Book Reviews: Books on Sock Creatures

Sock and Glove : Creating Charming Softy Friends from Cast-off Socks and Gloves by Miyako Kanamori

This one is a fun, friendly book with what seems to be reasonably clear instructions (I was too embroiled in other projects to try any at the time, I may later). The illustrations are cute and there are a number of adorable critters to make. Further, Kanamori makes the most of the sock and glove shape and material, so there is a real sense that she--and you--will be working to modify a found object rather than creating something that could be made better some other way.

Stray Sock Sewing by Daniel

The photograph cartoons are very cute and a number of the creatures are adorable. It is worth flipping through for inspiration as Daniel really does appreciate the sock, using several different kinds patterns.

However, the printer was sloppy; at least, the book I looked at had several pages repeated, and there are instructions for only a few of the creatures pictures--four or five. Too, the directions are shoved into the back and feature a number of small diagrams, making me wish Daniel had chosen to spend a bit more of the space on them rather than the cute photographs.

Adorable Sock Dolls to Make & Love by Connie Stone and Emola Lowe

Unquestionably, these dolls are adorable, and many of them are very tempting.

I am a bit puzzled, though, by the instructions, several of which feature complicated diagram drawing on socks and not all of which take advantage of the fact that the sock is a sock & has a certain shape, instead treating it as a source of stretchy material and occasionally calling for cuts that seem to completely disregard its sockness.

Stupid Sock Creatures: Making Quirky, Loveable Figures from Cast-off Socks by John Murphy

Now here is someone who understands socks. There are a variety of creatures presented, and a wide range of body types, but each takes advantage of the way a sock is shaped and the way it stretches. It's chock full of ideas and the directions are very clear.

The cream of the crop.

Inspired By

By the way both "Miss Blue" and "Brain in a Jar" as well as a few others owe their existence to John Murphy's Stupid Sock Creatures, the book which first showed me that not all socks want to be monkeys. Murphy is also responsible for providing clear directions on how to give a sock creature lips. I have never made any of the creatures in the book (if memory serves, some of them are incredibly elaborate), but I've gotten hours of fun out of making creatures that never would have existed if I hadn't read it. Murphy has a website , which I've only just thought of looking for & haven't really read through at all. Looks like there is a blog involved, as well, and maybe some other books I'll have to keep an eye out for.