Finally, a project that did not take me a week (and longer)
to complete - so I thought it would be safe to suggest to
other people that they try it if they find
stocking potatoes as funny as I do.
You will need
- Nylon stockings/pantyhose (old/laddered is great)
- Stuffing
- Needle and light-colored thread.
Step 1Cut a length of the stocking so that it is a tube. The length doesn't matter - obviously the longer it is, the bigger the potato will be.
Step 2
- Cut a length of thread (at least a yard and a half), double it through the needle and knot the end.
- Sew a coarse running stitch about a quarter inch from the top opening of the tube.
Step 3
When you have sewn all round the top opening and returned to the knot, pull the thread tight.
Step 4
Secure the closure by winding the thread around the puckered lump a couple times and then tying a knot, or sewing a few small stitches through the puckered lump.
Step 5
Turn the tube inside out and poke the needle through the puckered lump to the outside, a distance away from the secured opening, as shown. This is so the thread is in position for the first "eye".
Step 6
Step 6Stuff the tube as full as you like.
Step 7
Step 7To make the eye, sew a single stitch (mine was about 3mm in length) as shown, with the needle emerging roughly where the thread originated.
(Note: the other end of the potato is gaping open with stuffing spilling out but we'll come to that later).
Step 8
- Pull the thread through and re-insert the needle roughly where you poked the potato in step 7.
- Poke the needle out a distance away from this stitch, so it is in position for the second eye.
Step 9
Pull the thread tight. The stitch will form a little dimple.
Step 10
- Repeat Steps 7, 8 and 9 to make as many eyes as you want.
- When you
get boredare done, knot the thread to secure the last dimple and poke the needle out about a quarter inch from the open edge of the potato. You are now ready to sew up the open edge.
Step 11
Sew the coarse running stitch that you did in Step 2 and pull the thread tight to close the opening.
I find it helpful to stuff your finger in the opening to push down the edges.
Step 12
Secure the closure by sewing a few stitches through the puckered layers, knot the thread and pull the needle back through the potato and out again to end. Cut the extra thread off.
The finished potato.
Now make several more and play Supermarket/Farm/
Horse Ranch! If you have the right colored stockings, you
might also make onions, radishes.... but I still think the
dimpled potato is the funniest!
Thanks for this tutorial! I read your other posts first and was going to ask if the potatoes were made out of pantyhose. These look pretty simple to make, and my daughter would love to have some for her play kitchen!
ReplyDeleteOoh. I love these!!!! So cool.
ReplyDeleteI am DEFINITELY going to try these. I will search for tan-coloured pantyhoses. I assume black ones wouldn't work. :-D
ReplyDeleteThis looks more like in my time-frame! And I am quite sure my daughter would love to have this for her play kitchen and play shop. Thanks so much for sharing this!!!!
P.S.Were do you get those ideas??? I mean "pantyhose"??? Seriously, how did you work this out? :-)
Thanks for the lovely comments, ladies! Miss Muffin: this is definitely not an original idea - I remember seeing things like this all over the place when I was a child growing up. Some were potatoes, some were doll heads and so on. Very versatile, these nylon stockings! I've just never made any till yesterday! Dark red ones would make perfect beets - just tie the bottom end to make pointy roots and attach some green shoots on the top end.
ReplyDeleteHaving had these lying around the house for a day, I must share with everyone that they don't stand up to small teeth the way the other felt food does. My 10-month old effortlessly ripped holes in the nylon and ate the stuffing. So if you have small pets or teething children, best to keep them out of reach.
They're incredibly funny! J and I were laughing at how good they looked. :p
ReplyDeleteOMG, these are soooo cool! Would have never thought of it. I've made some food with felt, but never with panty hose!
ReplyDeleteValerie
www.frugalfamilyfunblog.com
These are fantastic! I've made some felt food for my daughter, but we don't have any potatoes, so I'm going to try these!
ReplyDeleteOh. my. goodness. You just really don't disappoint, do you? :-)
ReplyDeleteHello!
ReplyDeleteI really like your how to. I was wondering if I could translate it in French and add it to all the how tos as explained in my french article (http://www.petitcitron.com/index.php/form_howto.html)
Of course, your website would be quoted and there would be a link!
Thank you,
Perrine
Hello Perrine,
ReplyDeleteI couldn't find your email address so I hope you will read this comment here. Yes, you may translate this tutorial into French and link back to my blog. Thank you the invitation.
LiEr
It was very creative of you. so cute! anyway.. sidetrack: i think pantyhose can make a woman look sexy!
ReplyDeletethank you for this great tutorial, I just found it a couple of days ago.
ReplyDeleteToday I was sitting the hole evening and made a lot of potatos....
Thank you from Germany
Silke
This is adorable! My daugther loves potatoes so much, and I will be making her some today! Who wears pantyhose anyway anymore? :)
ReplyDeleteThank you it was a great help, now to make pantyhose potatoes is easy with your advice. Thanks
ReplyDeleteThis is adorable!Thank you!
ReplyDeletei just found this today-- we needed potatoes for "pretend" thanksgiving dinner :) after one evening's work, i have a dozen! thanks! i can't wait to show my daughter in the morning
ReplyDeleteThank you! I am a beginner when it comes to sewing, and that's probably a generous description, and even I can do this. Added bonus for us, with three toddlers running around, the play food often flies through the air and these don't hurt anywhere near as much as that plastic stuff.
ReplyDeleteI have made some potatoes and my boys are now making the rest. this is for the 4 year old chef in our family. I am renovating an old entertainment center into a kitchen for his Christmas present. Can't paint today -22 in Canada basement is too cold so we are making food today. How do you make the onions and radishes please would like to make those as well. Thank you so much
ReplyDeleteMrspatriciafry: your 4-year-old is going to love his kitchen! Our girls played kitchen ALL the time when they were that age. Not so much now that they're older. Sniff. Unfortunately I don't know how to make onions and radishes from stockings - I know I suggested they could be done but I'd never actually thought them through beyond filling them like the potato, omitting the "eyes" and pinching and twisting a tail and binding (wrapping tight) that with string or thread to resemble a root. Otherwise, you could google felt food (particularly felt produce) and I'm sure someone has made onions and radishes from felt. Good luck, and Merry Christmas!
Delete