Fixin' holey socks without darning

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Hubby and I came up with a way to get another sock's worth of wear out of a pair that have worn out in the heel and/or toe areas. First of all, this works better with thick socks or quality regular ones - thin dress socks may be harder to make it look right, if it matters, and the material may not hold up as well. That said, the basic idea is:

1. Cut out the torn area evenly across the sock (take out what you need to, you'll probably have to take out more anyway).

2. Baste the cut sides together to hold while you see how they fit in step 3.

3. Put on sock upside down (heel area will now be in the angle where your upper foot joins your ankle and the toe seam, if it is normally over the toes, will be under them.). This is how the sock will be worn from now on. Check to see if you need to take out more fabric to make the "heel seam" lay down without undo bunching. Make any needed adjustments and firmly stitch the seam on the wrong side. Seam sealant (Fray-Chek, etc) may be used to prevent raveling if you think it will be a problem. Patch or sew up any toe holes.

4. Now, wash sock, let dry mostly and wear around a while to help stretch out the new "heel" and to make it fit better. It may take a few wearings to get the socks to fit "just right". Check to see that the toe seam doesn't irritate your "undertoes" and that the sock is long enough (this method will shorten them a bit) and enjoy knowing that you are now officially the cheapest person on your street - unless another Countrysider lives next door!

-- Soni (thomkilroy@hotmail.com), January 05, 2001

Answers

Soni,

What a great suggestion! Thank you!

Marty

-- Marty in KS (Mrs.Puck@Excite.com), January 06, 2001.


I have never paid more that 25 cents for a pair of sox with some even still in the manufacturer's wrapping or having the price tags still attached. I have gleaned probably over 50 pair free from garage sale free boxes this past season alone. It's amazing what people dispose of. The 100% cotton ones, when wore out from wear, make the best rags by cutting open through the worn area. I use white ones for dish rags, pastel ones for bathroom clean-ups and dark ones for outside use. I love 'em!

-- Sandy Davis (smd2@netzero.net), January 06, 2001.

Fixin holy socks - Pray for them?

-- sharon wt (wildflower@ekyol.com), January 06, 2001.

Oops submitted that before I was finished.

You don't have to condemn them to Hades(you know-darn them)

They can seek salvation and they will be born again into new socks.

Yes,I'm bad.

-- sharon wt (wildflower@ekyol.com), January 06, 2001.


Soni, I got a chuckle out of the last sentence! Reminded me of my father's uncle, a man I always thought of a "poor" as I was growing up, as he would come to visit my grandfather in the summer time and take him fishing. Anyway, the uncle almost always had mis-matched socks on. Found out much later when I was grown up, that he was actually a multi-millionaire, and his wife was even wealthier! He couldn't see wasting a perfectly good sock if one wore out, he would wear the remaining good one from the pair with another orphan from a different pair--didn't matter if the color was the same, or not! Jan

-- Jan in Colorado (Janice12@aol.com), January 06, 2001.


I don't bother too much with the cheap cotton ones, but I will buy holey wool socks and darn them. I enjoy it, and I love my wool socks, but I can't afford to buy the kind that cost $8.00-$11.00 a pair...but I get 'em for nearly free at yard and thrift sales!

-- Leann Banta (thelionandlamb@hotmail.com), January 07, 2001.

My mother taught me how to "fix" socks when I was very small. I watched her Darn Socks all of the time. She showed me every step. In Three easy steps you can Darn your socks too!!!

1. Hold the sock fery tightly in between your index finger and your thumb

2. Extend your arm until it is completly over the trash can.

3. Release the sock quickly and say Verbally "Darn Sock!"

Sorry, everyone. I couldn't resist! Actually, she did darn socks the real way. But she did show me this way too LOL :)

-- Jess (JLG1217@hotmail.com), January 09, 2001.


WAIT A MINUTE SONI...

don't 'cha have to FIND 'em first?

A pair of matching socks? You must be rich! :)

(:raig

-- Craig Miller (CMiller@ssd.com), January 10, 2001.


I'm afraid that I'm a bit of a sock snob. I can't stand to wear unmatched socks and am very picky about how they fit (I have very sensitive feet and most brands' "toe seam" irritates the living heck out of me) so when I find a pair that fit well, I buy several. The ones I fix are generally "fuzzy" socks, or thick farmer-type footsies.

-- Soni (thomkilroy@hotmail.com), January 10, 2001.

I do not putmy name because i feel embarrassed about what im writing. the dea is not bad but after a while socks can get so holey that it doesnt mater how you weear them. i uasually own 1 pair of socks at a time and for wa too long, when both entire heels and all the toes wear through its either that or no socks at all and i learnd its best to wear them the same or they wear down even worse and if you keep doin that your socks will be to short anyways. believe me i know the socks im wearing now have been my only ones for months and there are more holes than sock left. i learn that is best to wear as is and not to take them off in front of others.

-- (not given) (LeonDSGeeste@webtv.net), April 18, 2001.


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