I have got some truly shredded socks. Honestly I should have thrown them out a long time ago but habit means that I stick them in the wash and forget about the bin time and time again. Today when I was taking in the laundry from the garage I thought enough is enough.

Taking the two ankle pairs that were quite pretty but were missing large chunks of sole I set about thinking what I could do with them. There had to be something better than just putting them in the bin. *Lightbulb* I’ve been looking in shops and online for an iPod holder for my bike’s handlebars for quite a while now to no avail. They all look as if they will drop one if I hit a bump or they cost a bomb. One is definitely required though as I don’t have the skill to dig in my pockets mid-pedal to change tracks. So…why not make my own holder out of redundant socks?

The result:

I cut the sole bit off and machined the bottom of the tube closed, added some ribbon loops and some buttons and hey presto: one iPod hanger thing for my bike. A quick, useful and free make.

The other socks met with my scissors and became fingerless gloves:

The last upcycle I did today stems from my penchant for thinking “hmm…that’s almost what I’m after and it’s very cheap…lets buy it!” Then I never wear it because it’s not quite right. This will change! I took one of these ‘almost’ tops and set about it with scissors and lace. It just needed to be a bit longer in the body so it would meet the top of my jeans and with a a bit more interest to it and it would be lovely.

The end result is not perfect (cutting corners/lack of care, tut tut) but I like it and it looks fairly good I think. Just don’t look at the machining too closely or you may see a few wiggly lines of stitching, or worse.

The reason this is Upcycling the First because I have a feeling I’ll be doing a fair chunk more of it soon. I’ve done a little in the past but not really consciously before. Now however I have many ‘almost’ things to improve/various odd bits and crafty flotsam lying around and ideas are brewing. Watch this space.

Previous Post

Next Post

It’s a place for odd socks to hang out until they find their mate based on this makeover idea. Unfortunately, some socks seem to hang there forever and I eventually toss them in the trash.

However, now that Jacqueline has discovered a way to make use of these lonely socks I may never toss one again. Okay, maybe the ones with holes will still go…

Doll sized leggings from socks: a picture tutorial

(Turn them right side out and you have a pair of warm winter tights the perfect size to squeeze into a Christmas stockings…)

If you have any experience with a needle and thread you should be able to figure this out using the picture. For those less adventurous I found these stylin’ sock patterns online:

At Find a Nanny learn to make this sophisticated knit dress from a sock.

At Obsessively Stitching make pants, socks, hats, and scarves from socks.

Although they look knitted, they were actually made using a technique called nålbindning, the slower, one-needle forerunner of today’s knitting.

© Victoria and Albert Museum, London

Do some of your socks have holes in them, or do some of them never look white anymore?  Were some of them not the quality you expected and after only wearing them a short while they looked awful?

We all wear out socks and throw them away.  Next time, before you toss them, re-purpose them!

This particular pair of socks had no holes, but had little “fuzzies” on them and didn’t ever look clean to me.

I cut my worn-out socks into cleaning rags!  Here’s why:

1. There’s no way I’m going to buy rags specifically for cleaning the toilet or bathtub.

2. If you want to toss a rag after cleaning something really nasty, this saves having to use a paper towel for that purpose.  If you have enough worn out socks or other types of clothing (you can also cut worn-out pants, shirts, etc.) you can toss some of your rags without re-using.

3. I really like cleaning with thin sock rags!

4. Re-using socks (or other clothes) after they are worn out is really green!

I have been ‘repurposing’ all my life. I just didn’t call it that. I am the self-proclaimed ’Queen of Spray Paint’. I will spray paint anything. Tired of that 1990 blonde oak picture frame? Spray it. Just a couple of rules to remember; not inside, make sure it’s not real windy and put some old newspaper under the item. Then spray away. I have footstools, patio chairs, frames, bookcases , you name it, that have been multiple colors over the years. I tye-dye dingy white t-shirts. I have even done it for other people. Just because a still in good condition t-shirt – or skivvy shirt as my dad used to call them, has a little wine stain on the front. Tye-dye it. It’s not that hard. I mean hippies did it in the ’60s, what does that tell you?

