Lovely Patches

I've still got socks on the brain!  Not new socks (although there were socks under the tree).  Instead I'm thinking of old socks.  Socks with holes!

Blue sock with hole in heel

My sister-in-law, who is also a knitter, tipped me off to a good a great video tutorial on You-Tube.  The instructor creates a new patch that is knitted right onto the existing sock to cover the hole.  No sewing!  It is a beautiful thing.

Now my sock is not wool and neither is my patch.  So the patch will not felt into the old sock, but at least it will once again be wearable.  I must confess, though, that I used sock yarn for the patch where the original was made in worsted.  So, I fudged the technique and had to add extra stitches to make the appropriate width.

Fixed Sock!

I do like the final product.  Hope it prolongs the life of the socks a little longer.  At the very least I can wear these socks again.  And it only took me 15-20 minutes.  How about that?!

Knitter's Lament: Not Enough Time

I'm a little disappointed in myself. The knitting has been sparse of late. I've managed to turn a heel and shape the gusset of my son's second ribbed sock. And my Blue Sprout has a little over 3" left to go before separating the sleeves from the body. As for the lace scarf . . . well, I haven't touched that since I started.

I suppose I shouldn't be too hard on myself. The last 2 weekends have been busy (birthday party and then a work-related workshop); so my free time has dwindled. The weekdays too have been a challenge now that soccer has started up. Both boys have practise twice a week--and not necessarily on the same nights.

At least I've caught up in my sewing--such as it is. Let's just say I can sew a straight line--sort of--and leave it at that. My skills are minimal at best. I've manged to make simple curtains, adjust pant hems and patch up worn-out jeans. The latter took up an afternoon last Sunday.

Usually I sew a little hem around the cotton patch and then I sew the patch over the hole. Since my hand-sewing is sloppy, I try to use the machine. Simple? Not if the aforementioned hole is in an awkward spot, thus rendering machine use rather challenging. But I persevered. The holey jeans are holey no more. My dear hubby and son can now wear their old jeans. And who doesn't love a comfy pair of jeans?