How to make a sock monkey

In my sewing class at school we have learnt how to make a sock monkey.

Sock monkeys are cute toys that you can cuddle, put on your desk for show and admire.

Difficulty rating: Medium

What you need:                                                           
- 1 pair of socks.
- needle
- matching thread to the colour of the socks
- black embroidery thread
- pink embroidery thread
- fabric scissors
- cotton scissors
- two black buttons
- lots of stuffing
- fabric pen
- pin

Template

The sock on the left is the sock where you will cut out your sock monkeys ears,arms, tail and mouth. The sock on the right is the sock with the body and the legs.


How to make a sock monkey

The body:

1. Lay out your two socks.
2. Turn both of your socks inside out.
3. Take a sock, You will notice a faint crease down the center of your sock.
4. Align the creases on either side of the sock. Make sure the heel of the sock is straight and also in line.
5. Flip the sock over so you can not see the heel.
6. At the top of your sock, draw 1 even legs up the sock until you reach the heel.
7. Repeat instruction 6 on the opposite side.
8. Sew back stitch along the line of the first leg you have drawn. When you reach the end of that leg make a knot and cut you thread.
9. Repeat instruction 8 on the opposite leg.
10. Using fabric scissors, cut along the two legs, about half a centimeter away from the seam, until you reach the top of your two legs.
11.Between the tops of your two legs, cut using fabric scissors.
12. Gently turn your sock monkey body inside out.
13. You will see an opening at the the top of the two legs. Stuff the body carefully through there, including the legs. Gently push it in with a pencil.
14. At the opening of the body, do slip stitch in matching thread. For clearer instructions on how to do slip stitch, go to http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sWlE_-mS1-M .

The limbs

Now it is time to make the arms and tail of your sock monkey.

1. Trace the 2 arms and tail [ template shown above ]onto your second sock. Make sure it is inside out.

2. Sew back stitch along the arms and tail.

3. Cut your arms and tail out. Make sure you cut half a centimeter away from the seam. 

4. When you reach the top of your arms and tail, cut across the fabric, so your arms and tail are fully cut out.

5. Turn the arms and tail inside out.

6. Stuff the arms and tail carefully until you have one centimeter of fabric left at the top of the arm.

Attaching the limbs

This is how you attach the limbs.

1. Position your arms and tail where you want them to go.

2. Sew a slip stitch, connecting the arms and tail to the body.

The mouth

1. Cut around the heel of the sock using fabric scissors.
2. Turn it inside out.
3. Position the mouth where you want it to go on the body.
4. Pin the mouth in place at the bottom of the heel.
5. Add a little bit of stuffing into the mouth.
6. Sew a slip stitch, attaching the mouth to the body. Make sure you remove the pin.
7. Using your fabric pen, trace a smile onto the mouth.
8. Using pink embroidery thread, sew a back stitch onto the smile you have marked.

Some people also do a french knot at the sides of the mouth to make the sock monkey more realistic.

The eyes

1. Position your two black buttons onto your sock monkey, just above the mouth.
2. Using black embroidery thread, sew your buttons onto your sock monkey with across stitch. Repeat this stitch 3 to 4 times, or until secure.

The ears

1. Using your fabric pen, trace 2 large ears [ template shown above ]
2. Sew a back stitch along the trace.
3. Cut out your ears. Remember to cut at least half  a centimeter away from the seam.
4. Position your ears onto the sock monkeys head.
5. Sew a slip stitch, attaching the ears to the head.

You have just made a sock monkey! Congratulations!