Is there anything cuter than sock puppets? Probably, but Miyako Kanamori has taken the heart-melting factor up a notch with her book Sock and Glove: Creating Charming Softy Friends from Cast-Off Socks and Gloves.
I am continuing with my life-changing tidying among other things, and as much as I love this book, I’ve had it since 2007 when it first came out and I’ve looked at it twice, if that. The photography, the projects, the sweet story-telling element of it — they all make me smile, but honestly, I’m just not the sock or glove puppet making type. My slightly OCD nature balks at the thought of using previously worn socks, though I suppose I could use new socks or even knit fabric to construct these endearing animals. However, deep reflection (well, as deep as thinking about sock puppets can get) forced me to admit that it’s time to let it go.
I could donate this to Goodwill or try to resell it, but I wanted to offer it up as a giveaway in case anyone was interested? It comes with instructions for thirteen softies, and possibly the loveliest little clothes:
I mean, c’mon:
These are some of my faves:
Irresistible, right?
To enter the giveaway, since I went on and on about K’s little frogs earlier and since this book features animals, I’ve got pets on the mind — please leave a comment telling me about your favorite childhood pet. Or, if you didn’t have a pet (I didn’t), maybe your favorite softy/stuffed animal from days of yore. I had a white little bunny that my mom made me when I was just a wee lass, and I still have it to this day. I can’t believe this li’l doll has survived all these decades — I called her “usagi-chan”.
The giveaway will be open until next Thursday, January 29th and I’ll announce the winner the next day. International entries, of course, are more than welcome. Good luck!
P.S. I finally got all the custom illustration requests all organized. Please check your email junk or spam folder if you haven’t received an email from me and you commented on that post. I have some major book deadlines coming up so my progress on them might be on the slow side, but I’m on it!Â
aww so sweet! I’m not the sock puppet type either but my daughter is I always wanted a cat growing up but my dad and brother are allergic. As I type this my cat is purring on my lap 🙂
Hi there! What a nice giveaway!
I still have my ‘Garfield’ which I carried around my whole childhood, my little can’t sleep without ‘Flapje’, who has a curl on his head which she puts in her mouth to sleep :-).
I’d love to re-gift this book to a 14yr old who has just taught herself to sew. She would LOVE it! I always try to give her presents to spark her creativity (materials, or idea books, usually) and this would be perfect.
I don’t know that I had a particular stuffed animal, but I had two blankies (one yellow and one orange) that I was inseparable from. Actually after I was married my hubby had to ask me to put the yellow one away because I still had it! My kids would love to sew from this book, thanks Sanae.
I bought this book (still have it) when it came out and I loved it for all the same reasons you mentioned. I made several monkeys and the zebra. They were adorable and I always used new socks.
My favorite stuffed animal was Le Mutt. I still remember carrying him around and he had a girlfriend (?) named Fifi. I kept it for a while after having kids but they were not interested in a ratty dog.
I had the same book and after reading the same tidying book, mine went to giveaway pile as well, lol. I did make a dog from it but my toymaking days are long past, I owned this book for at least 8 years.. So please don’t pick me. I just thought it was interesting that we got rid of the same book after reading a different same book.
Wow, what a coincidence! Great minds, right? 😉
what a cute book! i am currently working on sock stuffed dumbo tsum tsum for my son. as a small child i had an orange cat named Uhuru. i don’t remember well tho as we had him for a short time. no more pets after that until i received a dog for my 22nd birthday and another dog 2 years later. they were my favorites and i miss them dearly.
I have a stuffed dog that my grandmother gave me for Christmas when I was 12. I needed up calling him Floppy, and he still holds a place on my bed.
We had a duck on the balcony for a while when i was a child. suuuper cute he used to run all the way to get into the elevator every time he noticed that the main door was open… So we found a much better place for him at a farm… A couple of months later they told us that he had been killed cos he kept on getting in the neighbours piece of land… Poor little duck
I had a white, stuffed bunny as well! My daughter found it a few weeks ago, & has started sleeping with it.
