Monkey Mania

You all must know by now, that I love Sock Creatures - especially Monkeys. 

Sock Monkey Family Portrait - Family Monkeys, Mon, Bro' and Bella...

Sock Monkey Family Portrait - the Class Monkeys - Teddy Bear, Zombie and Bella

(that Bella gets everywhere y'know...)

Socks are just so cool; they are ready-knitted little bodies and heads, for a whole selection of amazing creatures. 

Socks are wasted on feet - they're far more fun, if you turn them into something! 

People have devoted whole books to what you can make with socks. Some people make their living by creating things with socks!

So back in March, I taught a workshop day at the Saturday club my son goes to.  We made Sock Creatures and the students came up with some fabulous results:

The Fabulous Results!

Last Saturday, I taught a second workshop. This time we made Sock Monkeys - yay!

I had eleven students, aged from 9 to around 15 years.  Three had been to the previous Sock Creatures course - which must mean they enjoyed themselves!!

We spent the day working through the various stages of Sock Monkey construction (see my Tutorial to find out how we made them).  

We started with these...

We stitched, snipped and stuffed...

...prodded and poked...

...tweaked, tidied and tied...

Eventually we got to the end of the day.  Everyone worked very hard, but we didn't quite have enough time to complete our monkeys. 

Here is the Almost-Finished Result:

Monkeys... well, nearly!

Everyone went home with a little plastic bag, containing their selection of buttons, beads, trim etc, to give their monkey a face and some sort of decoration. 

The students all seemed happy with their Monkeys. I think it was just me who was really disappointed - because I won't get to see those cute Monkey faces...  We just needed another half-hour really...

I asked the students how they'd feel about a longer course, of two or three days, where we would make simple creatures first, followed by monkeys with clothes (and faces!).  They were very enthusiastic and said they wouldn't mind going back over the same steps again, to make their monkeys and that they'd like a longer course.  I will suggest it to the Club. 

We also discussed the idea of "Creatures for Christmas", during the Christmas term.  We could make santas, 

snowmen,

pets with woolly scarves...

The students had other ideas for Christmassy creatures too.  I am going to suggest this to the Club, along with a workshop to make simple books, as Christmas gifts, since that idea was also received with some enthusiasm.

I had a great day on Saturday, though I was very exhausted afterwards, from all the preparation work and the long, long day.  I could hardly talk on Saturday evening - my throat was dry and sore and I was just so worn out.  Needless to say, I was in bed disgracefully early and out for the count before 10pm!

I think I'm learning a lot from these workshops too - such as what can be fitted into a day, and what can't!

The next teaching I will do, will be a bookbinding course, at my local needlework and patchworking shop.  There is a shop in Oakley called Tudor Rose Patchwork, who have a classroom behind the shop.  They have various crafting clubs going on weekly or monthly and also bring tutors in, to offer a whole range of courses.  They've concentrated mostly on sewing-based courses up to now, but decided to try introducing some different things. 

I was asked if I would like to try a book-binding workshop, so I will be teaching "Simple Books with Fabric Covers" on Saturday 16th July:

My samples, which are on display in the shop. 

I'm quite excited already!

* * *

And Finally... Sherlock has a new job...

C.S.I. Monkey...

Watch out for the new TV series, starting soon!