Reviews (9)

not your momma's sock monkees.....
I found this book by accident and am so glad I did. If you are someone whose been crafting for years and looking for something NOT mainstream,but funky, funny and quirky-then this neat, inexpensive book is for you.
Sock it to me
I LOVE this book. It is full of wonderful ideas, easy to follow instructions, great illustrations and layout. Highly recommended for anyone into contemporary design & crafts, or anyone who wants a giggle.

Talk about thinking outside the box
I love this book. I wasn't looking for it, I just found it and decided to purchase it. I had no idea how addicted it was going to be. My original thought was that it would at least be a fun book for guest to pick off the shelf and look at it. John Murphy wrote the book as if he was right in front of you talking with you about his creations and instructing you on the techniques he's learned. It's humorously casual. He so willingly shares everything you need to know to make your own creations. Most definately one of the best purchases I ever made. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Crafts & Hobbies    2. Crafts / Hobbies    3. General    4. Hobbies/Crafts    5. Socks    6. Stuffed Animals    7. Textile crafts    8. Crafts & Hobbies / General    9. LITERATURE - LIT CLASSICS TRD PB    10. Soft toys   

Reviews (9)

knitting for animal lovers!
I'm a knitting veterinarian, and I got this book to make a couple of toys for my young kids - but my boss saw me working on a pig, and asked me to make some animals for the office. I told him I'd get to it after I finish the ones for my kids. Well. So far the kids have had me make each one a pig (I have 3 kids, so that's 3 pigs), and two ducks, and I'm working on a sheep. This is a great book. I consider myself a beginning knitter with advanced beginner to early intermediate skill. I have knitted one sweater in my life, and it was for a 2 yr old. I have made one small baby blanket, and several scarves, and that is about it. Oh, and one small 2 yr old sized jumper-dress. So, you know, I'm no Nancy Needles! But the patterns are pretty well written and easy to do, nothing fancy. If I can do it, so can you. The one thing I wish is that the number of rows always added up the way the author says they should (you know: work 2 rows, then work 8 more for a total of 10, then work 3 more for a total of 12, wait, um, no...) but it really doesn't matter, because it is always clear if you need to be knitting or purling, and what's one row extra if you're making a sheep anyway??

absolutely wonderful
this little book is a goldmine for knitters. the patterns are straightforward and extremely easy to follow and do not require even the most elementary knitter to think twice. the book is full of wonderful toys that any child - or silly adult! - would be happy to have. I've knitted a few of the toys and I already know that this book will be a treasure I'll hold onto my entire life.

This book proves beautiful patterns don't have to be difficult!
I love this book. There is so much variety. Trust me, this book will not end up sitting in the bookshelf and forgotten. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Crafts & Hobbies    2. Crafts / Hobbies    3. Hobbies/Crafts    4. Needlework - Knitting    5. Stuffed Animals    6. Toymaking - General    7. Knitting    8. Soft toys   

Reviews (2)

A Joy to own!
For anyone who loves teddy bear making as much as I do, this book is joy to own!Nancy Tillberg has included page after page of beautiful pictures of her work and demonstrates how to make your own teddy in easy step by step instructions.I own her first book (teddy bears with a past) and find her second book even more enjoyable than the first.A must have for any teddy bear artist to own.

Bear Makers New and Old: Buy This Book!!
I've been making bears for 20 years and this is the most complete book, most detailed, easy to understand book I have every seen.I have many bear making books, but now feel I can get rid of them and just use this one as a reference.Wonderful for the beginning bear maker or the very experienced.No matter what you will learn something new.The photos are spectacular.I used two of the lessons right away and will use many more. You can tell a very detailed and a lover of bears type person wrote this book. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Crafts & Hobbies    2. Crafts / Hobbies    3. Hobbies/Crafts    4. Sewing    5. Soft toy making    6. Stuffed Animals    7. Teddy bears    8. Toy Arts And Crafts    9. Toymaking - General    10. Soft toys   

Reviews (2)

Best EVER!!!
I searched for a long time in bookstores, libraries, and even online before I found the perfect patterns, and this book has them!Experimenting with materials and eye positioning to create different looks also gives you much more when it comes to your "collection."The only complaint I would have is that I can't find more books by the same author for other animals, 'coz I sure love the results from the patterns she has in this one.Really a wonderful book for anyone who wants to sew nice-looking stuff toys.

amazing
Just imagine how happy I was when I got my copy yesterday. Sometimes we don't believe the cover of a book, but Soft Animals A to Z is really great. I especially like the zebra, unicorn, and ostrich. My son asks me for the monkey. All of the 26 animal toys are lifelike. And you'll be surprised to see even xiphosura, armadillo, and iguana are included. Step-by-step illustrations are helpful. With this book, I could make great toys for my niece and nephew. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Crafts & Hobbies    2. Crafts / Hobbies    3. Hobbies/Crafts    4. Stuffed Animals    5. Toymaking - General    6. Soft toys   

Reviews (7)

"baby" doll book
I was not aware (or did not read fully) this is about baby dolls not art dolls which I consider to mostly be adult-ish.

