DIY & Crafts
Mr. Sleepy Socks Elf
DIY & Crafts
Mr. Sleepy Socks Elf
Meet Mr. Sleepy Socks. One of Santa's littlest elves, he never has trouble falling asleep on Christmas Eve. His snooziness is completely contagious, even for extraordinarily excited children daydreaming of sugarplums. That makes him the perfect present for any young child to open the night before Christmas and snuggle with under the covers.
What you need for Mr. Sleepy Socks
(finished elf is approx 33 cm – 13 in – tall)
• 1 white sport sock, boys' size 8 to 10, for head and body
• 1 red thermal sock with loopy terry lining, adults' size medium and approx 25 cm (9 7/8 in) long, for pyjamas and nightcap
• Scraps of green synthetic fleece or sweatsuit fabric, for hands and feet
• Scraps of red synthetic fleece or sweatsuit fabric, for nose
• Scraps of coordinating striped and polka-dotted calico, for scrunchies
• 2 gold and 1 sliver star appliqués, each approx 2.5 cm (1 in) wide
• Elastic, 6mm (1/4 in) wide
• Matching thread
• White, red and green buttonhole twist or other sturdy thread
• Embroidery floss: black, red and white
• Fibrefill
• Bodkin or large safety pin
• Dressmaker's chalk pencil, compass and ruler
To make
Note:
• Use matching buttonhole twist to sew running stitches for gathering and to whipstitch.
• Leave arms and legs unstuffed.
1. Head and body: Straight across white sock, approx 4 cm (1 5/8 in) above angled centre seam that crosses heel, cut off and discard cuff. Sew line of running stitches around foot, approx 4 cm from toe tip; push firm tennis ball-size handful of stuffing up into toe. Pull thread to gather toe around stuffing and form head; tightly knot. Lightly stuff remainder of foot, for body. Turn under 6 mm (1/4 in) around bottom edge; hold folded edges together and whipstitch closed.
2. Pyjama body: Straight across red sock, approx 8 cm (3 1/8 in) above angled centre seam that crosses heel, cut off and set aside cuff. Straight across red sock, approx 8 cm from toe tip, cut off and set aside tip. Around just-cut toe edge on remaining foot section, turn 1 cm (3/8 in) to outside; hand- or machine-hem for neck edge.
3. Pyjama legs: With hemmed edge at top, lay foot section flat. Beginning at cut edge, cut straight up each folded side edge for 8 cm to create 2 strips for legs; fold each strip in half so terry sides are together and long edges are even, then pin. Beginning at short (bottom) edge of 1 strip, stitch up long edge, around crotch and down long edge of other strip to form legs. Turn terry side out.
4. Pyjama body: Slip body inside pyjama body; sew line of running stitches around pyjama neck, approx 1 cm from edge. Pull thread to gather and form ruffled collar; tightly knot.
Page 1 of 25. Hands and feet: With chalk pencil and compass, mark two 8 cm circles, for hands, and two 10 cm (4-in) circles, for feet, on green fleece; cut out. Sew line of running stitches around each, approx 6 mm from edge; place firm handful of stuffing on wrong side, then pull thread to gather, forming ball, and tightly knot.
6. Legs: Turn under 2 cm (3/4 in) around bottom edge of each pyjama leg; whipstitch folded edge around top of foot, enclosing and concealing gathers.
7. Arms: Cut red toe tip in half along each side edge and around toe to make 2 strips; fold each in half so terry sides are together and long edges are even and stitch together down long edge. Turn terry side out; turn under 1.5 cm (5/8 in) around each end for pyjama arms. Whipstitch 1 folded edge of 1 arm around top of hand, enclosing and concealing gathers; whipstitch other folded edge securely to "shoulder" just below collar. Repeat with remaining hand and arm.
8. Nightcap: Turn red cuff section terry side out, then turn under 1 cm around cut edge; arrange folded edge over top of head and whipstitch in place. Sew line of running stitches around top, approx 2 cm from edge, then pull thread to gather and form ruffled tip, and tightly knot. With 6 strands of white floss, backstitch Xs around ruffle.
9. Face: With chalk pencil and compass, mark 4 cm circle on red fleece, for nose; cut out. Sew line of running stitches around circle, approx 6 mm from edge. Place firm handful of stuffing on wrong side, then pull thread to gather and form ball, and tightly knot. Place top of nose against face, enclosing and concealing gathers; whipstitch to face. With 6 strands of black floss, backstitch slightly curved line for each closed eye. With six strands of red floss, backstitch smile. Handstitch gold star appliqués in place for cheeks and silver for belly button.
10. Scrunchies: From calico, cut 4 rectangles, each 30.5 x 7.5 cm (12 x 3 in); press under 6 mm along each long edge. Fold each rectangle in half so right sides are together and short ends are even; stitch together along short end to form loop. Fold each loop so wrong sides are together and pressed edges are even; edgestitch, leaving 1 cm opening. From elastic, cut four 10 cm (4-in) lengths. With bodkin, thread 1 length in through opening in each loop, around loop and back out; overlap ends 1 cm and stitch together. Push ends inside; edgestitch openings closed. Slip scrunchie onto each arm and leg, tack in place, if desired.
Designer's tips
• If elf is for very young child, replace nose and appliqués with embroidery to avoid any chocking hazard.
• If you like, you can stuff elf's bottom, hand and feet with stuffing beads - wrapped with batting and stitched to form a ball to fit each - for even more flop.
• You can make matching scrunchies for child's pyjama cuffs or ponytail, cutting 50 x 10 cm (19 3/4- x 4-in) calico strip for each, and using 20.5 cm (8-in) or 23 cm (9-in) length of elastic, respectively (before stitching elastic ends together, try cuff scrunchies on child and adjust, if necessary).
