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| Darning Socks |
Saturday was partly cloudy, partly sunny and the daytime high was 58F. I felt cold, but, didn't want to put the heater on during the day, although, I eventually put it on in the evening (and turned it off before I went to bed). I did a load of laundry in the morning and hung everything up to dry. Later, I ran the dishwasher partly because I haven't used it in a couple of weeks. I always turn it off once the washing cycle has completed and open the door to let the dishes air dry to save on electricity. I cooked one of the trays of chicken (made a chicken curry) and froze most of. There were 10 thighs and I kept one cooked piece out and froze the rest in packages of three pieces each. In between, I cleaned the litter box, chatted on the phone with former neighbor T, called friend R to check on her, emailed a friend and video chatted with my daughter. Brunch had been a bagel with cream cheese, dinner was leftover macaroni and cheese with chicken curry.
Sunday was Superbowl Sunday. I watched the game in the afternoon. While I watched the game, I mended two of my handknitted wool socks. I had noticed that one of my blue knitted socks had a big hole in the heel, yesterday, and started to darn it. Unfortunately, I don't have a wooden darning egg or darning mushroom; I used a fresh lemon, instead! I didn't have any matching wool, but, I used some leftover grey wool, instead, and it worked out well. I actually started mending that sock on Saturday and finished it, today, using a regular darning stitch which is similar to weaving. Then, I noticed that one of the socks I was wearing had a rather worn out heel; not torn yet, but, in need of reinforcing before it tore. I mended it, too, using the same grey wool, but, using the duplicate stitch instead of the darning stitch. I am happy I was able to mend my socks and extend their use a little longer.
I put the heater on in the morning to warm up the house and then, turned it off. Later in the evening, I switched on the electric space heater. Brunch was a toasted bagel and cream cheese; dinner was rice, green beans, chicken curry, and peach chutney.
This weekend, I am grateful for:
- Having the option of using the big gas heater to warm up the entire house or the small electric heater to warm up the area where I am sitting
- Being able to darn my socks and extend their useful life
- Working appliances
- Phone calls, video chats, emails, etc., with family and friends
- Plenty of knitted and crocheted blankets on hand to warm me up when needed
- Being able to darn my socks and extend their useful life
- Working appliances
- Phone calls, video chats, emails, etc., with family and friends
- Plenty of knitted and crocheted blankets on hand to warm me up when needed
The weekend's joyful activities included mending socks and watching football.
How was your weekend? Did you watch the Superbowl? Do you mend socks?
That brought back memories of my mother darning socks and she had a darning mushroom. It's not something I have ever done as I have never knitted socks. Very sensible to extend the life of what you already have.
ReplyDeleteIn the past, I might have tossed this pair away and knitted myself a new pair. But, these socks are 100% wool and wool has become quite expensive (even acrylic yarn has become expensive). So, I wanted to extend their useful lives as much as I could. :)
DeleteMy Gran always said that need was the Mother of invention ... so using the fresh lemon as a darning egg was brilliant! We did not watch the superbowl & no I don't mend socks but I do have one pair of socks a friend knitted for me & I return to her for repairs (lol)l.
ReplyDeleteHa, ha, yes, need is the Mother of invention! I wondered what I could use and saw the lemons in the fruit bowl. That's nice that you can send the socks to your friend for repairs as needed! :D
DeleteI am in awe of anyone who can darn. It's such a useful thing to do. I love that you used a lemon!
ReplyDeleteI've never watched the Superbowl, but I think I will try next year. It seems like it's a great occasion.
I had to take sewing classes when I was in school (it was a regular part of the curriculum, a weekly sewing class, from grade 2 until grade 8) and hated it at the time, but, darning was one of the skills we were taught. The lemon was a great substitute!
