Ack! There's hole in all my socks!
November 30, 2011 1:59 PM Subscribe
My beloved socks have holes...what else can I do with them?
I wear these amazing wool socks. A few years back, I had the opportunity to buy 2 dozen which have served me well. But now they are all wearing out--a huge hole in the heel, so now I have a bunch of socks that are COLD in the heel, but perfectly serviceable everywhere else.
So what do I do with a couple dozen matching socks with holes in the heel?
Seems a shame to toss them.
I wear these amazing wool socks. A few years back, I had the opportunity to buy 2 dozen which have served me well. But now they are all wearing out--a huge hole in the heel, so now I have a bunch of socks that are COLD in the heel, but perfectly serviceable everywhere else.
So what do I do with a couple dozen matching socks with holes in the heel?
Seems a shame to toss them.
Here's a nice tutorial on how to darn socks.
posted by Zophi at 2:05 PM on November 30, 2011 [1 favorite]
posted by Zophi at 2:05 PM on November 30, 2011 [1 favorite]
JINX EVERYBODY.
But you could also cut up one pair of the holey socks and use those to patch the rest, if darning seems too difficult.
posted by lydhre at 2:07 PM on November 30, 2011 [1 favorite]
But you could also cut up one pair of the holey socks and use those to patch the rest, if darning seems too difficult.
posted by lydhre at 2:07 PM on November 30, 2011 [1 favorite]
Sock puppets. Lots of sock puppets.
posted by Jelly at 2:10 PM on November 30, 2011 [1 favorite]
posted by Jelly at 2:10 PM on November 30, 2011 [1 favorite]
Spend a day, just you and your socks reminiscing, taking in a walk perhaps a picnic...seriously though just wear a pair of cotton socks with no holes in them underneath the wool socks...I've done this many times and not only do your feet stay dry and warm, you extend the wear of your favorite socks.
posted by gypseefire at 2:13 PM on November 30, 2011 [1 favorite]
posted by gypseefire at 2:13 PM on November 30, 2011 [1 favorite]
I wouldn't have thought darning was difficult. I used to watch my mother and grandmother do it all the time (back before cheap socks from China and Central America), but I have never been able to successfully do it. But I was never trained. Looking at this makes me think the problem was that I was using tiny thread instead of yarn. Woolen yarn should go well with SmartWool.
If they're beloved, repair them.
posted by MtDewd at 2:23 PM on November 30, 2011
If they're beloved, repair them.
posted by MtDewd at 2:23 PM on November 30, 2011
Ball them up, give them to your pets. My dog goes nuts for a ball of old socks.
posted by 2bucksplus at 2:32 PM on November 30, 2011 [2 favorites]
posted by 2bucksplus at 2:32 PM on November 30, 2011 [2 favorites]
Darn them! Totally. I save so much money by darning socks.
If you can't darn them, consider turning them into wrist/hand warmers. Heel holes are exactly in the right place to become thumb holes.
posted by strixus at 2:33 PM on November 30, 2011 [1 favorite]
If you can't darn them, consider turning them into wrist/hand warmers. Heel holes are exactly in the right place to become thumb holes.
posted by strixus at 2:33 PM on November 30, 2011 [1 favorite]
Best answer: Do you have a crafty friend? If so, ask whether she'd/he'd be interested in making some Stupid Sock Creatures.
posted by MonkeyToes at 2:40 PM on November 30, 2011
posted by MonkeyToes at 2:40 PM on November 30, 2011
Sometimes darning a very large area doesn't turn out well and will rub strangely once it's done. I recently repaired very large holes in a pair of smartwool socks by cutting a hole-shaped circle out of a sweater I'd accidentally felted in the wash, which worked better than cannibalizing another sock because felt can't unravel . The sweater and the sock were about the same weight fabric. I used a stitch whose name I don't know but allowed the whole patch/sock meeting zone to stay flat. The finished patched looks like a simple drawing of a sun with many woolen "rays" emanating from it. I've washed and worn them a few times since then and the patches are holding up well! If there is threadbare material around the hole, I'd suggest trimming it away before attempting this method. This is only worth it for super nice socks.
posted by zem at 3:51 PM on November 30, 2011
posted by zem at 3:51 PM on November 30, 2011
Cut the foot part and make leg/wrist warmers.
Old socks are great for making sweaters for small animals. Very useful for recently spayed dogs and cats (they can't lick their incisions with a sweater on).
posted by clearlydemon at 4:20 PM on November 30, 2011 [1 favorite]
Old socks are great for making sweaters for small animals. Very useful for recently spayed dogs and cats (they can't lick their incisions with a sweater on).
posted by clearlydemon at 4:20 PM on November 30, 2011 [1 favorite]
I use them as fingerless hand/arm warmers. I had a couple of pairs that I used when I worked in a cold lab, and they worked wonderfully.
Other uses: Night time socks. I have to wear socks to bed, or my feet get cold and I get weird nightmares. YMMV, of course.
Rags. I have a couple of soft ones I use for boot polishing.
Travel. Wear them while travelling, and when they get dirty, ditch them. Less to carry back that way.
posted by spinifex23 at 5:27 PM on November 30, 2011 [2 favorites]
Other uses: Night time socks. I have to wear socks to bed, or my feet get cold and I get weird nightmares. YMMV, of course.
Rags. I have a couple of soft ones I use for boot polishing.
Travel. Wear them while travelling, and when they get dirty, ditch them. Less to carry back that way.
posted by spinifex23 at 5:27 PM on November 30, 2011 [2 favorites]
Best answer: Save them to use for especially icky little cleaning projects, like the scuzzy greasy dust behind the stove, or when the cat pukes up some partially digested mouse. Mop it up with a sock, say "thank you, loyal sock," and toss it.
posted by Corvid at 7:39 PM on November 30, 2011 [2 favorites]
posted by Corvid at 7:39 PM on November 30, 2011 [2 favorites]
This thread is closed to new comments.
posted by MtDewd at 2:04 PM on November 30, 2011 [1 favorite]