Wherein Somo seeks inspiration through sickness.

I have been sick, or I’m getting sick. My daughter has had H1N1 all last week and she’s getting over it. Now I’m sick and I’m trying to keep working! So, no monkey action. Sadly I haven’t had much energy to devote to the Schmancy Winter Olympics competition. I have thought about making a monkey with a sasquatch suit skiing, or bobsledding, or something. Perhaps he could hold the torch too. That’s  a bit much, don’t you? will sketch and see what comes of it.

Things are brewing in my brain. I’ll come up with something.

Meanwhile, here’s some eye candy. I got this in the mail from some good soul on Ravelry.com

Stay tuned!

Drum roll please!

Kristen Rask from Shmancy just emailed me my Winter Olympic Games category! I present thee: Opening Ceremonies!

Oh Lord. I have no idea how this is going to come together.  I did some research and found out that there will be some emphasis on Canadian aboriginals-indigenous and traditional cultures. Hm. I have a lot of thinking to do. I was thinking I would come up with some sketched concepts by now, but I have been avoiding the whole thing.

Mascots for the Winter Olympics include:

• Miga — A mythical sea bear, part orca and part kermode bear.
• Quatchi — A sasquatch.
• Sumi — An animal guardian spirit who wears the hat of the orca whale, flies with the wings of the mighty Thunderbird and runs on the strong furry legs of the black bear.
• Mukmuk — A Vancouver Island marmot

COOL.

Well, I’m going to the drawing board to sketch and come up with some concepts. I’ll be back!

Consequences create capabilities

It’s my new modus operandi. It’s actually not new. I’e lived this way without realizing it. I really do work well with clear defined deadlines and clear accountabilitiy. In some ways I work better uner pressure. So, I created a little pressure for myself!

I entered a competition that would force me to make anothersock monkey.

Kirsten Rask of Schmancy ,http://www.schmancytoys.com/in Seattle is holding a contest for the best plushie made inspired by the Wointer Olympics of 2010, http://plushyou.blogspot.com/2010/01/olympic-challenge.html. I’m really excited and I feel like throwing up all at once. I hope I can get the thing done in time. I signed up for the competition just a couple of days ago. What have I gotten into?? It will be challenging. Our names will be randomly paired with a particular sport like figure Skating, Skiing, Opening Ceremonies, Bobsleigh, and *Made UP Sport.

Wish me luck. I’ll keep you posted!

All ready to go

I finished Rupert II with a sporty coat. I even sewed some cool stripes in Safety Orange. Every time I make a new monkey I discover a new technique. I learn how to do a new thing, like sewing in zippers, embroidering a neckline, or how to sew on sequins. It’s really exciting!

Rupert II was bought by a special man: my boyfriend’s father. He has bought it to give it to someone he thinks could really use it. Surprises are nice. I hope she likes Rupert II.

I had a great time taking these pictures. My partner has encouraged me to take pictures that reveal the monkeys’ human qualities. Initially I didn’t want anyone interfering with something that’s so close to me. However, I have found that I am able to capture an erie beauty that I have wanted. I had to take a lot of bad pictures at first. I hope I get better at it. Nonetheless, thank you, Dave!

Now that this one is finished and on it’s way to a new destiny, I need to start a new monkey as promised. I think I’m up for the challenge!

I’ve been sifting through my pile of socks designated for sock monkeys. Alas, so many socks, so little time! Most of the time it’s really hard for me to decide. There seems to be too many choices. After a while they all seem perfect and begging to be made into sock monkeys. It’s a hard call

Today I decided to finish a sock monkey that I had abandoned over the holidays. She needs eyes, eye brows, clothes, and a few other things. A name. Some extra stuffing. I bought the socks at my local drugstore along with a package of
Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups.

Here she is; ready for action! for some reason I’m a little intimidated. I think I feel disconnected from the process of making this monkey. Once I get started, all will be well.

On other fronts, I’ve started knitting a purple beret for my teenage daughter. she will be beautiful in it! I’ll take some pictures of it and share them next time. It’s late now. Off to bed I go! Good night.

2010 has already begun

Here’s a custom order for someone who loved Rupert so much that her wanted me to make another one. This is Rupert II. He’s not an exact replica, but he’s close. I think he encompasses the spirit of Rupert I.

So, y’all don’t give up on me. Christmas was really busy and I didn’t feel like updating. but I’m back now and I have plans for this year. Historically, I haven’t had the belief (nor the inclination) in making resolutions or planning any ambition of any kind. However, I have decided to embark on a few projects for this year that I think are measurable and attainable. See what you think.

