Several months ago I posted about my abject failure with regard to making a Sock Monkey. My sock monkey looked like a faceless demented octopus. It also had to have emergency surgery after I accidentally clipped it a new butt hole by accident. Eventually the whole mess went in the bin after I tried to unsuccessfully suffocate the monkey in a plastic bag because I thought that was the kindest thing to do with something so hideously ugly. This left my dreams of being a sock monkey maker to the stars in tatters. It also left me with two pairs of socks that I had no freaking idea what to do with since I don't wear socks. Eventually Sara's aunt took pity on me and told me to send the socks to her and she would see what she could come up with. Personally I think it really upset her to see me trying to suffocate an innocent monkey in a glad bag.
Sara came to visit on Sunday (more about that later) and brought this gorgeous sock monkey which looks a million times better than anything I ever could have knocked out . Some people are so talented and generous. That would be you H and I can't thank you enough . Little P is going to flip out when he gets to cuddle this.
Check out those arms and legs ...they go on forever. Did you know that if you buy long socks you don't necessarily end up with a bigger sock monkey - you just end up with one with the longest limbs of any sock monkey EVER. I think that gives him a ton of individual character. Nobody else has a sock monkey that is masquerading as a Daddy Long Legs spider.
On Sunday Sara took her life in her hands and committed to teaching me how to sew zips. Thank you Sara for being the bravest person in the known universe.
Sara loves a challenge. My phobia about zips has been well documented. I've been bleating on about not being able to sew zips for at least 20 years and I think I've read every single tutorial ever written on the subject and still couldn't put on my big girl panties and sew one of those suckers properly.
Voila! One for me and one for Little P.
And then I got really brave and made this little back pack type doodad which has a really long zip in it but was actually incredibly easy. It was following the pattern that made me want to pull my hair out.
Started with this pile of nothing
And ended up with this !
I did it !
It remains to be seen whether I can do this when Sara isn't here giving me step by step instructions....stay tuned because I'm going to give that a crack this week. There could be swearing. And crying. And flinging of half finished zipper-less pouches. Between now and then I'm going to bask in my success.
31 comments:
The sock monkey looks great!! I made one at a class at the Stitches and Craft show a while ago now. They are fun to make.
Love the backpack you made! Excellent zipper work there! :)
Nice zips! And clever of you to do more than one with your tutor! I'm sure you will be brilliant at zips from now on. (Remember to practice. It makes all the difference!) Cool sock monkey too. (Although I must admit to being kind of scared of them. Obviously MY phobia. Aren't sock monkeys freaky looking to everyone? I totally get the plastic bag thing.)
Fantastic job on the zips! I think zippers should now be fearful of you :)
Excellent!!
Love the sock monkey. He has such long arms to love Little P with.
Cool bags. You did good!
fabulous zips - there's another phobia conquered - you go girl!!
I'm sure Little P will love tat monkey.....I don't 'get' sock monkeys, don't know why......well done with the zippers!
I always love your posts, Shay, with your wit and brutal honesty. :o) Love it, and am IN LOVE with that leggy monkey!! Wow! I'm sure I would have been right there with you, if I had tried one. And your zippers look Grrreat!! Congrats on your success. :o)
xo
Way to go on the zips! and without much swearing. I heard the zipper was the easy part of the backpack! It's really cute. I'm sure little P will love it.
what pattern did you use for the pouches?
The sock monkey is super cute .. and all legs.
Darling projects! You ARE so brave, I pretty much stick to straight seams - no sock monkeys, no zips, no cute purses - I fondle them in the fabric stores, but then remember there would be lots of cursing and self-hating going on if I broke down and bought a pattern and fabric...
OMGosh. I couldn't stop laughing. This is way too funny....cutting it a new butt hole...........LOLLLLLLLLLLL. Did anyone figure out to charge you with a felony for killing your monkey.........giggle.
I will be laughing for days!!! Thank you!
Babes, you've sewn zips! Yip, Yip,Yip!!!
Congratulations - no longer a zip virgin.
Love the monkey too.
I can't comment. I am prone on the floor in shock!
Susan and I are both in shock. Could you pass us both a glass of wine, ta!
Bask away GF....well done on the zips! You are now the ninja master of sewing them.....cool back pack too!!
All hail Shay the Zip Conquerer...well done...bask away...
Love the Sock Daddy Long Legs Monkey, too funny...all the other sock monkeys will be jealous as all get out that they only have regular length arms and legs...
That is such a trippy monkey! Iong arms are all the better for hugs and swinging around like Tarzan. Well done with your zipper creations! There'll be no stopping you now!!
The sock monkey is fabulous. Loved the extra long limbs. Good for you giving zips a bash. All three projects look fabulous! Putting a zip in is one step closer for me now....lol If you get stuck.....you could always Skype Sara.
Oops! I forgot to say.....I was laughing so hard when I was trying to read out loud your description of what happened when you were making your sock monkey, The Missus couldn't understand what I was saying, so had to read it herself.
Hooray! Well done to you, I still have to conquer that fear. Mr Sock Monkey looks awesome, Sara's Aunty is a star :-)
I told you not to fear the zips and I was right - you did fine. So long as you remember to point the tabs towards the lining, and get the zipper foot on the right side, I'm sure you'll be able to do it without me :)
Have you given the monkey a name yet?
Gorgeous! We all need help now and again. You are just giving us all permission to ask... and that is a hard thing for some.
Hugs!
Dang, you NAILED it! Definitely some basking (and bragging) is in order!
The little backpack is soooo sweet - you should be pleased! I didn't know what a sock monkey was til I saw this (maybe they don't have them in England?). Anyway, they are great. Are you gonna have another go at one? XCathy
Great job with the zippers. I'm sure you'll be able to make another bag all on your own. Have a glass of wine and go for it.
I can't wait to tell my DD about the sock monkey! She thought your post about the extra butt hole was hilarious!
Glad you liked your sock monkey, I came very close to shortening his limbs but hey they were your socks and I didnt want to mess with them so now you have a long limbed monkey, I just hope he dosnt strangle anyone, I caught it swinging on the lamp in my lounge. By the way Glad bags are for Happy things that make you Glad not for killing monkeys so step away from the glad bags.
Good luck with the zippers, Sara has a knack of making them all look so simple, they do look good though so I hope you can add zips to your repetoire now.
loving the zippy projects, especially that backpack/Duffel bag thingy. Did you take lots of photos for a tutorial by any chance??
That looks like the cutest backpack ever! Great job. How fun that Sara visited, brought the sock monkey and gave zipper lessons!
Have a great week!:)
Woo-to-the-Hoo! That's wonderful, Shay! Next up...a garment of some sort. ;)
oH this post cracked me up. Suffocate, new butt hole OMG too funny. Glad you got a bright colorful sock monkey in the long run and I love that duffle bag.
found you via billebee's blog.
I'm so behind the times . . . super cute long-limbed sock monkey! Love the colors!
I also love the little pouches (those definitely ARE the most gorgeous zips I've ever seen) and the little back pack is so cute. I'll bet Little P looks adorable wearing it!
xo -E
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