THE RED HEEL Sock Monkey Message Board

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THE RED HEEL Sock Monkey Message Board: Monkey Maker's Corner Vol. VI

Author	Message
Missus Melnee Long Time Resident	Posted 10-04-06 02:09 PM Great Benevolent Grandma! Are we really starting the sixth edition of this thread? That's pretty cool. I thought maybe it would be useful if we monkey-makers re-introduced ourselves, especially since so many new folks are visiting the board these days. Oh, and Wendel recommends that I mention this is one of the only threads that human peoples are allowed to post on, since Mrs. Tiffany started this board for sock monkeys. (Well, I think mostly she started it so she could complain about stuff she didn't like- her words!- but now it's for every sock peoples.) So... I'm Missus Mel'nee and I live on the Sunnyflower Farm with Daisy Marie and the gang. I started making sock monkeys just over three years ago, and it's entirely because of Reggie and Loretta and the Red Heel Sock Monkey Shelter and this here very board. Some of the monkey children live with me and The Boy, and others seek new homes out in the world through our adoption website at daisycara.com. One of the things I find wonderful about this particular thread is the opportunity to talk to other monkey-makers about how we do what we do. It's great to see pictures or discuss funny little oddities in the making of monkey children (or other sock critters). And there's a lot to learn from examining how vintage monkeys have been created. Take a look at the section on the evolution of the sock monkey in "Sock Monkey Dreams" and you'll get an idea! Be most very well, everyone! P.S. There's also a "Need a Sock Monkey?" thread if you're looking to adopt a monkeychild. http://www.novogate.com/board/5148/209266-5.html [Edited by Missus Melnee] ----------------------------- Be satisfied with your own head. daisycara.com Posts: 397 \| Registered: Mar 2004 \| Profile \| PM \| IP Logged
Tamara Regular Guest	Posted 10-13-06 11:36 PM Thank you Missus Melnee! I love the Monkey Maker thead. I haved learned so much here. Hello everyone. I am Tamara. I live in Oregon with Ceru Monkey. I started making Sock Monkeys a little over 2 years ago. I first saw a Sock Monkey at a friends house. She had 2 very cute Sock Monkeys and every time I'd see them they were always perched some where new and I sorta fell in love them. Then I found Lucius' and Nates websites and knew I had to have a Sock Monkey travel companion of my own. I am so glad to have found the RHMB! Thank you Miss Tiffany! and all the moderaters who help run the board My Sock Monkeys can be seen at SockMonkeyFun.com Ciao! ----------------------------- The art is Monkeys~ The medium is Socks http://www.sockmonkeyfun.com Posts: 112 \| Registered: Sep 2004 \| Profile \| PM \| IP Logged
Sadielou Welcome to the Red Heel!	Posted 10-14-06 09:24 AM Hi y'all, This is Sadielou. I am a sock monkey fan-atic from the hills of Tennessee. Some people have called me the Monkey Lady on Mulberry Street. Sounds a little scary and makes you think of a creepy house on a hill that the kids are affraid of, but I am very lucky to have a large fan club who are always wanting another sock monkey. I have been making sock monkeys for about 4 years and it all started when I found two old monkeys in a box at a yard sale. I am so glad to be a part of the message board. I am still learning all about everyone. You can see me and all my creations at www.sadielou.com. Thanks for being there and come see me sometime. SadieLou ----------------------------- SadieLou Posts: 22 \| Registered: Jul 2006 \| Profile \| PM \| IP Logged
The Girl I run the board!	Posted 10-16-06 04:05 AM Howdy- I'm a third generation monkey maker. I remember when I was a little girl, that my grandma used to wash and save all her run stockings, and in the fall would use them to stuff sock monkeys that she donated to needy kids in the hospital at the holiday season. Although nobody in the family has any of grandma's sock monkeys we do collect vintage monkeys and make new ones. I'm working on the infrastucture to get my mainstream monkeys online, as well as our sock monkey clothing line, Coco's Closet. In the meantime, I've just recently gotten a few of my sci-fi sock monkeys available online at http://www.spockmonkey.com Currently I'm working on a project of princess monkeys for some little girls and am trying to decide what fabric for the outfits. If these were dolls that are going to sit on a shelf, then I'd use satin and sequins trim, but hopefully they will be loved, hugged and carried around, so something more durable that can be washed would be better. I'm concerned that cotton would look rumpled and need ironing. Thinking of trying fleece with some fancier trims. Any suggestions for durable but fancy? ----------------------------- Just a girl, in world of monkeys Human in residence at www.smonkeys.com and www.spockmonkey.com Posts: 121 \| Registered: Sep 2005 \| Profile \| PM \| IP Logged
