Make Your Own Socktopus!
Step-by-step (pun intended) instructions for making your own stuffed-sock octopus.
- Conservation
Cephalopod literally translates to "head foot" in Greek, and refers a class of marine mollusks including squids, cuttlefishes and octopuses. What better way to celebrate a head-footed creature than by creating a socktopus!
Materials:
- 2 socks (one adult sock and one kid-sized sock)
- Scissors
- Polyester fiberfill stuffing or uncooked rice
- Tape (optional)
- Needle and thread
- Buttons or googly eyes
Step 1
Cut the heel out of the larger sock. You won't need this piece. (But if you're extra crafty, you could use it to add a fin to the tail end of your creation. Then it would be a socksquid or squid-a-sock maybe?)
Step 2
Cut the two remaining sock halves into 8 long strips. These will be the socktopus's arms.
For each arm, put the right sides of the sock strip together and sew around the entire edge, leaving one small opening. Turn the arm right side out through the opening (a chopstick will help make this easier), and stuff with your choice of stuffing.
Step 3
Now fill the kid-sized sock with stuffing, too.
Sew all the arms together to make a tight bunch. You can use tape to reinforce your stitches and help make the bunch as secure as possible.
Step 4
Insert the bunch of arms into the stuffed kid-sized sock, and sew the edges closed.
Give your socktopus sewn-on button eyes, glue on some googly eyes or draw eyes with a sharpie!
We'd love to see what you make! You can email photos of your creations to GenInfo@aqua.org or post a pic on social media and tag us.
If you're looking for creative ways to fill these at-home days, we have some kid-friendly, National Aquarium-approved ideas for crafts and activities that use upcycled and recycled materials.