Tips for making sock toys
March 10, 2010
I get lots of questions at markets and online about making sock toys so I thought I’d compile them all in one big post. Here’s what I’ve figured out along the way through trial and plenty of error making sock toys.
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Buy good quality socks.
Like all sewing the material you start with makes a big difference to the end result. They don’t have to be really expensive socks just look out for a pair that aren’t flimsy – you want firm elasticity. This helps in avoiding a lumpy sock toy as it holds a good shape over the stuffing. If you’re not confident on the sewing a patterned sock hides a multitude of sins! I buy my socks from all over the place – department stores, online and specialty stores.
Here are a few online resources:
Happy Socks - super cool socks in great colours (international delivery)
Ashi Dashi - Awesome socks with out there patterns like intestines and wood (international delivery)
Pumpkin Patch – Great baby socks for owls and mobiles, but you do have to go in store.
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If in doubt, draw a line.
If you don’t feel confident taking scissors to your beautiful socks you might want to try drawing a line on them before you cut. This can help ease the sock-cut freak out and mean you get the right shape first time.
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Keep your stitching tight
If you’re sewing by hand keep your stitches close together – I find backstitch is the best. If I’m making a toy for a little one I’ll often stitch a double seam, just to be sure.
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Stuff and Massage
Kinda sounds rude but you really want to get a good amount of stuffing in there – you’re aiming for firm but not bulging. Make sure you push the stuffing right to the edges of the seams with your fingers. Once the stuffing is all in give your little toy a massage to help even out any lumps.
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Don’t Panic
There’s a stage in making sock toys where they just look terrible! It’s usually when you’ve stuffed the body but there’s no face, ears or arms on. Don’t give up at this point, I promise it will get better.
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So there it is – I hope this helps and if you have any more questions just leave a comment below and I’ll add the answer to this post.
Vintage Tuesday: Knaughty Raglan
March 9, 2010
He always did have a naughty side…
… but three was a crowd.
Honey, I knew her type from the moment she walked in the door. She was young. wild. sinful.
She would stop at nothing to have him.
But she underestimated the power…
… of librarians in love.
Ahhh the 60s. Classic raglan knit gets naughty in the library. This little gem was found in a second hand book store. I got chatting to the owner and it turns out it was her pattern from the 60s and she’d made quite a few polos and round neck raglans in her time. Sadly she reported that none of them seemed to have this effect in the library. Such is life.
Toot Tea Towels
March 7, 2010
I’ve spent the afternoon stamping linen tea towels for Sooz’s Tea Towel Swap. Having left the stamping to the last minute (as usual) this was a very nerve wracking experience. 10 tea towels to play with and I just had to hope that two of them would work out OK!
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The Process:
First I did a whole lot of sketches of owls. I probably drew about 50 of them and then chose three that I liked. I simplified them, scanned them in, played with the levels in photoshop to make them completely black and white.
Next I sent the files off to the stamp making man and back came three little owl stamps. There was a big sigh of relief after doing a couple of tests. I kinda couldn’t believe that the stamps worked on fabric.
I measured and marked up on some paper the positions to stamp the owls – this paper got placed under the linen tea towel so I could see the markings through the fabric. I used Versacraft stamp pad (thanks for the tip dudley!) and started stamping away. Once I was finished I heat set the prints and…. viola!
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I have to say I’m pretty happy with the end result. I’ve always loved the look of stamping – the little imperfections and variations in ink give character, although I have to admit some of them are far less perfect than I would have liked.
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I’ll post some pics of the finished tea towels once my swap partners have their parcels!
Owl Mobiles for Mathildas
March 4, 2010
I’ve been madly stitching and packing kits for Mathildas market this Saturday and have just finished the Pinky sample mobile. The light coming in from the window was just amazing. I had to keep snap, snap, snapping because the mobile moves and the shutter speed is so slow that only about a third of the images are sharp. At ones stage I way lying on my back twisting around in all sorts of ridiculous positions to catch the light. He he he… It’s not glamorous this craft thing is it?
The kits come in neutral creamy colour, funky blue and red and this pink… I really hope they sell!
Vintage Tuesday: Owls
March 2, 2010
I’m feeling all owly this week sketching and stamping owls for Sooz’s tea towel swap that has to go out on Friday. I can’t show you the tea towels just yet but I thought I’d find a few pics of vintage owls and let me tell you there’s lots out there! It seems that owl have always been quite the trend in crafting and homewares. Up the top is a mid-century ceramic owl by The White Mole found on Flickr.You pop a tealight inside and his eyes glow.