totalkathy Regular Guest	Posted 10-16-06 02:39 PM About a year ago I was going through some depression.I had just lost my father.I was in need of something to do that did not involve thinking very deeply. Something that did not involve winning or losing, but something that involved being creative without any boundarys. I have always wanted to make sock monkeys. I had one as a child. He was dressed in red cordroy overalls, and had a red hat on his head. I remember my Mother brought it home to me for no reason, when I was a little girl. He was my constant buddy. I did a little reading on the internet on the products needed to make sock monkeys. I realized they needed a special red heel kind of sock. So I send my husband to the local farm store to purchace a pare of Rockford Red heel socks. They did not have any, so I had to order them on the internet. Being complusive as I am. I ended up ordering 1/2 dozen socks. My Mother in Law was visiting and we made my first sock monkey. She was so cute. We named her Marilyn,and she took her home to give to my sister in law. This was the beginning of an obsession. It all seems so silly, but this hobbie has become a refuage. A place I can go, where I'm never judged, and a product of love and character I can give to the speial people in my life. At first I was going to sell them at the beauty shop. But they are too priceless to sell the people who truly don't appreciate them. I would much rather give them to my friends and loved ones that really appreciate them. Funny how a simple little pare of socks can bring a person so much sanity. The Girl, I have made lots of cute monkey clothes out of fleese. Here's a link to some pictures of a lot of the monkeys I have made. It might give you some ideas, I have a surger, so it makes it super simple. I also make cute tu tus with tuel and satin blanket binding. sometimes I put flower petals inside the tuel. http://www.flickr.com/photos/59805412@N00/ [Edited by totalkathy] ----------------------------- Don't trust anyone who does not love sock monkeys! Posts: 141 \| Registered: Jan 2006 \| Profile \| PM \| IP Logged
Annie925 Long Time Resident	Posted 10-18-06 12:13 AM Hello Everyone! I have missed you all so much and I am so happy to be getting settled in our new house. You guys are all so wonderful and I love you, I will write more tomorrow, I just HAD to grab the computer away fom Mikey for a minute and tell you that I am okay, there have been many changes and I will tell as many details as I can tomorrow. I really do love you all. ----------------------------- Love, Grandma Rosebud Posts: 358 \| Registered: Oct 2004 \| Profile \| PM \| IP Logged
Sally Long Time Resident	Posted 10-18-06 05:03 PM Hi Grandma Rosebud! We sent you a little package and now we hope that you will get it. We will be a little sad if it doesn't reach you. Please let us know if you get it. Thank you. Your friend, Sally ----------------------------- sometimes I sits and thinks and sometimes I just sits Posts: 480 \| Registered: Aug 2005 \| Profile \| PM \| IP Logged
Annie925 Long Time Resident	Posted 10-18-06 06:38 PM Dear Sally I just got your package today. Thank you oh thank you so very, very much! I have been having some very bad days and the glasses made me smile and laugh. It was so thoughtful of you to send us a halloween celebration package Here is what happened. We were very happy in our Mountain Family home with the fence out front and lilacs to hang in, but the man that owns the property said he was going to raise the rent to $1000 a month! We sat around and discussed what to do and the final concensus was that we should find a place that we could better afford. Hildur said she had never heard of a thousand anythings and she was very nervous but Mikey in his way told her not to worry, that wherever we go we will all be happy together and she took a deep breath and gazed at Mikey as only Hildur can and we all relaxed. Just in the middle of things like packing and renting a big orange truck with a dinosaur on the side, Brian had to go off to a fire called the "Day Fire" out in the wildlands and we were left all alone to finish everything. It was so hard we had moments of tears and trembling, but as