In this episode: I talk at great length about my knitting. Because sometimes it just needs to be about the knitting. The Dwarven Battle Bonnet is a huge hit with the punters. The Fibonacci Hat revealed. Apps for knitters include your basic Memo and Voice Recorders, as well as Ann Budd’s Knit Handy. (Clearly not a comprehensive list. Please add your own favorites below.)I also talked at length about the Log Cabin Socks without once mentioning the designer, Anne Woodbury. These are the needles I’ve been using all week. I like them.
Talk to me! I want to know what you do with your old hand knit socks. Or, more specifically, what you think I should do with mine. (Be nice.)
I also want to come and meet you in person. Get in touch and let’s talk about how to make that happen.
I do the Facebooks. Also the g+ and, of course, I’m still doing the twitter. Come find me!
Music by Chris Daniels & the Kings, Cool Yule, from the cd Stealin’ the Covers.
After darning them within an inch of their lives until I can darn no more, handknit socks become stuffing for owls, and other fantasy creatures.
Except it’s really been mostly owls, lately. And they’re definitely fantasy creatures when I make ’em up, button-eyes and tufted ears and each with their own story.
I haven’t had mine long enough to wear holes in them. I do plan to knit on another heel, though.
What to do with old socks has been on my mind a lot because I have a basket of them. Some get repaired. I’ve thought of cutting the tops into squares and stitching the squares together for a lap robe, kitty blanket, outside chair cushion. I’d love to hear more. I like the owls.
I haven’t had my hand knit socks long enough for holes, but I’m thinking maybe wrist warmers?
I love the owl idea, but I’d use the sock-legs for the outside mabye, not the stuffing.
OH MY GOSH, YOU ARE COMING TO TORONTO!!!!
Please, please, please do a class here and post when and where and I will be there with bells on! How exciting!
I haven’t worn out any socks. But I would make cat toys.
Cincinnati would love to have you visit! We have two active Stitch’n’Bitch groups, a Guild, and a yarn bomb group (called the Bombshells – look for them on FB). And six LYS in a forty mile radius.
Back to my Xmas knitting!
I must recommend my favorite LYS in the Boise area, Puffy Mondaes, owned by Keren Brown, located in Nampa.
http://www.puffymondaes.com/
http://www.facebook.com/pages/Puffy-Mondaes/193610620649633?sk=info
If you are going to the retreat of Cat Bordhi, this must mean you are planning to write a book! I guess the details have to stay under wraps for awhile?
Thanks for the podcast Brenda!
I’m completely attached to the Knit Like the Wind theme song. Just hearing it brings my shoulders down a little further away from my ears. I get ready to relax and forget all about the stresses of daily life. Love the show. Glad you are back!
I take the leg parts of my worn out socks and insert and sew closed a muslin bag filled with plain uncooked rice. You can heat it in the microwave or place in the freezer for a hot or cold compress. Works great.
RE: worn socks: I have 3 pair — but they are darn-able, so that’s what I’ll be doing. However, if past the darn-able stage, I suggest converting them to “wristers”, or perhaps after removing the feet, cast on in a complimentary (or complementary, depending on your taste) colour and convert ’em to a) new socks or b) fingerless gloves…or such like.
Wish I could be at P3…maybe with a windfall…
Best!
Margaret
Using the leg portion of longer socks to make fingerless gloves? I also like to leave the bits of yarn from a worn out foot for the birds…It is fun to see colorful pieces of yarn in their nests in the spring! There is a wonderful shop called The Studio in Kansas City Missouri – we would love to come see you there and take one of your classes!
FWIW – people do still use golf club head cover thingies. My Hub requested a set last year, in fact. Why your golf clubs need to be kept warm is beyond me, however – as is why anyone would golf.
Not sure that sock legs would stretch enough to be repurposed in this way. But worth a shot?
Another iPad app that I recommend is Stitchopedia. It has a substantial stitch library with instructions and picture the stitch pattern swatches. The app is updated as more swatch pics are available.
The use of old socks for golf club covers sounds way better than knitting special golf club covers. I’m with you, Adrienne.
I have cut off the toes and reknit them when the stitches are not too felted. I have yet to figure out a simple way of doing same with heels, though.
Cat toys–that’s good, too.
Uses for the cuffs of socks with worn-out toes and/or heels, after darning possibilities are exhausted:
–Use to replace knit worn cuffs on jackets, sweaters, or even sweatpants, either single thickness with the top edge toward the hand or foot; or doubled over with the fold toward the hand or foot and the top and cut edged sewn together to the garment.
