Sock Monkey and beyond: Stuffed toys to make

Santa brought my eldest one of these when he was 1 1/2. Not only does he still love it now, at five, but his little brother is in love with it as well. We’ve had to sew the arms back on once or twice due to excessive love, but the good news is that this is the kind of toy you don’t have to pitch just because your kid acts like a kid and plays with it! You can keep repairing it as long as he keeps breaking it. (And I think Santa might just have one in his sack for the little dude this year!)

http://www.supersockmonkey.com/catalog/howtomake.html

I would say this project requires a basic to moderate skill level at sewing. You’ll need to understand how your sewing machine works, but beyond that the directions are clear and simple, and there’s no complicated shaping involved. Just make sure you double sew the arms and tail with STRONG THREAD.

Find more budget-friendly gift ideas to DIY here!

Even if you only have one child, the two pair pack is perfect- make one for your child, and one for a friend- perfect for bartering. Whatever it is about this thing, I’ve never seen a kid who didn’t smile when they picked one up.

Don’t stop at the Sock Monkey!

You can make a stuffed toy out of anything. Scraps, fabric you get off freecycle, old sheets, old t-shirts, you name it. Fleece and flannel make particularly cuddly toys, and since blankets and sheets tend to wear out in the middle first, you may be able to score plenty of toy making materials with a “wanted” on your local Freecycle list or the free section of Craig’s List. If you’re planning ahead for next year, be advised that those Christmas prints are going to be on super-duper sale starting sometime in December, and will be going for pennies starting December 26. For some reason, Hanukkah and Kwanzaa prints tend to follow the same sale price schedule, even though they don’t follow the same calendar. You can sometimes find craft panels that will be great gifts at those sales, too.

More Stuffed Toys to Make

• Floppy Eared Bunny from Semele’s Riches (You can use scraps or a fat quarter- needs no hand sewing!)
• This Jack Rabbit Softie pattern is the perfect size and shape for doll strollers without having the “creepy” factor sometimes found with manufactured dollies. You can also use scraps from your stash for this one and it’s a good “hugging” size. My husband tried to keep it.
• Stuffed dinosaur from Little Black Teapot. Don’t be afraid to adapt the eyes to paint or applique for very young children to alleviate choking concerns.
• Crochet a turtle courtesy of Moms Love of Crochet
• Make a “taggy” ball for an infant or toddler. For older kids, adapt the pattern to make several in different colors.  Add some painted plastic or cardboard canisters, and create a color match ball toss game. (Think plastic coffee “cans” or cardboard oatmeal “cans.” You can paint them or use a spray adhesive to cover them with colored paper.)
• Another classic, the Raggedy Ann doll, started as a home made toy. You should have no trouble finding or adapting a pattern to make the perfect doll for any child on your list. Raggedy Ann was the doll every American girl had before there was an American Girl Doll.
• Make some really cute Sock Snowmen.

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