1. I will improve the appearance of this blog by adding more images and showing my process of making sock monkeys for SoMo.

2. In tandem with the above, I will blog at least three times a week.

3. To make my blog interesting and worth visiting, I will create one fabulous SoMo monkey a month. Anything beyond this will be frosting on the cake.

4. I will start an Etsy and sell SoMo monkeys.

5. I’m going to improve my knitting skills by making at least three hats that each include a new skill.

I have a whole year to accomplish this. I better get crackin’. Let meknow what you think or share any thoughts about your own resolutions or ambitions.

Rupert went to a new home

Rupert was really special. I held onto him the longest and he was always the one I showed people. I guess he was my favorite. I loved making him. I started to play around with facial expressions. I wanted to get away from the usually smiley-faced sock monkey and go a little deeper. Rupert had a kind expression to him. When I sold him, I looked at his face and was unexpectedly sad! How funny! It’s a hard feeling to describe. but I know that Rupert is going to a great home where he will  be loved by a special girl. Now, I’m going to work on making some other Ruperts

On other fronts, I’ve decided to see if I could have a show somewhere in Seattle.  A lot of my pieces are individual one-off monkeys. I haven’t figured out a way to standardize their look so that I could make a consistent product that people would want to buy. However, I thought a show would be fun and maybe it will get my name out there. Perhaps other opportunites may present themselves.

Who knows??

Hi!

Jasper

Christmas is coming! I have done much monkey-making because all the Santa activities going on around here And I keep getting distracted.

I have really been wanting to knit mittens. It’s so not sock monkey-related! I think this will fall under my list of New Year’s resolutions, along with making this blog more beautiful.

Perhaps maybe someday I’ll learn to make these…

Go to http://www.freevintageknitting.com/mittens/623-mittens-pattern.html and get the free pattern. It looks really hard. If I made these, I would definitely impress my friends.

Ideally, I will be working on a few new sock monkeys this week, in which case there will be images posted. If I don’t, not to worry! Fun crafty sites will abound!

Start here

Here’s a little history.

About 4 years ago, I took a sock monkey making class at my local fabric/yarn shop, Stitches, in Seattle. The instructor was a talented local artist whose sock monkeys were being shown at Bluebottle Art Gallery, an independent art gallery in Seattle. I got to make my own sock monkey and I received a cool little book of instructions.I was so excited to make more of them!  I collected bunches of socks and made lots of sketches of monkey clothes. They were so satisfying to make because I could finish them in a fairly short period of time, about 4 or 5 hours! Now I take about 15 to 20 hours to make one.

This is Alice B. Socklas. She was one of 21 sock monkeys that I made for my family one year for Christmas.

 

 

 

 

 

 

This is Sock-rates, who was made for my boyfriend’s brother who is a
philosopher professor.

 

 

 

 

 

For Christmas, I made 21 different monkeys for my family. These monkeys are from that group. After making all those sock monkeys,  I wanted to pursue making them more seriously as an artist and possibly as a business. Hence, starting this blog is part of making that happen.

 

Mr.Monkey is another Christmas monkey. This was in the days when I made
my monkeys entirely by hand. Later, I started to use my fabulous new Bernina sewing machine

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

That’s all for now. I’m working on taking some pictures of what I’m working on now. Maybe I’ll get them up next time I post. I’m also trying to prioritize Christmas gift-making so that I don’t go crazy and make things for people I don’t even know! I’ll be working on a list in the next few days.

Candy

It’s such a cliché to whine about Mondays, but let me whine anyway. I’m so tired. It’s so dreary outside. I’m native to Seattle. I should be used to it, but for the first month of fall when the rain comes and there’s perma-grey in the sky, I have such a hard time adusting to the loss of light.

That being said, I’m happy to have started SoMo.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Here’s iCandy. She was made for a singer/performer who wanted a sock monkey inspired by the Harajuku girls of Gwen Stefani. I did some research and came up with this girly-girl with a strawberry purse.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

And here’s her strawberry purse and beaded skirt up-close.

 

Ok. So I’m new at this. It took me an hour just to do this. I’ll get better at it. I give y’all some history next time so you know where I’m coming from.

So long for now!

A barrel of monkeys.

Here I am, following my bliss, one sock at a time.
Stayed tuned for some socks disguised as monkeys.