My favorite childhood pet was my pony Gertrude. My dad has a soft spot for animals, & would quite often bring home someone’s unwanted horse. Gertrude was blind (which is why she came to our farm), but my dad would still hook her up to the carts & pull us around. He used to always say, “I’d have to put blinders on her anyway.”
Ha – Sanae, I had to comment when you mentioned worn socks. I’m not really a phobia person. I’m not phased by cockroaches or spiders or clowns. But I hate socks. It’s not quite a phobia… but close. One thing in particular – I hate reaching my hand inside of dirty socks to turn them right side out. I just can’t stand it. I’m blaming it on some an instinct passed down from our ancestors which made humans dislike reaching their hands inside of holes in the ground? Is that a stretch? I’m not sure. But I freaking hate socks. So glad I live in Texas where most of the year we can be sockless. 🙂
That is too funny, Rachel! But I totally get it – rainy seattle causes soggy socks…[shiver] not my fave, as you can imagine. 😉
This would be a nice book to make some things for my boys! thanks for the opportunity. My parents had a dog named Sam before I was born, and she was like my babysitter when I was growing up, she stayed right by my side.
As I comment on this I am taking a break from working on a “Kanga and Roo” doll that my son requested (!!!) I make for him (I’m using felt.) I am actually pretty stoked about this giveaway!!!! I’ve been wanting to make sock dolls forever but have never found the right socks or the right pattern. I think this book would give me just the right nudge.
I grew up in the suburban sprawl of Sacramento. Both of my parents were farm kids and didn’t shy from having lots of pets around. I remember that in 2nd grade I drew a family portrait that included my parents, 7 kids, and 13 different kinds of animals! At various phases we had dogs, cats, chickens, ducks, doves, rabbits, hamsters, parakeets, goldfish, a turtle, and I forget what else! My favorite pet was our family dog, Daniel, who was super popular in the neighborhood for his sweet and friendly personality. When I would take him for a walk people up and down the street would greet him by name, and I always wondered how they knew- had he introduced himself?
By far the most memorable pet drama was when my dad decided to do away with our white rooster, Blanco, because we were getting complaints about his crowing. All of the kids in the neighborhood came to witness the event and the atmosphere was super charged. My dad grew up on a chicken farm and deftly did the deed, but it made a huge impression on us. Afterwards we kids were very skeptical about chicken at the dinner table.
And- something totally off topic- I saw an article about Afghan girl skateboarders and thought of K. Here’s the link:
http://abcnews.go.com/International/girls-afghanistan-skateboarding-empowerment/story?id=28344614
I had a parakeet as a child named chipper. He played with my sister’s cat. I got him after Kindergarten and had him for several years. My friend had one that talked, but Chipper was a silent little guy. Love the sweet little animals in this book. Would love to learn to make them for kids in need.
This is a wonderful book; I love that little fish <3 .I just had one stuff toy growing up as I didn't care for anymore; it was Piglet. I remember carrying him around everywhere I went, even stuffed him in my tiny school bag. I have given him to my niece as she in a phase where she is fascinated by all animals!
Oh my gosh! How adorable are these little critters. That would be all the birthday gifts for kids sorted for the year! 😉
My favorite pet of childhood was a dog named Luke. He was a Sheltie, and he was so loving and smart! My favorite stuffed animal was a teddy bear I got for my 1st birthday named Harry. I still have him. I would love to make these little animals! I have been saving my children’s socks with no matches, not knowing what to do with them.
I have plenty of odd socks in the drawer, my favorite animal from when I was little was the baby chick that I hatched by myself, in fact I carried it around my neck inside of a sock so it would stay warm, his name was “peeper” cause I could here him chirping even inside of the egg.