–Stuff with wool roving or fiberfill and a bit of catnip for cat toys, sew ends closed.
–For fancy sock cuffs you really love, in good condition, you can pick up in a complementary or nearly matching yarn and knit down a new sock foot.
–Make wrist warmers, either as is by finishing edge, or knitting more to make new gloves or mitts.
–Seam the cut edge and use the resulting little sacks to make cozies for small electronics or make icord handles for small purses or pouches.
I wondered about the wristwarmers! I wonder if you could also convert them to yoga/dance socks.
My tennis instructor recommends using old socks as covers for your hands while holding the racket in cold weather. Very limited use, probably. Why play tennis when you could be knitting?
You can make wrist warmers with sock cuffs. Your locals living rough wpud appreciate the extra warmth.
I love your current format. The musical intro and exit. The short, frequent occurrence. The fact that it doesn’t need to be about anything in particular, as long as it is in some way about knitting. I go to a coffee shop most Saturday mornings and knit a bit, and you go with me. Perfect!
First, I forgot to post last time, but I certainly missed the theme music, so while I tried to respect your artistic choices for this season, I’m glad it’s back :-).
I have retired a few socks that were too far gone, I have a compost heap so I put them in there, but I was thinking wrist warmers (esp. to donate to the homeless – good tip) would be good, you could even put in an afterthought thumb. I love the idea of cutting them on one side to stitch into a blanket! I was also thinking electronics cases? for cameras, smart phones etc, just put a zip or velcro on the top and sew up the bottom, it gives just a little padded protection. You could also cut one side and sew two together for potholders……also good for waxing wood floors…….or sew into strips for a colorblock scarf…..I’m curious as well to hear what you will come up with from other people on the podcast.
Wristers are a great use for sock legs. Also, if you like to make knitted monsters, sew both ends of the tube (after stuffing) then knit up some arms and legs to attach and give as small gifts to kiddos!
Ooops forgot to mention stuffing with beans, sewing up both ends, and using for bean bag toss games.
thanks for the episode, Brenda, great stuff as always!
I have been toying with the idea of repurposing sock legs as extra-long cuffs for mittens or gloves, a very practical thing here on the Canadian prairie. Plus, I usually find cuffs the most tiresome bit of mitten-knitting so it’s a two-birds-with-one-stone approach.
I should say that I haven’t actually done this yet, but in my imaginary knitting, one would just cut the sock at somewhere near the heel, pick up a row of live stitches with a complementary yarn and begin the increases for the palm / thumb gusset. It works beautifully in my imaginary knitting but I’ll let you know if the real thing bears this out… I have some Wollmeise socks that are approaching the end of their lives so we’ll find out soon enough!
Cheers
Jenn
Sock cuffs could become Christmas ornaments… use them as the backgrounds/cutouts for birds, stars, hearts to embroider. Or!!! patch-work dog jackets (just thought of it!) maybe decorative dog bandana? Mine are sleeping at my feet at the moment. I’m getting into this patches idea now. Do you pic-nic, maybe place mats?
I typically advocate against hoarding, but these are small and could go into a bag until inspiration strikes.
Lovely ep ๐ wishing you many happy socks for Christmas ๐
Thanks for the podcast Brenda. And the intro – love it. Glad you are keeping it, but would always listen even if you change it.
As far as old socks go – I am holding on to mine to make a scarf. I have a few different ideas, but I like the thought that even if it twists around it would have the same design on it. I suppose a blanket would be nice also, but that would take too long.
I am so glad you are going to Cat Bordhi’s retreat. Would love to see you here in the San Francisco Bay area, but that may be a bit south for you to come on this trip.
Thanks for the info on the October 2012 retreat with Amy. Looking forward to seeing what you and Amy are going to have on the schedule and hoping that I can make it.
Have a great week!
I’m a big fan of the Log Cabin Socks. I’ve made two pair and they’re my favorite when my toes are freezing. The Twin Cities have several fantastic yarn shops. My two favorites are The Yarnery in St. Paul and Steven Be Workshop in Minneapolis. Would love to get a chance to meet you. Your podcast has accompanied me on many a roadtrip to Wisconsin.
I have used old socks for cat toys. Pour dry catnip into the sock and close the opening with a rubber band or a piece of yarn, ribbon, etc. These make great gifts for people who have cats. The wool in the socks adds to the appeal for the cats.
