The Socks Drawer Blog

Summer came painfully slow to New England this year, but come it has!  I just returned from a favorite long walk which took me through a wooded trail, and some wetlands. Though it was a beautiful, invigorating time of solitude and meditation, I was encumbered by my wet, muddy cotton socks and soggy feet. I love the feel of all natural cotton against my skin, and on hot summer days, it’s the fabric of sock I usually reach for. But when will I learn?  For those like me who prefer the feel of natural fabrics, there is an alternative in merino wool. Wool acts as the body’s thermoregulator, helping not just to keep feet warm in cold weather, but helping to keep feet cool in warm weather.  When shopping for warm weather wool socks, be sure to select the lightweight fabrics.  Some great brands out there to try are:

Point6

Wigwam Ener-G made in the USA

Cabela’s Lightweight Hiking Sock

Smartwool PHd Micro Running Light

So get out there and walk,  hike, run, get sweaty, muddy and wet and keep your feet happy. Enjoy the sweet, short summer.

After choosing a good pair of socks, you will want to take good care of them. As with any clothing in  your wardrobe, the right kind of care for your socks will help them to stay form-fitting, last longer, and keep them from being taken by the sock fairy:

Washing–as much as possible wash your socks according to the package instructions. But really, who does a special load just for a few socks? And let’s not abuse the earth’s water supply and energy resources just washing our socks properly. Only the most delicate of socks like silk or cashmere need the handwashing. The rest can be washed in cold water with the rest of your laundry–yes, even in cold water those smelly socks will get perfectly clean, and will retain their color when washed with like colors. For muddy socks, let them presoak or rewash them if necessary. Cold water washing will help all socks last longer and retain their shape. Dry them on low heat, or better yet, air dry them for an even longer life.

Also, to keep socks from disappearing, place them in a mesh laundry bag before washing. You could also safety pin them together. To keep them from becoming orphaned even before getting to the laundry, train all household members to pair socks together before putting them in the laundry.

Folding–Roll or fold your socks in half.  Folding one pair over another shortens the lifespan of  your socks because they will lose their elasticity, and they will become rejects much sooner.

Wearing–Ever been disappointed that you got a hole in the toe of your favorite socks? Before putting on those socks,  check to make sure your toenails are clipped short. Doing this alone will increase the lifespan of your socks several times over.

Dressing–To maintain the elasticity and lifespan of your socks, take the time to bunch up the sock, insert your toes first, and ease the sock around the rest of your foot. By all means, do not stretch the socks over your feet.

Storing–Keep socks sorted by color in your socks drawer, so the right pair is easy to find in a hurry.

Good socks are worth paying a little extra for,  and taking good care of them will give them more value as their life is extended.

So this is a post that is about socks, but not in the traditional sense! I believe in using the things around me to teach my children. Socks are a fantastic tool for learning with small children.

Here are some of my favorite things to teach children with socks!

1. Matching skills. Every small child or early toddler needs to learn how to recognize like objects and match them up. Socks are perfect for learning this skill since they come two in a pair!

2. Sorting skills. Have your child sort your socks. They can sort them by colors, by size, by pairs, you name it. Sorting is an important skill to learn and socks provide a practical way to learn and practice sorting.

3. Motor skills. Most people roll their socks after washing and drying them to store them until needed. Rolling socks is also a great way to have a child practice their motor skills.

4. Counting by two’s. Using socks is what made things click for my oldest son when he was learning to count by two’s! It was a concept he needed to visualize and counting pairs of socks did just the trick!

5. Learning to contribute and work! I believe children can and should contribute to help with household chores, folding socks and putting them away is a great way to start! It is a task that is very doable for small children, teaches them other skills, and allows them to contribute to your household!

6. Old socks are great for craft projects and imagination! You can always make a sock puppet! My kids are able to find many other uses for an old sock or a sock that has lost it’s match. My oldest son uses socks as sleeping bags for one of his small stuffed animals!

So those are some of my favorite ways to use socks for the purpose of learning! Just another unique use of socks!

Handmade socks are some what of a rare commodity these days. What was at one time, the only option, is now a treasure and an art form.