Check out more of our favourtie holiday crafts here!
Page 2 of 2
What you need for Mr. Sleepy Socks
(finished elf is approx 33 cm – 13 in – tall)
• 1 white sport sock, boys' size 8 to 10, for head and body
• 1 red thermal sock with loopy terry lining, adults' size medium and approx 25 cm (9 7/8 in) long, for pyjamas and nightcap
• Scraps of green synthetic fleece or sweatsuit fabric, for hands and feet
• Scraps of red synthetic fleece or sweatsuit fabric, for nose
• Scraps of coordinating striped and polka-dotted calico, for scrunchies
• 2 gold and 1 sliver star appliqués, each approx 2.5 cm (1 in) wide
• Elastic, 6mm (1/4 in) wide
• Matching thread
• White, red and green buttonhole twist or other sturdy thread
• Embroidery floss: black, red and white
• Fibrefill
• Bodkin or large safety pin
• Dressmaker's chalk pencil, compass and ruler
To make
Note:
• Use matching buttonhole twist to sew running stitches for gathering and to whipstitch.
• Leave arms and legs unstuffed.
1. Head and body: Straight across white sock, approx 4 cm (1 5/8 in) above angled centre seam that crosses heel, cut off and discard cuff. Sew line of running stitches around foot, approx 4 cm from toe tip; push firm tennis ball-size handful of stuffing up into toe. Pull thread to gather toe around stuffing and form head; tightly knot. Lightly stuff remainder of foot, for body. Turn under 6 mm (1/4 in) around bottom edge; hold folded edges together and whipstitch closed.
2. Pyjama body: Straight across red sock, approx 8 cm (3 1/8 in) above angled centre seam that crosses heel, cut off and set aside cuff. Straight across red sock, approx 8 cm from toe tip, cut off and set aside tip. Around just-cut toe edge on remaining foot section, turn 1 cm (3/8 in) to outside; hand- or machine-hem for neck edge.
3. Pyjama legs: With hemmed edge at top, lay foot section flat. Beginning at cut edge, cut straight up each folded side edge for 8 cm to create 2 strips for legs; fold each strip in half so terry sides are together and long edges are even, then pin. Beginning at short (bottom) edge of 1 strip, stitch up long edge, around crotch and down long edge of other strip to form legs. Turn terry side out.
4. Pyjama body: Slip body inside pyjama body; sew line of running stitches around pyjama neck, approx 1 cm from edge. Pull thread to gather and form ruffled collar; tightly knot.
Page 1 of 25. Hands and feet: With chalk pencil and compass, mark two 8 cm circles, for hands, and two 10 cm (4-in) circles, for feet, on green fleece; cut out. Sew line of running stitches around each, approx 6 mm from edge; place firm handful of stuffing on wrong side, then pull thread to gather, forming ball, and tightly knot.
6. Legs: Turn under 2 cm (3/4 in) around bottom edge of each pyjama leg; whipstitch folded edge around top of foot, enclosing and concealing gathers.
7. Arms: Cut red toe tip in half along each side edge and around toe to make 2 strips; fold each in half so terry sides are together and long edges are even and stitch together down long edge. Turn terry side out; turn under 1.5 cm (5/8 in) around each end for pyjama arms. Whipstitch 1 folded edge of 1 arm around top of hand, enclosing and concealing gathers; whipstitch other folded edge securely to "shoulder" just below collar. Repeat with remaining hand and arm.
8. Nightcap: Turn red cuff section terry side out, then turn under 1 cm around cut edge; arrange folded edge over top of head and whipstitch in place. Sew line of running stitches around top, approx 2 cm from edge, then pull thread to gather and form ruffled tip, and tightly knot. With 6 strands of white floss, backstitch Xs around ruffle.
9. Face: With chalk pencil and compass, mark 4 cm circle on red fleece, for nose; cut out. Sew line of running stitches around circle, approx 6 mm from edge. Place firm handful of stuffing on wrong side, then pull thread to gather and form ball, and tightly knot. Place top of nose against face, enclosing and concealing gathers; whipstitch to face. With 6 strands of black floss, backstitch slightly curved line for each closed eye. With six strands of red floss, backstitch smile. Handstitch gold star appliqués in place for cheeks and silver for belly button.
10. Scrunchies: From calico, cut 4 rectangles, each 30.5 x 7.5 cm (12 x 3 in); press under 6 mm along each long edge. Fold each rectangle in half so right sides are together and short ends are even; stitch together along short end to form loop. Fold each loop so wrong sides are together and pressed edges are even; edgestitch, leaving 1 cm opening. From elastic, cut four 10 cm (4-in) lengths. With bodkin, thread 1 length in through opening in each loop, around loop and back out; overlap ends 1 cm and stitch together. Push ends inside; edgestitch openings closed. Slip scrunchie onto each arm and leg, tack in place, if desired.
Designer's tips
• If elf is for very young child, replace nose and appliqués with embroidery to avoid any chocking hazard.
• If you like, you can stuff elf's bottom, hand and feet with stuffing beads - wrapped with batting and stitched to form a ball to fit each - for even more flop.
• You can make matching scrunchies for child's pyjama cuffs or ponytail, cutting 50 x 10 cm (19 3/4- x 4-in) calico strip for each, and using 20.5 cm (8-in) or 23 cm (9-in) length of elastic, respectively (before stitching elastic ends together, try cuff scrunchies on child and adjust, if necessary).
Check out more of our favourtie holiday crafts here!
Page 2 of 2
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