Completed in January, 2013. Made from really nice fingering weight wool (Louet Gems 100% merino). After two years of not-hard wear, this:
On inspecting my other me-made socks of similar age, made from "sock wool" i.e. wool with 25% or so nylon, they are in better shape. If I'm going to spend a lot of time hand-knitting socks in future, I'll pay better attention to the fibre content.
Anyway, since I spent A LOT of time knitting these particular ones (the most complicated/fancy socks in my wardrobe) I thought I'd spend a little time mending them.
For the record this is the first time I have ever mended socks. I knew that you can darn by sort of weaving a patch, but IMHO that's really ugly. So I did a little research. Turns out you can also darn by doing duplicate stitch, i.e. following the path of the original knitting. Even to fill in an actual hole! Here's the info. 
The finished patch is only moderately ugly. I don't know how long it will last, but it'll give these poor tired socks a new lease on life for a little while at least. 
Then I inspected the other one. Sigh. What do they say? A stitch in time saves nine ...
You did an excellent job!
ReplyDeleteYou're right--I think every skein of 100% merino should have "not suitable for socks" on the label. I knit several pair before learning that lesson. Beautiful reknitting job, however!
ReplyDeleteHow clever and what a great save, they are such lovely socks!
ReplyDeletePaton's Kroy wears like iron especially if knit on size 0 needles (U.S. needle sizing)! I usually start with size 2 for the first inch at the top, switch to size 1 for most of the rest of the top, and then to 0 for the foot.) Kroy is wool with nylon, though--definitely not merino! You did a great job saving your beautiful socks, which must have been great fun to knit.
ReplyDeleteThey are lovely socks , maybe you could put some light leather on the soles and wear as sock slippers ??
ReplyDeleteDarn indeed! I knit socks as well and don't look forward to the first time one of my socks springs a leak. Check out this link for a very cool way to remedy the situation. http://jackie-es.com/the-designing-day/repairing-a-hand-knit-sock-with-a-knit-in-place-patch.php She actually reknits the area. Very cool!
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