[carver6]

Colin,
Just be glad you posted about socks and not underwear. No telling where that would have gone.
Garon

[Petal]

Hi all

I couldn't stop laughing when I saw this post!

Just yesterday it was sorting out cloths time,discarding items for rags (lots of socks, t-shirts,and yes even underwear (good cotton, just the w/bands were shot).
Well needless to say I never throw anything away. I try to find a use for it.
When I was kid I was taught to re-use everything in some way by my grand mother, who has since been gone for three years now.There isn't a day that goes by that I don't use some useful tip or advice that she taught me.At times I have to remember that she's gone and I can't just call her up.Guess she's watching over me.

To begin with, the socks. Great for stuffing the monkey style dolls that are made by sewers and crafters.Wool socks cut in different shapes help under heavy things you move alot but can't really lift.Heavy wool (work socks)or cotton socks with the padded foot are great for moving narrow legged furniture. Helps prevent scratches on wood floors. Rags are mostly cotton and as Colin said they are great for stains and cleaning up.Good for checking the oil in your car too.Some faux textured wall painters use them for all kinds of effects.
But what I am doing right now is cutting up the t-shirts on the bias. (round,most t-shirts as you know have no side seams)cut in strips of an inch or so, pull tight (it will roll in upon it self).Now you could use these to tie up plants,or for gentle tie clamps in the shop.Loop them around carvings that aren't finished yet and hang them from a nail in the shop to get them out of the way.
What I'm doing now is crocheting them into pot holders, heat mats, and rag-rugs.
I laugh at this because now in theToronto’s high end craft shops,rag crafts and rag-rugs are all the rage. Funny isn’t it , all that was once old is new again.
Wish I could do this.Say, re-invent myself every five years or so. Ha ha

If you find a way to reuse things it stays out of the land fill and I like that. Out of site, out of mind. We all waste too much.( not preaching).
Sorry about the blab blab, you can wake up now.
Petal

[Mryooper]

Not to go to off the subect , but lint from the dryers makes good compost and bird nest building material. Just lay it out in the yard at nature will take over. Even the red squirrels and greys will use it.

[Hisart]

Wow, all this interesting info about old foot covers. I guess I can use this info so I'll sock it away for later!

As for the rice in a sock, uncooked please! Boy does it work too!

[Paul_Guraedy]

At the risk of continuing this thread for too long, I was advised last week of another use for old socks. I was carving with Debbe Edwards and had reached the stage of "gouging" in the hair. I had been using a vise for most of the carving; but, wanted to rock back and be comfortable. She saw me rubbing the inside of the wrist that was holding the carving. I told her that I should have planned the gouging so that a smooth area stayed near my wrist until the last stages.

Debbe said that a lady who had taken this course the week before took an old sock, cut off the toe area so that her fingers were free, cut a hole in the heel area for her thumb and was provided with protection from the gouged ridges.

[Colin_Partridge]

I cant believe that this post is still going. Just wanted everyone to know I got quite a chuckle out how everyone had some comment. Never in my wildest dreams did I think this post would go this way when I posted it. Just goes to show you how imaginitive woodcarvers really are. I now have to add my little thing about old socks. When I was a child when I got a cold my mother would put Vicks on my throat and pin a dirty old wool sock around my neck.(It had to be a dirty sock she told me). You know something she is now 85 years young and still says that it really works. I dont know if it does or not but I dont remember misssing many days of school.
Colin

[wade clark]

Colin,
Some of us wouldn't think of going to bed without a dirty sock near by...not me of course, but some of us!
Wade