull it over your head. Smoothen the fabric and place it on a flat surface. Now cut out a piece of the fabric in the same measurement as the pie piece pattern paper that you had cut out earlier. Now cut as many fabric pieces as the number of pie pieces that you had noted down. Cut out a hat band using the measurement of the head that you have taken earlier. The width of the band can depend on the person who is going to be wearing the hat. Using a sewing machine, stitch all the pie pieces together allowing a ¾ inch allowance for every seam stitch. Once all the pieces are stitched together, the piece should resemble a beanie. Before you stitch the hat band that you have cut out to the beanie, pin it together, so that the seam is straight and does not look amateurish. Once they are pinned up without any of the fabric gathering up, stitch the pieces together using a sewing machine. Turn the hat inside out and sew the seam joining the two pieces together to give the hat a finishing touch. But do not use a sewing machine to stitch the inside as otherwise the seam will show on the outside. Use the red yarn to create the tassel that will be attached to the crown of the hat. To do this, cut out about 20 pieces of red yarn and bunch them together and then tie the yarn in the center with a piece of yarn. Attach the tassel to the hat with a quilting thread. Make sure that you pull the thread around the tassel tightly and then take the needle through the hat to sew it up properly. Once the tassel is attached to the hat, you are done with your work. Now that you know how to make this hat, you can experiment with the different designs and fabrics while making them.