Sock Cow Tutorial

Hello all you Craftsters!

The tutorial that you have all been asking for! (okay, only a few people, but still)

Guest post featured on Punk Projects..........

The Sock (monkey) Cow!!!

Brace yourselves, there is a LOT of pictures, but it's really, really easy! 
You can even make her all by hand, if you want.

For the original sock monkey directions, click this link! 

First, get yourself a pair of knee socks.

Gather you supplies.

Turn you socks inside out. Have one laying with the heel flat and one with the heel on the side.

 Trace you body parts onto the socks according to the original sock monkey directions and the cow shaped templates and layout guide. Email me for a pdf:  rrregena@aol.com
***Now click this link for pdf file***

Cut the banded elastic off and match up the arm and leg lengths. Put in a few pins to keep things from moving all over the place. As you can see, I had to shorten the legs a little bit. 

The heel between the ears and the horns will become the utter, the toe will become the nose, the area above the horns, the tail.

 I traced all my shapes onto the sock and pinned for stability
See how I shortened the legs to match the arms better, but you can leave you legs long if you want.

Sew inside the lines, I used about a 1/4 seam allowance.

More sewing

I did the tail with the scrap because I had a 'doy' moment and forgot to mark it. As you can see, there is plenty of sock left...no worries.

Cut out your parts, maintain your seam allowances or else things will come apart. 

Ask me how I know! LOL Th legs will only be cut to 1/4" from the crotch line.

Cut a little notch in the ears so they can be turned right side out

To turn the body right side out, clip a few stitches on the upper inside of one leg to make a two inch opening, then reinforce. The original directions say to leave the crotch area open, but I found that to be an unsightly closing. The inside leg closes sooooooo much cleaner.

Time to stuff it like a turkey on Thanksgiving morning!

 Lightly stuff and shape the horns

Turn the raw edges to the inside. You can baste, if you want. I didn't, it holds pretty well if you haven't over stuffed anything.  Use this technique for the arms as well.

Stuff the horns, arms and body.

 

Sew the opening in the leg closed. See, wwaayyyyyy easier than trying to close the crotch area.

Time to make the utter; Get the heel piece and four little pieces of stuffing. 

Roll them into little balls.

Kinda center the four teets andsew the fabric around each little ball of stuffing.

There ya go, four teets.

 Run a basting stitch around the edges of the utter and pull in a little bit and star to stuff the utter till it looks all boob like and roundish.

The finished utter.

Lightly stuff the nose and set aside.

Pin the utter into place and sew it on.

Pin the nose on

Sew the lower half on.

Finish stuffing it until it looks more cow like than monkey like and finish sewing it closed. 

Be sure an turn under your raw edges as you go!

Add buttons for nostrils and eyes. Yarn or embroidery floss for the smile. 

If this is for small children, sew on felt instead of buttons or use floss to embroidered them on. 

Safety first!

Attach the horns.

Turn under the raw edges on the ears.

Fold in half and baste close.

Attach the ears. She's starting to look all bovine-y!!

You're in the home stretch now!!!

 Oops!! There was supposed to be a picture here that says: Attach the arms.

Soooooooo, pin on and attach the arms. LOL

Tail time!! Make a little octopus tassle.

Shove the little ball top into the tail and sew on tightly.

Attach the tail and you are.........D-O-N-E

Side View

The money shot!!!

Make you've very own Dottie. Go crazy with your own ideas. 
This tutorial is just a jumping off point! 
I would LOVE to see any critters made from this tute too!

My first cow, Milky white