Friday, March 30, 2007

Question of the Week and Hostess Notes

Here's a question that I asked on my personal blog earlier in the week and thought it was pretty appropriate for here.

Do you darn your socks when they develop holes or do they get tossed?

For those of you interested in darning, but don't know how, here is a wonderful tutorial. It is much easier to repair an area that looks a little thin, but hasn't quite developed a whole yet. You just do duplicate stitches. Since most holes/thin areas are on the bottom of the foot, you don't even have to have the exact yarn you used for the sock. I do darn my socks. I'm getting enough in the rotation that I don't have to do it often, but it does occasionally happen and I just can't bear to part with any of my socks just yet. And it's just part of wearing handknit socks for me.

I'll ask some questions about the More Sensational Knitted Socks book once I get my copy. Mine's on order with another book that's not released for another couple of days. Hopefully, mine will show up soon. I've heard good things!

Hostess notes: I have been better about trying to get everyone timely invitations and up on the sidebar, but there are occasional oversights. Also, I have sent some invitations out that haven't been accepted, so if you're wondering why you can't post or why you're not on the sidebar yet, this might be the case with you. Just email me and let me know; I know my email sometimes catches things like invitations and won't let them through. One more thing, I'm probably going to be scarce for the next week or two, some personal things. So if you don't get an invite immediately or I don't get your name up on the blog, please be patient with me. Thanks for your time. I can't wait to see what everyone makes from the new book!

4 comments:

Beverly said...

I haven't had to darn any socks yet. I have had to re-knit a toe due to a hole that was too large for darning. The main reason why I hang on to all the leftovers.

Margie said...

I haven't had to darn any socks either. I use the eye of partridge (slip) stitch on my heels and the heel cup (no short row heels unless they are garter stitch) or add reinforcing thread. I have some socks I've been wearing at least twice a month for 5 years. I use my leftovers in a other socks.

Dana said...

This is kind of a scary question. I love the making of the socks, but the idea of darning is...well...not as fun (to be honest). I only have a few pairs so have yet to see how well they wear. But with the price of sock yarn, I think I just may.

My mom told me that she learned to darn when she was a girl (in the '50's) but when socks got cheaper her family stopped doing it.

Karen said...

I've only had one pair of socks have the heel blow out on them. My sister gave me some of the yarn (Koigu) she used for them and I have ripped the foot out to the heel flap, but she knits tighter than I do, so I haven't reknit the heel turn and foot yet. I have enough pairs now for rotation I think I would toss them (but I might try to salvage them first).