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jenniferalan
11-02-2009, 12:05 AM
I have countless odd socks!! was thinking of using them to create a draught excluder like a snake or something. Would anyone have any idea how to make one?
Hate to throw these out!

nessa anne
11-02-2009, 09:03 AM
Another use I have for odd socks is I fill them with dried beans / lentils/rice heat tie or sew the top and I head them in the microwave instant heatpack for and orphan kitten and they have save many a life and the beauty with these is if you want to use them for yourself I add a drop or 2 of lavender oil

unapam
11-02-2009, 09:34 AM
What you need for this is the leg of an old pyjamas or jeans. Cut it off, turn inside out, secure one end with elastic band, turn right side out, fill with the odd socks, secure or sew end and tuck it inside.

jenniferalan
11-02-2009, 09:42 AM
Oh wow, that sounds easy to do, and I even have a pyjamas that would b perfect to rip up it is old but has a lovely pattern! Thanks unapam!

Great tip for the heat sack - I need one of those for after sport! Will let ye know how I get on :)

murphs
11-02-2009, 03:47 PM
Re Heat Packs
How long do u microwave them for?
How long do they stay hot for?
This sounds great
thanks for the tip

icklestar
11-02-2009, 04:01 PM
The snake draught excluder thing is such a great idea! I have so many odd socks and never even thought that i could do anything with them!!!

elbo
11-02-2009, 04:11 PM
Re Heat Packs
How long do u microwave them for?
How long do they stay hot for?
This sounds great
thanks for the tip

I would say about three minutes max. Try two minutes and see what its like.

Jennifer, I'm sure everyone has odd socks. I sure have. Wonder where the matching ones go?

nessa anne
11-02-2009, 04:37 PM
For the heatpacks just becarefull you dont over heat them I normaly only put them in for a 2-3mins as I am dealing with tiny kittens I sometime add a towel around them if they feel too hot
Cheers
Anne

jenniferalan
11-02-2009, 05:20 PM
Was just thinking there about these heatpacks. Would they be reusable or would the food item cook inside the sock?

Elbo, did u ever read The Place Called Here by Cecelia Aherne? She explains where all the matches of all odd socks go! It is an excellent read

jenniferalan
11-02-2009, 05:40 PM
Hi Hurl,

I thought the bit about the parallel world was a bit far fetched but I thought there were some interesting points about how we live and how our world could be made more simple (like the Amish but not as severe) just self-sufficient i guess. It made me think about how fast our lives are and how we need to slow down and enjoy life!

Just my opinion tho
Kind regards
Jen

nessa anne
11-02-2009, 05:51 PM
Was just thinking there about these heatpacks. Would they be reusable or would the food item cook inside the sock?



As I use fresh heat packs between litters I have never tested this
But I do get 4-5wks from a heat pack but I would have 4-5 on the go for one litter....hope this helps

easyliving
11-02-2009, 06:39 PM
I use odd socks for tying plants to stakes. They have give in them so do not cut into plants and are far kinder to tender plants than twine is.

I have also used larger socks to make hand puppet gloves for children. It is so easy and with just a little glue and some scraps of felt it is possible to make fun playthings.

xmillyx2007
11-02-2009, 07:09 PM
Odd socks on a coat hanger is a great way of dusting in those tight spots you can never reach your hand to...
Just pop the sock over the side of the clthes hanger and vola!
I do always wonder where the odd socks go i think these a sock fairy or something...lol

messy tessy
11-02-2009, 09:02 PM
Great protection for your knees when doing gardening or for babies when they start to crawl works wonders no more carpet burns or scratches.

Don
11-02-2009, 09:11 PM
i cut the elastic part at the top off and use them to tie my hair up when im stuck.tip from my mother in law who had 5 sons and a lot of odd socks

IRISH_iiiis
11-02-2009, 09:18 PM
Another idea would be to give them to kids to glue buttons on and material shaped noses/lips to make puppets theyd get hours of fun doing this and can make a few each...... great for rainy days... then have a puppet show!!!!

