Part 4

(_CLEM enters from LEFT during song._)

Phineas: Hi ya Clem. Some tun-a, eh?

Clem: Frankly, Finny, it smelt.

Phineas: Ah, quit carping.

Clem: Did you hear about the commotion in town?

Phineas: What’s up?

Clem: Somebody robbed the Oyster bank early this morning.

Phineas: Great Grunion! Did they get much?

Clem: Stole all the pearls and a million dollars in gold fish.

Phineas: Phew! That’s a lot of fish! What’s the Sheriff doing?

Clem: Oh, he’s floundering around.

Phineas: Clem, go tell him we’ll help solve this case.

Clem: O.K. (_CLEM leaves, PHINEAS begins singing “I’m An Old Cow Hand,” but is violently bumped as the SHERIFF enters LEFT._)

Phineas: Hey, Sam, did you do that on porpoise?

Sheriff: Sorry, Finny. I haven’t been so excited since my dogfish had guppies.

Phineas: Clem told me about the robbery. Have you found the varmints yet?

Sheriff: Nope. They left a red herring on the trail.

Phineas: Hm. Must have been some daring soles.

Sheriff: Oh, I don’t know. Only an ’eel would do a thing like that.

Phineas: I’ll go get my sea horse from the coral and join the posse.

Sheriff: Fine. See you later. (_SHERIFF leaves. Before PHINEAS can leave, a girl is heard, crying, and SUSIE enters, LEFT._)

Susie: Oh, I’m so frightened! Please help me, Phineas.

Phineas: Stop your blubberin’, little gal. What’s wrong?

Susie: (_weeping_) I can’t find the Sheriff! I think I know who robbed the bank, and they’re after me!

Phineas: Who, gal, who?

Susie: Oily Oliver Octopus and Louie the Lobster!

Phineas: Are you sure? Why I remember them when they were just a couple of perch-snatchers.

Susie: Oh, yes. I saw them near the bank this morning, but I didn’t realize what they were going to do.

Phineas: I’ll go tell the Sheriff. He’ll throw out the fishnet.

Susie: (_wailing_) Oh, don’t leave me! Stur-geon-na be trouble.

Phineas: Don’t you fret, Susie, gal. Hide behind that clump of seagrass till I come back. (_PHINEAS leaves, RIGHT. SUSIE also leaves, LEFT, apparently to hide. OLIVER enters RIGHT and LOUIE, LEFT._)

Oliver: Well, we made our get-away all right.

Louie: Yep, but I’m scared, boss. We’ve got to catch that little starfish before she talks.

Oliver: Well, where is she? She came this way.

Louie: ’Course I kinda hate to hurt her. Gosh, she’s purtier than Marlin Monroe!

Oliver: Forget it! Don’t be a sucker for a pretty fish.

Louie: Reckon you’re right. I’ll go look that-a-way. (_leaves, LEFT._)

Oliver: (_Looks about, sees SUSIE hiding and drags her on stage from left._) Aho! So there you are. Come on out.

Susie: I was right! It WAS you and Louie.

Oliver: Yes, but you’ll never tell.

Susie: Unhand me, you cod! Somebody else already knows!

Oliver: Who?

Susie: I won’t tell!

Oliver: Talk, you little sprat!

Susie: I won’t! I won’t!

Oliver: So you’re gonna clam up? Wait’ll I get Louie! (_OLIVER leaves, and SUSIE is alone._)

Susie: (_wailing_) Land o’Ocean, what shall I do? (_PHINEAS enters, RIGHT._)

Phineas: I’ll save you, Susie gal! Go hide again, quick! (_SUSIE disappears quickly and LOUIE enters from the LEFT._)

Louie: Hey, Boss, where is she? (_sees PHINEAS._) Out o’ my way, Buster.

Phineas: I’ll fix you, you lobster mobster! (_PHINEAS rushes at LOUIE, butts him from underneath with his head and mouth and LOUIE gives a bounce in the air and collapses over the front of the stage, hanging limply. PHINEAS leaves._)

Phineas: (_offstage_) And you! I’ll smush you, you octopus, you! (_OLIVER flies in after some loud offstage noises, bounces up in the air and collapses next to LOUIE over the front of the stage._) Clem! Sheriff! Drag these sidewinders out of here! (_OLIVER and LOUIE go off limply, as if being dragged. PHINEAS enters, RIGHT._)

Susie: (_offstage_) Can I come out now?

Phineas: Come on. It’s all over. They’ve vamoosed to the calaboose.

Susie: (_enters LEFT_) My hero! You’re a dol-Phin-eas!

Phineas: Shucks, ’Twarn’t nuthin’.

