Toe-Up Adaptation of Monkey Lace

It never fails that I figure something out just after I could have used it! I would have loved to do my Amphibious Monkeys toe-up, but I wasn't able to figure out a toe-up version of the lace quickly enough to satisfy my itchy cast-on fingers, and I couldn't find anyone else who'd already done it. Of course, the minute I pulled them off the needles, I had a brainstorm. A couple hours, three versions, and several swatches later, I had it. I am pleased to share with you now the lace pattern for Cookie A.’s Monkey Socks (Knitty.com, Winter 2006), re-engineered to be worked toe-up.

I take no credit for the original lace pattern, only this adaptation. I've tested three times to see how it worked with a variety of yarns. I've used Koigu PPPM (brown/orange) Zitron Trekking Pro Natura (grey/green/tan), and a cotton yarn which has lost its label (blue) — each of which is pictured in this post.

My version of the Monkey lace is unique because it allows you to work the Monkey socks fully in reverse, from the toe up, without inverting the finished appearance of the pattern. This adaptation also retains the purl stitches of Cookie’s original.


You will find my chart at the bottom of this post. To work the socks, use Cookie's pattern in tandem with my chart. My write-up assumes you already know how to convert a top-down pattern to toe-up. If not, the best way I would recommend for doing the Monkeys is to use Jennifer O’Sullivan’s ¡Los Monos Locos! – The Crazy Monkeys!, which is a very fine modification for knitting the Monkeys from the toe-up, two-at-once, on magic loop. She also replaces Cookie’s heel stitch with Eye of Partridge, which we know I prefer. The reason I didn't just use her pattern in the first place, though, is because her lace treatment reverses the original and eliminates the purls. If you use O'Sullivan's pattern, you can easily just swap out her lace chart for mine.


To re-engineer the lace for toe-up knitting, I had to plot different stitches in different sequences from the original. Intellectually, you may think that goes without saying. Emotionally, though, we all want to forget this and believe the finished fabric will look and behave just like Cookie's top-down design. That's not a realistic expectation. My version is close — really close — but it can't be an exact replica.

This pattern will work best for people who like their Monkeys a little chunky, who admire the bumpy texture and will not be blocking it out to emphasize the lace holes. The picture below highlights the area of the pattern that will not look right if you stretch the sock out: the ssk/yo sequence.


It retains the same textural effect as Cookie’s original when not overly stretched. But the ssk tends to ease towards the space created by the yo, so if you stretch the lace pattern, the ssk sequence will appear to have a little space on the right side in addition to the left, where it belongs. Since I prefer extra ease in these socks, that’s not a problem for me.

Do check gauge carefully. You still want to meet Cookie's specs. I knit the swatch too loosely for the Pro Natura, even on US 2s. Obviously, I'll be frogging the swatch. I'd do this even without the gauge issue, though, because I don't really like how the Pro Natura was working up for this pattern. Too bad. I thought for sure it'd be great on the Monkeys.

Here's an early swatch I made with a heavier yarn and just one repeat of the pattern wide. The version on the left is too different from Cookie's (although it's pretty). The version on the right is the same as I've written into my chart.


See how much neater the lace looks with this yarn and in this gauge?

And for comparison's sake, here's the Koigu version up against my Amphibious Monkeys — which also were worked in Koigu, but using the original top-down pattern.

The green ones have already been blocked while the brown, obviously, have not. Even so, I think it looks pretty darn similar. This picture does a good job showing the difference between the two as far as the holes go.

My chart is a work-in-progress. I continue to experiment with it and will revise it (and this post) as I make other discoveries.


Download PDF Here.

Please leave comments or suggestions. I welcome feedback!

Amphibious Monkey Socks

I've finally finished my Monkey socks!



Pattern: Monkey by Cookie A.
Started: February 8, 2008
Completed: March 28, 2008
Materials: Koigu Painter's Palette Premium Merino (KPPPM), 2 skeins
Needles: US 2 / 2.75 mm

Of all the socks I've knit to-date, these are some of the most fun. I can honestly say they made me happy every time I picked them up.

In addition to Cookie's great pattern — which I highly recommend — I credit much of my happiness to the amazing Koigu yarn. The colorway is just gorgeous, and it's painted with such subtlety and depth as to keep me always in awe.

These socks have already gotten considerable blogtime here and here, so I won't repeat myself now. Instead, this post marks their completion and my final thoughts.



I knit my Amphibious Monkeys using magic loop, two-at-once, from the top down. I would have preferred to do them toe-up, but at the time I was itching to cast on, I couldn't figure out how to reverse the lace. I admire Cookie's application of the lace and didn't want to have her pattern appear upside-down on my socks. (I have since solved that problem. See my next post for the chart.)

Modification: I replaced Cookie's heel stitch with Eye of Partridge, which provide better cushion and fit and, as I've said, I believe better suits the design. I adore this stitch, so let's see it again:



Only a few yards of the Koigu remain, the rest got eaten up in the knitting. About 3 inches from finishing, I thought for sure I'd run out of yarn — I even started planning ways to handle a shortfall. Anyone with feet bigger than, say, 8-1/2 will want a third skein if they go with Koigu.

I made mine with a little more ease than the pattern intends because I wanted to keep the bumpy texture. That's why I opted for US 2 needles. It created a slouchier version of the sock, and I'm really happy with the results!

Why "Amphibious"? The color. Don't they just look like something that crawls in and out of water?!

