By Chelsea Meyer
Rock River Current
Get our newsletter
ROCKFORD — From the 1870s until the 1990s, a Rockford knitting company played an important role in the creation of Nelson the Sock Monkey. Made by the famous red-heeled socks that fabricate its body, the iconic sock monkey was born in the Great Depression era right here at Nelson’s Knitting Co. in Rockford.
Midway Village Museum offers a huge variety of sock monkeys, some brand new and some vintage. Have you ever wanted to make your own sock monkey? Now you can at Midway Village’s Sock Monkey Making Workshops from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. on March 12.
With guided instruction, visitors will sew their own sock monkey and have the opportunity to attend an hourlong presentation of the sock monkey doll given by a costumed history interpreter.
Guided tours of the exhibit “The Missing Link: Socks, Monkeys, and Rockford’s Industrial Past” are part of this special event.
The cost is $30 per person or $25 if you’re a museum member and includes one sock monkey making kit, instructions, exhibit tour, and a presentation.
If you are interested in attending, all visitors and museum members may register in advance at midwayvillage.com.