Their creepy cuteness makes them impossible to take to seriously and impossible to not have fun with. They have a wonderful nostalgic quality. No one knows who made the first sock monkey, but I like to imagine a clever mom around the turn of the last century getting the wonderful inspiration to turn her husband's old work socks into a toy for her kids. After all, money was tight, nothing was wasted, and mass production hadn't taken hold yet.
When I'm working on a sock monkey, I feel a kinship with the crafty mothers who came before me. I'm sure they felt the same pleasure I do when I give something handmade to a loved one and see how happy it makes them. And then I think those women have shared in my frustration when six months later the same lovingly hand made item is handed back for mending:-) But that's okay, it just goes to show that everyone loves their sock monkeys!