Monkeys Back on My Back

It's been awhile since I gave a progress report on my Amphibious Monkeys, which hibernated several weeks while I flirted with other projects. With the Urban Aran Cardigan, BSJ and Hemlock Ring Blanket behind me, the Monkeys are back on my back!


I've modified Cookie's pattern in two ways, both of which give relevance to today's update:

First — and this is, more properly, a modification of technique rather than pattern — I've knit them on magic loop, two at once. The pattern lends itself to this technique rather easily: The lace stitch has a 16-row repeat which is evenly balanced across 2 or 4 needles without any awkward pattern starts flanking the gussets. You start with two repeats of the pattern on each needle: those which will land on the top of the foot are on one; those for the bottom of the foot are on the other. However, to work the gusset, you need to re-jigger the needles to put the right side of the sock on one and the left side on the other. (Note, I did not reverse the pattern to knit toe-up. I'm still knitting top-down to preserve the design.)


It's not impossible to do this part without stitch markers, but I like to use them to mark the gusset junctures and remind myself to track rows. I use four total markers, placing a more fancy one at the juncture marking the beginning of the round. The above picture shows the right side of the socks, which are worked as the second half of each round. The needles are at the bottom of the picture; the cable loop is at the top. See the pretty black, painted stitch marker? It marks the beginning of my row, and it's actually attached to the lower needle (left side of socks), not the top one. The pink stitch marker dangly thing for the right side of that sock is mostly hidden in this picture, but you can see the ring.

Many knitters will tell you to use stitch holders to assist with the cable shift. I prefer to use DPNs in the same size as my cable. That way I can knit on and off the holding needle without having to spend time just transferring stitches. I also find it pulls less on the stitches at the needle change.

To make the shift, you're going to have to accept the fact that one half of your sock bottom will have one row more than the other half. It's ok — believe me. This is a standard process. Your socks will fit and feel just fine!

For my second modification, an actual adjustment of the pattern, I swapped out Cookie's heel flap stitch for the Eye of Patridge. It's cushier and more interesting to look at. From a design perspective, too, I think it suits Cookie's pattern better because it doesn't insert strong vertical lines to conflict with the lace. The Eye of Partrige complements the effect of the lace's purled stitch so nicely. And isn't it pretty?


In general, I use reinforcing thread on my heels and toes, but I decided to forego it for these socks. I know, it's a risky call. To put so much work into a pair of socks and then put my toes through them would be a major bummer. I just don't see myself trying to turn these into my daily, go-to, workhorse socks, though. For one, the Koigu is too pretty to destroy with reckless wearing. For another, they read as a dressier sock to me. I'm such a big fan of boots, and I'd never hide these beauties under all that leather. So I'm taking a chance on the assumption that I'll treat these more like delicates.

When I start the next pair of socks that uses reinforcing thread, I'll post pictures of how I keep all four yarns tangle-free while knitting magic loop two at once.

As of bedtime last night, I'm about 4 inches into the foot. Knitting forecast predicts a completed pair of Monkeys by the weekend!

Monkeying Around

The Amphibious Monkeys have been on hold for a couple of weeks while I finished the Eco Urban Aran for J (I had hoped to get it done in time for him to wear in the movie but missed by about an hour) and whipped out Mia’s BSJ. Mia’s our neighbors’ new/first baby. She had been due on March 1 but came a month early… My knitting plan kept her on time! My itchy cast-on fingers had me start the Hemlock Ring this week, too. So now I have three projects going. The Hemlock Ring, which is best for working on at home. The Washing Over the Headache Dishcloth for otherwise wasted time. And these socks, which are my current portable project.

Monkey See; (Amphibious) Monkey Do

Cookie A’s glorious Monkeys look like they were designed for the yellow-green Koigu I bought in DC.



In my enthusiasm about finding such cool yarn, I hadn't really thought about what I might make with it other than it had to be socks. I tooled around online looking for that perfect pattern, and low and behold, I found it.

After fretting for days about whether to knit these socks as written or toe-up, researching every other knitter’s toe-up versions (thank you, all you bloggers and Ravellers!), swatching the lace version with purls and the version without, and stressing size/gauge, I finally cast on February 8.

I opted to go up a needle size. The pattern’s written for 2.5 mm, but it made me just a little too nervous about fit. Don’t feel like frogging these amphibious babies if I can help it! I mean, Cookie’s so tiny, and her calves have yet to experience the expansive joys of pregnancy!!

It’s a fairly simple pattern to convert to magic-loop since the lace pattern repeats exactly 2 times over the top of foot. Just a little re-jiggering. I may write down the details so the next person doesn’t have to figure it out.

Cast on using the Norwegian method and knit one round before starting the twisted rib.

True to reputation, they work up easily. The pattern’s intuitive and simple to memorize.



Oh… and I absolutely adore the yarn! This is the first time I’ve worked with Koigu, and I love it. If only it were superwash. Alas. Can’t have everything. Hard to get a good read on the colors, but the second image best reflects the brightness of the yellows. The subtleties of the color changes work so nicely with Cookie’s pattern. No unsightly color-pooling encountered yet, and no god-awful stripy stuff, either. Yay!

See this photo? I shot it bottom-up instead of top-down.


See how totally different it looks from the other direction? That’s why I opted not to do this pattern toe-up and just let the lace be upside down. I love the chunky squishily monkily goodness – so much mooshy fun to knit! I know I’ll be a little bummed to lose some of the bumpily fun once I block them.