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Fox River Mills featured in new book about sock-made critters
The old-fashioned, handcrafted sock monkey dolls made with the original Rockford Red Heel socks from Fox River Mills have become a favorite piece of "Americana" over the years.
Now, the Osage manufacturer is featured in a new book about the unique sock-made critters written by B.K. Connelly. Published and released to stores this month, the publication is entitled "Everything's Coming Up Sock Monkeys."
As well as featuring many colorful photos, the book is about the art, history and business of the American sock monkey.
Fox River Mills of Osage is mentioned several times in the opening chapter and throughout the book, as are photos of old brochures from Fox River Mills and Nelson Knitting Company, the manufacturer bought out by Fox River in 1992.
"There's not a month that goes by that someone doesn't call about sock monkeys," said Becky Lessard of Fox River Mills. "They seem to be timeless."
While they've been around for decades, sock monkeys remain a popular toy to this day. Most vintage sock monkeys found today are no older than the late 1950s, and many date from the 1970s.
Fox River Mills still makes the original red heel socks and sells them exclusively for sock monkey makers. "We sell two pairs in a package that comes with original instructions on how to make them," explained Joel Anderson. "The neat thing is, we just make the sock, but what people create from them is always different. Each sock monkey has its own story."
Many from the local area probably remember making sock monkeys, or at least having a sock monkey in their home at one time or another. They were extremely popular around the country in the 1970s and 1980s, and still are today.
"They are made across the country and the world, and there are so many different kinds and versions of them," said Lessard. "We recently found that the University of Iowa has a special room where people make sock monkeys to give some of long term patients."
Lessard, who agreed to send photos and brochures from Fox River to the author, said she was impressed by the new book. "It's a wonderful collection of photos and information on the history of sock monkeys. We are proud to be part of that tradition.
Intended (and worn even today) as work socks, mothers in the early 1930s first fashioned the original Rockford socks into sock monkeys for their children. Clever crafters have been making sock monkeys and other animal sock dolls ever since.
There's many variations on the concept. Along with sock monkey instructions, Fox River also provides instructions on how to make a "sock elephant." Visitors to the Osage plant may also notice various sock animals, such as "sock frogs."
"We have saw many made for special events and teams, such as a Green Bay Packer Sock Monkey, or an Iowa State Sock Monkey," said Lessard. "The possibilities are endless."
The new book featuring Fox River Mills outlines the history of the sock monkey, from work sock to popular American craft, and features people with large collections, sock monkey makers and artists who feature the monkeys in their work.
According to the book, the origin of the first sock monkey is not known exactly, but Nelson Knitting Co. officials - the company that made the distinctive red heeled socks starting in 1932 - first became aware that people were creating monkeys from their product around 1951.
In 1955, the Rockford, Ill., company was awarded the design patent for the sock monkey doll and began including the pattern in packages of Red Heel socks.
Connelly said sock monkeys are special, because "even though the sock has always been mass produced - the toy is not. It is handmade.," said the author in her book. "That alone makes it special. It was and still is born from the individual makers' 'love to create. It is born from a beautiful and positive desire to 'give' to another person to enjoy. From a heart to another heart. To me, that is what is at the core of the sock monkey's magic or mystic. Each one is unique."
Connelly's love of the stuffed animals started when her grandmother made her a sock monkey in the mid-'50s.
When Connelly's daughter, Erin, was born, Bonnie's aunt, Mildred Kraus, made Erin a blue sock monkey. About 17 years ago, that blue sock monkey became the focus of Connelly's artwork.
The professional author/illustrator/graphic designer has since created a large portfolio of blue sock monkey illustrations, greeting cards and children's books under the registered trademark "My Monkey and Co."
In 2005, she was in a meeting with her husband and his partners when a coffee table children's book was mentioned.
The idea of a sock monkey coffee table book popped into her head. In the middle of the night that night, she woke up thinking "Everything's Coming Up Roses," an American idiom and song title, and she had her title and was off and running.
"Everything's Coming Up Sock Monkeys - The Art History and Business of the American Sock Monkey" - can be ordered online at Amazon.com or from booksellers, including Borders and Barnes and Noble,
The book was published by In My Own Dream Publishing. The large, hardback book has 160 color pages, with many photos contributed by Fox River Mills of Osage.
--by David Namanny, Press-News Editor
Story created Apr 24, 2007 - 12:32:21 CDT.
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