how to make a brown sock cow

How to Make a Brown Sock Cow.

Cows are a favorite barnyard animal among kids of all ages. If you want to make your own cow, there are many different ways to do it, so you can choose a craft based on the materials you have on hand.

Steps.

1. Cut the toe off. Use scissors to cut off the rounded toe end, removing roughly one-fifth of the sock in the process.

On a standard adult sock, the length of the cut portion should be between 4 and 5 inches (10 and 12.5 cm).

The cut toe portion will become the head of the cow. Save the rest of the sock for the body.

2. Stuff and seal the ends. Stuff the cut toe portion with a small bundle of fiberfill or similar filling material. Leave the top 1 inch (2.5 cm) empty; glue or sew the ends together.

Fold the raw open edge in by no more than 1/2 inch (1.25 cm).

To create a rounded head, you'll need to begin by gluing the sides of the empty portion together. Glue the opening closed, then fold it down over the stuffed bundle. Stitch or glue the folded material in place.

3. Cut off the cuff. Cut off the back opening of the sock, removing a portion equal in length to the original cut toe portion.

The cut portion should be about one-fifth the length of the original sock. On a standard adult's sock, this should be roughly 4 to 5 inches (10 to 12.5 cm).

You'll use parts of this cut portion for the ears. The leftover sock will be used for the body.

4. Separate the cuff into two ovals. Cut the cuff in half, parallel to the ribbing. Cut out one long oval from each half.

Each oval should have roughly the same width and length of the cuff half.

These ovals will become the ears. You can discard the rest of the cuff material.

5. Stitch the sides. Fold one oval in half crosswise. Using a needle and thread, blanket stitch over the the raw, rounded edge. Repeat with the second oval.

Alternatively, you can use hot glue to hold the ear halves together. Lay a thin stream of hot glue around the entire edge, then carefully press the raw edges into the glue. With the raw edges trapped, fold the oval in half crosswise, sticking both ends together.

6. Attach the ears to the head. Place the flat edge of one ear along one fold of the head. Repeat with the other ear and the other head fold.

You should be able to attach the ears with either thread or hot glue.

7. Add button eyes. Sew two buttons two the front of the head, positioning them roughly halfway between the ears and the original toe-seam of the sock.

8. Place the felt nostrils. Peel the backings off two small, self-adhesive round felt pads. Place each pad onto the original two-seam of the head.

Align these felt pads to the eyes of the cow.

9. Cut slits into the remaining sock body. Flip the remaining sock over so that the heel faces up. Cut straight slits through both sides of the material from either end of the sock.

Keep both slits as centered as possible from either end. Each should span roughly one-half to two-thirds the space in between the open end and the nearest side of the heel. On a standard adult's sock, the slits should be 2 to 3 inches (5 to 7.5 cm) long.

10. Stitch around the slits. Turn the sock inside-out and sew along all of the raw edges, leaving roughly 1 inch (2.5 cm) open along the back slit.

As you sew along the slits and the raw open edges, you should see the legs of the cow taking shape. The front of the sock should form the front legs and the back of the sock should form the back legs.

Once you finish sewing along these raw edges, turn the body right-side out again through the remaining gap.

11. Stuff the body with fiberfill. Insert fiberfill or a similar material into the body of the cow through the open gap.

When finished, carefully turn the raw edge inward. Glue or edge-stitch the opening closed.

12. Attach the head to the body. Place the head of the cow in between the heel and the front legs. Sew or glue into place.

13. Attach yarn to the back end. Cut a piece of brown yarn equal in length to the cow's back legs. Knot both ends of the yarn, then stitch or glue it in place.

The yarn become the tail of the cow. You'll need to attach one end to the back of the heel, centering it in between the two back legs. The other end should hang free.

14. Enjoy. The sock cow should now be finished.

Things You'll Need

Fiberfill stuffing,Scissors,Sewing needle,Brown thread,2 buttons,2 small self-adhesive felt pads,Brown yarn,Hot glue gun.