Tag: Sockmonkeys

Getting ready for Christmas

Yes! Christmas 🎄

Soon comes round and here it is looming again ! I am looking forward this year our grandson joes three now and knows all about Christmas so very excited. Even organised with some pressies normally a last minuet person.  Go me !

Every year I make Christmas Sockmonkeys but mainly to order this years different. I will be making some small ones just to sell already bought the socks. Going to be cute starting them this week hopefully. So watch my Facebook page for them. Only doing a few !

Gingernut from last year

So much to do ! Tidying the craft room to make space for production it’s only small so can’t swing a cat never mind a monkey. Funny when I first decorated and made it mine I thought how much room I had, But I soon filled it with crafty things now I can’t move. So today’s action was getting organised.

Packing

I would like some space under the table when sewing would be nice. Filled with boxes for posting, display stuff etc … So may have to go in the loft when the Christmas tree comes out. I haven’t done any craft fairs for a long time. But you never know so I will keep hold of them for a bit longer just in case.

One of my craft fairs

Have thousands of beads so a big task of sorting through them as I now make monkeys. I still have my eBay so be selling them and lots of other things I have, some new. That’s a job in its self but has got to go ! Out with the old in with the new. Some of my socks will be going to ones I can’t use. I will share on Facebook if interested.

Doodle

so hopefully be lots of room for my handmade monkeys. I am working out a better way to take pictures. I normally use my iPad because it’s Easy !  I do have a good camera and be taking some christmas pics. Also not decided what pictures I am useing for my calendar this year need to get that done so lots to do! Before Christmas let’s hope I get it done. I will be doing a blog about taking pictures so please keep watching .

Pictures making up my calendar for 2017

thankyou for reading Julie

forgot to say I will be having a Christmas giveaway this year so  anyone registering will get this information when it happens .

 

 

 

A breath of fresh air

we don’t seem to have many days of sunshine this year in the uk but we try and make the most of it ! I suppose that’s why most of us go abroard to get the sunshine ☀️

Me and my hubby had a lovely walk, well you could say climb up rivington. What beauty we have on our door step. Fresh air, sunshine what a lovely day it was! Hard going the further we climbed the steps to the top but worth the effort and want to do more. We made it to the top and celebrated with a lovely picnic. We saw other people walking with there dogs some hiking rucksacks and boots on. I can see why may be a bit out of breath but what satisfaction making it to the top.

Steps to the top just some of them !

View from the top breath taking

Sunny days Been taking a little time out ! Took my sock monkey to the park . We had a lovely day our local park is gorgeous. I take my grandson on the park all the time he loves the slide and swings,roundabout. But this day was me time! Oh yes and chance take pictures of my monkey and as there was no one on the park did some videoing. I wrote about this in a previous blog what July means to me . You can find the videos on my Instagram and Twitter as well.

Monkey picture it was a gorgeous day

we often visit another park in the next town Pennington park I took lots of lovely pictures of my monkeys Here last year. There’s a band stand and lots of flowers very pretty. Lovely children’s park and aerobic section. Also have a little tea room cafe. Lovely on a sunny day. Here’s  couple of pictures.

Look at that sky

Pictures I took was the best !  flowers in full bloom used this one for my 2017 calendar.

I am hoping there’s still going to be a few more days to take some good pictures for this years calendar . Maybe another trip up them steps only take the monkeys this time thanks for reading.

julie

Every Stitch I Make

Every stitch I Make

not just one stitch thousands of them – – – – – – little tiny things

Every sock monkey I make is a lots of hand sewing call it the creative bit a part of me. love to hand sew takes me a while and have been known to undo the stitches if not happy. Lost count of the amount of times I pricked my finger. Trying to be careful not to get blood on my monkeys ouch!  Looking at my work and looking again is it right do them eyes look level did I do that stitch the same? You know it didn’t matter I didn’t want them the same. All my monkeys are unique and special.

So Every stitch I make is not the same. Every days not the same creative people can’t always turn on the tap of creativeness or other things get in the way. As well as the fingers the head has to be in gear to. Don’t worry I won’t cut my ear off but can be very frustrating at times. I try to make what people want put my heart and sole into what I make. crafty people will say the same every stitch or craft nearer to that perfect creation.

Some do it for the fun just because they can and love sewing. Satisfaction of making your very first item. Then you have the dedicated sewers who make the most wonderful items I bow in admiration. I love creative people   This includes anyone who can paint,draw,knit,crochet,sew etc … truly blessed with amazing talents. Done lots of things my self love to draw but except for a few doodles these day don’t do a lot only making my sock monkeys.

I always encourage people to try and make a sock monkey them selves. Often get asked how to make them. The basics are easy making it your own is another thing. When they ask I guide them to look at the many tutorials on you tube. How I learned to make one at the very beginning long time ago. Who would have thought I would make and sell them.

so many different stitches you can do !  Machine sewing has taken on a new world of sewing . Embroidery machines that do intricate patterns and words. will say I don’t like sewing machines but they do a strong stitch. So my monkeys are part made on my simple janome sewing machine . She can play up a bit but works fine most of the time.

My sewing machine

Stitch in time saves nine. Also a lot quicker on the machine hand stitching takes forever. I made sock man he had whiskers on his chin each one sewn by hand. Now I am seeing ladies sewing sequins on beautiful dresses the time that must have took or takes to do. Satisfaction when completing second to none (you missed one). That one stitch that can save many +

I read about a lady so busy sewing she swallowed a pin. ( ooooo nasty) caused no end of problems so be careful don’t put pins in your mouth. Also try keeping your back straight so you don’t stoop in later life. Don’t sew in the dark your stitches work out wonky ~~~ haha. Threading the needle can be tricky ! Why are the eye holes so small. Wearing glasses when you get older for seeing your work can be frustrating when you can’t see and realise you haven’t got them. So valuable sewing time is taken up looking for them so check you have everything before you start! Like I don’t. The amount of time I waist going up and down stairs because I forgot something when doing sewing down stairs. Then dropping them going back up when it’s bed time. Having to search for pins on the floor Leaving the scissors in bed ? isn’t a good idea ether ( guilty). Tales of people getting needle stuck in there fingers when sewing on machine frightening ( Arhhhhh). Sounds dangerous this stitching business.✂️

makeing things some don’t work out some do. Not sure how long I can carry on stitching ? But I love it 😊

Thanks for reading please comment

julie

I will put some connections on to tutorials and stitchie things so please keep looking welcome to comment 😊

Heres another blog I wrote has a video of how to make an original sock monkey 😊

Making Sock Monkeys