Who knew that two buttons, a pom-pom and a length of thread sewn onto a sock could bear an uncanny resemblance to your aunt Lucille？ Or that a pair of socks intended for your grandfather's feet could morph into a stuffed animal whose face and body are absolute ringers for, well, Grandfather？

The sock monkey is a classic American toy, home-crafted from a pair of a distinctive variety of knit work socks. The beloved creatures first started showing up in the arms of boys and girls in the late 1930s and have remained a popular gift for generations of children. There is beauty in the economy of their basic design: each monkey's body is fashioned from one sock, the red heel serving as the rear end and the toe as the head. The red heel is cut from the other sock and sewn onto the first to form a broad red grin.

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The iconic sock sockey-a stuffed toy made from socks-hasadorned American nurseries for generations, Each is handmade and reflects the ingenuity of an anonymous thrifty homemaker.From common threada and yarns buttons and beads,every sock monkey realizes its own endearing characteristics. Intrigued by She rance of expression of these marvelous creatures Ron Warren began a collection of sock monkeys in 1985 that now includes over 2,000 examples. In these portraits photographer Arne Svenson has cpturede the personality behind a number of these colorful lovable button eyed grining faces.