Sock Monkeys: How a Sock Became an American Icon

By: Melani Weber

Sock monkeys, that iconic American toy that people either love -- or love to hate -- began life with the Nelson Knitting Company, most likely during the Great Depression. Nelson Knitting had pioneered the techniques and machines to create seamless socks, but by 1932 their competitors had flooded the market with imitations. To distinguish their brand from the others they added the red heel, creating the Rockford Red Heel Sock.

Sometime between that year and 1951, when Nelson Knitting began including a sock monkey pattern with each pair of socks purchased, the sock monkey doll was born. Though its true origins remain unknown, interesting stories from that era abound. One story from the 40's and 50's tells of Ed Eisner, President of the Forest City Knitting Company (a Nelson Knitting Company competitor), sending 50 dozen pairs of socks to an Order of Episcopal Nuns in Wisconsin each year at Christmas time. The Nuns made dolls to raise money for their Order.

The pattern for making the dolls began to be included in 'scrap craft' magazines like "Pack-O-Fun" beginning in 1958. Once stores like Sears and Montgomery Wards began including the doll pattern with the socks they sold, the dolls were a true hit. Throughout the 60's and 70's you could find sock monkey dolls in most households that had children, because they could be enjoyed by both boys and girls. By the 1980's, though, their popularity had begun to fade.

The modern-day renaissance of knitting and craft work may have contributed to the sock monkey revival of recent years. Another contributor may be designer Paul Frank, whose fashion accessory line features a cartoon monkey named Julius, who bears a striking resemblance to a sock monkey. Frank's line became popular with rock bands such as The Foo Fighters and Weezer in the '90's, which in turn made them popular with the younger generation all over again. Since 2000 several books on sock monkeys have come out, including "200 out of 1863" by Arne Svenson, a black and white photography book featuring portraits of 200 sock monkeys from the collection of Ron Warren, who now has over 2,000 monkeys. In 2003 Cece Bell published the first of a series of children's books featuring a sock monkey, including "Sock Monkey Goes to Hollywood " and "Sock Monkey Boogie Woogie".

These days, though the original is still being sold by Fox River Mills, the successor to Nelson Knitting Company, sock monkeys come in more shades and patterns than you can imagine. Genuine Monkeez by Midwest of Cannon Falls even features monkeys in red, blue, green and orange, including one that's nearly four feet tall. Other accessories, such as nightlights and Christmas ornaments, are becoming popular with children and with their parents, who remember the sock monkeys of their childhood. So even if you've always 'hated' sock monkeys, you may fall in love with the new generation of these quirky American toys.

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Melani Weber is a graphic artist for a gift store company in Minnesota. She enjoys working with the artists whose creations are featured in that company, where she has worked for the last 22 years. See their always intriguing (and sometimes silly) work at davlinswoods.com.

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