Stuffed Animals Books

Sock and Glove: Creating Charming Softy Friends from Cast-Off Socks and Gloves

Miyako Kanamori

Amazon Price: $9.90 List Price: $12.95 Usually ships in 24 hours By: HP Trade Amazon Marketplace: 56 new & used starting at $6.90

Buy at Amazon.com

Browse similar items by category:
Subjects -> Arts & Photography -> Performing Arts -> Theater -> Puppets & Puppetry
Subjects -> Home & Garden -> Crafts & Hobbies -> Puppets & Puppetry
Subjects -> Home & Garden -> Crafts & Hobbies -> Stuffed Animals

Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 29 Average rating: 4.5 of 5

very easy, very cute 5 out of 5 stars.
0 of 0 people found this review helpful.

Martha Stewart featured this book on her show a month or so ago (summer 2008) and she and some celebrity made a dog and a bunny. They're funky little animals and look very easy to make. For how-to purposes, you probably don't need the book, just the idea...but the book is good inspiration and the thinking and planning is done for you. The book is fun to look at and would make a good kid's book too. I'm thinking an argyle sock would make a great sweater for one of these little stuffed friends to wear!

Editorial Review:

Easy to make...easy to love!

Sock and Glove presents thirteen delightful softy projects that are quick to make-and certain to amuse and delight. Full of individuality and mischief, these stuffed creations are all pieced together from ordinary socks, gloves, and mittens. Step-by-step illustrations and instructions make it easy to craft and dress a whole menagerie, including monkeys, elephants, piglets, bunnies, and even an insouciant fish.

Endearing to adults and children alike, these whimsical creatures make perfect gifts and inspiring companions.

Happy Gloves: Charming Softy Friends Made from Colorful Gloves

Miyako Kanamori

Amazon Price: $11.16 List Price: $13.95 Usually ships in 24 hours By: HP Trade Amazon Marketplace: 41 new & used starting at $7.50

Buy at Amazon.com

Browse similar items by category:
Subjects -> Home & Garden -> Crafts & Hobbies -> Stuffed Animals
Subjects -> Home & Garden -> Crafts & Hobbies -> General
Subjects -> Home & Garden -> Crafts & Hobbies -> General AAS

Editorial Review:

Colorful gloves become adorable creations— from the author of Sock and Glove.

Whimsical and endearing, here are nineteen more softy sewing projects in the adorable, quirky aesthetic of Sock and Glove. Because who doesn’t have a few odd gloves lying around—and who couldn’t use another quietly cheerful small friend?

Includes complete instructions to make a chipmunk, frog, duck, flower, car, donkey, tiger, and more!

Little Felted Animals: Create 16 Irresistible Creatures with Simple Needle-Felting Techniques

Marie-Noelle Horvath

Amazon Price: $10.36 List Price: $12.95 Usually ships in 24 hours By: Watson-Guptill Amazon Marketplace: 39 new & used starting at $6.96

Buy at Amazon.com

Browse similar items by category:
Subjects -> Home & Garden -> Crafts & Hobbies -> Needlecrafts -> General AAS
Subjects -> Home & Garden -> Crafts & Hobbies -> Needlework
Subjects -> Home & Garden -> Crafts & Hobbies -> Stuffed Animals

Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 9 Average rating: 4.5 of 5

WONDERFUL!! 5 out of 5 stars.
2 of 2 people found this review helpful.

This is a great book for making little felted creatures, very easy yo read, good examples & the photos are great! I highly recomend it!!

Editorial Review:

Aren’t these the cutest?

* Sixteen meltingly adorable animals

* All the favorites, including cats, dogs, birds, bunnies, more

* Easy to make, great as gifts, toys, decorations

All together now: Awwwww! In Little Felted Animals, author Marie-Nöelle Horvath shows how to make the cutest little miniature animals, using just a few simple tools and some wool roving. Birds, bears, cats, dogs, mice, a fox, a sheep, a seal, and a bunny--sixteen little bundles of fluff in all. Picture all those little eyes looking up at you as if to say, "Thank you for making me!" Then give these critters as gifts, use them as decorations, or arrange them on tabletops. Beautifully photographed in their natural habitats, these sweet dumplings will melt the heart of every crafter.

