Guest Ann Jacobs Mooney introduces Socktopus--the latest member of the sock animal family. Like the others, Socktopus can be made with a single pair of red-heeled socks and a small amount of sewing.
Materials:
one pair of Rockford red-heeled socks, large size
polyester fiberfill stuffing
beige and red thread
sewing needle
pattern cutting guide (
figure A)
Steps:
Tentacles - Cut the first sock according to the pattern in figure B, setting the toe section aside for the cap. The remaining parts of the sock will be used for the Socktopus body and tentacles.
- Cut the elastic edge off the top of the first sock's white cuff. Make the tentacles by cutting the remaining "leg" of the sock into four, dangling strips approximately 2" wide and 10" long. Leave the tentacles connected approximately 1" from the heel end of the sock as shown on the pattern in figure
- Stitch each tentacle side from the bottom of the strips up to within an inch of the top of the tentacle. Set this sock aside.
- Cut the second sock according to the pattern in figure C.
- Cut the elastic edge off the top of the sock's white cuff and cut the strips to make the tentacles approximately 2" wide and 10" long. Cut the tentacle strips off the second sock.
- Turn each tentacle strip cut from the second sock inside out, and sew (by hand or machine) approximately 1/4" in from the side edge and across the bottom edge.
- Turn the separated tentacles right side out and stuff them with polyester fiberfill.*
- Stitch the four separated tentacles together at the top. The joined area will not be visible, so it doesn't need to be fancy. However, stitches should be solidly sewn because children will tend to swing the Socktopus by its tentacles.
* The sewn tentacles are difficult to flip right side out. Make this job easier by leaving a spot about half-way up the tentacle open for a few inches so that it can be turned right side out in two stages. Leave the gap open until each tentacle is stuffed, then whip stitch the openings.
Body - Stuff the body section of the first sock and sew the top of the Socktopus head closed.
- Place the top section of the four stitched-together tentacles (from the second sock) into the bottom of the Socktopus body.
- Fold under any raw edges, and sew the inside four tentacles to the outside tentacles very securely.
Eyes - Make the eyes from the heel of the second sock as in figure D. Cut out the heel with a 1" margin of brown around the white section.
- Open the heel and cut it evenly down the middle, creating two red triangle sections in the middle of either half (figure D).
- Decide where to put the eyes, placing them approximately 1/4" apart, and look at the pattern for the specifics on how much white to leave on the eyes when folding back the brown margin (figure D).
- Determine the fold, then sew the eyes partly in place across the bottom.
- Use the extra brown material previously folded under to partially stuff the eyes to make them puff out.
- Puff the eyes out fully, stuffing them with fiberfill before stitching the eyes in place.
Mouth - The heel from the first sock becomes the Socktopus mouth as in figure B. Remember, it is not cut away from the sock.
- Make the red-heeled mouth puff out by sewing several stitches from under the Socktopus chin and up through the mouth. Catch the stitches on the top of the white section of the mouth, between the eyes.
Cap - Make the cap from the cut-out toe section of the first sock. Roll up the raw edge so that there is approximately 1" of brown material showing before the white cap begins.
- Sew the cap onto the head to complete the Socktopus.
Resources Sock animals books, socks, gift paks - Jamondas Press
Jamondas Press
Website:
www.sockmonkeysupplies.com Guests Ann Jacobs Mooney
Author and owner of Jamondas Press
Website:
www.sockmonkeysupplies.com
Also in this Episode
)
PDF
