Sock Monkeys

Good Morning all,



Today I am going to show you some sock monkeys and sock animals.

The idea originated from the USA in the time of the Great Depression, when mothers without much money made toys for their children from worn out Rockford Red Heel socks. 

I thought for a start that these so called 'Rockford Red Heels' were an American football team!  On further investigation I found that they were in fact a sock made by the Nelson knitting company and nothing at all to do with football!

In the early 1950's the sock manufacturer found out about the sock monkeys and tried to patent the pattern for making them.  They succeeded in 1955 and included a pattern with all the socks.

Advertising followed, using the sock monkey image. 

As time progressed more sock monkeys and animals were produced by different people giving the wide range of designs that can be found today.

They are very popular in America and festivals are held such as "Sock Monkey Madness Festival" held in Midway Village Center for the first time in 2005.  I do not know if this festival is still running, but there is probably more in different areas as well.

(I found this information in Wilkepedia)

My sock monkeys are not the traditional red heeled variety but mostly colourful striped patterns with contrasting heel colours.

Here are a selection from myself and from Folksy (see link on this page)

Jack (he looks so sad bless him)
from Socklings

Sock Elephant Nell from Socklings

                                    http://www.folksy.com/shops/Socklings

  

 

This is Rose, a soft sock monkey from Sew it Seams and a sock monster from Tee Originals



http://www.folksy.com/shops/sewitseams

http://folksy.com/shops/Tee



Mortimer the sock dog from One Shy Elephant

Oliver the Giraffe from One Shy Elephant



http://www.folksy.com/shops/LauKa



Sock Horse/Zebra from Pud Bears



Sock monkeys from Pud Bears and Friends

http://folksy.com/shops/PudBearsandFriends

That's all for today, I hope you liked the colourful sock animals.

Polly