I haven’t worn any through yet, but when I do I am going to have a go at steeking them so I can make a blanket out of leg squares. As a bonus it is a low stress way of trying steeking (something new for me)
My mother, a child of the Depression, always used to cut off and discard the much-darned foot and knit another foot onto the leg of socks. It helps if your socks are always knit from the same color! Hers were not, of course, but we hid the schizophrenic socks in our boots, so it all worked out.
(1) I haven’t worn out socks enough to know for sure, but my first thought is to put the lowest good row of leg stitches onto a needle and knit down another foot (and then remove the bad foot stitches. That is, if I still love the socks and am sad to see them go.
(2) Didn’t you say that you’d put photos of the Fibonacci Hat up on Rav? Your most recently added project is from July…
(3) Thanks for bringing back the intro music. Love it.
(4) I think I’ve not mentioned this before, but the phrase “if you’re cold, put on a sweater, that’s what they’re for” gets a lot of play in my house—from the non-knitters, who remind me of your instructions!
I loved the little LYS right in the flash part of Boise when I was there in 2005, but it looks like it’s either moved or changed owners…Twisted Ewe looks to be in the area I remember it, but I’m sure that wasn’t the name. (Ewephoria, just a couple towns over I still vividly recall, but they were tiny and didn’t seem set up for classes.)
Nice morning listening to your podcast, though now I’m homesick for all the good knitting fun around Seattle!
As for worn out socks…maybe a local animal shelter would find them useful for motherless puppies who need to stay warm? A bit of felt sewn on the bottom and you could have cup cozies with in built coasters. Depending on the size and styles you could connect several different ones and make some mismatched legwarmers!
And, for what it’s worth, I really love the bookending of ‘knit like the wind’ and ‘if your cold…’ – because I am cold and I need to knit like the wind if I ever intend to finish a sweater!
First, I know that Madison, WI is nowhere near where you are going when back in the US but if you get near and need a place to stay our guest room has a lovely view of the lake…
And worn our socks… if I like them enough I do as my grandmother did and cut them off at the ankle and reknit them. I use whatever matching yarn I have left and add a solid and do something interesting. I have a pair I actually like better the second time around.
Also my friend Laurie Bergren designs doll clothes and any ones that I do not want to reknit I am to send to her to be made in to doll clothes. Think slinky knit dresses and coats for dolls about the size or maybe a little bigger than Barbie.
Totally seconding the suggestion for using them as a blanket. I’d totally stuff them and use them for a blanket a la the beekeepers blanket.
Old socks… I was thinking you could sew up several pairs into a tuby scarf (after trimming off the heals and toes of course)
Your old socks:
Cut off the feet and sew all the legs end to end in a tube. Fill that with cut-off feet and scraps of yarn, or use straw or whatever until stiff. Sew the last sock to the first in a circle. Pin on a sprig of holly and hang on your front door. Merry Christmas!
When my hand knit socks wear out and the leg is still in good shape, I cut off the foot and turn the leg into wrist warmers or sew up one end to make a little pouch, ribbon can be added to make a drawstring.
I am saving worn out socks now with the intention of steeking and cutting off the foot, then steeking and cutting down the cuff to make squarish pieces, and sewing them together into a blanket. I think it will be a few years before I have enough socks to try this out, but my 13 year old daughter is a big recipient of my socks, and she’s quite hard on them.
This idea works only with old socks from cotton yarn. The original idea came from an art teacher I had. She used old cotton socks – like the sports socks you buy at the store, but knit socks from cotton should work as well.
Cut off the foot and use the ribbing, or leg part as a cuff like a wrister. Just not to keep warm, but as a paint rag for when you’re doing water colour painting outside. Loose rags get lost, left behind or blown away by gusts of wind. A cotton wrist rag is ideal for cleaning the paint brush of excess paint or water. Works wonderfully well ๐
The thing that popped into my head when I listened about old socks was to sew a bunch of the leg cuffs into a long tube like previous people mentioned above, but stuff the tube in such a way to create a door draft stopper.
Another idea for socks along the lines of the pouches people mentioned is to make lavender sachets.
Also, I wanted to mention that I love the addition of the theme song and the music at the end, because somehow it puts me more fully into the zone for listening to Cast On. Also, I am loving the frequent, short podcasts.
Finally, I think you should stop and teach a class in the Detroit area. It’s a great place to make the border crossing, not too far from Toronto. We’re pretty much on your way.
I am only on my first “drawerful” of hand knitted socks so have not tried this, but could you steek the legs and then see them into a sock quilt?