Many Dolls, one look
This is a book of patterns and tips.The dolls are all virtually the same, chubby baby-faced toddlers. There is a male and female version.The infant is the same as the toddler but can not stand.The adult (pictured on the cover) is just slightly thiner and longer then the children.If you are looking for variety, these dolls are pretty much the same (they all look related to the one on the cover) and they are all conservatively or classicly styled.I recommend the book for those interested in the learning the basics of makeing a "baby doll".If you want any other style of cloth doll (such as artisan) you will be disappointed in the constraints of the styling and you will be forced to find inspiration for your imagination elsewhere.Probably more like 3 stars.

What a great book!
I've been making dolls since I was 11, and this is the book I've been looking for all my life. Worth three times what you pay. The cover does not do it justice. It has soft sculpture faces that are beautiful and natural. Usually soft sculpture dolls look like old people, trolls or are distorted. There is a baby doll that I am going to double size to make it the size of a real baby, so I can have it wear old clothes. The clothes are also beautiful and easy. Make yourself an heirloom. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Crafts & Hobbies    2. Crafts / Hobbies    3. Dolls    4. Hobbies/Crafts    5. Sewing    6. Stuffed Animals   

Reviews (9)

Cute designs for people with sewing/finishing experience
I'm a relatively new knitter and I bought this book thinking I could make a toy for my nephew. The toys are very cute and come in a variety of easier and more complex styles.
spotty information, but very cute designs
The patterns in this book are all knitted in flat pieces, on straight needles (usually US #3 with DK weight yarn). This means that there is a lot of sewing to do to finish them.
Love the Ballerina Rabbit
I have just finished the ballerina rabbit for my little ballerina's 6th birthday.It came out excellent, and only took a few evenings to make.I substituted yarns with no problem and added buttonholes for buttons because I don't like the ties.Next project from this book will be the dalmation, changed to blue with white spots.It looks like it will tuck very neatly into my 3-yr-old son's arms.A tip: try using leftover matching yarn to stuff knitted animals; that way you won't have to worry about any white stuffing showing through. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Crafts & Hobbies    2. Crafts / Hobbies    3. Hobbies/Crafts    4. Knitting    5. Needlework - Knitting    6. Patterns    7. Soft toy making    8. Stuffed Animals    9. Crafts & Hobbies / Knitting   

Reviews (12)

Fantastic
If you love making miniatures you will love making this gorgeous little bears the only porblem is once you start you cannot stop. The Best Miniature Bear Making Book on the market!
This is the best book on miniature bear making I've encountered. The author leads you thru the easiest to the most difficult with ease.You don't have to buy this book for one or two favorite patterns, all of themwill be your favorite.I highly recommend this book to anyone wanting tomake miniatures.

This book sets a new standard for craftspeople.
Debbie Kesling's book has given me hope that even I could make a miniature teddy bear. After seeing her work up close, I was certain I could never manage the mastery evident in each bear she creates. During the years I taught crafts, I never ran across a more clearly written how-to book, especially with such detailed photographs and a willingness to share secrets to success learned from years of experience. Her book is typical of her work... precise, well-composed and full of substance. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Crafts & Hobbies    2. Crafts / Hobbies    3. Hobbies/Crafts    4. Miniature craft    5. Miniature teddy bears    6. Soft toy making    7. Stuffed Animals    8. Toy Arts And Crafts    9. Toymaking - General    10. Soft toys   

Reviews (3)

Ultimate Handbook for Making Teddy Bears
Easy to follow instructions. This is a new craft area for me. This book has a lot of patterns and ideas.

Excellent technical information
This book provides excellent informationon the technical details of bear making. How to achieve "the look "of teddy bear artists. I found the patterns, included in the book, a little disappointing, but otherreaders may enjoy making pumpkin shaped bears! and other oddities!

