Gauntlet, Wrist warmer, cuffs prototype.

Amongst all the usual sock making things, I've been working a new use of our waste. I just hate to throw something out. Especially faulty socks since they take as long to knit as perfectly good socks and I know the 20 micron, pure wool is wonderful. I've made cuffs out of old/faulty sock tops for years, but I have been tweeking the design of lined cuffs. "To thumb hole or not to thumb hole?" Not or maybe both.  "Use reclaimed fabric to line the cuffs and live with the variations i.e. unknown synthetic content or buy specific say feel good organic, big dollars" Ummm...?  Have been giving these babies the wear test - big thumbs up. Soft, snuggy and warm. Buggered socks never felt so good. Tomorrow I'm going to play with mismatched combinations, and see what happens. I can feel a hat thing coming to. Again using nothing but sock factory rubbish. The photo is of a couple of my marque 1 recycled sock beanies - thanks Tim and Kels!

Looking for #3- Ummmm

My mind has been flat out thinking of what can be done with old socks. Looking for #3 of "101uses for old, shoddy or lonely socks.". I found #4 to 24ish. Now I just need to find the time to make/do each idea. I've got the whole Mongrel Sock team on the job, but it won't be as easy as I first thought. Some of the great things you can do with old socks are in reality very time consuming, although it does turn out a useful new "re-lived" product. I guess thats why society leans on consumables or disposable product. By recycling our old posessions, whatever they may be, we must choose spend our spare time "in service". In service of the Earth. I think we have to act like a caretaker or visitor of the bit of ground we call home for now ( or even just the bit you happen to be standing in). Try to leave it better than when you arrived. Lets be honest, if you produce something from rubbish, so long as you don't put too high a price on your own time, it's a good thing.  We have to be more responsible with waste - across the board. Ranging from what we do with the kitty litter to the huge amounts of corporate waste generated. Time, time, time. It seems only right ( or natural justice) for Mongrel Socks the business, to take care of Mongrel Socks the trash

I digress. More time. Argh! Any way #3 is one I didn't make myself but was lucky enough to have been given.  Yep, monkey was once a pr of socks.

Corporate flowers or #2 of "101 things to do with old socks."

Obviously far too much time on my hands! I played for a bit. Using some old Mongrel Socks we make to pretty up some boring old jars, and bottles. I was a flower lady in my pre-sock lady life, old habits die hard. I just love some of the colours we make our pure wool Mongrel Socks in. Always looking for ways to recycle them, once they're done their sock dash,  and their mate's long gone, or it's one of the faulty few, who's destined never to be a fully fledged sock.
My mission is to "re-life" this passed over waste.
I aim to get to 101 things to do with old socks.
Sock lovers and fellow recyclers unite!
Any hint's or photo's (dare I ask) would be gratefully received

Socks to hats

Here at the home of Pure Wool Mongrel Socks, we are doing our best to reduce waste. It is a sad reality that when we produce our socks, sometimes the machinery chucks a wobbly and we make a few faulty socks. I just hate that because it costs the same to make rubbish as it does to make good ones. It's a crying shame to see our beautiful wool wasted. So over the years I have always packed and saved this excess in the hope that one day it might be useful for something and can be recycled. Well that day has come! I spent the best part of my day developing patterns for a new range of hats I hope to produce. I've posted a few photo's below. I intend developing these designs further, utilising knitted fabric I can't currently use, with a view to ending up with a funky (even a bit silly) range of unique pure wool head wear. The beautiful range of colours we knit our socks with,really lends itself to be shown off, not hidden under boots and shoes. Loud and proud! Wish me luck.

Recycled Mongrels

Just look what a lovely customer gave me! She's fashioned this little beast out of an old pair of pure wool Mongrel socks. The customer's name is Kate, and along with this little Mongrel, she made a couple more which flew with her to Paris, and were given as part of a wedding present. I just love my little guy, not only because he's cute, but he's proof that with a bit of imagination any thing is possible.