Stray Sock Sewing: Making Unique, Imaginative Sock Dolls Step-by-Step

by Daniel

An Asian-flavored craft book is designed to instruct beginning and advanced crafters alike on how to create amusing sock creatures and fun toys from socks of all sizes, styles, and colors. Original.

Genres: Crafts, Nonfiction, Sewing, Animals, Adult

149 pages, Paperback

First published September 26, 2008

Reviews

[karen]

this is by far the best book i got tonight, on my craftbook spree. i want to make nearly every one of these dolls. the directions are super clear, and there are new stitches for me to try! i have no formal sewing training, and i know exactly one stitch. i just make things and they are cute and nice, but if i learn more stitches, i will be unstoppable! etsy, here i come!

[Inder]

A craft book written by a man! Yay! This is actually a great beginner book. There isn't a lot of text, but there are lots and lots of pictures, showing how to craft a sock creature step by step. The creatures are adorable, too. While the book has instructions on how to exactly copy the author's creatures, the emphasis is on creativity and developing your own sock creatures. Good stuff, this.

[Scottsdale Public Library]

Imagine a world where creatures made from stray socks are living, breathing friends with opinions and interests and emotions. Daniel has brought it to life in Stray Sock Sewing. He is truly a creative genius. What he can do with socks and teach others to do is incredible! Even if you don’t plan to turn socks into amazing stuffed creatures and dolls, allow yourself the pleasure of visiting this magical world.

Stray Sock Sewing is divided into three parts: All about Sock Dolls, The Basics of Making Sock Dolls and Projects Step by Step. Part 1 draws readers into the alternate universe of magical sock creatures. (Warning: You may want to live there permanently.) Part 2 includes four lessons providing the basics for creating sock dolls. Part 3 provides step by step instructions with accompanying photographs for eight projects.

Daniel says, “Have fun and see what happens!” Magic happens. The instructions are so clear and complete that even without lots of sewing experience or skill, I made Lucky the Cat for a friend. By using what I learned in Part 2 “The Basics of Making Sock Dolls,” adapting principles from the projects in Part 3, and then letting the socks tell me who they want to become, I have made many of my own sock creatures.

Stray Sock Sewing is a beautiful, imaginative book. I promise you’ll never look at socks the same way again! -Kathy G.

[Anna Richland]

Why don't I have more time to do adorable crafts like this?

I have the bin of socks, specifically to do something like the projects in Stray Sock Sewing. Three years ago Mr. Big Boy made puppets to sell in a class "market", and we used most of our stray socks (and it led to superglueing my fingers together, which oddly the on-call nurse had encountered several times and had multiple remedies for, but the details are best left to the next novel I write, not to a book review because I really shouldn't give away my best stuff).

So that's a long way of saying we like to do stray sock projects.

These projects are amazingly cool (but quickly get hard). I'm not sure the instructions are doable with a 7 or 8 year old. Probably with a parent who sews more than I do, but I'm more of a glue person (NOT!).

Even if you have no intention whatsoever of doing the crafts, it's fun to read because it's so darn cute. Like kittens on facebook? This is for you. Like baby ducks? Then this book is for you.

[Anne]

Some of the creatures in this book are SOOO adorable, and I had some odd socks lying around, so at the time this book seemed perfect. Then I made a little cat for my niece's birthday, and it was indeed adorable. Turns out, though, that if even the gentlest of kids is going to get one of these sock animals, they need to be made much more robustly than the directions in this book. I'll just turn my sights towards sock animal doctoring, instead.

[Michelle]

I own lots of craft books, but none has made me pull out the materials and make a project that same evening. Very inspiring, detailed photos, amazing gallery of sock creatures to get the creativity flowing.

[Yani G]

Fun ideas. :D

[Tracey]

Nonfiction; crafts/sewing. Really neat book for making sock dolls, which thoroughly explains the various techniques. It suffers somewhat from poor cover art that really doesn't do justice--the tween dolls would have made much better cover models. I would also recommend Stupid Sock Creatures as well as Sock and Glove.

[Michelle]

Super cute ideas for making all different kinds of sock dolls, animals, etc. I really thought the book itself was cute, as it was written to be entertaining and the author's enthusiasm is contagious. I am on the lookout for stray socks now! Maybe I won't be so frustrated the next time I'm folding socks and left with an odd number!

[Vivian]

This book gets a two thumbs up for creativity. It is so fun we bought our own copy and my teen and tween daughter made their own creations. In fact, they enthused their cousins into making some too. We recently had a program at the library where nearly a hundred guests had fun making penguins from socks.

[Luke]

Stray Sock Sewing by Daniel is a really fun and cute thing to do with your old or orphaned socks. The pictures by Liao Chia Wei are really cute and gives the dolls character. This book is for ages 8+ or just any one who can sew well enough not t poke themselves. Also if you don't want to make any of these (which you should) then you still can look at the pictures and see what your missing.

[Jennifer]

This is super fun! I started with the little bunnies. I made 3 in one hour, not including the face. I will have so much fun finding fun socks and making creatures. Great pictures and directions. LOTS of ideas

[Mimi]

What a relief! Now I know what to do with those extra and/or holey socks! Who wants a new sock friend? I'm ready to go! Yay!

[Lynn]

So cute!!! But I wonder...will they turn out as cute as they are in the book?

[Joelle]

Absolutely adorable ideas in here - some very clever designs. I can't wiat to dig into the our stash of stray socks.

[Ellen]

Hilarious and inspiring. Most of these critters require two matching socks, so my plan to utilize all my strays... I'm still working on that!

[Christina]

This has been a great activity. My kids have made some, but mostly I just want to make them myself.

[Kelly]

I've made two really cute projects from this book. Hope to also make a fun little pig before I'm done!

[Peacegal]

I don’t plan on actually making any of these sock creatures, but I do love looking at the photos.

[Kristina Weber]

If you want to make sock creatures, do not buy this book! Book Two (by the same author) is a MILLION times better.

[Kelly (Maybedog)]

Adorable, wonderful sock dolls.

[Tatjana]

Maybe after my exam I'll go back and try to make some of it... but the book is wonderful.

[Marina]

I really enjoyed looking at all the pictures in the book. I've just started on my first sock creature and I find the instructions a bit lacking for someone that doesn't sew very well.

[Sara]

Planning on using some "gift" socks that I will never wear; hoping I have enough imagination to use these Ida's and make them my own! Very cute ideas & presentation.

[Jennifer B.]

Really cute ideas, with very clear step by step instructions, even shopping ideas. I also enjoyed the little history of sock dolls, very sweet. I look forward to making many if not all of these.

[Susan]

Cute ideas for sock animals and lots of good instructions.

[Kelley]

The sock creatures are wonderfully cute. This is the book I want when I go to make sock dolls.

[veronica]

This is the book that pushed me into the dizzying world of sock craft, god help me.

[Kat]

very cute sewing projects