The Nelson Knitting Co., the first company to mass produce socks in the world, launched a line of “Rockford Red Heel” socks in 1890. The first Sock Monkeys were homemade, created from the red-heel socks. The toys became so common that instructions for making a sock monkey were included with every pair of red-heel socks by 1920, and Sock Monkeys were popular toys throughout the ‘40s and ‘50s. Think of It! produces a faithful 20” tall representation of the traditional Sock Monkey with no sharp edges — even his eyes are rendered in embroidered thread, instead of buttons — making him suitable for small children.