Monkey Around ...

This Christmas because they love me so much, Innocent the smoothie guys sent me a smashing pair of socks ... And they don't send them in my size (they once sent me fab orange socks) so i get my crafting on ...

And so on boxing Day was born a fabulous Sock Money, who looked very festive and fitted this Special Hat rather nicely ...

I Instagrammed and Tweeted my new found friend but he does need a name, and perhaps a vocattion? Much love, Cat XXXX

Quilting-Bee?

I was given a large amount of pre-cut hexagons. All small and make from interfacing. Suddenly thought of them as I considered how to display my new bees next month ...

I've also never made a hexagon quilt and they really apeal to me so I decided to give it a go. The whole family joined in to help cut fabric shapes!

Daisy helped me to lay them out ...

After a long time spent hand wrapping the templates I loaded my machine with sparkle thread and began piecing together all of them!

Finally, I pressed the work. It looks fab and can bee added to later!

Bee-cause I wanted to!

I had a real urge to make some bees. I wanted them to be at least based on the

Anatomy of real honey-bees but based around a pair of cool black and yellow socks... 

Using the filled-width of the socks, I made a full sized drawing to help make the patterns. Those lovely knee socks bee-came the abdomen!

I chose a dense-quality fur from my stash. I can get 8 bee abdomens from a single pair of long socks. Amazingly I had exactly enough black fur to complete all of them! Some thing's are just meant to bee. 

A completed torso, with pipe cleaner legs, looks like a tic!

The 21mm solid black eyes are the right size, but needed the yellow border to keep the bee looking friendly!

Now the wings sent me digging in my bag of lace and mesh fabric. This mesh gave a good effect, but the wings were floppy. So I sewed all the mesh to pieces of acetate, and i had just enough sheets of acetate to complete all 8 insects!

but the acetate and mesh creation still bends, so i added three folds - problem solved! And the folds look like veins too!

Finally the wings are attached with buttons, so they can be moved a little too. The first bee admires my prize flowers ... 

Free-Rat!

Here is a rat on the dining table. And seriously, pets on the table is now allowed! 

So, I have decided to give him away, and I'm going to do that via The Raggy Rat on Facebook so pop over and stand buy for more information, by liking the page!

Sock Rabbit

This pink bunny on my lush green lawn makes me smile! I can almost believe spring is on its way. 

She was made from 2 very stretchy socks, no pattern and careful stuffing. She was sent to my friend Helen in hospital far away. 

I'm looking forward to Easter, are you?

First rat of the year ...

Another sock sweetie in between other projects and life ...

Made from a single, gents sock and button jointed for flexibility ....

Rats will never lose their charm, for me ...

Happy 6th Birthday Mary ...

Wow! I can't believe Mary is 6! I think she is pretty amazed too ... This blog came into being just before she was conceived!

So of course it was her turn to have her own Sock Monkey and she was really pleased and took him to school. More publicity for me!

I think these two are going to have some fun together!

Sock elephant for a baby girl ....

A snuggly pair of grey walking socks becomes a rather sweet elephant with some lemon cotton fabric for his ears and feet ...

Try curving the trunk as you stuff for a bit of movement! The tails curve come from being cut from the shaped toe-tip. 

Working on two new sock animals...

One of these will appear in my book, and the other one, who knows? Xxx

Making fun elephants!

Socks Away!

Today was my sock monkey workshop at the WAND women's day event!

Some very bright socks were transformed into cheeky primates before our very eyes!

Here is mine!

And here is one who's picture was just sent to me by his proud creator!

To

Girls with wings!

Flower faires dressed at last!



would probably look quite cute on the top of the tree too!


Really must get the tree out of the loft!

sweet cuteness from odd sock and scraps ...

hello - i was once an odd sock ....



i also have odd arms, because, well that's the way i fitted into one sweet sock ...



i was made during a quiet bit of Artwey, and now I rather fancy a spot of exploring ...



do you like my tactile tail and my buttons joints?
my tiny arms are string jointed ...



i am posing on the concrete base all set for Steve's new shed ... where can it be?

bad boys? come and see them in my artwey venue this week ...

they are only a little bit naughty!



and rather cute ...

Workshop and Coffee morning - all ages!

Winfrith Village Hall
Tuesday 17th August 2010
10.30 until midday

COFFEE MORNING

Come and enjoy a cup of coffee or tea and cake featuring Cat’s workshop - making charming creatures from Socks and Gloves!

Bring a pair of knitted socks or gloves
Scissors, needles, thread.

Acrylic stuffing and instructions, provided.



I will bring along classic red-healed socks, and sock monkeys - some in pieces !

And the sock donkeys made for Matty and Daisy ...



Plus a sock elephant or two, to inspire!

one of these things is not like the others .....

the elephant headed hindu god ...GANESHA WON!

Ganesha won the Plush Team Mythology Competition!

Thank you all Raggy Rat Fans that voted for him, tomorrow, i have some thing just for you!

In the meantime, Ganesha can be seen at Maker Faire, in May.

the elephant headed hindu god ...

... this one, that I showed you a peep of, well he would like your vote! him and his ratty steed of course. So, follow this link and choose some winners in the Plush Team mythology challenge ...

VOTE NOW !


and you can also see more of him when you get there, by following my name to his listing in the plush-team shop...

cute lil glass beads for eyes ...

cute lil glass beads for eyes ...
Originally uploaded by RaggyRat

steve's old socks given a new life ...

im keeping blogging at the moment, so you will forgive me if, after i pop, i neglect you for a few days !!!

matty and daisy think this is a girl ... hilde (tantehilde, blog left) wil recognise the inner ears from a swap we made :-)

is it a girl or a boy ? and never mind that, am i having a girl or a boy ?