things go, we eventually got everything in the dinosaur truck and down the highway we went. Now we live on another mountain named Thomas and we are taking our time getting unpacked. Brian came back and now he is building a dog kennel with the fence buried 2 feet in the ground and cemented in besides. We want to make sure Groaner can't dig his way out since we are in new territory. Our mailing address is still the same, just now we live in Anza. We kept our PO Box. It was so hard to be out of touch with everywun, when I was feeling very lonely and sad, I thought about all our friends here and it made me feel much better. We really are a family, aren't we. I just wish I could hug you all. ----------------------------- Love, Grandma Rosebud Posts: 358 \| Registered: Oct 2004 \| Profile \| PM \| IP Logged
Daisy Marie Permanent Resident	Posted 10-18-06 08:26 PM Oh my great goodness of the very graciousness! The man who made raisings of your rent did a very bad thing! You should not make forcings of peeples to make movings from their home, just because you have the greediness! And that is how I have thinkings of that mattering! (breathings... breathings... I am a Daisy girl of calmness... all the universals are in their placeness of the rightness....) I am maybe of the bettering now, pleese have the excusings of me! It is just that I have great lovings of you, Grandma Rosebud! And I never of the evering want the bad things to make their happening to you or your familee! But of the positive thinkings, perhapsing the Mountain of Thomas will be a place of new and wonderful flowerings, for all of the peeples with concernment! That is how I have the hopings, any of the ways! Pleese keep us of the postings of how your beings are! XXOOXX Daisy Marie ----------------------------- Just have the beleefings in your self! . . . * Miss Sockford 2007 * . . . daisycara.com Posts: 2060 \| Registered: Jun 2003 \| Profile \| PM \| IP Logged
totalkathy Regular Guest	Posted 10-18-06 11:33 PM We are so glad to see you Annie! Everyone was worried. I knew you'd be ok. We know that The Great Grandma watches over our mountain family. Let us know if we can do anything to help. I'm glad you have all the monkeys there to keep you company while Brian goes off to put out the fires. Our dear sweet Kalamazoo friends.......we love you so much! What a treat! We love our Halloweenie package! what a fun suprise! We will take pictures soon and show you our fun with our new stuff. you are so thoughful. We needed a bit of chearing up around here too. Barts heart is still beating fast knowing Sally maybe had touched some of the gifts you sent. He keeps writing "Sally" on his journal notebook. On the back is says Sally + Bert = true love. I have never seen such a smitten little monkey. Bert is going use the glasses for his costume this year. Red thinks she can sew something cool with the fun fabric. Thanks again, you guys ROCK! ----------------------------- Don't trust anyone who does not love sock monkeys! Posts: 141 \| Registered: Jan 2006 \| Profile \| PM \| IP Logged
Annie925 Long Time Resident	Posted 10-22-06 08:03 PM I have a new email address. cresent_moonwrench@yahoo.com I double checked it to make sure it works, and it does. ----------------------------- Love, Grandma Rosebud Posts: 358 \| Registered: Oct 2004 \| Profile \| PM \| IP Logged
cheeky monkey Emma Welcome to the Red Heel!	Posted 10-23-06 01:04 AM Where do you buy your socks for cheap? So far Hobby Lobby seems the cheapest right now at $3.00 / pair. A couple of years ago I bought a bunch in bulk, kept a half dozen socks, and sold the rest to pay for the socks I kept. I wish I'd come across that deal again. ----------------------------- Float on over to the 3 cheeky little monkeys store Posts: 24 \| Registered: Oct 2006 \| Profile \| PM \| IP Logged
Missus Melnee Long Time Resident	Posted 10-25-06 06:50 AM Hi, Emma. It sounds like you've found a pretty good price at $3/pair. Once upon a moon when tons of vintage socks were available on Ebay, I stocked up; I've been working mainly (and as of this year, pretty slowly!) from those ever since. You might yet catch a good auction price... always worth keeping an eye out. Be most well! ----------------------------- Be satisfied with your own head. daisycara.com Posts: 397 \| Registered: Mar 2004 \| Profile \| PM \| IP Logged