Handmade socks have all the functionality of mass produced socks.  They are often quite comfortable,  sometimes even more comfortable than other socks.  Handmade socks come in a wide variety of yarns types (fabrics), styles, colors and functions.

I have seen handmade toe socks, pedicure socks, slipper socks, baby socks, work socks, hiking socks, everyday socks and comfy cozy around the house socks!  Handmade socks can be made to meet your specific feet and your specific needs or requirements.  They can be made uniquely for you!

I love the idea of handmade socks.  I think of someone making a pair of socks for someone and what an act of love that would be!  I think about buying a pair of handmade socks and what a great way that would be to support a small business or artist. I love handmade socks, for their practicality as well as the way they allow me another opportunity to add art and fashion into my wardrobe!

If you are interested in purchasing handmade socks, I would check with your local fabric or yarn store.  I would also ask around at the farmers market.  You could check craiglist and I know that etsy.com has several people who sell handmade socks locally!  What a great way to not only find unique socks, but to also support arts and crafts and the people who are gifted in those things!

I grew up in Canada where you don’t wear your shoes in your house. It is actually considered rude. So people wear slippers. Some people bring their own and some people provide slippers for their guests. So slippers are a staple.

Slipper socks are awesome. Warm, cozy, comfortable with the utility of a slipper/shoe. There are a variety of types of slipper socks. One of my favorite pairs of slipper socks were a multi colored pair of socks in a mary jane style with a button strap and grips on the bottom.

I have also had the super fuzzy warm slipper socks, that are exactly like a sock, just warmer with the grips on the bottom. Something like this.

There are also beautiful handmade, and hand made looking slippers, in a variety of shapes and sizes.

Some of the most durable are the slipper socks that have seen are a sturdy sock with the entire bottom constructed of leather. Comfortable and sturdy. Here is an example of some cotton and leather slippers.

Another big trend right now are slipper sock boots. Very hip right now as well as functional. As with all socks, slipper socks come in every shade of color, fabric, design and style! So you can find your own unique pair of slipper socks. Get ready for that cooler weather with a great pair slipper socks!

Functional, comfortable socks!

Did you know that there are specific socks for flip flops? What a brilliant idea! How many socks have I bent out of shape trying to accomodate flip flops in cooler weather! And regular socks aren’t that comfortable with flip flops. So now they have created a unique sock just for your flip flop comforts and styles! As I said previously, brilliant!

So what is a flip flop sock? It is a sock that has one separate area for your big toe, so that there is a neat place to slip the sandal strap between your toes without scrunching up your socks into a lump under your sandal! Here is an example from flip flop style. Click here to buy a great sock for your flip flops.

Toe socks are also another great way to accommodate flip flops. The difference between toe socks and flip flop socks are that toe sock separate all of your toes, where the flip flop socks separate only your big toe from the rest. Both are very functional and serve the purpose equally well.

Flip flop socks come in all different colors and fabrics, from fleece to cotton and plain to striped(my favorite!) So you can choose your comfort and style preferences AND wear your favorite flip flops when it’s cool! Now that is a great sock idea!

There are all kinds of socks for all kinds of purposes. Nearly everyone wheres socks. They are like underwear, a staple garment sometimes not given a lot of thought. The driving factor for many is comfort. Comfort is very important, however I like to see it as an opportunity to throw a little bit of style and my own unique flavor into my day and my outfit. An exciting snippet of “me” climbing out of my shoe and peaking out from under my pant leg.

My favorite socks are those with stripes. I LOVE STRIPES! Now I do love crazy colored stripes, but I think my favorite are a little more classic. I have some wide striped socks that are chocolate brown and white. Very simple but definitely me. I have another pair I really like that are shades of gray, dark red and white with black stripes in between each color.

I like these socks because I can wear them with my regular everyday shoes and they look pretty cool. But I especially love wearing them with a sweet pair of dress shoes that show a little more of the stripes. Nothing expensive or extravagant, but the right pair of socks can really make a statement!

Some of my favorite socks with some of my favorite shoes!