Did you know that today is National No Socks Day? Socks have a habit of wandering off on their own. There always seems like there’s at least one sock hanging out in the drawer alone. Well today we have the perfect craft for that mateless sock!
SOCK PUPPETS!
Here’s what you’ll need:
Sock without its mateTwo Buttons
Yarn
Scissors
Hot Glue (if you don’t have hot glue, white school glue will work too, you’ll just need to wait for your puppet to dry fully before playing with it).
Thick paper or Cardboard – construction paper or empty food boxes work great!
Something with a round base about 3 inches to trace (or if you’re really good at free drawing circles, go it!) – jar lids work well!
Pencil
Coloring supplies
Trace a circle on your cardboard.
Color your circle the color you want for the inside of your puppet’s mouth.
Cut your colored circle out.
Put your matless sock on your non-dominant hand (I’m right handed so my sock goes on the left). I’m going to use the heel to attach a tail, so I’ve put that on the top side.
Using the hot glue gun, glue your cardboard circle to the toe seam of your sock. Careful not to burn yourself!
Fold the glued circle in half using the hand inside your sock, thumb on bottom and your other fingers on top. This position is how you will operate your puppets mouth. You can use your other hand to help guide the folding.
Oops, mine needed more glue!
Cut about 10 pieces of yarn (any color or a mixture of colors) all the same length, approximately 5 inches. But shorter or longer will work too. You get to decide how much or little hair you want your puppet to have!
Tie your yarn bundle in the middle with another piece of yarn. Make sure you tie it tight!
If you don’t have yarn, get creative! Cotton Balls will create a wooly head of hair. Strips of fabric, crinkled paper, cellophane, or ribbon will all work too! Choose your own adventure!
Glue your yarn bundle to the top of your puppet’s head between your second and third knuckles. Careful, the glue is hot!
Remove your puppet from your hand and lay flat on a work surface.
Put glue on the back of your buttons (eyes) one at a time and attach them below the hairline on the front of your puppet.
If you don’t have buttons, anything will work! Dried beans, cardboard, colored paper, googly eyes, etc.
Now that the hair is firmly attached and the glue is dry, style away! Trim, braid, unravel, the choices are endless!
I found a piece of ribbon that was too short for anything else that was perfect for a sock puppet hair bow! I simply tied it into a bow and glued it to the middle of the yarn hair.
Pro tip, if using yarn, you can unravel the strands to make the hair look more full!
Now you have the base for your puppet accessorize it anyway you like!
Use your puppet to put on a show!
