Sock Monkey Designs

I still dream of sock monkey ideas from time to time.  Right now I am working on monkey's in the superhero theme.  I really like the look of the old Super Friends heroes so I am starting with this series.

Right now I have Batman and Wonder Woman worked out on my design sheet.  For the logos and detail work on the uniforms, I am going to have to use felt pieces for the first time.  The yellow wings, headband and white stars on Wonder Woman's costume will be too difficult to crochet on so I will have to make a template once I have the monkey crocheted.  The Batman bat emblem will be done in felt also.

Last night Mike suggested that I make a sock monkey based on the Tardis from Dr. Who.  Not too sure how that one would turn out.  Might trying drawing up something to see how it looks. 

It is kind of funny me mentioned something Dr. Who related because the idea for a Dalek themed sock monkey came to me that day too.  Could use bobble stitches on the legs to make the circles on the base of the Dalek's body.  This is another one I really need to think about. 

Here are some more ideas floating around my crazy sock monkey loving brain:

1. Santa 
2. V from V for Vendetta
3. Hellboy
4. Spawn
5. Beaker
6. Silver Surfer
7. Angelina Ballerina (one of Joanne's favs)
8. And a few others I can not list as they will be presents

Have a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!!

Sock Monkey Madness

I have been thinking about so many different design ideas for the sock monkey over the last week that I decided to make a model for my crazy ideas.  So I took pen to paper and attempted to draw a model.  This reminded me that I can not draw well!  Here is my model.

Sweet Mocha Sock Monkey for Joanne

Since I had to give away the sock monkey I made for the NC State Fair because I glued the eyes and mouth on instead of sewing them, I have started a new one for Miss J.  I am doing a pattern change up from the Red Heart sock monkey pattern to the basic sock monkey pattern in my copy of Monkey Business by Patons.  This pattern is working up great now that I have learned to be really careful on the round where you start the body by crocheting around the legs.  I went back and counted the stitches twice before continuing. 

Yarn I am using for the Sweet Mocha Sock Monkey.

The first leg of the sock monkey.  Funny how the colors made a stripe pattern.

Body section about half way done in this picture.

Since the monkey is turning out much larger that I had envisioned, must go off to AC Moore today at lunch to get some larger gauge safety eyes so I can get them attached and start closing up the monkey's head.  Keeping my fingers crossed that I will not run out of the Sweet Mocha yarn.  Still have two arms, one tail and four ear pieces left to make. 

Special Order Sock Monkey Completed

This one has been fun to make.  Little Noah's Dad is in the military so went with the camo yarn and made him a special ops monkey with the black hat.  He goes to his new home tomorrow.

Special Order - Sock Monkey

One of my co-workers like the sock monkey I made for the NC State Fair so much he asked for a military themed one for a friend who was having a baby boy.  Just have to make the felt piece with Noah's name and birth date on it then I can finish the body and attach the head.  I played around with the hat and made this guy a Special Ops soldier.

Sock Monkey done started another project!

Okay somebody stop me!  I decided to make another project for the NC State Fair.  Nothing like a little pressure and time crunch.  Found a cute baby hat pattern by Debbie Stoller at Stitich Nation called Baby Sherlock Hat.  It has cute ear flaps and a flap in the front.  I am using some Fall colors, orange and brown on this hat.  Here are some pictures of my progress so far:

Hat done with all the stitch markers in for the different flaps.

One flap completed on my lunch hour today.  This is not the true color of the yarn.  Looks weird on my desk for some reason.

I found some cute orange buttons to use for the front flap.  I think this just might fit Joanne by the time the fair is over.  Will have to try it on her tonight if she is willing.

Here is the sock monkey with his eyes and mouth glued on.  Not totally happy with the cutting job on his eyes but he is done.  Must use safety eyes on the next one with white felt around for the eyes.

Sock Monkey Progress

Having problems sewing on the buttons for his eyes.  Next time I must remind myself to sew them on before attaching the head or use safety eyes next time.  The pattern calls for french knots so will try that and see how it looks.  Only had to sew his right arm on three different times.  Getting things even was not easy it kept slipping down.

Here is a link to the pattern I used from Red Heart: Sock Monkey and Baby Hat Pattern

One more project for this year's State Fair

I was just going to stop with the hat and shawl for this year's NC State Fair but Mike insisted that I make something else.  So I found a third pattern for a sock monkey on Red Heart's website and decided to try this one.  The previous two attempts on patterns I found did not go well.  But this time I got the leg joining to work and he looks great so far.  Here are some pictures of his progression.

Here are the pieces to be sewn together with the correct color head this time.

Here he is without his arms, eyes and mouth.

Here is my little oops on this pattern.  I printed out a black and white version of the pattern and misread the color choice for his head.  Silly me!

All I have left to make is his little hat.  I am going to use small black buttons for his eyes.  I am toying with the idea of crocheting a small white circle for the button to sit in so you can see his eyes better.  If I do this, I will have to wait until next Christmas to give him to Joanne because of the buttons.  She is putting everything in her mouth and I don't want her to swallow one of the buttons.  Also need to look up how to do a satin stitch for the mouth.  Have not done that before.  But I have really enjoyed this pattern and would make this guy again.

2nd Sock Monkey Update

Just have a few more decreasing rounds to do to close up his little head. Then two arms, one tail, and the hat / scarf accessories left to go. Hopefully I will be able to finish him for the fair.

Sock Monkey Update

This was taken on Sunday. The body part is about double what is in the picture right now. Four more inches to go then I switch over to the white.

Beginning State Fair Projects

Found the pattern for the Dr. Who scarf for the third doctor in the series. Just had to make one since the piece of art I won at the Charlotte Comic Con was Dr. Who themed. I am on color change number four. Had to improvise on the colors a bit because I could not find some of the required colors.

Next, will be a crochet sock monkey. Found a pattern without any picture to follow so will see how that will go. I received a yarn donation from a co-worker that I am going to use for part of the monkey. She gave me yellow and green baby yarn and they look really good held together. So I am going to use soft white for the head, mouth, hands and feet area and the color combo for the body.

At my boyfriend's request, I came up with a chart for the snake eyes tattoo to crochet on a hat. Was pretty easy so just have to do a test hat to see how it looks to see if I want to enter it into the fair.

Second option on the hat front is a pattern I have had my eye on for a while. It looks like a birthday cake. Will use it for at the office for your monthly party for the birthday girl/boy after the fair.

And lastly, will be my idea for a baby hat. Just try to win the blue ribbon again since I only got third place last year. I found bits and pieces from three patterns to play around with my idea for the hat. Will fill in later with more details...don't want to give the competition a leg up just in case...lol