Wool Pets: Making 20 Figures with Wool Roving and a Barbed Needle

Laurie Sharp

Amazon Price: $13.57 List Price: $19.95 Usually ships in 2 to 4 weeks By: Creative Publishing international

Buy at Amazon.com

Browse similar items by category:
Subjects -> Home & Garden -> Crafts & Hobbies -> Needlecrafts -> General AAS
Subjects -> Home & Garden -> Crafts & Hobbies -> Needlework
Subjects -> Home & Garden -> Crafts & Hobbies -> Sewing

Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 3 Average rating: 5.0 of 5

Great Book 5 out of 5 stars.
4 of 4 people found this review helpful.

This book is very inspirational! The photos are beautiful and the instructions are very clear. I haven't yet made anything, but I know there will be a learning curve. I don't expect my first project to be as gorgeous as the ones in the book, but it won't be because of a lack of clear directions! I am a visual learner and there are lots of pictures so I feel that I will be able to follow along. I also own a couple of the author's needle felted creations and she is a true artist!

Editorial Review:

Anyone can make cute and cuddly creatures from a handful of fluff and a barbed needle!

Needle felting is a new craft and is gaining in popularity. There are only a few books written on the subject and most of those focus on 'flat' needle felting on a surface. This book is about sculptural needle felting - creating 3-D animals and figures using the felting needle to sculpt wool.

The book shows the techniques and describes how the felting needle works with wool fiber to create felt, while explaining the differences between this art form and other forms of felting. The reader will learn how to hold the needle, what sort of materials to use, and why.

There are about 20 complete projects including various birds, bugs, four-legged animals, and people-each one unique and irresistible! Laurie also shows the reader ways to display their felted creations as mobiles, ornaments, or arranged in shadow boxes.

Softies: Simple Instructions for 25 Plush Pals

Therese Laskey

Amazon Price: $19.95 List Price: $19.95 Usually ships in 24 hours By: Chronicle Books Amazon Marketplace: 38 new & used starting at $10.00

Buy at Amazon.com

Browse similar items by category:
Subjects -> Home & Garden -> Crafts & Hobbies -> Reference
Subjects -> Home & Garden -> Crafts & Hobbies -> Stuffed Animals
Subjects -> Home & Garden -> Crafts & Hobbies -> General

Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 13 Average rating: 4.5 of 5

CAN"T WAIT 5 out of 5 stars.
3 of 3 people found this review helpful.

I don't actually own this book as of yet, but I can not wait!! Right now I am hooked on "Aranzi Aronzo Cute Dolls (Let's Make Cute Stuff)" by Aranzi Aronzo and Rui Munakata. I am sure that my niece and new nephew appricate getting a custom doll every time I visit!! These books are so great not only for what they have to offer but they inspire soooo much in the imagination. I have created my own patterns too. It is easy once you see how simple everything is constructed.... but still the books are sooo worth it since everything in them are SOO CUTE!!

Editorial Review:

Stirred by the Japanese craze for plush toys called "softies," veteran crafter Therese Laskey commissioned acclaimed artists from around the world to create projects to share. From Japan to Israel to Chile to Texas, each artist brings a wicked sense of fun to the 25 cute, weird, edgy, or artful creations offered here: a cupcake pincushion; delicate snow bunnies; a peculiar robot; and many more quirky creatures. Cheeky photos, easy instructions, and ready-to-use pattern sheets make it a cinch to whip up these irresistible gifts. Best of all, a folder at back holds the patterns while spiral binding makes for craft-friendly use.

Stupid Sock Creatures: Making Quirky, Lovable Figures from Cast-off Socks

John Murphy

Amazon Price: $10.36 List Price: $12.95 Usually ships in 24 hours By: Lark Books Amazon Marketplace: 44 new & used starting at $7.08

Buy at Amazon.com

Browse similar items by category:
Subjects -> Entertainment -> Puzzles & Games -> General
Subjects -> Entertainment -> Puzzles & Games -> General AAS
Subjects -> Home & Garden -> Crafts & Hobbies -> Stuffed Animals

Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 26 Average rating: 4.5 of 5

the revenge of cast off socks 5 out of 5 stars.
1 of 1 people found this review helpful.

One of the best manuals that I ever seen. It matches the re-use of cast-off socks with the ironic looking of the creatures. Reasonably, one source of insipration were Bill Watterson's monsters. You can feel the author's enthusisam just by opening that book. The instructions are clearly explained (me too, that I'm quite a problematic sewer, I succeeded in having my own creatures), and a space for creativity and self-expression is also offered to readers.