My favorite non-knitting knitting app is a ruler. I use this one: http://itunes.apple.com/us/app/ruler/id285894656?mt=8
I know it sounds odd, but it is SO helpful. And…best of all, if you make the background a light color, it’s super easy to count stitches, even in the fuzziest of yarns.
Cut and sew the good parts left of a sock into clothing for toys or the toy itself. I made large navy blue socks into a whale. Pretty handpaints make good sweaters, vests, skirts, etc. for dolls or teddy bears. Handpaints can also make the tiny bear or monkey to stuff a little person’s stocking.
True confession–I toss the worn out socks when they are past repair–but I’m inspired by the suggestions. Like a lot of listeners, I thought of wristers because I often try the legs of top-down socks on over my wrists. Also thought that they would make good “yarn bras.” I have a bunch of plastic meshy things that tomatoes come in that I put around center pull yarn balls and cakes to keep them from collapsing and tangling. More true confessions, I have been known to buy overpriced tomatoes because of the plastic meshy packaging. (The shame.) But I’m thinking old worn out socks would work fine for this.
Also, did I miss you mentioning that Cast-On is available on Stitcher, the audio aggregator? Love it! I can get right to the podcast from my phone.
I do two things with worn out socks. If possible I cut off the foot, pick up the stitches of the cuff and knit down a new foot in new yarn. Two new socks in half the time it would take me to knit two new ones from scratch, even if that does mean I have to knit them cuff down. (I do prefer toe up, too). If that’s not possible because of felting, or whatever, I cut off the foot, crochet a pretty border around the bottom of the cuff, steak a side slit for a thumb that I also crochet around, and have a nice pair of wrist warmers with minimal fuss.
Also, I too love the knit picks dpns, for exactly those reasons you said! And don’t tell anyone but I’ll be knitting golf club covers for my husband’s Christmas gift. He asked for roller skates, but he made the mistake of marrying a knitter.
I am loving “a little bit of everything.” It’s so awesome to hear KNIT LIKE THE WIND again and then the jolly guitar riff; I’ve always loved it… You cannot imagine my glee at the thought of Tonia’s MOVEMBER moves in the office, involving battle bonnet. On the downside, thanks to you, Mark is now obsessed with having his own battle bonnet. Doesn’t the New Lanark full beautifully?
I am superbly happy to hear you got the place on the visionary retreat! That is going to be AWESOME, and I think the idea of teaching the sherman toe is a great idea. I love my sherman toes after you showed me how to make them and feel that other knitters will feel the same. I don’t have many suggestions for what to do with old handknit socks; I repair all of mine and have a big love for visible mending. If they aren’t superwash and get accidentally felted, they make very good fingerless mitts.
I enjoyed the big band finish too, and Cast On feels festive and wondrous today. Thank you for producing another chapter of quality audio.
Ideas for what to do with sock tops! I recently extended the toe of a handknitted sock for my son (details here with photos http://josiehenley.blogspot.com/2011/11/extending-toe-of-sock-for-boy-with-huge.html) so there is always something to do with them even if it seems like a lost cause. If the toe has been darned to death and canโt be rescued, hereโs what Iโd do: pick up all the stitches from the top of the heel shaping (or above that if there are darned bits there, basically from wherever the sock can be rescued). Cut the yarn *after* picking up and unpick the row below โ I call it unzipping. For a toe up sock, knit a new toe right up to the point where you cut and then graft the old top onto the new toe/heel. For a top down sock, knit on from these picked up stitches to create a new heel/toe.
If you have no matching yarn to make it an invisible rescue, and youโre not the type to go crazy and have a different colour toe and top, you might like to graft two sock tops together to make a mini leg warmer or ankle warmer! Obviously youโd need two matching pairs to make one matching pair for this.
So excited you’re coming home, will defInitely catch a class in Minneapolis or Toronto! It won’t be as lovely as Wales, but if I can’t swing P3 2 then it will be a compromise ๐
I’ve been using those knit pro dpns for a few years and I love them (and also their circular ones too). Their longevity is pretty good – I’ve had one needle splinter a little at the tip, but that is all. It doesn’t really matter since there are 6 of each size in the pack.
None of my socks have worn out yet – not sure I will be strong enough to throw them away when they do.
For worn out socks – I think if the leg could be steeked or knit with a back seam they would make great squares for a throw or blanket!
A blanket must be a good idea because there are at least 3 suggestions for them, including mine. Now I’m wondering how each of you proposes to make them. My thought was to simply cut the cuff flat, and the main part of the foot if possible, lay the “squares” out in a row, machine stitch them with all the raw edges facing up, flip and machine stitch the other side so that there are two rows of stitching. Then I would stitch the long panels together in the same configuration.
