When those nice wool socks lose a mate, make the best of it.
Crafting can be an important part of the movement to reuse old items, and if there's one thing we all find around the house, it's spare socks. Whether you have a companion animal, a doll collection, want to practice your quiltwork or knitting, sock sweater projects will fulfill your crafting desires as well as use up old materials you'd otherwise throw away.
Animal Sweaters
Little dogs are good candidates for sock sweaters.
You can make sweaters out of socks for your small companion animals. Sometimes, a sock sweater for an animal will be just for show. Whether you make a cute sweater from a bright, colorful sock or a lacy, elegant sock, choose a style that fits the critter's personality. Other animals may require the sweater. Birds that pick too much at their feathers can wear a sweater made from a sock to keep the picking at bay. A very small dog that needs extra warmth in the winter can also wear a sweater made from one large sock, or two socks slit lengthwise and sewn together.
Doll Sweaters
Make cozy clothes for a babydoll.
A great reuse for old single socks is as doll clothing. Use old bulk-knit socks for comfy-looking doll sweaters, or slinkier socks for doll sweater-dresses. While you can get away with making a sock sweater doll outfit with a few scissor snips, fitting the sock to the doll will give the outfit a more professionally made look, so dust off your sewing machine. Use scraps from a sock you turn into a doll sweater to fashion little matching hats and slippers for the same doll.
Human Sweaters
When you have enough of them, piece together old wool socks into a human-sized sweater. The best way to do this is to cut down the length of the sock from cuff to toe, and then cut two separate squares or rectangles from the sock, one from the cuff and one from the foot. Dispose of the heel and curved part of the toe, or reuse this material in other ways. Then use the squares or rectangles of wool to patchwork together a sweater, or to sew onto an old sweater as decoration.
Reverse It
Unravel old sweaters for yarn reappropriation.
You can make socks from old sweaters instead of just sweaters from old socks. There are a couple of methods you can use for this. One is sewing very large sock shapes out of an old wool sweater, and then felting them in the dryer until they have shrunken to fit your feet. Another is unraveling a sweater made of fine sock-weight wool or cotton, and then knitting socks from the reclaimed yarn.
Related posts
Penguin crafts bring these comical-looking creatures to life."Happy Feet," "Surf's Up" and the "Madagascar" movies have popularized penguins. They are often portrayed...
Making fun paper crafts is a good way to bond with children.Paper is a versatile material that can be used in making many crafts. These crafts can be for personal use or can be given as thoughtful...
If your kids are bored with the same old crayons and paper, try a new craft idea.Everyone is looking for less expensive ways to have fun and are staying at home more and more. Craft projects can b...
A life-sized bird craft can bring a favorite bird inside to enjoy anytime.Certain birds have come to symbolize certain feelings---whether it is the joy of seeing the first robin of the spring, the...
During the Thanksgiving season, or any time of the year, if you're looking for a simple turkey craft to make, consider making one out of a paper plate. A turkey paper plate craft is fairly simple...
