Sock Monkeys - please explain??

[cupcake]

Ok, this may be one of those cultural things like maple syrup, peanut butter and jelly, (which is really jam), fish n chips, and jandles versus thongs versus flip flops; but can some please explain to me the sock monkey phenomena.

 

My understanding is that you get old socks and make them into monkeys. I understand that bit, it is a creative way of recycling.

 

What I dont understand, (and please I dont want to offend any of the sock monkey loyalists out there), is why the heck you would crochet one. Surely using some old socks would be quicker and cheaper?

 

I recently saw a crib set made in a sock monkey fabric. Again, how has this monkey thing achieved such cult status??

 

Do sock monkeys have a TV show, or own a take away joint or feature in breakfast cereal advertisements ? Are they something like the tooth fairy who sneaks into childrens rooms at night, except they pick up dirty socks strewn arround the floor, and place them in the laundry basket (now that would be nice ).

 

It has taken me a while to have the courage and come forth with this, as I have seen some pretty amazing sock monkey creations here and at etsy - pot holders, bags, teacosies, cushions and so on, (and again I am not criticising the work that goes into these). I just dont get it as they are foreign down here.

 

So can some one please enlighten me?? ( I feel better now as this has perplexed me for some time :think ) aahh the silly things that bother us late on a Sunday night.

[misssmaggie]

I am with you on this...and ...yes... afraid to ask!!!

Here are a few sites to explain...I never knew:think ...

 

 

 

http://www.supersockmonkey.com/catalog/history.html

 

 

http://susanfisherdesigns.net/SFD_pg8.htm

 

 

http://www.classicmonkey.com/Pages/page3.html

[Empress Busy Bee]

Didn't read the links above. This is just my opinion.

Again, how has this monkey thing achieved such cult status??

How does anything achieve cult status? LOL

 

Do sock monkeys have a TV show, or own a take away joint or feature in breakfast cereal advertisements ? Are they something like the tooth fairy who sneaks into childrens rooms at night, except they pick up dirty socks strewn arround the floor, and place them in the laundry basket

Nope, no show or food place or cereal. Nothing like the tooth fairy.

 

Personally I cannot stand monkeys at all. So I can't stand sock monkeys.

I think it's just a personal taste thing and it's seeing a resurgance in popularity.

As for the crocheting them rather than sewing one, I think it's like everything else: people just want to crochet everything.

I totally get what you're saying though because I've seen several things on here that I think "why don't you just go buy one" or "I'd never make that". lol

Again it's just personal tastes.

 

[darski]

Everyone's favourite crafter, Carol Duval used sock monkies as her mascot and that did add something to the mix. Since she would feature them, pattern makers started working the idea and it just caught on.

 

They have been around for decades and it's kinda like hoola hoops, why? really?

 

Now that said, my kids loved the sock monkey that their great grandmother made and kept for them to play with when they were little ones.

[beth eathorne]

I think that sock monkeys must have been one of those things where a mother was on a budget and needed to make a gift. found some of dads work socks and the monkey was born. My mother and uncles had them when they were kids. They have too be make out of socks that have the red on the toes and heels. Those socks are hard to find so i am sure that is why someone decided to crochet them..I recently made my boss at work one as a gift and she loved it. I personally can take them or leave them..but they are kind cute.. I like the monkey Curious George much better myself.

 

hope this helps some.

[funkyreporter]

i didn't read the links above either, but i'll explain what sock monkeys mean to me.

 

no, they don't have their own tv show, cereal, video game or theme park - and that's a good thing! they have not been corrupted or incorporated (as of yet).

 

the idea of a "sock monkey" is quaint - i have a vision of times past when some mom recycled a worn out sock into a toy for her children - it came out too skinny to be a bear, but with a little 'face manipulation' it made a reasonably good-looking monkey - the kids were happy, mom could get back to the tasks at hand -- it's all good!

 

you are correct in that it's much quicker to just make a sock monkey out of a sock - kind of a no-brainer there - almost like an after-thought.

