Fast Arm Warmers, Etc.
This is a quick and easy way to make arm warmers (and ponytail holders) for you, a sock cover for your MP-3 player, and accoutrements for your fave skatepunk sock monkey.
It is a good project if maybe you aren't the best sewer, like me, but are enthusiastic about crafting.
(And all of this out of one pair of socks!)
It is a good project if maybe you aren't the best sewer, like me, but are enthusiastic about crafting.
(And all of this out of one pair of socks!)
Finding Your Socks.
Find a good pair of socks to use. I had bought these knee high pair of socks at my favorite "Mart" store, and was disappointed in them for sock use, so I decided to cut them up as an experiment.
Cut them in three pieces. I had already cut these before I decided to make this instructable, so please imagine they are all in one piece. First you cut the toes off, (I used pinking shears) then you cut the top bands off. The toes we will use for our sock monkey and our MP-3 cover. The main part of the sock for our arm warmers, and the top bands for our ponytail holders.
For the arm warmers, cut about a 1/2 inch hole in the heel of the sock for your thumb. you can add a trim around the top and bottom edges if you like, and then sew it on. Make sure that you have enough trim to fit around your hand (and arm) comfortably. It might work better if you use a stretchy trim. For the record, whenever I tried to zig-zag the edges of the sock, it wanted to stretch and be wavy. You could use this to your advantage if you want to put a "Lettuce edge" on them. You can also just let the edge roll down and whip-stich it into place by hand, which is my personal choice. If you straight stitch it, it works better, but then it doesn't really stretch.
Cut them in three pieces. I had already cut these before I decided to make this instructable, so please imagine they are all in one piece. First you cut the toes off, (I used pinking shears) then you cut the top bands off. The toes we will use for our sock monkey and our MP-3 cover. The main part of the sock for our arm warmers, and the top bands for our ponytail holders.
For the arm warmers, cut about a 1/2 inch hole in the heel of the sock for your thumb. you can add a trim around the top and bottom edges if you like, and then sew it on. Make sure that you have enough trim to fit around your hand (and arm) comfortably. It might work better if you use a stretchy trim. For the record, whenever I tried to zig-zag the edges of the sock, it wanted to stretch and be wavy. You could use this to your advantage if you want to put a "Lettuce edge" on them. You can also just let the edge roll down and whip-stich it into place by hand, which is my personal choice. If you straight stitch it, it works better, but then it doesn't really stretch.
MP-3 Player Sock Cover/ Ponytail Holders
For the MP-3 player, it is a simple matter of measuring your MP-3 player, and making a little pocket for it. You can whipstich the top edge down, or add a trim if you like. I zig-zagged the top of the sock bands for use for hair bands. They work pretty well. I guess you could sew something on them too, for decoration, but you don't want to stop them from being able to stretch.
Sock Monkey Accoutrements
So, you take the rest of what was left over from the MP-3 sock, and sew it into a tube for your sock monkeys tail. (Sorry, I forgot to take a picture) Then you take the other sock toe, measure your sock monkeys head, making sure you leave enough so it can roll a little bit, but not so much that you don't have enough for your arm warmers, and cut a hat. Flip the bottom half inside out, and sew two lines about a fourth of an inch apart in the middle to make two arm warmers for your cold, cold, sock monkey. Cut them apart, and you're done! Flip them so the right side is showing, put them on your sk8tr monkey, and let him show off to all of his friends.