Oh wow, this one is perfect for everyone who have little ones somewhere in their life. Favorite pet – well, there have been more than few but I must say it was first cat we had. The trip home with her is one of my earliest clear memories. And she lived for 16 years. Her name was “Mala maca” (little cat) and later “Stara maca” (old cat). Our pet naming skills improved somewhat later on…
We had a cavalier king charles named Edward :). He was very cute but after he passed, all of us declared we were done with pets!
This book looks like the cutest!!!! I had a dog named miss Kiki for one day – my husband is allergic but he couldn’t resist a surprise- she was on loan from my brother in law who got her on loan from some Nail salon ladies who brought her to work everyday in the mall where he worked as a security guard. Best surprise ever!!
My favorite softie from when I was a little girl (60 years ago) was the ever famous sock monkey. Wish I still had him, but I have made many since then and have given them all away!
I had a German Shepard mix dog as a pet when I was a child. He was awesome, he would wake me up in the morning, then he would stand with me when Iwaited for the bus in the morning. And my mom always said he whined when it was about time for my bus to come home in the afternoon so she would let him out and he would wait at the end of the driveway for me. He was a great dog. Have a good day!
I would love to use our hoard of 1 socks to make these for OCC shoeboxes!! I had a stuffed doggie w/ flappy ears named Clair. I use to Teach her & her buddies! lol
What a great project. I would like to try to make sock toys.
Thank you for the opportunity.
My favorite pet growing up was a little orange tabby named Sunny, sniff…
Unfortunately, my dad thought it wise to “rehouse” him while I was at camp.
I was heartbroken. I loved that little cat.
We had a wonderful little dog with a lovely temperament for children. She would let us dress her up and push her around in our dolls pram!
Love the sock animals. I agree with the idea of using new socks, too. My favorite childhood pet was Wolfgang, my cat. He was a great companion.
My childhood pet was an English Shepherd named Penny, the best dog in the world!
My favorite stuffed animal as a child was a rather large scotty dog. I used to sleep on him on the floor.
PINK BUNNY!!! The floppiest, most texture-intense snuggly. Terry cloth-perfect for absorbing adolescent tears…
Pink Bunny got separated from me in a huge international airport… I always hoped he was picked up by some other child needing a faithful friend!
That pig is just wonderful! It looks like a great book!
I had two cats growing up that we got when I was ten . One had been traumatized by several dog attacks that happened before we got her and sadly she really was never very comfortable in her own skin. We got another cat soon after to keep her company but they never got along. The second cat was a total lap-cat and actually let me cry in her fur during the angst of adolescence. Re-reading this sounds sort if sad, but I loved both cats and have such fond memories of them both.
My favourite pet was our chocolate lab, Cookie. She was a special dog and was so relaxed with all of us kids/toddlers/babies.
what a fun give away! Thank you for the chance! I only ever had one pet, a bunny, that lived in our backyard. It was exciting at first, but as winter came and I had to go out in the cold to feed the bunny things got a little old. after about two years we gave the bunny to a breeder and all was good. I am not much of an animal person. Oh, but I did give my little brother two stick insects that where pretty awesome. I liked those a lot more than my bunny. hehehe
I have a Steiff collie dog that my dad gave me in the 1960’s that I have held on to all of these years out of sentiment. My mom was always afraid that I was going to sell it at a yard sale for pennies. I would never do that. Thanks for the book giveaway.
I grew up on a ranch so didn’t have beloved pets (mine were all working animals) but I do have a fascination with sewing, crocheting and needle-felting tiny animals!
My favorite childhood pet was a black and white cat that I had, that I grew up with. He couldn’t meow and had health issues, but he was my first best friend.
What a cute looking book! My sister has one of the Brenna Maloney sock creature books, but has only gotten around to making one creature so far. She bought new socks for the project.
I grew up with dogs, so I’ve always loved dogs. I was too young to remember, but my brother says we named the first one Snoopy. When my little ones get a bit older, we’ll need to expand the family with a four-legged, wagging-tail member. For now, we’re happy with our very tame and very mischievous bunny!
My favorite one was dog called Puffe.