Susie: But however did you do it? They’re so strong and powerful!

Phineas: For years I used to be just another poor fish. But then I started eating a better breakfast every day, and now I win all my fights.

Susie: My goodness! But tell me, what do you eat for breakfast?

Phineas: Why SEAWEEDIES, Gal, SEAWEEDIES!!

Susie: My CHAMPION! (_They kiss._)

_Curtain_

SKIT PUPPETS

SUSIE STARFISH

SEW TO HEART

Use a pastel colored sock to hide the arm. From white or light pink felt cut a star-shaped face about 6″ from tip to tip. Round the points for a soft look. For hair, cut a heart-shaped piece of black, yellow or red felt. Sew to star face with matching thread. Add eyebrows, long inverted coy eyelashes, two stitches to suggest a nose and a red rosebud mouth (Figure 1). Sew the star-face to the sole of the sock (Figure 2).

PHINEAS FISH

SLIT HERE SEW CIRCLE HERE

Use a white sock for our hero. Cut a 1½″ slit in the toe and turn the sock inside out. Cut a 3½″ circle of pink or red felt, fold and overstitch around mouth slit (Figure 1). Turn sock right side out and add a thin lip line. For the fan-shaped tail, cut strip of burlap or felt and sew to sock cuff, pleating slightly. Be careful not to sew cuff together. Hide the rough cut edges with a band of felt. (Figure 2). Add fins and bright colored gills. Button eyes and a few accents of paint will provide realism. Add a cowboy hat (see page 31) and tie or stitch to head (Figure 3). To animate Phineas, slip two fingers above the mouth and two fingers under the mouth. Open and close scissors-fashion.

Remember to sew a tuck in the heels to make straight tubular socks. Puppets are made for either hand and stage directions can be reversed. Dye white socks if colored socks are not available.

CLEM CLAM

SLIT HERE CUT ACROSS HERE

STITCH TO SOCK

Make Clem from a light colored sock. The head is shortened by cutting off the toe of the sock (Figure 1). For the mouth, cut a clam-shaped piece of pink felt and matching piece from stiff cardboard (Figure 2). Follow the basic instructions on page 39, stretching the sock to fit the shape of the mouth pieces. Sew on big, bright blue button eyes, add a short, colored felt beard under the chin and paint black, clam-like streaks on top of the head (Figure 3). Make a cowboy hat (see page 31) and stitch to head. Operate like the basic puppet.

SHERIFF SAM SPONGE

SEW SPONGE TO SOCK

Use light green socks and make the same way as the clown on page 40. Substitute two thin pieces of yellow cellulose sponge in place of felt mouth. Use separate pieces for the top and bottom because dry cellulose sponge is not very pliable (Figure 1). Embroider a mustache, long hair and sideburns in dark green yarn. Sew on big yellow button eyes. Add a cowboy hat (see page 31 for hats) with a silver star and stitch a bright bandana around the neck (Figure 2). Operate like the clown puppet.

OILY OLIVER OCTOPUS

A black sock is a must for this black hearted villain. Make the same way as the clown on page 40, only with a much smaller mouth. Cut two half-crescents from white felt, sew on head and add small button eyes (Figure 1). For tentacles, cut eight triangular pieces of material, about 6″ long and 2″ at the base. Sew the long sides together, stuff lightly and stitch to body with seams on the bottom (Figure 2). Make a stovepipe hat, following hat principles on page 31, and stitch to head at an angle (Figure 3). Operate like the clown puppet.

LOUIE THE LOBSTER

CUT HERE SEW ON DOTTED LINE CUT HERE FIT CLAWS OVER “ARMS”

A devilish red sock suits this villain. Turn it inside out. Cut off the rib and the toe. Sew two 4″ seams, about 1″ apart (Figure 1). Cut out the material between the seams. Turn sock right side out. Cut off a piece of the toe, stuff lightly and sew between the “arms” for a head. Attach two 1″ lengths of red pipe cleaner to the top of the head for “eye stalks.” Add small bright buttons or beads to the tips. Use a long plastic thong for the feelers. Push the thong through the head (Figure 2). From stiff cardboard cut out two claws and paint red. Stuff about 1″ of the “arms” and sew the claws to the stuffed ends. Add four bent red pipe cleaners to each side of the body for legs (Figure 3). To operate, use forefinger and little finger to move the “arms.”

PENGUIN

CUT HERE STUFF WELL FORM A CHEST WITH FINGERS STUFF WELL SEW ON WINGS SEW TO BODY

BODY: Use cut foot portion from white sock, or if you wish a larger penguin, take a tuck in the heel making a long tubular piece. Stuff toe lightly for head and heavier toward the opening which will be the base of the penguin. Sew opening closed. Tie off at the neck with a formal black bow-tie (Figure 1).

