handmade-sock-dolls Archives - Page 11 of 14 - Ruffing’s Artist Dolls and Toys

Posted on November 30, 2009 by Elizabeth Ruffing

The latest roundup

The latest batch of slugs are on their way to their new homes today. They are probably driving off from the local Post Office right now, or at least riding in the back of the truck. I have some photos of them to share, but first I’d like to thank some of the people who have been featuring my work.

“The Rabbit Dances” makes an appearance on Annette‘s Etsy treasury this week. Annette is in Scotland, and her treasury is meant to help raise funds for the Buckeye House Rabbit Society, in Ohio, which is holding a holiday raffle where you can make a donation and enter to win an original rabbit painting. The details on the Buckeye House Rabbit raffle are here. Entries for that raffle need to be postmarked by December 1st, but Annette told me she also has a raffle of her own going on to benefit a rabbit and guinea pig rescue group in the United Kingdom. You can make a small donation for the rescue group, and enter for a chance to win one of several rabbit-themed prizes she has, that were made by various artists. You can check out more information on Annette’s blog. It’s open to anyone, and the artists involved are donating the shipping costs of the prizes, worldwide.

“The Frost Angel” was featured on another Etsy treasury by Christine.

Christine picked out some very pretty winter images for her treasury. It hasn’t snowed here (yet), and it is nice to look at frost without freezing!

And finally, my “Marmalade the Hug Me! Toad” was featured on the Found Handmade blog.

Thank you, Annette, Christine, and the folks at Found Handmade!

So, here they are…this Monday’s postal travelers, plus…one “Name this slug” slug. Yes, I managed to get one done! I was pretty happy I was caught up with my custom orders, but that only lasted for about twenty-four hours!

This batch included a custom, small-sized “Super Slug”. His name is Percy.

I think I’m going to make up an Etsy listing for more custom “Super Slugs”. I always thought the idea of a Super Slug was funny, but I’d only made one large one before.

I’m still experimenting with his cape, with how full I want it to be. It is sewn into his back so it won’t fall off while he’s flying through the air, or just slugging along.

This is the “Name this slug” slug, in gold and orange. If someone doesn’t grab her before I can list her, she (or he…not sure there) will be over in my Etsy shop soon.

I enjoy photographing the slugs in pairs. They seem to interact with each other, especially when they are looking in different directions.

Lots of people have wanted this royal blue color, and I’ll try to find some more. (Update December 1, 2009: I did find some more at the store. So I do currently have it!) I have another appealing royal blue, but it isn’t this dark. I have at least one dark royal blue small slug left.

I think Super Slug is checking out his friend Ludwig’s heart here. He must like purple.

Okay…off to Slugland. By the way, I’d like to do some “Name your own” “Hug Me! Toads” too, but I’m not sure if I should try to show some of the socks I have to choose from, or if I should just make them and have them as “Name this toad” toads. Or both. Just thinking.

I also have some neutral fleece colors, like gray, darker charcoal gray, various tans, and brown, in case anyone happens to want a more masculine slug. I have some plans for the neutral colors. I’m going to try my earlier “Huggy Kitty” and “Huggy Bunny” using them. That might take some more experimenting….and more time, if I have some.

Posted on October 20, 2009 by Elizabeth Ruffing

Next stop, Toadville

Introducing…”Hug Me! Toads”. “Hug Me! Toads” are one-of-a-kind, original, hand-sewn, and hand-embroidered sock dolls.

It was love at first sight between the toads and my “Hug Me! Slugs”. They’ve been bouncing off of one another for the past few days, while I’ve been waiting for the sun to come out so I could take some photos of them.

They don’t mind rainy days at all.

This is Marmalade. She wanted a pink heart to go with her orange self. She heard the combination was very Jackie O.

This is Bernie. He likes flowers. He says they’re not just for girls anymore.

And this is Elvis. He was the first-born “Hug Me! Toad” and as a result, he likes to tell the others what to do. He thinks he’s a big deal.

Marmalade and Bernie have been trying to show him he’s not the biggest toad on the block.

He doesn’t pay any attention.

“Hug Me Toads” really like to be picked up and hugged. If you ignore them, they will bounce in their chairs, wave their arms up and down, and look pleadingly at you until you do.

They don’t come with chairs though. If you want to adopt a toad, and he tells you he needs a chair, craft stores like A C Moore have them, or you might find some on eBay.

“Hug Me! Toads” are pretty excitable. They want lots of things. You don’t have to give them everything they want.

As you can probably tell, they enjoy a good snack. Fortunately, a curvy, ample physique is considered wildly attractive in Toadville.

The toads have fleece features, which have been hand embroidered on with a blanket stitch. They have no loose or removable parts.

They are nice and squishy, and lots of fun to hug.

And they’re really cute.