Sadielou Welcome to the Red Heel!	Posted 10-25-06 02:50 PM quote: cheeky monkey Emma wrote: Where do you buy your socks for cheap? So far Hobby Lobby seems the cheapest right now at $3.00 / pair. A couple of years ago I bought a bunch in bulk, kept a half dozen socks, and sold the rest to pay for the socks I kept. I wish I'd come across that deal again. Hi Cheeky, I recently bought 12 pairs of red heel socks for $37.65 and postage was free. That figures out to about $3.00 a pair but I always have them on hand for monkey emergency. I got them at ACTION APPAREL,INC Rockford, Ill 61125 Phone orders at 815-226-1958 Check out my webstie at www.sadielou.com to see some of my handywork. I looked at yours and they are precious. Bye for now and don't forget to make a memory today. Sadielou ----------------------------- SadieLou Posts: 22 \| Registered: Jul 2006 \| Profile \| PM \| IP Logged
Annie925 Long Time Resident	Posted 10-26-06 03:30 PM Dear Everyone, I am a big believer in angels. I was feeling really bad about having to move from our Mountain Family home in Mountain Center until this morning. We have a big fire on our mountain, it has killed 3 of our firefighters and has burned down many peoples homes, one of which was the building we just moved out of a few weeks ago. It burned at 3 in the morning. I am feeling very grateful indeed. Please forgive me if this seems inappropriate for our message board. I just really wanted to share that news. ----------------------------- Love, Grandma Rosebud Posts: 358 \| Registered: Oct 2004 \| Profile \| PM \| IP Logged
Sally Long Time Resident	Posted 10-26-06 04:03 PM Oh My Extra Goodness of Graciousness! Grandma Rosebud! I was thinking about you when I saw that news on the front of the internet page. I was hope hope hoping that the fire wasn't by you. I am glad you let us know that you are safe! ----------------------------- sometimes I sits and thinks and sometimes I just sits Posts: 480 \| Registered: Aug 2005 \| Profile \| PM \| IP Logged
coco Permanent Resident	Posted 10-27-06 01:48 AM Wowzers Annie! We all thought about the Mountain Family with great concern when we heard about that fire, so thank you for posting to let us know you are okay. ----------------------------- *A round of 'nanner smoothies* for everyone! Miss Red Heel Monkey Shelter Message Board 2006 Posts: 809 \| Registered: Sep 2005** \| Profile \| PM \| IP Logged
wendel I run the board!	Posted 11-27-06 06:10 AM Greetings, good citizens! Following please find a conversation relocated from a temporary thread. With all best wishes, Wendel ----------------------------- I am Wendel, Student of World Affairs wendel@daisycara.com Posts: 418 \| Registered: Jul 2003 \| Profile \| PM \| IP Logged
wendel I run the board!	Posted 11-27-06 06:11 AM Posted 11-19-06 11:37 AM quote: momonohana wrote: Hi. I want to make a sock monkey. The directions say to sew on using a whip stitch. What is that? I've tried looking on net and having found anything. ANy information will be appreciated. Thanks ----------------------------- I am Wendel, Student of World Affairs wendel@daisycara.com Posts: 418 \| Registered: Jul 2003 \| Profile \| PM \| IP Logged
wendel I run the board!	Posted 11-27-06 06:12 AM Posted 11-19-06 05:53 PM quote: Mountain Mike wrote: Hey! I would not be the monkey I am if it weren't for the whipstitch! Here's a picture of what it looks like. Thanks for asking. ----------------------------- I am Wendel, Student of World Affairs wendel@daisycara.com Posts: 418 \| Registered: Jul 2003 \| Profile \| PM \| IP Logged
wendel I run the board!	Posted 11-27-06 06:13 AM Posted 11-19-06 06:43 PM quote: momonohana wrote: Hellooo thanks for reply! The pic is very nice but I still dont quiet understand, I have never sew before. I have to use cardboard? ----------------------------- I am Wendel, Student of World Affairs wendel@daisycara.com Posts: 418 \| Registered: Jul 2003 \| Profile \| PM \| IP Logged
wendel I run the board!	Posted 11-27-06 06:14 AM Posted 11-19-06 07:34 PM quote: Missus Melnee wrote: Hey there, Momo. Nope, you don't need cardboard. The idea is that instead of going up and down in dotted line like a sewing machine would, you're going to wrap your stitch around the edges of the cloth you're sewing together. (The stitch "whips" out and over the edges.) You might think of it as a "wrap" stitch. Take another look at Mikey's picture... instead of making a dotted or dashed line, you're sort of making a coil along the edge of the cloth, where the two pieces meet. If you are right-handed: hold the two pieces in your left hand. Holding the needle in your right hand, push it up through the two pieces, maybe 1/4" from the edge. Wrap it around the outside of the two pieces until you can push the needle up from the bottom again. Wrap around, push up from bottom. Repeat! May the Great Grandma be with you as you give birth to your first monkey child! And please let us know if you have any other questions, okay? With all best wishes, Missus Mel'nee ----------------------------- I am Wendel, Student of World Affairs wendel@daisycara.com Posts: 418 \| Registered: Jul 2003 \| Profile \| PM \| IP Logged