The most detailed book about making Teddy Bears
Linda Mullins and Hobby House Press, Inc. have put together the best book about making wonderful teddy bears.Detailed drawings, explanations, and very understandable instructions.I've been making teddies for a couple of months and this is the answer to my problem - you know - noses!!! The jointing, the sculpting of faces, the stuffing, and patterns, too! It's all here.Two paws up! ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Crafts / Hobbies    2. Hobbies/Crafts    3. Soft toy making    4. Stuffed Animals    5. Teddy bears    6. Toymaking - General    7. Soft toys   

Reviews (4)

Wonderful!
I am a beginning knitter and have had no problem making the patterns in the book.It has been a great way to practice new techniques on a small scale. And you should see the results!I have made five bears(Catherine, Thomas, Bertie and 2 Bruces)so far- and delighted all the children in my life this last Christmas.This book is truly delightful!I highly recommend it.

Easy to follow, even for beginners
I picked this book on a whim shortly after I started knitting. At the time, I knew only the knit and purl stitches. I learned very simple increases and decreases in order to do these bears and completed the "George" pattern fairly quickly and neatly. I'm currently working on another bear. I haven't found any typos yet, but I've only looked at 2 of the many patterns.
These projects are delightful!
I have knit 2 of the bears in this book: Catherine and Jack.I used the materials suggested (Rowan and Jaeger yarns), and both turned out delightfully. With my next bear, I will venture out into the land of less expensive yarns.
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Subjects:  1. Crafts & Hobbies    2. Crafts / Hobbies    3. Hobbies/Crafts    4. Knitting    5. Needlework - Knitting    6. Patterns    7. Soft toy making    8. Stuffed Animals    9. Teddy bears    10. Toymaking - General    11. Crafts & Hobbies / Knitting   

Reviews (2)

Paws Up ..AGreat Book.***** 5 Stars Easy
Wow what a wonderful bunch of characters.. The designs are great a nice variety of sizes easy to follow directions.. The patterns are ready to copy and begin sewing no running to the copy place to have patterns enlarged..Thanks Neysa for a great book.....

Wonderful Book .....a teddy-bear maker's dream!
The bears designed by the author as stated in the book's titleare indeed very whimsical and could be summed up in one wordUNIQUE!Neysa shares secrets of bear-making from herself andother artists.These alone prove very helpful. However, thelisting that shows suppliers for EVERYTHING you could possiblyneed concerning bear-making is an incredible "tool" and timesaver.It is SO frustrating when you're in the middle ofputting a bear together, realize you're out of a certain size, etc. and now with this new listing, you can IMMEDIATELY findyour supplier to place a quick re-order in moments.So muchof the hard work to find suppliers has been done for you. Read more

Subjects:  1. Crafts & Hobbies    2. Crafts / Hobbies    3. Hobbies/Crafts    4. Soft toy making    5. Stuffed Animals    6. Teddy bears    7. Toymaking - General    8. Soft toys   

Reviews (8)

too cute
I am giving this four stars because I haven't made any of the bears yet.However the pictures are too cute for words and I can't wait to make one.I rarely have problems with Debbie Bliss patterns and do not anticipate problems with these.

not much variety
The instructions are clear enough, however I was hoping for more size varieties, 4" - 20".I am still looking for a tiny knitted bear pattern.
At last a book with good-looking teddy bears ...
I knitted one of the bears (English gentleman bear) and two sets of clothing.The end product looks the same as the pictures - the bear and clothes are adorable.I had no problems with the patterns for they have been correctly written down.Because there are no diagrams/drawings of pieces with dimensions, I believe these knittings are for intermediate to advanced knitters.I can't wait to see my four year old granddaughter on Christmas day when she'll open up this gift! ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Crafts & Hobbies    2. Crafts / Hobbies    3. Hobbies/Crafts    4. Knitting    5. Patterns    6. Soft toy making    7. Stuffed Animals    8. Teddy bears    9. Crafts & Hobbies / Knitting   

Subjects:  1. Crafts & Hobbies    2. Crafts / Hobbies    3. Hobbies/Crafts    4. Sewing    5. Soft toy making    6. Stuffed Animals    7. Toy Arts And Crafts    8. Toymaking - General    9. Crafts & Hobbies / Sewing   

Subjects:  1. Crafts & Hobbies    2. Crafts / Hobbies    3. Hobbies/Crafts    4. Sewing    5. Stuffed Animals    6. Toys, teddy bears & dolls   

Reviews (4)