 

i used to make 'yarn dolls' for my kids using the same method you would use to make a pom-pom; here's how: wrap the yarn around a solid object - a four- or five-inch wide book works well - that's how tall your doll will be. tie a tight knot around the yarn at one end which is the very top of the head, cut through all the strands on the other end, tie another tight knot about an inch down from the top so you now have a puffy circle (the head) separate out some yarn at each side to be the arms, tie a tight knot at the bottom of those, about halfway down the body, trimming off the extra. tie a tight knot around the remaining yarn about mid-way down, this is the waist, separate the remaining yarn into two legs, tie a knot at the bottom of each of those, and voila, a yarn doll that is quicker to make than it was to type this! that's sorta what i see a sock monkey as.

 

perhaps it's a subconscious symbolism of a simpler time...

[Ellie 13]

My brothers had Sock Monkeys some 30+ years ago (think great-grandma made them). G.G. made all kinds of toys from ordinary stuff. My sisters and I got clowns made from regular cotton socks, stuffed with old stockings. She crocheted toys and lots of doilies. I wish I had the patterns today.

Ellie 13

[Tampa Guy]

Well you had to ask lol

 

Some just like monkeys (me) lol probably a childhood repressed memory lol

 

Or maybe a family self portrait

 

 

Or if a cult thing which I would never reveal, might have a secret meaning lol

 

 

 

I could never get enough of them lol

[diamond]

Tampa Guy....you are just too funny! Love your video of you making a sock monkey. What a hoot! Or should I say 'monkey'?

[LeahB]

For me, the sock monkey thing has two appealing features. The first is that I love monkeys. :monkey The second, and probably stronger appeal is that I played with sock monkeys as a child. So they have that sort of homey nostalgic feeling. Every time I see one, I just go "awwwwww." I must admit that as soon as my sister gets pregnant, the new niece or nephew will be the recipient of the lovely sock monkey blanket and hat set from the Happy Hooker book. I just think they are so cute!

[kkms]

Are they something like the tooth fairy who sneaks into childrens rooms at night, except they pick up dirty socks strewn arround the floor, and place them in the laundry basket (now that would be nice

 

ok thats just too funny! and if it were true my daughter would not be mad at me for making her clean her room yesterday!!!! if only i could be so lucky to have a "sock monkey fairy"!!!!!!!!

but honestly i don;t know what all the hoopla is about. i do love the sock monkey bookmark though.

[ANGELICRUTH]

I think that they are a great example of Americana -- the ingenuity of women that didnt have much to work with and didn't let that stop them. The US isn't as old a country as others but still it's a cutrual thing I think. I don't care much for monkeys myself but I do like the sock monkeys. To me they feel like a part of my hertiage. I guess that sounds weird but as I get older stuff like that means more to me than it used to. My greatgramma used to quilt---she had so many patterns ---old patterns I can't find now--I would love to find them. I wish I had even 1 of her quilts. I always look at things with a thought on how I could crochet them. I guess my mind just thinks in crochet(does that make sense?). Those sock monkeys are sooooooooo cute and kids just love them!!!

[Lady_of_Roses]

I think mostly it's a nostalgia thing. Kind of like how toys that were popular in the 80s are coming back and the adults are buying them for themselves since they couldn't get much when they were little, or they buy them for their kids so their kids can enjoy the toy they played with when they were little.

 

My grandmother used to make and sell sock monkeys a long time ago when my dad was little. They were very popular. I made my dad a sock monkey for Christmas last year, and let me tell ya, they are not as easy to make as they look! Lots of hand-stitching, and the sock 'fabric' will unravel! I bet he'll keep that monkey forever because it means something to him.