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Next we venture to 1975 and Mad about Macrame - back in the 80’s wit knit post both Monika and Amelia commented that their crafty memories of that decade were Macrame. There was certainly no shortage of pot plant hangers in our house at that time but until this week I’d never heard of owl macrame. This one is from a great blog Cathy of California.. If that tickles your fancy there’s plenty more macrame owls to be had over at Bill Davenports Treasury of Macrame Owls.
Back to modern day craft I love this cut out and make brown owl by Alice Melvin…
And if you’re seriously into owls then why not go all out for your next cocktail function with this super cool owl dress, found over at the wonderful blog My Owl Barn.
Beginnings of a bunny
March 1, 2010
I’ve started on a new bunny design for easter. I’m hoping that she’ll be able to hold a big easter egg for Oscar on Easter Sunday. I started with a pair of cashmere/wool blended socks which seems very decadent for something Oscar is going to throw around but they’re just so cuddly that I couldn’t resist. The fabric is Minny Muu Little Stamps by Lecien and the yarn is a bamboo/wool blend to make a pom pom tail.
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Now I know that this is all very pink and it’s for a boy but traditional bunnies have pink ears so I refuse to bow down to the “blue for boys” thing. However, fear not, I’m also planning on creating a twin for this little bunny which will be far from pink – in fact I’m going for the good twin, evil twin scenario. So the pink and goodness bunny will be known as “Bien” and her brother “Badass”.
So far, so good. The trickiest thing will be to get the face looking cute. My first attempts usually resemble something looking like an axe murderer or the grumpiest sock toy you’ve ever seen. Faces always take me three to four goes before I’m happy but I get there in the end. Perhaps I should have started with the evil twin? Oh well, stay tuned for facial disasters.
What’s wrong with this picture?
February 25, 2010
Here they are, three little pink owls, all ready to be assembled into a mobile. Ready to take flight. Almost ready for Mathildas Market. So what’s wrong with this picture? There are ONLY three! I personally suspect that the little terror that is my two year old son has stolen one. When quizzed about this he looked around, shrugged and said that it must have run away. Of course! How could I possibly assume that he would be responsible? I did laugh though.
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So now I have to go around the whole house and check every nook and cranny for a runaway owl. Now where would a toddler stash an owl? Any ideas?
I think he likes it
February 24, 2010
The seagull was a big success. Hooray! The only thing that Oscar was disappointed in is that it couldn’t fly. He spent most of the morning hurling the poor seagull in the air to see if it would fly. Good thing I double stitched those wings on hey!
Vintage Tuesday: Crochet
February 23, 2010
I have no idea of how to crochet. It’s on my list of crafty things to learn this year and luckily for me I have an Aunt who is an expert. I remember her making all of us nieces crocheted ponchos in the early 80s which I thought were just the coolest thing ever. There’s a photo somewhere of all four of us in the ponchos together at Xmas which I’ve been trying to dig out – as soon as I find it I’ll put it up here.
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In the meantime I’ve been collecting 70s crochet patterns for babies and kids – hopefully I’ll be able to whip up a couple of these by the end of year (well… maybe?) I love the colour combinations of the 70s, that blue and green combo gets me every time.
Yes, that is a chrochet tie on a man you can see up there – sorry couldn’t resist. There’s always a token project for a man in these vintage pattern books. Poor men. He looks quite happy to be in this shot though as opposed to the Moncho (man poncho) guy.
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So I’m ready to learn how to crochet for the next baby but there’s just one thing I feel very uneasy about – do I have the hair to pull it off?
More Vintage Tuesday Posts:
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And the winner is…
February 22, 2010
I’m so sorry, I should have done this last week but I got all carried away and distracted with news of babies and scans. I drew the Stitches and Craft competition (two tickets to the Sydney show and two free owl classes) by random number from all the comments and tweets that came in and the winner is…
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3 – Ornella!
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Congratulations Ornella, email me and we’ll organise tickets etc. claire[!at]craftschmaft.com
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Here are your random numbers:
3
Timestamp: 2010-02-22 02:11:00 UTC
random.org
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Hello. My name is Claire. I have a sock toy addiction. It began two years ago when I was pregnant and nesting. At first I dismissed it. I hadn't sewn in years. "Craft Schmaft" I said. Well it seems this crafty thing is here to stay. This blog brings you the delights of making sock softies, fabric finds and crafty inspiration from round the interweb.
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