WINGS: From black material, felt or oilcloth, cut two pieces for each wing as shown. Seam, turn and insert a piece of cardboard the same size and shape. Sew on just below the neck (Figure 2).

FEET: Cut two webbed feet from black material and two from cardboard. Sew or glue one of each together and fasten to the base of the penguin (Figure 3).

FEATURES: Sew a tiny white button onto a small circle of black felt for each eye. Make a cone-shaped beak from yellow felt. Draw a line along each side to indicate the mouth and sew to the front of the head (Figure 4).

PENGUIN FAMILY: Make Mrs. Penguin slightly smaller, and Junior about two-thirds size. Mr. Penguin will, of course, wear a top hat (page 31) while Mrs. Penguin may have to be content with pattern design E-19. A colorful apron might mollify her feelings though. Junior can wear a top hat or, since he’s a bit young, a beanie.

DUCK

STUFF UNTIL PLUMP GATHER & TIGHTEN BEFORE CLOSING TURN ENDS DOWN CUT TWO WINGS SEW WINGS TO SIDES SEW TO SOCK HERE CUT TWO OF THESE

BODY: Use foot from light colored sock. Stuff plump and round. Sew up opening in the bottom. Tie off about one-third the way down for the head. Add a stiff-necked white collar with the tabs turned back around the neck (Figure 1).

WINGS: From stiff material of the same color, cut two wings as shown. Sew one to each side of the body with tip of the wings extending down and out at the bottom to form the tail (Figure 2).

FEET: Cut two webbed feet from cardboard and two from stiff material. Sew one of each together and fasten to the bottom of the duck (Figure 3).

FEATURES: Sew a round black button onto a large circle of white felt for each eye. Make the beak from two pieces of felt and sew to the front of the face (Figure 4).

OPTIONAL: If you want to make a sailor out of your duck, add a sailor hat perched at an angle on the top of his head and the regular sailor’s collar and neckerchief. To make the collar, use a rectangle of blue material, cut a deep arc from one corner to the other, then overlap corners at the front. Embroider or paint 3 white stripes along the three outside edges—add neckerchief. The hat is made from the ribbed end of a sock. Cut off the cuff, gather rough edge together tightly and turn back the other edge about 1″. If you prefer a stiff brim, insert a piece of cardboard around the inside of the turned back section.

DOUBLE DOLL

There are any number of combinations that you might like to try for your double doll, such as Peppy and Sleepy, Suzy and Sammy or a couple of clowns. We have chosen Happy and Dumpy.

BODY: Take a tuck in the heel of the sock so that you have a straight tubular sock. Cut off the cuff. Stuff plumply and firmly and sew opening closed. Tie off the middle to divide the sock into two dolls; then tie off the head about half way down from each end (Figure 1). Do not tie tightly or doll will be too wobbly.

FEATURES: The big differences in these two dolls are the features which are exactly the opposite. Both faces have the same type of nose made by pulling a piece of the face into a ball or lump and then tying off with yarn or thread. The eyebrows are embroidered in black yarn. Happy’s eyebrows are curved in a convex manner while Dumpy’s are concave. Use large bright buttons for eyes, centering them under the eyebrows. Embroider a few tears running from Dumpy’s eyes. Dumpy has a turned down mouth made of red felt while Happy’s mouth is turned up in a big grin. Cut the two mouths identically and merely reverse the points. A few frown lines can be embroidered with brown yarn on Dumpy’s forehead (Figure 2).

HAIR: Make the hair from pom poms, choosing a style from page 32. Happy and Dumpy can be either boys or girls or one of each. Make Happy’s hair from yellow or red pom poms; Dumpy’s from black or brown. Set Dumpy’s hair lower on the head to accentuate the frowning look. If one or both heads are boys, add ears of semicircular felt to the sides of the head.

ARMS AND LEGS: Actually these are one and the same. The legs of one doll serve as the arms of the other and vice-versa. Make them from a second sock. Cut out four rectangles about twice the length of the head. Sew the long edges together and across one end. Turn and stuff lightly. Sew to the shoulders so that they hang freely. When the doll is flipped over, one pair should flop to the sides for arms while the other pair hangs down for the legs (Figure 3). Tie ribbon around the wrist/ankles.

DRESS: Make a wide flaring skirt from a pattern design on page 29. For greater contrast sew two different colored pieces together so that when the doll is flipped over a different colored skirt will appear. Add blouses, bows, hats or any other bits that you think will make the dolls look cuter.

