Stupid Sock Creatures are what result when imagination runs wild.

Artist John Murphy started making little stuffed monsters called Stupid Creatures back in 2003 as an outlet for his off-the-wall ingenuity and a way to pay his bills. He eventually wrote a how-to book on making lovably hideous creatures from socks, and now he’s back with a follow-up, Return of the Stupid Sock Creatures: Evolutions, Mutations, and Other Creations (Lark Crafts, $17.95 in softcover).

This time he enlisted guest designers ranging from adolescents to adults, who share instructions for making wacky beasts. Murphy covers the basics of creature-making in a non-intimidating style, so budding sock artists will be equipped to take on the projects in the book or branch out with their own brand of eccentricity.

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