How To Sew Sock Lion (Single-Sock)

Sewing sock toys are easy, take my word, yes, it is easier than you anticipate. This is the 4th sock toys designed and created in Craft Passion, I can foresee that I am going to design more in the future. On top of the famous sock monkey, the 2 little cute sock bunny 1 and sock bunny 2, this time I am venturing into sewing a miserable looking Sock Lion with a single sock. I have gotten this idea after seeing a comment that Jacodi left, she wants to make one for her brother’s birthday. Hope this tutorial is still in time for her to sew.

While I was designing and sewing this sock lion with a single sock, I was already thinking of making a bigger version like the size of the sock monkey. Just after I have had this single-sock sock lion completed, I immediately jumped into another sock lion challenge, with a pair of sock lion (tutorial to follow soon). Oh…. sewing sock toys are just too addictive. I have a few insomnia nights just thinking of what to sew next! LOL!!!

As mentioned above, socks are easy to manipulate due to their knit property that is expandable and flexible. The heel and toe parts are best to be made into bum that could turn into head and butt for the sock toy. Stuff in the right amount of poly-fill and shape each part with hands. Lastly, add some expressions on the face to give it a touch of personality and character. With the various types of socks eg. toe socks and colorful socks available in the market, you will never get enough surprises of what a pair of socks would turn into. Start shopping and collect beautiful socks that you come across, you will sew up a storm and regretted that you have no enough socks to make.

Happy sewing!

How To Sew Sock Lion (Single Sock)

Difficulty: Intermediate / Avid Beginner
Finished size: approximately 7″ (W) x 8″ (H)

Materials:
Make: 1 (adult size)
1. Sock (crew length), single [1]
2. Grey felt
3. Yellow felt
3. Safety eye 1/2″ [12mm], black, 2; or button; or felt
4. Safety Nose 1″ [24mm], brown, 1; or you can use a triangle felt to sew.
5. Embroidery Floss, yellow
6. Black yarn or embroidery floss
7. Orange yarn
8. Poly-fill stuffing material
9. Sewing thread

Tools:
1. Sewing machine
2. Sewing needle (prefer long) and pins
3. Tapestry needle
4. Cardboard, 2″ wide (to make lion fur)
5. Pen & ruler
6. Scissors
7. Erasable fabric marker
8. Iron

Seam Allowance: approx. 1/8 – 1/4″

Note: for different sizes of sock lions, use different sizes of socks.
Since the sock is stretched after stuffed, thick sock yields better quality than a thin sock.

Gather all the tools and materials to begin the sewing. The actual quantity of poly-fill stuffing material is a lot more than shown in the picture.
Adjust the sock so that they align properly. Press your sock with a warm iron.
Draft the sewing lines directly on the sock with a pen.
Yellow – Sew
Yellow (dash) – running stitch
Blue – Cut

Align the stripe on both sides and pin. This is to make sure that the stripes in align at the seam.
Sew the yellow marking with a sewing machine, or you can hand-sew with backstitch too.

Cut the pieces out follow the blue marking.

a.) Roll some yarns that is 1″ – 2″ longer than sock tail. Tie one side with yarn.
b.) Insert 1″ of yarn into the sock tail (with wrong side facing out). Stitch up to close the opening while securing the yarn.
c.) Turn the sock right side out. Remove the tying yarn, you can cut the yarn to have a straight tail tassel or leave it in the loopy shape.

Turn the rest of the sock components right side out.
Stuff the body and hands with poly-fill stuffing material.
Run a stitch at the yellow dash-marking, pull the thread to gather the sock to resemble the neck of the lion. Knot securely.

a.) Since I am using a safety nose, I snipped a very small hole on the heel, slightly higher than the tip.
b.) Apply some instant drying adhesive to glue the nose in place. The glue will also stop the sock being stretched too much and create a big hole. Install the stopper.
c.) The installed nose. You may use a piece of felt in a triangle shape and sew it on the heel, stuff the nose.

a.) Cut 2 pcs. of grey felts into oblong shape to make the eyes. Cut another 2 pcs. yellow eyelids for a more characterized look. Snip 2 small openings at the bottom half of the grey felts, insert safety eyes into each of them respectively.
b.) Stuff the head of the lion. Place the felt eyes onto the sock lion’s face, mark 2 spots for the stud of the eyes to go in. Make a small opening on each marking respectively.
c.) Install the eyes on the face with the stoppers inside the head. You may take out some of the stuffing to install the stopper, stuff it back when you are done.
d.) Stitch around the eyes or use glue to glue the pieces up.

Sew and close-up the opening of the head with running stitches, invert the raw edges into the head as you pull the thread to close. Make another few stitches across to further tighten the gap.

a.) Knot the black yarn end, insert at the center of the neck, come through from the bottom of the nose.
b.) Insert the needle about 2/3 distant from the nose, go up and out from the bottom of the nose. Pull the yarn to resemble the philtrum of the mouth. Insert the needle into the bottom of the philtrum and come out at the cheek of the face.
c.) Make a french knot to resemble the vibrissa or whisker of the lion. The needle should cross the snout and come out to the other side, pull lightly so that the french knot is indented a little into the snout. Make another french knot on the other side of the snout.
d.) Repeat to make 3 vibrissae at each side of the snout. Finish the sewing with the needle out at the neck again, knot and cut off the yarn.

a.) Attach arms to the side of the body.
b.) Close the opening of the tail with running stitches.
c.) Attach the tail to the back of the body by sewing it diagonally across.
d.) With the same needle and thread, insert the needle from the back and come out at the middle of the body. Loop the thread to the back and insert into the same point and come out from the same point on the front. Pull the thread to make a dented line that creates the look of the limbs.

Side view of the sock lion before attaching the mane fur.

a.) Roll the orange yarn around the 2″ cardboard. Gather and stitch about 10 of them. Catch yarn into needle as you passing through them, loop 2 to 3 times and make a knot before proceed to the next group of yarn. Push the yarn out from the cardboard as you work.
b.) Measure the length needed to wrap the head of the sock lion. Make extra length if you want to have a dense mane.
c.) Stitch the yarn mane to the sock lion. For an even mane, divide the mane into 2 parts, pin it at the neck and top of the head. Sub-divide the mane again and pin at the middle of the side head.
d.) Complete look at the back.

The front of the sock lion with an innocent expression on his face.