OWL PILLOW

BODY: Use foot of a large, dark sock. Stuff firmly, but flatten it as you do. Sew opening closed. With yarn, tie off the head about one-third of the way down.

FEATURES: Sew two white felt circles fairly close together and in the middle of each sew small yellow buttons for the eyes. Make a small cone-shaped beak from shiny oilcloth and sew on just below the eyes so that eyes and nose form a triangle. Accent this triangle by embroidering a “V” just above the eyes and nose (Figure 1).

EARS: Cut four pieces as shown from the rest of the sock. Sew two together for each ear, turn and stitch to top of head, pleating the front half slightly (Figure 2).

WINGS: Cut two wings from matching felt and sew one on each side of owl. Accent with lines of white for feathers (Figure 3). To finish the owl, embroider or paint wavy lines on the body between the two wings. Also embroider claws at the bottom, curving them as if clinging to a branch of a tree. Finally add a big red bow at the neck (Figure 4). If you prefer a stuffed doll, stuff it round and plump and then add felt feet at the bottom.

HUMPTY DUMPTY

BODY: Use cut foot portion from sock. Round open edges. Stuff firmly and sew opening closed. Push stuffing around until you have a nice egg shape.

FEATURES: For eyes, sew two small circles of black felt over two large half-circles of white felt. The black eye pieces can be placed in the center, to the sides or cross-eyed to get different effects. Add eyebrows of black felt or embroider them in black yarn. A few stitches in brown yarn will serve for a nose. Cut the mouth from red felt (Figure 1).

ARMS AND LEGS: Make two arms and legs from the second sock. Cut rectangular pieces, sew along the long sides and across one end. Turn and stuff. Sew the arms to the sides of the body and the legs to the bottom. The longer the arms and legs are, the cuter your doll will be. Tie yarn or ribbon around wrists and ankles.

HAIR: Make yarn pom poms (see page 32) and sew them to the top of the head.

DRESS: From the pattern designs on page 29, make a pair of pants and tack them on Humpty Dumpty. A colorful cap can be made from pattern designs on page 31. If you decide to make shoes (page 30) bend the legs for feet, stitching the tuck.

WEENIE DOLL

Make your Weenie Doll from a dark sock so that his features really show up.

BODY: Use cut foot portion from sock. Stuff firmly and sew opening closed. Tie off one-third the length for the head (Figure 1).

FEATURES: Cut two ovals of white felt and two smaller ones of black. Sew or glue the smaller ones to the larger and sew them on the face for the eyes. Embroider eyelashes and eyebrows in black. Make a circle of red felt with a stitch across the center for the mouth. Embroider a few lines in the center of the face for the nose (Figure 2).

EARS: Cut two petal-shaped ears. Roll outer edges, hem and sew to side of head at eye level (Figure 3).

ARMS AND FEET: Cut two arms from white felt and two from cardboard. Sew one of each together, making sure you have one for the right and one for the left side of the body. Stitch to body (Figure 4). Cut two feet from black felt and two from cardboard. Sew one of each together and fasten to the bottom of the doll. Add buckles or bow to the toes (Figure 5).

CAP: Cut about 3″ from the ribbing of the sock. Gather cut edge together tightly. Place cap on head, tying a band around the cap about 1″ down from the gathers and adding a pom pom at the top (Figure 6).

HOBBY HORSE

MOUTH: Cut an oval of cardboard 3″ × 4″ and insert it in the toe of the sock. Stitch the toe of the sock to the edges of the cardboard to give the mouth shape. Embroider brown ovals, just above the mouth for the nostrils. Stuff toe firmly down to the heel of the sock (Figure 1).

FEATURES: Make eyes from tear-drop shaped pieces of black felt with tiny brown buttons in the center. With paint add a highlight of white in the center of each eye. Cut two ears from brown felt or leatherette. Fold in half and sew to the top of the head. Add a mane made from fringe or loops of yarn. Start at the top of the head over the eyes, go between the ears and down the back of the horse (Figure 2).

RIDING STICK: Push a broomstick into the sock up to the heel. Pad well all around the broomstick down to the cuff of the sock (Figure 3). Tie off tightly. Add a halter made from leatherette or oilcloth, carrying the reins to the back of the horse’s neck. Add festive pom poms and jingle bells (Figure 4).

Transcriber’s Notes

—Silently corrected a few typos.

—Some instructions reference numbered figures which do not appear in the printed edition.

—Retained publication information from the printed edition: this eBook is public-domain in the country of publication.

—In the text versions only, text in italics is delimited by _underscores_.

End of Project Gutenberg's How to Make Sock Toys, by John M. Clapper