[Riohnna]

Oh, how I would LOVE to have several pair of Red Heel socks to make the monkeys!!!!!! I made many years ago, and never kept one for myself. I wanted to,,,,,,but never did. I always envisioned my monkey with a diaper,,,,ok,,I gotta email Pa now,,,,,

[Chiscrochetcrazy]

Well some people like Hello kitty & some don't same with sock monkeys or anything else;) I crocheted 1 because frankly I hate to sew

 

[ANGELICRUTH]

Well some people like Hello kitty & some don't same with sock monkeys or anything else;) I crocheted 1 because frankly I hate to sew

 

 

 

I totally LOVE this monkey!!! She is so sweet!! How could anybody not love that face!!!awwwwwwwwww I hate to sew too so I look at everything with the thought of "how can I crochet that"!!! All this talk of sock monkeys makes me want to make one---I think I'll make a sock monkey afghan!! After I finish my moms mother's day shawl.

[Chiscrochetcrazy]

Aww Thanks Angelicruth

[cupcake]

Thanks for the informative responses. The history is interesting as it seems originally as a marketing technique by the sock company. Tampa guy those ones are hysterical, they have real personality, and chris yours is really dolled up with the choker thing happening.

 

I find it interesting as they never made it to Australia. Many other OS things have, but not the sock monkey. As kids we had golly wogs which seem of an era. I was also remembering my grandad would make me a steam roller with an old wooden cotton reel, some sunlight sop, a match (I think) and a rubber band. Any one remember those?

 

I think maybe it is the red lips, but I find them a bit scary. Sort of looks like they have overdone the lippy, or have dracula tendancies.

 

I do undersatnd how in times past kids would have loved them as would have been great to drag arround and cuddle. They must have cult status though if there is fabric with a sock monkey print on it.

[terrijo]

When I was about 9 my grandmother made all the grandkids sock monkeys. I'm 52 now so that was a long time ago. I was scared to death of the thing and hid it. It wasn't until we were adults remembering the past that my brother and 2 sisters and I revealed to each other that we got the heebie-jeebies from the sock monkeys and hid them and we all still hate them. So, of course, now whenever we find anything "sock monkey" we buy it for everyone else for a gift. We've had great fun with the sock monkey scare of our youth.

[jmccrochet]

This thread has fascinated me because, like Cupcake, I was wondering the same thing and I"m in the states. My sis and her hubby recently bought one in WVa. for their grandson and I spent tons of time looking at it last time I was home and said "well, heck, if he's into those, get me the Happy Hooker book and I'll make him a bunch of stuff". I think they paid like $30 for it and I thought, for the cost of yarn, I coulda made a few.

 

 

Joyce

[cupcake]

Well I am pleased to know I am not the only one who gets the heeby jebies from them. Interesting also that they are not widespread across the US as I had thought. I also remember my grandma aing caterpillers out of old stockings/tights. They were quite resourcelful these people that lived through the depression.

[cupcake]

Plastic bags I forgot about that. My Nana would wash them out and hang them on the line to dry. We used to take our lunch to school in them.

[crochetdiva]

I think it is a "memory lane" type thing. It takes us back to a simpler time. I remember my friends having sock monkeys, but I didn't and I don't think it was as popular in England, where I was born.

I like them more and more...and good thing since I design sock monkey things for my etsy site....no plug intended, lol. I hope the interest continues!!

[jmccrochet]

Plastic bags I forgot about that. My Nana would wash them out and hang them on the line to dry. We used to take our lunch to school in them.

 

Oh, I'm so glad i wasn't the only one. I deleted the post because I thought it was too far out, but man oh man, the bread bags, twist ties and BUTTONS we found. I wish I'd have known 10 years ago what I know now, I could probably use those buttons.

[cupcake]

Oh, I'm so glad i wasn't the only one. I deleted the post because I thought it was too far out, but man oh man, the bread bags, twist ties and BUTTONS we found. I wish I'd have known 10 years ago what I know now, I could probably use those buttons.

 

jm I thought I was going mad as your post disapperared while I was responding. (lol) Then I thought maybe I had the wrongthread. Buttons, yes botton, tins of the things.