So with my lifetime of repurposing,  imagine my surprise when a very good friend of mine and his cousin ( they know who they are) were embarrassed in a restaurant, in San Francisco, on the wharf, when I pulled out my eyeglass case. I, at the time, was using a white sock. Seriously. First off, it was not big and bulky. Secondly, it was white – easy to find in a backpack or purse where the insides are black, same color as the regulation style eyeglass case the optometrist gives with your new prescription. It was an only-sock, it’s other half disappeared, The washer ate it, I guess. My dining companions actually tried to act as if they weren’t with me – I was at the same table. Needless to say I am not the only person who has ended up with one sock out of a pair. What do you do with one sock? Use them in different ways. And this day the wayward sock was an eyeglass case. Just to be sure my idea was not as whacky as the two at my table made it out to be, I asked the guests at the neighboring table what they thought of my idea. They gave me a thumbs up. That’s how I remember it. But the only-sock doesn’t have to be just an eyeglass case. I have used the not so good ones for dust rags – and I feel okay just throwing out the not so good sock after it’s been used because it served another purpose. It was repurposed. I even made a friend a fancy only-sock eyeglass case with a  decorative ribbon. But it’s okay to go just-plain-Jane. I have a few examples of plain Jane repurposed socks. But as the trend catches on you will see more and more fancy only-socks making their appearances everywhere; the Red Carpet, at airports and theaters near you.

A footsie is in the sock category. This is the kind a patient gets in the hospital. It has grippers for non-skid on the bottom. This one I use to house and protect my GPS. In today’s world these are not best left on the dashboard. What do you do with it? Try to cram it into your glove box with pencils and hairbrushes and other junk that could potentially scratch or damage your treasured techno map? Just drop it in, it fits ‘like a glove’ but it’s a footsie. The other up-side to this is the grippers on the bottom keep it from sliding off the console and it does not look like an item that would house a hundred dollar  or more piece of technology, thwarting a potential break in.                                                                                           

Here is the repurposed sock as an eyeglass case. Just slip the glasses into the sock , it’ll slide down to the foot part, then you turn the crew-top over. The tightness will help keep the glasses from sliding out. Yet, easy to reach into. On the plus side, besides repurposing the sock, the ‘case’ can be used to clean your glasses, too. Eyeglass case and an eyeglass cleaner. What more could you want from an item that keeps your glasses from getting scratched?                                                                                   

All styles can be used for different purposes. This short sport sock I use as a coin holder. It rests on the console of my truck with coins in it. The no-neck sock makes It is easy to reach into when you need to grab money quickly at the drive-thru or to quickly grab some coins to give to the ‘Vietnam Vet’ with his cardboard sign at the bottom of the off ramp. It’s easier to get into than a coin purse with a latch or fumbling around in the ashtray for your spare change. Plus, if you spill your coffee or dribble your lunch while eating in the car, ta-da, you have something to wipe it up with. A coin purse and washable napkin.How can you go wrong with that?

And last but not least, is the dog toy. Although this was not an only-sock, it was an ugly sock that came in a package with multiple colors. I use ugly socks or worn-out socks as dog toys, I tie a knot in them and put them in the basket of dog toys. Well, you can see for yourself how well loved this sock is. The one on the left is pretty much the way they both started out. The one on the right is after many hours of playing. As a matter of fact this is Phoebe’s favorite item to play with. She will push past other toys in the basket to retrieve this one and bring it over for a good ol’ game of tug of war, with a human or canine friend. Recently, after I found it in several pieces, I brought out the ‘newer’ one and put her old one inside to entice her. It did, but she still wanted the old ratty one. You can see for yourself, it has certainly been repurposed.

]]> http://blog.trashbackwards.com/2012/06/21/zero-waste-household-guide-office-solutions/ Thu, 21 Jun 2012 17:50:06 +0000 Liesl Clark & Rebecca Rockefeller http://blog.trashbackwards.com/2012/06/21/zero-waste-household-guide-office-solutions/ http://blog.trashbackwards.com/2012/03/27/its-old-sock-week/ Wed, 28 Mar 2012 06:00:08 +0000 Rebecca Rockefeller http://blog.trashbackwards.com/2012/03/27/its-old-sock-week/ http://luckdiggitydog.wordpress.com/2011/11/06/old-socks-become-new-leg-warmers-thanks-pinterest/ Sun, 06 Nov 2011 18:26:07 +0000 luckdiggitydog http://luckdiggitydog.wordpress.com/2011/11/06/old-socks-become-new-leg-warmers-thanks-pinterest/ A few years ago I wore holes into my favorite socks…

I just couldn’t throw them out…so they’ve been sitting in my drawer ever since. (I know!  Don’t say it!)

Fast forward to a few days ago when I was browsing on pinterest (which I am addicted to) and I discovered a great pin from a great blog: http://www.madebylex.com/2011/10/how-to-make-leg-warmers-or-boot-socks.html

Her design uses an old sweater (which I have a few of and I plan to use for a similar project), but I decided to start with upcycling my old favorite socks.  I began cutting..