Editorial Review:

John Murphy's sock creations have been featured in such publications as the Washington Post and Readymade magazine. Crafters with a sense of humor, a taste for the weird, wacky, and way-out, and a hunger for the outrageous will find themselves captured by this wildly creative menagerie of sock monsters.

Possessed of irresistible charm, these creatures offer all the inspiration anyone needs to transform cast-off socks into wickedly funny toys. There's Claude with his perplexed expression and tiny tail that stands at full attention. Jordan's always on the prowl; he's got three eyes, so nothing escapes him. And there's something really odd about Estelle. Maybe it's her silly conical head balanced precariously on four tiny feet--or perhaps it's just that she's always sticking out her bright red tongue. Great instructions and charming illustrations make it easy to bring these unique personalities to life. A Selection of the Crafters Choice Book Club.

Tiny Yarn Animals: Amigurumi Friends to Make and Enjoy

Tamie Snow

Amazon Price: $9.97 List Price: $12.95 Usually ships in 24 hours By: HP Trade Amazon Marketplace: 47 new & used starting at $6.86

Buy at Amazon.com

Browse similar items by category:
Subjects -> Home & Garden -> Crafts & Hobbies -> Crocheting
Subjects -> Home & Garden -> Crafts & Hobbies -> Needlepoint
Subjects -> Home & Garden -> Crafts & Hobbies -> Stuffed Animals

Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 11 Average rating: 4.0 of 5

Cute patterns, confusing instructions 3 out of 5 stars.
2 of 2 people found this review helpful.

I bought this book because it has some very cute, unique patterns that I hadn't seen anywhere else (koala, lemur). It's a very nice book to look at, with its full color photographs of all the different creations. However, the lack of certain instructions makes it difficult for an amigurumi-novice.

For example, there are almost no instructions on how to assemble the animals once you've made the pieces. I had to resort to online tutorials (crochetme.com) to find this information. I think the author should have devoted at least one page to assembly and how to sew the pieces together, with photos to illustrate. The book has a great section on basic crochet stitches, with big, clear photos, so it seemed silly that in an amigurumi book, there wasn't a similar page for animal assembly.

As others have stated, the patterns rely a lot on how they are stuffed to make the shapes as pictured. Also, I really only found about half of the patterns appealing.

Consensus-
Pros: Cute, unique patterns, nice photos, easy to read
Cons: Little to no instruction on assembly or stitching pieces together; for some of the animals, you can find better patterns online

Editorial Review:

From the creator of RoxyCraft.com, a collection of adorable crocheted creatures.

This colorful guide presents twenty-one sweet and simple-to-make yarn creatures for crafters young and old. Each animal is assembled using several basic crochet stitches—stitches even beginners can easily master—and the results, from a winsome little lamb to a wide-eyed lemur, make for delightful yarn friends.

The Cute Book

Aranzi Aronzo

Amazon Price: $10.36 List Price: $12.95 Usually ships in 24 hours By: Vertical Amazon Marketplace: 50 new & used starting at $5.90

Buy at Amazon.com

Browse similar items by category:
Subjects -> Children's Books -> Arts & Music -> Crafts & Hobbies
Subjects -> Children's Books -> General AAS
Subjects -> Entertainment -> Puzzles & Games -> General

Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 36 Average rating: 4.5 of 5

Fun craft book for adults and children 5 out of 5 stars.
1 of 1 people found this review helpful.

On the first day I had this book I made six mascots! What a fun and satisying book this is. You need only felt, embroidery thread, glue, and needle and scissors! My 8 and 10 year old daughters could make them and my 4 year old son loves playing with them. Wool felt or partial wool felt works better than acrylic felt since it's easier to cut and looks neater and less fuzzy than acrylic felt.

Not very useful 1 out of 5 stars.
0 of 5 people found this review helpful.

Crew currently making sock dolls and wanted a book to help me with how to attach arms and legs and ideas for clothes. I thought this was such a book that really the patterns aren't anything you could use as they are too small and the instructions aren't very good or complete. I don't really like the book and wish I could return it

Editorial Review:

The world of craftsters is full of things Japanese Cute - kawaii, and the look created by Aranzi Aronzo is familiar to many but not until now has a single one of the hundreds of bootleg American copies they've sold been in English. Finally these priceless books of mascots, accessories, clothing and well, just about everything, come in ready-to-read English!

