How To Sew Sock Lion (Single-Sock)

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 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 warm iron.
Draft the sewing lines directly on the sock with pen.
Yellow Sew
Yellow (dash) running stitch
Blue Cut

Align the stripe on both sides and pin. This is

make sure that the stripe in align at the seam.
Sew the yellow marking with sewing machine, or you can hand-sew with back stitch 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 secure the yarn.
c.) Turn the sock right side out. Remove the tying yarn, you can cut the yarn to have 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 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 stretch too much and create a big hole. Install the stopper.
c.) The installed nose. You may use a piece of felt in 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 eye lids for more characterized look. Snip 2 small
openings at the bottom halve 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 lions 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 stitch 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 needle out at the
neck again, knot and cut yarn off.

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 slant 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 innocent

expression on his face.