IRISH_iiiis
11-02-2009, 09:19 PM
forgot to add the wool for hair lol

reebok
12-02-2009, 08:19 AM
this probably isn't the best solution, as you have to throw them away afterwards, but I always keep a few in the bathroom, and use them to dry off/polish the loo after I've cleaned it. Then I just throw them away. (Don't like the thought of using re-usable cloths for this).
Like I say, not the greenest idea, but at least they are getting a second function before they go in the bin.
But... I have found out from doing this, that they are great for any kind of cleaning or dusting - especially awkward things, because you can wear them like a glove and really get in to the corners.

Ha ha you would think the house is spotless... when actually I've just got as far as putting all the odd socks aside...

The Mammy
15-02-2009, 10:18 PM
You could fill some with some bicarb and essential oils and shove in your drawers and wardrobes to keep things smelling fresh, or even tucked behind something as a home-made air freshener.

cheers
Also I just found this.....
http://www.wikihow.com/Recycle-Your-Socks

wells
16-02-2009, 08:20 AM
hey jen,

I fill odd sock with dried lavender and just knot the top and keep them under or near my pillow when i sleep - lavender helps you sleep. you could also do this but keep them in your drawers to make smell nice - similar to above. you could also fill with catnip and let your cat go crazy!

cavalin
16-02-2009, 08:23 AM
l thought erveryone knew! its the socky monster who lives in the washing machine, gets hungry every now and then. My big sis told me this when l was young, scared me silly for ages...cavalin

wells
16-02-2009, 08:27 AM
the socky monsters are also related to the goblins that steal lighters - pesky!

cavalin
16-02-2009, 08:42 AM
l bet both of them move things as well.

el_loco_blanco
16-02-2009, 08:55 AM
I have two uses for old socks.

1. Use them as kiddy dusters. If you have a number of kids (get some from the neighbourhood if you like) get each one to wear a sock on their hand. Then tell them you are playing a game! Give them 10 mins to run around the house rubbing the sock on all the surfaces. The kid with the dirtiest sock after 10 mins wins a prize. It is a great way to give them a sense of achievement and get some dusting done. You can give them tips to the best places for dust such as between the bannisters on the stairs or along the skirting boards etc. For dark socks where the dust cannot be seen use a mug of water to rinse the sock after. The child with the dirtiest sock wins!

2. Bigger socks make very nice plastic bag holders! You can sow on decorations, old buttons etc to make that tired old sports sock into something unique.

In relation to the draft excluder my granny in the 70's and 80's used to make them. She got an old pair of tights and filled one of the legs with the socks and then stuffed the rest of the tights in at the top and tied it off with a nice ribbon. Using wool them she would embroider a nice pattern on it.

TeresaH
16-02-2009, 10:10 AM
We have a sock monster, goblins, borrowers and even a “little green man” that gets in through the kitchen window and eats the biscuits!

Some great ideas for odd socks. I invested in a small laundry bag thing. You pop the socks into it and zip it up, the sock monster can’t seem to master the zip and so all the socks that go in come back out again. I’ve seen them in the laundry section of supermarkets and in Euro shops.

jenniferalan
17-02-2009, 11:58 PM
wow, who would have known that there are so many uses for odd socks!

Thanks for all the replies :) I'm slowly becoming more Eco-friendly everyday!

I love the idea of using socks as air fresheners for wardrobes and chest of drawers, i am a big fan of essential oils so I have a good few different types I can try out.

Great idea for having a lavender filled sock near your bed, I have terrible sleeping probs

I'm going to try out the heatpacks tomorrow and I'll keep ye updated with how I get on! :)

Thanks again,

Jen

TickTock
29-10-2010, 02:20 PM
This is a very timely thread as I am just about to clear out a load of solo socks. I hadn't even thought what could be done with them - now I've loads of ideas. Thanks everyone.

I don't know where all the socks go, but I did wonder this morning, how come I've got so many knives in my kitchen drawer, but very few forks? Where have all my forks gone?

Henriette
29-10-2010, 10:01 PM
...but it the explanation is in German. ;-)
http://www.wdrmaus.de/sachgeschichten/sachgeschichten/sachgeschichte.php5?id=2602

As you can see in the video socks can slip into the gap between the washer drum and the gasket. Once they're in there they tend to wrap themselves around the heating element, and with the continuous movement and heat they simply dissolve after some time!
After I learned what happens to our socks I always put them into a mesh wash-bag, I'm tired of buying them by the dozen! I have a whole box full of single-socks hoping to someday meet their partner again! :-D