Retro Crafting Friday: Sock Dolls

Today is the first full day of summer for my older son. He has a list of recipes to try and crafts to do - along with Wii games, library programs, swimming, day camp, etc. I hope I have the energy to keep up! One of my friends had 14 boys over yesterday and fed them all, then made homemade tortillas and chicken salad for all of us. Clearly I need to start eating power bars.

I've acquired a number of retro crafting booklets lately as I'm preparing for a new retro holiday craft program for later this year. This McCall's Soft Toys pattern booklet from 1967 has really cute things , even if they are kind of elaborate. Look at the chick and duck version of the sock dolls shown below. Here's the description:

Mother duck and her two ducklings proudly go across their pond.  Bodies are made from wool or orion stretch socks (so glad orion is not as prevalent...), then plumply stuffed with absorbent cotton - mother is about 8: long; babies, 6".  Fabric and felt details are sewn on for durability.

It looks like the tops are tucked in, then sewn. The heads are tied off with thread, then ribbon is added. Very cute.