I have more slugs and toads on the way, along with some more Pixie Kittens, by myself and Max Bailey. We’re busy busy around here.

Enjoy your day!

Posted on September 15, 2009January 9, 2019 by Elizabeth Ruffing

So many things to be inspired by today

I came out on the porch this morning, and realized I’ve been taking these pretty morning glories for granted. I went back in an grabbed my camera.

The morning glories have been blooming here since we moved in, and we’ve never planted any new ones.

I love to see what flowers look like from behind. You never see those views in the garden books. The sun is shining through this one.

I had another custom “Name your own slug” order, and I noticed I didn’t have all that many pinks or purples in my fabric stash. Well, now I do! Hehe. I just ironed all of these.

I had some trouble finding pinks I liked. The last place we stopped was at my favorite Raleigh quilt shop, Carolina Sew-n-Vac, and they had plenty of pinks. Yay! When we got to the counter, the couple who owns the shop started joking about how he tells her she buys too much pink. She was happy to hear she’d filled a need. She told us to tell everyone she has pink!

I added some pink, purple, and blue to my embroidery floss collection too. I’ve been trying to sort my fabric and my floss by color so I can keep better track of what I have. Before I did that, I kept thinking I was short on yellow fabric, and then I’d buy more yellow fabric. After a while, I wasn’t short on yellow fabric, but I had no idea. Having everything organized by color makes coordinating fabrics for projects much easier too.

I picked up some more yarn and socks as well. I must be ready for anything now. I get excited just looking at all these supplies.

And with perfect timing, just after I amassed my new pile of socks, Stray Sock Sewing Too: More Super-cute Softies to Make and Love by Daniel, arrived in the mail. I pre-ordered this book as soon as I heard it was coming out, because I love his first Stray Sock Sewing: Making One-of-a-kind Creatures from Socks book. I got mine on sale from Crafter’s Choice book club.

Both books are adorable. The dolls, the photography by Liao Chia Wei, and the narratives in each are clever, sweet, and charming. Even if you don’t sew, it’s just so much fun to look at them. I can imagine children would enjoy them also. But if you do sew…there are great tips in each one. This new book has instructions for fourteen new sock creatures, and I can see any one of them as such a nice handmade gift. The instructions don’t require the use of a sewing machine either.

Most of all, for me, they are full of wonderful stepping off points to create my own creatures. I find once I try one technique, before I am even finished with a doll, I have tried something else that came to mind. There is so much room for being creative with these.

In other creature news, this is a meeting of Ducks Against Pills. Some time around Labor Day weekend, Mr Duck decided he’d about had enough of antibiotics. What a challenge! I had a terrible time trying to catch him, falling gracelessly to the ground, nearly hitting my head on the fence, very humiliating! Ha! I did my best and we did manage to get that last pill in him. For his part, he did plenty of wiggling and spitting his pill out. I noticed someone came over to the blog looking for directions on how to give a duck a pill. An avian vet is the best at showing you how to do it, and of course, you wouldn’t want to give medication to any animal without consulting a vet first anyway. It’s a lot like giving a pill to a cat, only you really need to wrap the duck’s body carefully in a towel first. Their beaks open just like your cat’s mouth opens, when you reach over the top of the head, pressing gently behind the corners of the mouth/beak, while tilting the head gently back. And, just like your cat, they can push their pills out with their tongues, and they learn to wiggle too. It takes some patience!

Posted on September 9, 2009January 18, 2019 by Elizabeth Ruffing

Annie the Antelope, Handmade Original Sock Doll by Elizabeth Ruffing

New original, one-of-a-kind art toys are sprouting up around here. This is Annie the Antelope and her new Sluggie friend, my first custom Hug Me Slug.

I have to admit, I was having so much fun making Annie, that I wasn’t paying much attention to making her too realistic. In fact, when she was done, we were debating over whether or not she might be a new species. My friend, M., suggested she might be a Huggalope.

My mom won out and named Annie after herself.

This Annie is largely hand sewn, with big brown, hand-embroidered eyes. She has pretty eyelashes too. Annie is a sock doll, made from pink and brown socks, with a pink calico skirt, which has an elastic waist.

Her legs are long and graceful. I think she’s studied ballet.

I love her tail. It’s springy and has a pink yarn tuft on the end. It bounces when she dances.

Sluggie is very excited about the birthday party he will be attending soon. I hear it has a slug theme. I’m sure he will enjoy it tremendously.

Today we got an exciting package. I made a Labor Day sale purchase from Staples and used my $30 coupon that I got from their ink recycling rewards program.

I needed some help getting it out of its wrapping…

Ah, a new office chair. Finally, something comfortable to sit in while I work. It had picture assembly directions, and I couldn’t figure out how to use the tilting lever. I could call and ask, but I don’t feel like tilting anyway.

I’ll probably be wheeling this around from one desk to another, until we get another one.