handmade-sock-dolls Archives - Page 8 of 14 - Ruffing’s

Posted on April 23, 2011August 1, 2019 by Elizabeth Ruffing — 4 Comments

New Fleece Hug Me Kitten

I finished a new fleece Hug Me Kitten handmade stuffed animal cat. She (or he) is cream-colored with a magenta heart and cornflower blue eyes.

She bears a bit of resemblance to Josephine, and even had her funny smile.

She has a tail that sticks straight out in back.

I love the back view.

She comes with a hang tag that can be personalized with a name or “For + a recipient’s name”. I plan to make more, in different colors. I will be posting my new handmade stuffed animal toys in our Ruffing’s shop.

We had a surprise yesterday. Mama duck left her nest and came to visit us in the pouring rain, with eleven ducklings! She greeted me with a big quack when I came outside. She is taking such good care of them.

They were tired from their long walk up the hill from the pond, and all piled together for nap while she watched over them.

Babies get tired. They stayed like this for a long time, foraged some more, and then made their way back to the pond.

This baby gets tired too. She’s discovered windowsills and loves napping in them when she is not busy helping me or running around with her friends. She came from a local cat rescue, and tomorrow, for Easter, I’m going to have a special Alley Cat Angel sock doll. The proceeds of this first angel will go to that rescue, and then I will made some more, with a portion of each sale going to a local cat rescue. So, I hope you’ll come back to see tomorrow.

Posted on February 17, 2011August 5, 2019 by Elizabeth Ruffing

A sock kitten and a sleepy slug

This is Feral Cheryl‘s sock brother, Cody II. They came from the same cotton tweed family. Cody II left for Arizona this week.

Cody II is named after the real cat companion of a very nice lady who collects sock monkeys. She couldn’t imagine her life without her beloved kitty, and so she thought it was only fitting that her sock monkeys should have a kitty companion too. I think that is an excellent idea. I’m sure Cody II is going to have great fun with his new sock monkey friends.

Cody II also had many Hug Me Slug friends. I had a rush of custom orders for Valentine’s Day, including two Hug Me Slugs for the sons of a friend from way back in high school. She sent me this fantastic photo, taken at bedtime. Slugs need rest too. This one looks very cozy, all nestled in with his new friend. I love this photo.

I will be posting my new handmade stuffed animal toys in “our Ruffing’s shop“.

I am still cleaning up from the Valentine’s Day rush, and still eating chocolate. I love this quilted fabric-covered candy box. I am saving that.

I got some wonderful presents. Above is an original, hand-painted pillow by Sandy Mastroni. I love her kitties especially. The pillow is beautiful, and the extras that came with it are adorable. How cute is that hang tag? And the bookmark too.

I also received “Francis Violet” designed and made by Sarah from Bit of Whimsy Dolls. She is the sweetest cat-girl. I got a couple of patterns too, so I can make her a dress and maybe a sister or brother. It is so nice to have handmade work by other artists and craftspeople, and see all the love they put into what they do. I hope everyone will think to try a handmade gift when the time for gift-giving comes around. There is something really special about giving and owning something unique, made by people who are invested in what they are doing. It’s inspiring.

Posted on February 10, 2011August 5, 2019 by Elizabeth Ruffing

Valentine’s Day slugs, a bunny sketch, and a workshop

The last one of this year’s Valentine’s Day Hug Me Slugs left on his way today. I’m assuming he’s the last anyway, unless someone asks for one of the ready-made slugs before the holiday arrives. I will be posting my new handmade stuffed animal toys in our Ruffing’s shop.

I’ve been juggling a bunch of toys at once for the past two weeks. I have one sock kitty to finish up as well, for a very nice lady who has been very patient. I never know how many people will ask for toys at once, and sometimes I’ll think I have only one to make, and then, suddenly, I’ll have a rush. I try to get them all started, and work on them each, a little at a time.

I keep waking up with pictures in my head this week, and so I sketched one when I woke up in the morning. and another the other day. This bunny is still roughly drawn, as I drew her before I even had breakfast today. Maybe I’ll fiddle some more and see where this goes. I’ve been thinking of trying digital drawing, or at least digital coloring. Not sure yet.

On Monday night, I went to see Feral Cheryl at her new job as a Demo Cat. She and Princess Marie did a great job, showing how to trap feral cats to be spayed/neutered and returned to their outdoor homes. I may tag along later this month for a real feral cat trapping.

This is Cheryl sitting on a Tomahawk Live Trap, one of the kinds of safety traps the rescue uses. Some also use Havahart and Tru-Catch Live Animal Traps. I learned in the workshop that the kind of trap you use is important, for your own safety too, because poorly-made traps aren’t secure.

Food is put under the trap, on a paper plate, and squished through the bottom grate, or a little is put inside, to entice feral cats to come inside, and once they are in and step on the trip plate, the door closes behind them. They are then left in the trap, with a blanket to cover them, while they wait for their vet clinic appointment. They can’t eat the night before their spay/neuter surgery, and so no food is left inside.

Please spay and neuter your pets. Princess Marie made the association between having several unneutered cats in your neighborhood to having a time bomb, because within just 63 days, they can each have a litter of kittens, which is a situation that can quickly become out of control. Please contact local rescue groups in your area for options available to you, and please spay and neuter any pets you may have.

Posted on January 12, 2011January 11, 2020 by Elizabeth Ruffing

Hug Me Toad and Cat stuffed animal sock toys and machine appliquéd Hug Me Slug decorative throw pillows

This is Mary the Hug Me Toad. Mary had to wait a little while before taking the trip to her new home, due to the ice storm we had the other day. This morning, the roads were clear, and Mary happily hopped into her box and left for Kentucky.

Mary had a couple of new friends to play with in my workroom, while we waited for the ice to melt. This turquoise Hug Me Sock Kitten has an orchid fleece heart. I love her sweet face.

I had quite a time trying to photograph her and the rest of the sock animals this morning. The wind was blowing and it was so cold outside. Icicles were dripping on us, and on my camera. I even had to blow dry a Hug Me Toad, when she got a drop of icicle water on her head! I think we were all glad to get back inside.

This dark pink Hug Me Toad with white polka dots is one of triplets I made earlier. Her sisters have already been adopted. I actually have lots and lots of socks waiting to grow up to be Hug Me Toys, but I just happened to like this pattern and made three in a row. I tend to be that way.