I’ve been thinking about the method for blanket making myself, Mary Alice. I probably wouldn’t use a sewing machine. I’ve never liked the way sewing machines distort knit fabric. Instead I think I’d steek the fabric using crochet chains placed a few knit columns away from each other. Once the sock leg has been cut open you could pick up the crocheted chains and either crochet or use a three needle bind off to join the blocks together.
Of course, there is still the issue of how to deal with the top and bottom edges of the sock, and I’m afraid I didn’t get that far in my thought process. But if someone wants to have a go at it, and blog the process, I’d love to see the results.
Hi Brenda. A friend of mine uses worn-out socks brilliantly (in my humble opinion). I’ve yet to wear out a sock, so I can’t take credit for actually doing this myself…yet. Anyway, she cuts them up and stuffs her hand-knit toys and her hand-knit yoga bolster with them. I’ve seen the toys and bolster and it gives them a fantastic weight that fiberfill just can’t provide!
-Lisa
Hi Brenda! My Grandmother was very frugal, she cut of the feet of worn out socks and knit new feet. But her socks were actually long stockings, so I guess she saved a lot of yarn and time doing that.
-Malin
My SIL passed this idea to me. she cuts off the holey foot part (will use this part to stuff toys). The cuff portion she uses as her tea/coffee mug ‘cozy’. No need to bind off anything, stitches aren’t going anywhere. One for her and another for…me!
It’s funny you ask about socks because I’ve been facing the same dilemma. I have a thought that if I cut a straight line up the cuff to make rectangles and then back them somehow on jersey fabric so they don’t unravel – wouldn’t those make nice quilt squares? I haven’t tried this yet, or even really thought the whole backing/sewing thing all the way through. But that’s my idea!
Yay! I’d be delighted to see you in Portland, OR. ๐
I LOVE Friday Harbor, you’ll love it it’s very wonderful. Of course you must go to the Hungry Clam restaurant and buy a tee for Tanya!!
I don’t have a lot of spare sock legs, but I think they would be very wonderful some sort of tubular yarn bombing. There’s no need to worry about the edges and they can live a perfectly good second life as public art.
Glad to hear the intro again. Love it.
As for old socks, here are a few ideas which may or may not work depending on how funky the tops of the socks are:
Mug cozy
sachet
catnip sachet
seat belt cover
wrist sweatbands
cuffs for short gloves
sew several tubes together for a “snake” stuffed animal
sew several tubes together & stuff for a window sill or door draft blocker
sew bells inside for a baby rattle
**uncontrollable giggles** seriously Brenda, eat chocolate before every podcast, you were cracking me up.
Did you say you want to visit!?… I am located in the Caribbean all winter! http://Www.friendscharters.com =) or if it’s spring-summer your thinking please visit us in NH, we live in vacation land – near lake winnipesaukee, in the white mountains… We have a separate bedroom with it’s own bath in the carriage barn! You’ll love it.
I cut of the foot and knit a new one.
As I’m listening and catching up, one of the things that caught me was that you though that Movember is silly, and without knowing what it’s about, I can understand why you’d think that. It’s an awareness thing, similar to February being Women’s Health Month, mostly aimed toward cancers (and specifically breast cancer) that affect women. Movember has men around the world shaving their faces bald at the beginning and growing facial hair (mainly mustaches) to raise awareness for men’s health, mainly prostate cancer and other cancers that affect men. There are a lot of good things about it, though, I’ll admit, it also has a “silly” factor.
was looking on Ravelry for pics of the Battle Bonnet and failing. Husband wants to see your version, he’s not allowed to wear a beard in the food-service industry. ๐
WORN OUT SOCKS!?! I weave potholders from them…”recycled sock potholders”! Send them to me in Seattle, WA!
Could the legs of worn out socks be adapted to become fingerless mits? I’m in the process of making some leg warmers for a baby and can’t help but wonder if the sock legs could be adapted to this purpose. The socks could also be turned into little bags that you then put soap odds and ends in so nothing goes to waste – it’s like a loofa .
my plan for the hole (just at the ball of the heel) will be to cut out the entire shaped gusset section – leaving just the tube top and bottom – then reknit more tube to connect them – THEN…..the after-thought heel – so then theoretically I can easily remove just this heel (actually the same as a knitted toe)…. in fact I’m thinking – why not knit all future socks in this manner – tube/after thought heel – (as Elizabeth Zimmerman did years ago)….love your broadcast Brenda – thank you. Sheryl