.

And…now my socks have been upcycled and put back into action and I have warm legs…win/win

this whole create or die thing has led me to start experimenting a -lot-. no idea is too retarded to try, which naturally leads to a lot of mistakes, but a lot of awesomeness as well. the other day, i had some old socks i was going to throw out, and i was just thinking… fuck. there must be something i can do with them. in fact, there is. for starters, the band part is a good hairband. but other than that… it -is- possible to make some bracelets out of them! unfortunately, i don’t really know of anyone but myself who would be interested in any of these… cept one person, probably, and you can bet your buns he’s getting one for christmas!

anyway. here are two cool ones i came up with tonight. well, and actually, how cool these are is kinda dependent on what you define as cool. i am crazy about bracelets. here’s a picture of my arm today (i’m going to start taking a pic of it every time it changes).

to summarize, top to bottom:
- “remember oral typhoid vaccine” reminder.
- piece of window insulation, from ryan.
- forget. some random rubber band.
- rubber band from produce — made in mexico.
- piece of sock.
- piece of aaron’s sleeping bag (this one is the best one. it’s fraying differently everyday).

by the way, taking pictures of your own arm, in low light, with a macro lens, is hard as hell. to come next from the old sock world, though, is a pair of arm warmers… or a thin scarf? the world is my fucking oyster! donate me your fucking old socks!

It felt good.

Below is not a pic of my pile of socks, but it is fairly representative. Except for the miniature truck, which I find odd yet slightly comforting.

Reusing household items:

Clothespins

Clothespins can be used in many ways other than hanging
garments on the clothesline. Use them to hang skirts
on wire hangers instead of buying expensive special skirt
hangers.

Use clothespins to hold potato chip bags closed. To keep
cereal fresh, fold the inner bag down and hold closed with
a clothespin.

Glue a magnet to one side of a clothespin and you have a
notepad holder for your fridge. Use one to hold grocery list.

Use the sock as a dust rag, you can slide the sock on your hand
and clean your house right up! It is great for furniture, in the
kitchen and in the bathroom too!

Another Use For Old Socks

Cut off the cuff of sock and turn inside out. Sew across bottom
and turn right side out. Slip over your Crisco oil or other
vegetable oil bottle in your cabinets and keeps from getting oily
spots in your cabinets.

Uses for Aluminum Pie Pans

Near the holiday times, I save a few aluminum pie plates large
and small (or ask a friend for some). Wash and dry these well
and fill them with different types of candies, etc., to give to
special people. One advantage is you never have to worry about
having a plate returned and silver is a holiday color!

Plastic Bags

Instead of tossing those annoying plastic bags from grocery store,
use them to line small wastebaskets thru the house. They are
perfect “pooper scoopers”. Also, they do a good job as packing
material when shipping a box of items. Another thing to use them
for is to throw vegetable peelings on them as you peel, then just
roll up the bag, and no mess!

Uses for Potato Water

Just cooked potatoes? Don’t throw the water down the drain.
After boiling potatoes, set aside the water to cool. After it is
cool – use it to water your houseplants. They love it.

Do not throw out your cereal bags. When I finish a box of
cereal, I shake out the waxpaper bag and reuse for storage, or
reuse to freeze a package of meat from the meat department.

Keeping Celery Crisp

Wrap celery in aluminum foil when putting in the refrigerator and
it will keep much longer!

Line Refrigerator Drawers With Paper Towels

Line the drawers of your refrigerator with paper towels to absorb
moisture, your fruits and veggies will stay fresher and it makes
for easier cleanup of your drawers.

Save the rind – don’t discard the rind of lemon, grapefruit or
oranges. It makes excellent flavorings for cakes, frostings and
such. Wash it well and grate, being careful not to include the
bitter white part (called pith) under the rind. Put it in a
tightly covered glass jar and store in the refrigerator.

Leftover apple, orange, or lemon rind can be put into your tea as
it’s steeping to add a wonderful flavor and aroma just like the
fancy gourmet tea blends.

Add Oatmeal to Homemade Cookies

When making homemade cookies always add 1/2 cup dry oatmeal. Your
cookies will not spread all over the pan and they will be delicious!

An empty pop can with a few pennies or washers in it. Put a
small piece of duct tape over the hole to keep the pennies in.
When dogs exhibit inappropriate behaviour, just shake the can.
It gets their attention in a hurry!