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This might be one of the easiest sock DIYs and I can’t believe that we haven’t shown you how to do this yet! You’ve probably encountered those little bean bag sort of packs that you can chill in the freezer or heat in the microwave. They’re fab because they drape so comfortably over whatever sore spot needs comfort. And they’re also a perfect sock craft, sewing optional! You really just need two things: socks and filler.
Sock-wise, all you need is a Crafty Bundle or a (clean!) old sock that lost its mate or got holey in the toes. We like styles that are little longer, especially if you want to make this a sewing-free project. If your sock is open on both ends, make a knot in one end, so you have a closed tube. If you want, you could also sew that end shut.
For filler, there are a lot of great options: uncooked rice, feed corn, buckwheat hulls, barley, oatmeal, beans! Rice and barley are the most common options. Keep in mind that their grainy smell increases when you heat up the pack, so if you prefer a less hot-cereal scent you might like to add dried herbs and flowers like lavender and rose petals or mint and rosemary. If you decide to add a scent, mix it in with the filler and let them hang out together in a closed container for a while, so the smell gets nicely infused and distributed.
Now, all you’ve got to do is fill the sock with the filler! You want to aim for half to three-quarters full, this leaves enough room for the filler to scootch around and drape comfortably. Sticking the sock in a large glass and cuffing it over the top makes the filling process easier. A funnel is useful too, but so is a heavy piece of paper folded in half to make a sort of slide. Whee!
The second and last (!) thing to do is close it up! Again, a knot works just fine, but you can sew it if you want. Cut off any excess sock.
To heat your pack up, microwave for a minute or two and keep an eye on it for safety’s sake. You might also want to stick a small glass of water in the microwave with the pack while you heat it, the moisture helps heat sink into your muscles and helps ensure nothing catches on fire.
All ready to relax! But, what do you do if you don’t have the leisure to sit still and let the pack do its work? Here’s where a long sock comes in handy. Slip your pack into a long sock and let it fall to about the middle. Then use that long fabric to tie the pack in place! This works particularly well for lower back stuff (tie it like a belt) and shoulders (tie like a sash).
Now you can relax on the go, all thanks to this quickie craft (and socks!).
by Brenna
March 29th, 2013
It’s March and that means National Craft Month! We’ve given you lots of DIY options for rejuvenating socks that aren’t good for being socks any more, but what about nylon socks and stockings?
Nylon styles can be thin and anybody who regularly wears classic stockings has experienced a ruining snag. With socks you can darn holes or cut ‘em to make arm warmers, or use them as the base of fun crafts. There’s a lot more material involved in a sock than there is in a stocking. Sure, thicker and opaque styles you can turn into arm warmers (like at the end of this DIY post), but what about those classically styled, sheer “nylons”? Dreamer Zaf gave some good tips for dealing with holes recently on the Tumblr, but what about when there’s just no saving them?
Well, conveniently I collect household hint books, and even more conveniently, I’ve got one from the 1960s (reprinted in the 1970s), back when nylon stockings were a staple. Heloise’s Housekeeping Hints is pretty much my favourite household hint resource and between this old version and later versions (she’s even on the web, now!), there are lots of ways to get some last use out of snagged nylons. They’re not that craft-oriented, but they are crafty (as in sneaky and smart!). For all of these tips, use clean nylons and cut off any lace tops (especially if they have silicone grip strips inside).
Lotsa tips after the jump!
by Brenna
March 1st, 2013
Though we do have a rather wide selection, sometimes we just don’t have exactly that stripe or pattern that you need. But a steady hand and a little patience can take you a long way. I’ve got two quickie guides on adding your own drawn details to socks and there’s a bonus DIY at the end too!
Drawing on nylon
Drawing on nylon is the easiest, so let’s start there. Say your costume needs some sort of specific pattern on the legs. A good example would be Sally from Nightmare Before Christmas. Her stitched-together legs are a huge part of costume accuracy (which maybe I’m a big nerd about). Here’s what you’ll need:
• A good reference picture (I like this one of assorted Sally parts) •
• A permanent marker—they make Sharpies in about every colour now, which is awesome! •
• white or off white tights, like the Opaque Tights •
Always test in an inconspicuous place, to make sure that what you’re using and what you’re using it on don’t hate each other. The Opaque Tights and Sharpies get along pretty well!
It is way easier to do this with the tights on, so suit up. Keep in mind there will be a little bleed through from the marker.
Now, keeping an eye on your reference image, start drawing! Try to go as smoothly as you can. Sometimes I found that the felt marker tip wanted to catch on the nylon.
Ooh, the detail really makes it. I wasn’t trying to get too-too accurate with the stitches, just going for the overall feel.
And, done! So easy! If you wanted to earn extra points, just add a blue-grey shade to ‘em with the skills you learned in DIY: Dyeing Nylon.
That’s tights, but what about socks? Join us after the jump for more tips and tricks! Read more »
by Brenna
October 26th, 2012
I’ve shown you the basics of dyeing socks and how easy it is. All you need is a box of dye and some hot water. But what about styles that aren’t cotton blends? What about non RIT dye options? Well just you wait. Nothing dyes quite as wonderfully as nylon.
You can use RIT on nylon easy. Use our search to find a white nylon style, I’ve even queued up the search terms just for you! If you’re using RIT, it’s okay if it’s a fiber blend, since this dye is made to work on cotton and nylon blends. Just follow the directions on the package, or the DIY we shared with you earlier this year. So plain ol’ black and white Ribbed Pinstripe Leggings plus some RIT in Sunshine Orange can become these Halloween-tastic orange and black leggings! The dye won’t make any difference to the black stripes, so I’m free to choose what colours I want.
What’s wonderful about dyeing socks and tights is that when you can’t find the exact colour you want for something, you can make it!
Now, there is a fiber-specific way you can dye nylon, and there’s even an option at your grocery store! Join me after the jump for more nylon transformation!
by Brenna
September 28th, 2012
It’s hard for me to believe that it’s been a year since the last yearly round up, let alone two years that I’ve been writing for the Sock Journal. A year ago our Tumblr was just starting, now we have a giant social media team (seven platforms total!) who keep you all up to date on the latest in sock news.
Because I know I am biased about what I write and nerd about, I asked my fellow Dreamers what some of their favourite posts were this year. The first one suggested was the Mother’s day post Something New for New Mothers. We’d recently introduced maternity support tights and I thought that the comfort and support wonderful tights like these give new moms might be a good match for the holiday.
Of course, you can’t talk about new moms without mentioning dads and apparently I can’t talk about poppas without squealing over how adorable wee baby socks are when they’re paired up with larger-footed midcalves. So the pictures I took for Sock Ideas for New Dads were inevitable.
The recent Deep Sea Socks post was mentioned almost in the same breath as the mother’s day post—which tells you what we think is adorable: babies and multi-legged terrors from the deepest ocean.
Also mentioned was Frills and Lace for February, which compared some recent runway trends with much more accessible options that we carry and made the argument for wearing lacy sheers in the cold beginnings of spring.
I wasn’t allowed to forget the Socks on Film post, partially because I really need to get working on a post about socks on TV, but also because I think a bunch of folks started becoming way more aware of film characters’ leg wear.
Well, those are the posts that others dug. Want to know my favourites? Join me after the jump!
by Brenna
August 10th, 2012
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