Stray Sock Sewing: Making One of a Kind Creatures from Socks

Daniel

Amazon Price: $13.59 List Price: $19.99 Usually ships in 24 hours By: North Light Books Amazon Marketplace: 35 new & used starting at $13.55

Buy at Amazon.com

Browse similar items by category:
Subjects -> Home & Garden -> Crafts & Hobbies -> Sewing
Subjects -> Home & Garden -> Crafts & Hobbies -> Stuffed Animals
Subjects -> Home & Garden -> Crafts & Hobbies -> Toymaking

Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 4 Average rating: 4.0 of 5

Instructions not always included 2 out of 5 stars.
14 of 15 people found this review helpful.

Stop! If you are thinking about buying this book solely because of the picture of the sock cat on the cover (the reason why I bought it), then you should reconsider your purchase. "Stray Sock Sewing" is yet another one of those highly irritating craft books that include photos of dozens of items that you would just love to make, but only give instructions for one or two of them (and never the one that you've fallen in love with). Yes, that's right; the instructions for the cat doll are NOT included in this book. Admittedly, an experienced sewer should be able to make their own cat doll from the photographs given, but that's not the same as working from instructions and it doesn't help beginners.

What is included in this book is a very cute and very well presented 62 page gallery of 22 of the author's sock creations, all photographed in full colour and in adorable poses. This is followed by a general section on the sewing stitches and techniques necessary to make sock dolls (making this book appropriate for beginners) and then instructions on how to make 8 different sock creatures, most of which were not included in the gallery at the front of the book.

The instructions given in this book are actually very good. They are clear and each step is accompanied by a colour photograph that shows exactly what is required there. If such instructions were given for each toy presented in this book, then I would probably have given this book either 4 or 5 stars. The only misgiving I have about these instructions are that they frequently depend on the use of a particular style of sock which I suspect might either be difficult to obtain, or expensive if you can find it. Nevertheless, because instructions are not given for all of the toys, I couldn't help but feeling ripped off by this book and as a result, my rating of this book went down accordingly.

Editorial Review:

Stray Sock Sewing is a lovable Asian-flavored craft book that blends how-to projects with a whimsical narrative. Readers will learn how to make odd and endearing one-of-a-kind creatures from a variety of sock styles. Eight step-by-step projects are easy enough for beginners, yet so adorable advanced crafters will be eager to make their own cuddly toys.

Aranzi Aronzo Cute Dolls (Let's Make Cute Stuff)

Amazon Price: $10.17 List Price: $14.95 Usually ships in 24 hours By: Vertical Amazon Marketplace: 48 new & used starting at $8.52

Buy at Amazon.com

Browse similar items by category:
Subjects -> Entertainment -> Puzzles & Games -> General
Subjects -> Entertainment -> Puzzles & Games -> General AAS
Subjects -> Home & Garden -> Crafts & Hobbies -> Needlecrafts -> General AAS

Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 10 Average rating: 5.0 of 5

The Cute Book super-sized 5 out of 5 stars.
6 of 6 people found this review helpful.

In "The Cute Book", readers were treated to patterns for making small felt versions of many of the Aranzi Aronzo characters (if you aren't familiar with the Aranzi Aronzo characters, check out the Aronzo website, '[...] - they're sort of like the Sanrio/Hello Kitty characters, only with more personality). "Cute Dolls" is another book of patterns for making Aronzo character dolls (18 patterns in total), but this time, the patterns are for full sized (8 - 12 inch) dolls, most of which are made from jersey cloth (t-shirt fabric).

As with "The Cute Book", the patterns are very easy to follow. The instructions are fully illustrated, making it so that you don't even need to read the words in order to make these dolls. The book is beautifully presented, with colour photographs throughout and the captions on each of the pictures are hilarious (for example "Make us cute or we'll be angry!").

This is the second book in the Aranzi Aronzo "Let's Make Cute Stuff" series. People who enjoy this book should also consider purchasing the other books in this series: "The Cute Book", "Fun Dolls" and "Cute Stuff".

Editorial Review:

This successor to The Cute Book is loaded with patterns and instructions to make large, huggable versions of the Aranzi Aronzo characters. A full-color page of the finished dolls accompanies each character, along with large, easy-to-follow instructions and whimsical descriptions. Learn how to create 20 different characters in all, including favorites Sprite, Bad Guy, and Pinkie, and new additions Munky and Spritekin.