I was going to make this as a baby blanket for new my California grandson…older sister has this blanket here. BUT - after the first square, I realize that this blanket will need to be lined - too ugly from the back (although I’m now rethinking that - photo of the back of the square included. Not so bad). Then it turned out to be so stinkin’ cute, I just continued.

Construction Notes:

• do a provisional cast-on, so easier to pick up and knit the bottom border
• leave the top on waste yarn, for border purposes
• duplicate stitch the ear details, also the eyebrows and nose. Too bulky to do in intarsia. See the picture of the creepy monkey face on the blue background without the duplicate stitch details.
• look ahead to see if there is a jump of more than 3 stitches for the next row, and tack the yarn along so it is in position
• if you know what colours you want in order, you could just keep knitting the border (6 garter ribs) then start on the next square, and thus make a panel that would be joined at the side to the next panel.
• made the pompom in dark grey for the 2 squares where the red wasn’t enough contrast.
• the 2 blue square are actually quite different blues, but this does not show in the picture.

Border:

• next time, I would go down a needle size, as the garter tends to wave, as it is longer.
• picked up 3 of 4 stitches on the sides, and 1 for 1 on the top and bottom.
• 6 rows each side, then 3-needle bind-off, for the joining lines. For the outside border, 12 rows then bind-off.

I found this pattern and have decided I love the sock monkeys with the different coloured backgrounds, although not enough to do the blanket across, per the instructions, as the number of bobbins/strings hanging down is unpleasant to contemplate. Will do individual blocks - much more manageable, then pick up around and join per the log cabin square blanket here

Various colours of Berroco Vintage: Smoke, Snow Day, Red and Cast Iron make up the face.
Background colours: Blue Note, Jade, Sunny, Dried Plum, Citrus, Violetta, Dewberry, with Dark Denim being the border. Did not keep track of yarn usage. The border used more than 1 skein.