Crafting by a not very crafty mum - Sock monkeys

Drunk on the success of socktopus (http://moxblox.blogspot.co.uk/2014/05/crafting-by-not-very-crafty-mum-behold.html) I needed a new challenge. I decided I should go for it and try to do some sewing.

Problem is, I haven't done any serious sewing since I was 14 when I was in textiles class making a bean bag snake. 14 was a long time ago...

So, why now?

Essentially, I love Little E very much, but being a mum can be very boring. When he was under 5 months he often just wanted me to be around, but wasn't interacting much. There were only so many useful things I could do with an iPad, so finding crafty projects was perfect for me. I could sit with him, whilst doing something stimulating for me without the GUILT, because I was making something for him. The extra bonus was he seemed fascinated by watching me sewing.

Why did I feel guilty? That's a whole other blog post, but don't most mums feel guilty for doing something for themselves?

Pinterest to the rescue! Seriously, what did people do before this interweb thing?

http://craft-with-confidence.blogspot.co.uk/2010/10/sock-monkey-tutorial.html

This is a great tutorial for how to make a sock monkey with step by step pictures. As I've said, I am rubbish at making stuff, but this was enough of a challenge without me throwing down my pins in tears.

I don't have a sewing machine, so I did everything by hand. More time consuming, but not hard. I also tried not to buy anything again. I used up old socks that I didn't want to have to darn and ribbons/buttons I had collected. In the tutorial she stitches the nostrils and mouth, but I wasn't confident I could do this, so I used a laundry pen to draw them.

With my first attempt, I filled the monkey with chickpeas, as I thought Little E would like the textures. They don't give a very good monkey shape, but it is satisfyingly heavy. The legs are very uneven as I was so convinced I was going to fail that I didn't measure anything.

I think you can agree, my second attempt is much more like a monkey. I thought the pattern of the socks made a nice mouth and I like the "winking" button eyes. He is stuffed with one of Big E's old shirts that I ripped into rags.

To be honest, Little E is not really interested in them, but my friends love them. A few people even want me to make them one! I see an army of monkeys on the way.