wendel I run the board!	Posted 11-27-06 06:15 AM Posted 11-21-06 09:41 AM quote: Joel-O wrote: I always wondered what a whip stitch was - I've never used it, but ya'll know I'm not much of a sewer. momonohana, whip stitch sounds like a good idea, but if you don't use it, your monkey won't fall apart - just ask Lucius. ----------------------------- I am Wendel, Student of World Affairs wendel@daisycara.com Posts: 418 \| Registered: Jul 2003 \| Profile \| PM \| IP Logged
wendel I run the board!	Posted 11-27-06 06:16 AM Posted 11-22-06 09:49 AM quote: Joel-O wrote: I take that back - I do whip stitch the mouths - I just didn't know what it was called! ----------------------------- I am Wendel, Student of World Affairs wendel@daisycara.com Posts: 418 \| Registered: Jul 2003 \| Profile \| PM \| IP Logged
Clara Sue Long Time Resident	Posted 11-28-06 06:38 PM Look here, y'all! http://www.novogate.com/board/5148/226179-3.html ----------------------------- That would be mighty fine! Posts: 423 \| Registered: Mar 2004 \| Profile \| PM \| IP Logged
The Girl I run the board!	Posted 12-22-06 09:28 PM Does anyone have a photo or directions for a sock-o-saures? (i.e. a socky dinosaur.) ----------------------------- Just a girl, in world of monkeys Human in residence at www.smonkeys.com and www.spockmonkey.com Posts: 121 \| Registered: Sep 2005 \| Profile \| PM \| IP Logged
Annie925 Long Time Resident	Posted 12-23-06 12:27 AM quote: The Girl wrote: Does anyone have a photo or directions for a sock-o-saures? (i.e. a socky dinosaur.) Is it gonna have teeth? Teeth scare Giacamo. Are you wanting to make it with a red heel? I have a pattern for a dinosaur made from a regular sock, and I'd be happy to send it to you. ----------------------------- Love, Grandma Rosebud Posts: 358 \| Registered: Oct 2004 \| Profile \| PM \| IP Logged
The Girl I run the board!	Posted 12-23-06 02:30 AM I'm flexible on the teeth issue, and what kind of sock. It's for a small child. That would be really helpful if you could mail it to me. I'd be happy to mail it back. Do you still have my address? I don't think I have your new email address to send it to you... which is why you haven't heard from us much. ----------------------------- Just a girl, in world of monkeys Human in residence at www.smonkeys.com and www.spockmonkey.com Posts: 121 \| Registered: Sep 2005 \| Profile \| PM \| IP Logged
Emily Anne Occasional Visitor	Posted 12-28-06 01:27 PM Hi Y'all I hope everywun has had a good Holly Day season. I posted the message below on the sock monkey newbies thread a while back, but I don't think anywun saw it. I am reposting it here cause that monkey still has the dirtiest paws I ever saw. Thanky if you can help. Okay, well, this is pretty dissgussting, but I gotta ask this. My human mom works with some strange peoples. One man there went out to the parking lot one day and found a sock monkey sitting on his pickemup truck. He took it inside, decided to make a voodoo doll out of it and stuck pins in it. My mom rescued it from him, and she would like to rehabillytate it she says. It looks pretty old, is nekkid, and has really dirty paws. She's mostly worried about the paws, I think. Can anybody tell her how to clean them? ----------------------------- Chocolate is the answer Posts: 50 \| Registered: Nov 2005 \| Profile \| PM \| IP Logged
coco Permanent Resident	Posted 12-28-06 03:20 PM Hi Emily Anne! Do you know what your new friend is stuffed with? Some stuffings take to water better than others. If it's a polyfill, it dries pretty quickly, so he could hand wash his paws in the sink using bare human hands. Just be careful about rubbing too much so you don't damage the skin. Gently squeeze out as much water as you can and let him air dry in a warm place. I'd avoid all kinds of machines. If your monkey pal has some kind of stuffin' that doesn't dry well or is prone to rot, it's going to be tougher to get a really good clean. Carmine Peepers was pretty scruffy when he got here and we were concerned about the texture of his stuffing, so he got a stuffing transplant, and a good soak in the tub of water, followed by an air dry, before the transfusion. ----------------------------- *A round of 'nanner smoothies* for everyone! Miss Red Heel Monkey Shelter Message Board 2006 Posts: 809 \| Registered: Sep 2005** \| Profile \| PM \| IP Logged