DeleteThe Superbowl is one of the biggest sporting events over here. :)
I love your idea of darning using a fresh lemon. And your stitching is so neat! Those socks will last for a good while yet. Xx
ReplyDeleteThank you, Jules; there was a lovely lemon scent while I was darning! It'll be good to get another year or two of wear from these socks. I knitted them with 100% wool and wool is quite expensive these days.
DeleteWhat a good idea to use a lemon for your darning. I still have the mushroom darning tool that was my mothers. I haven't darned any socks lately. The weather continues to be mild for a Canadian winter. We walked down to the river yesterday and out on the ice to visit a local in his fishing hut. We learned that the fish prefer dull days, and he wasn't catching any because it was sunny.
ReplyDeleteThank you, Bushlady; the lemon gave a lovely scent while I was darning! I suppose that one could use an orange, too, but, I didn't have any oranges. How lovely that you have your mother's darning mushroom! Maybe you can pass it down to your granddaughter!
DeleteI suppose it is a blessing in a way to have a milder winter, but, it's another sign that our climate is undergoing some change, isn't it? Our high today is 60F and it is warmer outside than it is inside because I am refusing to turn the heater on!
Have a beautiful day. Regine
ReplyDeleteThank you, Regine. Hope you have a lovely day, yourself, and a good start to your week. :)
DeleteI have never darned and probably won't learn how. But I am in awe of someone who can weave a hole back together. Did your socks have a nice lemony smell after you finished darning them?
ReplyDeleteI learned in school (we had weekly sewing classes from grades 2 through 8); I hated sewing when I was in school, but, I must admit that I learned the basics. These days, there are lots of how-to videos online, if you want to learn. There was a nice lemony scent while I mended the socks but the scent didn't linger. :)
DeleteIt sounds like you had a nice weekend. I didn't watch the Super Bowl but my husband did. He enjoyed it.
ReplyDeleteYou did a good job darning up your socks. I just saw a darning egg in my local Senior Center Thrift shop last week. I thought about getting it but didn't.
What I did get yesterday was a table on the side of the road marked Free. As well as 2 lamps. It is hard for me to pass up free and the table is very nice. But it turns out it's too big for the space I was hoping to use it in and I have no other use for it. So now I have a table to dispose of because I do not want to keep it if I'm not going to use it no matter how nice it is.
I am still in decluttering mode.
lol
My new neighbors cut down more bushes and trees. I can now see through to 3 pools in neighboring yards I never knew were there.
It appears the new neighbor wants just grass in the yard.
While I am over here thinking about what else I can plant to block the view created by his chain saw. :(
Thank you, Debra. :) A darning egg would be useful if there were a lot of socks to mend, but, the lemon worked well for me.
DeletePut the table back out by the side of the road with a free sign and see if someone will take it! Or, maybe you can use it outside in your patio?
Sounds like you might want to plant a hedge of some fast growing plants along your fence! Good luck!
I also darn holes in my socks. It's a great way to extend their usefulness. Using a lemon is a great idea! I have my grandmother's darning egg. I mend gloves as well. I like knitted gloves but they always get holes by late winter. I try to get those to last for the entire season.
ReplyDeleteHow wonderful to have your grandmother's darning egg! It's good to know that you mend both your socks and your gloves! It's useful to know how to mend, isn't it?
DeleteI haven't darned socks for years! They look like really lovely socks though so well worth trying to mend them. Mum used to always darn our socks. I think they were a lot better made then!
ReplyDeleteThey are socks that I knitted, Sharon, and I wanted to try and extend their useful lives. But, it might be time to start knitting another pair or two!
DeleteThose socks definitely look worth mending. I have a few pairs which get holes in the toes or heels, and I stitch them as many times as they will stand. It seems to be a common flaw with shop-bought socks and tights, but I manage to make them last a bit longer!
ReplyDeleteThank you, Lady Ella; they are what I knitted and I wanted to see if I could extend their useful lives. I am now looking at a pair of regular purchased socks with holes in the heels and wondering if I should mend them, too!
Delete