topic Re: Darning socks in Community Chat

Darning socks

mollybgood — Mon, 17 Apr 2017 10:54:39 GMT

Have you ever darned socks? I did it once or twice way back

when I learned how to do it in an 8th grade Home Ec class

around 1960.

Re: Darning socks

qualitygal — Mon, 17 Apr 2017 10:56:36 GMT

Yes, and I have the old wooden piece that we use to put down to the toe part to make that mending easier and I've used it many times over.

Re: Darning socks

Big Sister — Mon, 17 Apr 2017 11:07:13 GMT

I never did but my mother used to do the darning, and I have the wooden piece that she used over 60 years ago. Many people would not know what it is for.

Re: Darning socks

NicksmomESQ — Mon, 17 Apr 2017 11:51:55 GMT

My mom & grandma used to do it.I never have .I don't have the time or the patience. I toss & replace torn socks.

Re: Darning socks

Blk&GoldFan — Mon, 17 Apr 2017 11:56:46 GMT

Never did, but watched my grandmother and mother do this often. While clearing out my mother's home, we found the wooden darning egg and a brand new box of darning thread and needles. I kept them! Grandchildren didn't know what a record player or record was so they were intrigued with this "new" item.

Re: Darning socks

Poodlepet2 — Mon, 17 Apr 2017 12:42:34 GMT

Funny you should bring this up@mollybgood! Knitting socks is more popular than ever among knitters and I am seeing more crochet patterns for them....sock looms abound...but NOBODY ever talks about earning them! I think I know how I might approach it with wool, but blends that don't play together so easily, I'm not sure.

So far, I have not had to darn my handmade socks, but I have always wondered. I never thought to look this one up on the net...

Are you a knitter?

Poodlepet2

knitting, machine knitting, crochet-various techniques, rigid heddle and tiny loom weaver: "Jack of all trades, and master of none!"

Re: Darning socks

Yardlie — Mon, 17 Apr 2017 12:56:50 GMT

I remember my mother or grandmother trying to teach me to darn socks as a young child. All I could think of was...why don't you throw them out and buy new ones? That's what I've always done.

I could see if money was really tight, darning would save a family money. However, I could always feel the spot where the sock was darned, and it bugged me...even though it was neatly and finely darned.

Re: Darning socks

Gram W — Mon, 17 Apr 2017 13:20:17 GMT

My mother taught me very young. Dad always said I did the best job and it became my task. We were not poor but my mother loved sewing, crocheting, knitting, etc and she taught my sister and i.

Re: Darning socks

HerRoyaLioness — Mon, 17 Apr 2017 14:43:51 GMT

I have never darned socks, but have done plenty of jeans, pants, shorts where they have a worn out area or torn in certain spot.

I do it all on the sewing machine. Been doing it ever since I learned to free motion machine quilt (with the feed dogs dropped down). One pair of my sons's jeans had torn by the pocket where he put his wallet in, and when I got done with them (this was a difficult one) I held them up and asked which side was torn, he couldn't even tell!

I've saved many a pair of favorite jeans, shorts, hunting pants, etc. this way. I consider it a challenge. Other types of sewing, besides quilting, like hemming I am NOT a fan of, but this is my specialty!!

Oh, and I do have one of those old wooden things that they used for darning socks and I use it for decore in my house!

Re: Darning socks

deepwaterdotter — Mon, 17 Apr 2017 14:44:49 GMT

@qualitygal wrote:
Yes, and I have the old wooden piece that we use to put down to the toe part to make that mending easier and I've used it many times over.

I also have my grandmother's darning egg and still use it to mend the toes of socks.

Re: Darning socks

noodleann — Mon, 17 Apr 2017 15:46:03 GMT

I have a sewing ham and a darning egg. All I need it toast!

Re: Darning socks

StraytoStay — Mon, 17 Apr 2017 15:59:13 GMT

My grandmother used to darn socks and showed me how but I was young. I think of it now if a sock gets a hole, however usually the rest of the sock has worn thin or looks as if it's not worth fixing that I throw it out.

Re: Darning socks

Kachina624 — Mon, 17 Apr 2017 21:41:24 GMT

My mother darned socks and I was taught how to do it but don't recall ever doing so. I took my dad to the ER a few years ago and as he lay on the gurney I noticed he was wearing a darned sock. I wondered if the young nurses had ever seen one.

Re: Darning socks

Lucky Duck — Mon, 17 Apr 2017 23:22:28 GMT

I remember my grandma and my mom darned socks. When my kids were little, I would darn their socks as well as my husband's socks. They never complained. I'm not sure if grandma had a wooden egg but I remember that my mom used a burned out light bulb and that is what I did.

Re: Darning socks

Big Sister — Tue, 18 Apr 2017 00:57:27 GMT

Thanks to those who mentioned the "tool" was/is called a "darning egg."

I just googled it and brought up many sites to click on.

I noticed they are available at Amazon for about $10 and at Jo Ann's they are on sale for under $5. I never thought that you could still buy one.

I'm so glad that I still have my mother's wood darning egg.

Re: Darning socks

Bridgegal — Tue, 18 Apr 2017 01:00:06 GMT

No, and neither did my mother or grandmother and I'm 70.

I can sew on a button if I have to.

Re: Darning socks

dex — Tue, 18 Apr 2017 01:35:34 GMT

Well I darn underwire.My son likes the old broken in pairs better than new.Some of his had more darned spots than fabric.I finally convinced him to get new underwire by saying that I bet homeless people have nicer underwire and he deserved them too.

Re: Darning socks

DREAMON — Tue, 18 Apr 2017 01:38:50 GMT

No ...my Mom didn't either. She hated to sew but she did like to iron. I hate both.

Re: Darning socks

ROMARY — Tue, 18 Apr 2017 01:43:51 GMT

Well, I don't know about the exact art of 'darning'; but, just yesterday, I mended one of my socks at the toe edge. I guess my toe nail poked a hole through, lol. I just used a needle and thread, and carefully mended the hole, and made it smooth, not rough edged. But, actually, the inside of most socks have a ridge, anyway. I wear most of my socks inside out, unless they are patterned. I like the smooth side against my foot and the rough side on the outside. Been doing this for years. I like cushioned socks, btw.

Re: Darning socks

Kachina624 — Tue, 18 Apr 2017 01:44:23 GMT

@dex wrote:
Well I darn underwire.My son likes the old broken in pairs better than new.Some of his had more darned spots than fabric.I finally convinced him to get new underwire by saying that I bet homeless people have nicer underwire and he deserved them too.

@dex Underwire? As in bra?