Fun Book For Owners
SOCK MONKEY DREAMS: Daily Life at the Red Heel Monkey Shelter by Whitney Shroyer and Letitia Walker with Photography by Michael Traister is a beautifully illustrated treasurery of imagination and fun. Within its pages you'll learn from Newsmonkey Benny Hathaway and socktographer Link Ray the daily lives and antics of the beloved red heeled friends so many of us have loved for several generations.Have you ever wondered what your sock monkey does while you're asleep? Did you guess he has a life of his own with other sock monkeys and that when they are outgrown, shabby, or cast away, these monkeys gather at the Red Heel Shelter to console each other and tell tales and news of the other sock monkeys out there!You'll learn about weddings, history, lore, quirks, foibles, and tales of the religion, education, entertainment, commerce of the sockciety, which reflect those antics and everday happenings of their owners.The authors live with 150 sock monkeys in Asheville, NC.A delightful book for sock monkey owners

Get One For Everyone On Your Xmas List
I had no interest in the monkey business of sock toys but upon seeing this eye-popping publication (the photos really sock it to ya) I went totally bananas for it. More fun than a barrel of other books. Not only colorful and artistically presented, but a fun, whimsical, and historically important slice of awesome American creative culture.
More Fun Than a Barrel of Monkeys
It's a weird and beautiful book. I've shared it with my 30-something friends, and my 6-something nephew, and they all found it fun. And it is fun--well-written, beautifully photographed FUN. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Arts And Crafts    2. Crafts & Hobbies    3. General    4. Hobbies/Crafts    5. Humor    6. Needlework - General    7. Popular Culture - General    8. Puppetry And Marionettes    9. Puppets & Puppetry    10. Stuffed Animals    11. Crafts & Hobbies / Puppets & Puppetry   

Reviews (7)

Fun and Easy Tiny Toys
This is a very cute book and it has been a lot of fun making all the tiny toys it has to offer.The great thing about it is there are many toys to make, all of them are fairly easy and cute, and none of them take too much time to finish.All you need to make anything in this book is a little bit of spare fabric and a small amount of sewing knowledge.Most of the projects I have made from this book took me less then two hours total to finish, most of time even less than that.All in all, this book has been great fun!
Great Book!
This book is sooooo easy to use.It is also great to carry around with you.I am twelve and was worried that I wouldn't be able to make these little animals, but it turns out that they are much easier then they look.This book is a must have!

A Great Book For Anybody Who Sews...or Anyone Who Doesn't
This is a really great book for anybody.You don't have to be experienced to understand how to do it because it explains everything from stitching to what kind of fabric to use.There are tiny animals to sew from all around the world.There is an elephant, a giraffe, a polar bear, a cat, a dog, a lion, a tiger, people, an otter, a parrot, and even a mushroom!There are 52 full size patterns.This book even gives tips on designing your own little creatures.The directions are very clear and easy to understand.The book also gives ideas of how to use them like making them into Christmas tree ornaments or using them as party favors.It even shows how to make joints out of buttons and how to paint the creature so it looks more realistic.This is a great book that is easy to understand and pretty simple.I know I've had fun with it and I hope you do to. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Beanbag toys    2. Crafts & Hobbies    3. Crafts / Hobbies    4. Hobbies/Crafts    5. Sewing    6. Soft toy making    7. Stuffed Animals    8. Stuffed animals (Toys)    9. Toymaking - General    10. Soft toys   

Reviews (1)

VERY GOOD
THE BOOK IS VERY GOOD FOR LOVING SOFT DOLLS AND TOYS.
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Subjects:  1. Crafts & Hobbies    2. Crafts / Hobbies    3. Hobbies/Crafts    4. Stuffed Animals    5. Toymaking - General    6. BG-MIND & BODY - BG-HEALTH    7. Crafts & Hobbies / Stuffed Animals   

Reviews (1)

teddy bears collectible
to manage very well my collection of teddy bears ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Antiques & Collectibles    2. Antiques / Collectibles    3. Antiques/Collectibles    4. History    5. Stuffed Animals    6. Teddy Bears    7. Toy Animals   

Subjects:  1. Arts And Crafts    2. Crafts & Hobbies    3. Crafts / Hobbies    4. Hobbies/Crafts    5. Socks    6. Stuffed Animals    7. Textile crafts    8. Crafts & Hobbies / General    9. LITERATURE - LIT CLASSICS TRD PB   

Subjects:  1. Antiques / Collectibles    2. Crafts & Hobbies    3. Hobbies/Crafts    4. Reference - Price Guides    5. Stuffed Animals    6. Teddy Bears    7. Decorative arts & crafts    8. Toys, teddy bears & dolls   

Subjects:  1. Children: Grades 4-6    2. Crafts & Hobbies - General    3. Crafts / Hobbies    4. Juvenile Nonfiction    5. Stuffed Animals    6. Toymaking - General    7. Soft toys