Welcome to the Sock Monkey page!
I am a native of Rockford, Illinois. Rockford is the original home of the Sock Monkey. I no longer live there, but spent the first 26 years of my life there, started my family and moved on. My oldest daughter, who is now 51, remembers the sock monkey which she had when she was a child. I didn't make it for her at that time. It was made by my Mother-in-Law. I am pleased to now have time to make the Sock Monkeys myself. Each sock monkey available from us is made from the original NELSON Knitting Company's RED HEEL socks. If you are interested in purchasing one you can contact us or visit our eBay listing page; our username is suchagoof.
It was made from a medium sized sock, so the legs and arms are plump. Larger socks make for skinny arms and a longer tail. There are also small sized socks which will make a baby-sized monkey. The sizes available will vary from time to time. No matter what the size, 21 inch or 10 inch, they all take the same amount of time and effort. I name all the sock monkeys which I make. You will, no doubt, change the name to one that suits your tastes. The name I give it is not that I have developed a personal relationship with them but to help me keep track of each and every one. Each sock monkey is outfitted with headwear and/or clothing I have made for them from all new materials. They are removable and have not yet been washed. The socks used to make the monkeys was pre-washed prior to their creation.
Your child will love the Sock Monkey. They will swing it by the arms, tail and legs. They will also punch it, hug it, kick it, throw it, bite it, sleep with it, and curl up with it in front of the TV. You will obviously need to hide it from the family dog. If they get it surely it would become history of a different sort.
The monkey is stuffed with all new Cluster Fiber which is Hypo-allergenic, and will never clump or bunch. The eyes are made of black felt. The felt eyes have a sticky backside, and can be replaced if they become worn. The felt can be purchased at any craft store. Some of the seams are sewn on a machine, but most of the stitching is done by hand, and the process is very time consuming. Each monkey has a different look, and each one is made with a different hat or outfit. The monkey is washable, and can be mended with a needle and thread if your child plays rough No toy is ever indestructible.
The original monkey appears to have had pom-poms. A search on Google will give you any and all information about the Sock Monkey you might want to know. My personal opinion is that the Sock Monkey came about from a Mother who didn't have money to buy her child a toy. She washed up an old pair of Dad's work socks and made the toy for her child. Many of the early Sock Monkeys are shown wearing a Fez hat which spoke of a time when a monkey was on the end of a chain with a cup in hand collecting tips while an Organ Grinder played. The Google search result has many different ideas about how the socks became monkeys.