I discovered about a hundred (no kidding) unmatched socks this morning, all of different kinds and sizes. Does anyone have any idea what I can do with them before I'm forced to throw them all away? Most of them are still in pretty good shape, they just lack a partner. Thanks for the ideas! I'm open to anything.
By ramona
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+donate to a daycare for making sock puppets
+search online for sock crafts
+advertise them on Freecycle--you never know, someone may want them for a craft
Don't throw them away!
Do not throw them away! I just found a ton of ideas on this site...www.thriftyfun.com/
I would save them to wrap breakables like Christmas ornaments. Tracey in Jacksonville FL
Is it possible to match some of them up with similar socks and try to make usable pairs out of them? This would work with mens black dress socks, for example, as they are so similar and not much of the sock is really visible anyway when they are worn.
This might work with white athletic socks--match them up by type like crew socks, low cut, etc. If it really bothers you that the pairs are not matching, keep them to wear with boots--they will never be seen.
I cut off the toe end and then cut a straight line in the middle of the sock between the two cut toe ends and then put it on the swiffer. I use them just plain under the swiffer, held on with hair elastics on each side of my old fashioned swiffer. I use them once and then throw them away. After reading the earlier post I am going to start making a quilt out of them. I can't wait to start on that. I always keep some in the freezer filled with rice and tied in a knot.
Occasionally I will pour the rice out in a bowl from the freezer sock and then wash the sock and t hen dry it and then put the old rice back in. It is an ice pack or it can be put in the microwave when I need a heating pad. I usually put in in for 30 seconds or more to get it hot. It gets really hot so be careful but it feels good and the frozen version is good to treat the kids little boo boos.
Robyn
Athletic socks turned inside out are my favorite shower mitts. The fact that they are thinner than a normal washcloth really makes it easier to clean my ears and bellybutton!
I use a big woolen one on the top of my broom, on the straw part. Cut off the foot first.....It protects the 'shoulder" of the broom and doesn't scratch my car if I use it to remove snow.
Wow! You guys all rock! I love these ideas, most of the ideas I was going to post are in here somewhere. I often have this same problem, just this weekend I matched 70 plus socks and ended up with a giant pile of unmatched socks left over. And next weekend I will do it AGAIN.
Great ideas, I am now inspired anew.
www.thriftyfun.com/
This is what I submitted recently. All are great ideas.
Poor But Proud
When a family friend stayed with us, he forgot his tennis wrist "bracelet" for wiping his sweat when outdoors. I took the tops off several orphaned socks, folded the freyed edge in and he was truly grateful. I realized that in a heat wave while working outside those sock tops save the day when your hands or gloves are dirty and forehead sweat begins !
Being an elder, one common problem is incontinence, as well as getting up in the night to go. I'be used always pads, but they were too expensive at 3-4/day. I began using one or two orphaned socks in between always pads, which saved me a bunch.
When I got medicare, they gave me medicine which "retrains" the bladder, and it works. I still have a number of socks, and use them for washing the cars,floors, mirrors, windows, outdoor furniture, woodwork, polishing metal hardware, and for painting.
We have three playful cats. I use the longest orphaned socks to play with them. I saw an easy toy for them I plan to make using leather finger-strips hanging like fringe, and I just happen to have a bag of leather scraps someone didn't want.
Staining wood while wearing gloves saves the hand but doesn't help the rag to wipe it clean, but the orphan socks do!
Because the toughest paper towels are not quite tough enough for all jobs, I can count on having an older orphan sock to use for the touchest cleaning. But I don't wash the ones that have the most dirt on them, in the washer. I try rinsing them, but if they are bad enough I can afford to toss them.
I have often wondered if the tops could be somehow sewn together as leggings and winter warmers, but have yet to try. : )
Thanks a lot, everyone! Love the ideas and will definitely put them to use. And btw, my daughter came up with another one. Use the really ratty socks to stuff the dog's pillow, from the mouth of babes!
Hi: Just saw your request and you have a lot of great ideas, but, I just wanted to say that they make great dog toys - tie them together and make a tight knot. Today, it is very difficult to find dog toys made in America (everything is from China) and we need to give our dogs something safe to play with. Give them to your friends with dogs or donate to the animal shelter.
I needed to get a safety doorknob cover so my grandson couldn't open a door. I just needed one and they come in packaged in multiple amounts and no one I knew had one extra.
I happen to be going through socks and got this idea. I cut off the upper part of a cotton work sock leaving a portion of the toe end. I put this at the end of the doorknob and used a elastic ponytail holder tightly around the sock. It works perfectly. When any adults needs to open the door, we just hold the knob tightly to turn without any problems. But when our grandson would try, because he doesn't grip that hard, it just slides around.
We did watch our grandson when I first used this to sure it was secure. As with everything else in any house, he still has to be watched, since toddlers learn so quickly.
I use elastic ponytail holders instead of rubber bands. I buy them by the bag at dollar discount stores and they usually last longer than rubber bands.
If you have a damaged rubber glove(s), just cut across any portion of the glove and you can make your own custom rubber bands.
My kids grow and with that comes likes and dislikes, especially about socks. One year high socks, another year anklets --- so on and so on.
I have a BIG pile
Like others have said:
rags, mitts, and other sopping of stuff
strips to make a new item like a rug (crochet or woven)
cut them into squares and sew together to make batting then put a cover and a back (new blanket)
store shoes (ones that would scuff too easily)
fill with sand to hold things down outside like a sand bag
Well, I would use a unmatched sock for a duster. Put the end on a mop or rounded broom and you can dust the roof or ceiling fans. Also could make great dishclothes or soap holders for soap when you need it. Just buy some elastic or crochet a hanged for the sock so you can hang around you while you shower. Another idea is to use to hold your crochet needles or double pointed needles. or cut the top out and make a change purse out of the foot part of the sock. Also you could just wear the unmatched sock as feet warmers at night. Or dyed the sock to make them match. That all my ideas.
Pam G.
Alabama
You may think this is silly, but when I was a young teenager--before I learned to sew--I had several medium sized dolls, not Barbies. I didn't play with them any more, but I wanted to make clothes for them. The toe of a sock made great panties for my dolls. The stretchy part at the top made cute t-shirts by cutting two arm holes. Dresses could be made the same way as the t-shirt, just longer. I would use a needle to weave crochet thread or yarn at the waist for a belt. I also made stocking caps for the dolls by cutting the toe part and then folding or rolling the brim. A swimming suit was made by cutting the holes in the toe for the legs, then measuring to make sure the sock would go up over the bossum, then at the top of the bossum, cutting on up the sock so that there were ties for the shoulders. I didn't really do any sewing, just some creative cutting. This is something a younger child could do. I also made clothes for my little brother to put on his stuffed animals. These things weren't much by today's standards, but I had fun doing it and my dolls had lots of clothes. For a girl who was dirt poor, my dolls were never lacking for something to wear. Dianne
In addition to some of these ideas I have used I cut the foot off and slid the rest of the sock over the crawling baby's legs, up and over the knees. Extra padding for the wee one learning to get into things, also warmer for the legs.
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