Sock Shark Pattern

Hurray, my sewing mojo is back, especially into sewing animal plush toy from socks. I hope the inspiration keeps flowing in as I have many animals related craft on my to-sew list. Craft design is so fun when the inspiration starts flowing in. Just a little tweak from the previous pattern Sock Unicorn Whale, here comes a new pattern of sea creatures in Craft Passion – the Sock Shark.

The Sock Shark is sewed from a single piece of adult ankle sock (a pair can make 2 sharks), a scrap of white felt, a pair of button eyes and yellow embroidery floss, it is then stuffed by the polyester filling material to hold its shape. The length of this sock shark is roughly 9″ long from head to tail. For your ease of sewing, along with the details of the instruction, I have also included the pattern template on the tutorial page.

Sock Shark – Free Sewing Pattern

scroll ⬇️ to get the free pattern & tutorial

Human fears of a shark because of it’s powerful jaws and the big wide mouth full of sharp teeth. Contrary to the brutal character of the man-eater has given, Sock Shark is soft and huggable, it has the most friendly big smiling mouth with the harmless well-aligned zigzag teeth. Sock shark is child-friendly and it is perfect to make as a gift for any occasion.

Here they are, Sock Shark and Sock Unicorn Whale, the twin sea creatures live together harmoniously and peacefully in the sea world. Though they are totally different species, they acknowledge and respect each other for their differences. May the world behaves the same and creates a better place for the human to live together without any prejudice.

Sock Shark

Difficulty: Easy
Finished size: 9″
Download and print separately: Sock Shark template

Materials:
Make: 1
1. Sock (ankle length); Dark Blue Denim color, cotton, adult size, 1 pc.
2. Felt, White color
3. Button eye 8mm dome-shaped, black, 2; or equivalent button
4. Crochet lace thread or Embroidery floss, yellow color
5. Poly-fill stuffing material
6. Sewing threads (matching colors)
7. Sock Shark template

Tools:
1. Sewing machine or, you can hand-sew without a machine
2. Long sewing needle (about 2″), tapestry needle and pins
3. Water Soluble Fabric Marker
4. Scissors
5. Blunt point tweezers or an awl
6. Printer and letter size cardstock
7. Spray bottle filled with water

Seam Allowance: approx. 1/8″ – 1/4″ (loose-knit and thinner sock material need to have bigger seam allowance as the loose-knit can be ripped off easily if the seam allowance is too narrow.)

Note:
Since the sock is stretched after stuffed, thick sock with close-knit yields better quality than a thin sock.
Click here to shop for other socks to make Sock Shark

Tips:
Always massage the stuffing to loosen the lumps. Roll any long tubular parts with both hands to smooth out the lumps, it will also help to make the parts longer and firmer.

Gather the materials and tools needed to sew the sock shark. You can use a single ankle length sock or a crew length sock to sew but in this tutorial, we are using ankle length sock.
Download and print out the Sock Shark template on a letter-size cardstock. Cut out the paper templates from the cardstock.

Remove the stitches at the ribbing area of the ankle sock and release the folded cuff.
Turn the sock inside out, flatten and lay the sock as shown in the picture, align the stripes pattern so that they are symmetrical in both top and bottom layers. Pin.
Trace the sock shark templates on the sock as shown in the picture with a water-soluble fabric marker. Since not all socks are made with the same size, you will need to adjust and hand sketch the template on the sock if needed.

Sew along the traced line with either using sewing machine or hand stitch.
Cut out the sock pieces with approx. 1/8″ – 1/4″ seam allowance.
Turn all pieces right side out and stuff them with adequate poly-fill stuffing material, massage and shape it nicely. A pair of blunt point tweezers will be of good help to insert the stuffing material into smaller parts like the tail and the fins.

Sew to attach the tail to the body by using ladder stitch or slip stitch. Make a few loose stitches on the marking lines between the 2 parts before pulling the thread tight to bring them together. Repeat the sewing until you have completed the round and securely attach the tail to the body of the sock shark.

Shape the head of the sock shark a little pointy to resemble a shark.
Sew to close the opening of the fins. Sew to attach the bottom fin to the body by ladder stitch, sew around the part that is in contact with the body.
Repeat the same to the other bottom fin.

Sew to attach the top fins in the same manner.

Embroider the gill slits with yellow floss, Start and end the stitching with knots at the mouth area. The knots will be hidden up after you sew the mouth to the sock shark.

Trace the mouth and teeth template onto white felt. Please note that the tips of the zigzag are not touching the outline of the mouth, spare about 1/8″ or 3mm from the edge.
Sew the outline of the zigzag teeth.

Neaten the thread ends by hiding them behind the mouth. Cut the mouth along the tracing line.

Sew the felt mouth and teeth to the sock shark

Sew to add the domed button eyes to the sock shark, pull the thread tight between the eyes to sink them into the body.
Spray the sock shark with water to erase all the visible blue marking, leave it to dry.

Sock Shark and Sock Unicorn Whale, the twin sea creatures in Craft Passion. Both of them shared the same body and fins template, I tweaked a little from the design of the Sock Unicorn Whale to create this Sock Shark. Now they are swimming together in the sea in peace and harmony.