Recycling Tube Socks

**larabelle** · 03-04-2011, 04:24 PM

I have over a dozen white tub socks which were dingy gray and had lost all elasticity. I had bleached them numerous times and they were still gray. At first I thought about sewing some elastic into the top and reusing them. But they were so thin until I decided it was not worth it. They were in no condition to be donated.

So as I was thinking yesterday I thought of what to do with them. I did not want to use them as rags.

Instead I have decided to make a braided rug out of them. My dog hates to sit on the hot concrete outside on my patio during the summer. However the socks would make an ideal rug for him to sit on.

**khaski** · 03-04-2011, 04:48 PM

What a great idea! Another idea someone shared with me lately- if you live somewhere with long cold winters (like here, in NH) the elastic tops of old socks can be sewn onto the tops of mittens.....helps 'extend' the mittens, keeping cold and snow off those little wrists when jacket sleeves ride up.

**zakity** · 03-04-2011, 06:29 PM

GRANDMA' S FOUR-STRAND BRAIDED RUG

Here is a link to a "no-sew" rug.

**shortstack** · 03-04-2011, 07:50 PM

This is a totally odd niche thing to make out of them but...
I'm a K-12 music teacher and I use 10 gallon buckets upside down as frugal drums for my students to play (I got them for a couple dollars at my local donut shop/ they had icing in them) and I use mismatched tube socks with a bouncy ball tied into the end as a fun alternative to using drum sticks. The kids love to keep the beat with the sock/ ball combo

**ncarr** · 03-13-2011, 01:49 PM

lol I'm a teacher too and I use old socks as erasers for the kids to use on their individual mini white boards.

**krbshappy71** · 03-14-2011, 10:24 AM

My dogs would completely destroy a rug made out of socks. I give them holey socks, tie a big fat knot in them, and they love them as tug or chew toys.

You are very ambitious!

**shp1055** · 03-14-2011, 10:29 AM

I use them to make the inside of potholders.

**freebie** · 03-31-2011, 12:26 AM

I use old socks as a heating pad. Fill up the sock with rice, make sure you sew up holes, then sew the top up. Stick rice filled sock in microwave for one to two minutes, then put it where you need it.

**cuteoldlady** · 04-05-2011, 01:08 PM

I use old socks to cover my skeins of yarn to keep them from getting dusty (i have a fairly large stash). I have also made a mop from the socks to replace the rag mop style. just zip tied them to the mop handle and mopped away. I had that mop for almost 3 years and just replaced the socks as needed. My mother, who thinks I deprive myself, bought a swiffer mop for me. hehe - I then made replacements for it instead of the disposables. She doesnt get it, love her dearly tho. I told her next Christmas a roll of foil would be GREAT! The roll I got 2 years ago is almost gone...

.

**wanna_homestead** · 04-11-2011, 04:32 PM

Originally Posted by cuteoldlady

I use old socks to cover my skeins of yarn to keep them from getting dusty (i have a fairly large stash). I have also made a mop from the socks to replace the rag mop style. just zip tied them to the mop handle and mopped away. I had that mop for almost 3 years and just replaced the socks as needed. My mother, who thinks I deprive myself, bought a swiffer mop for me. hehe - I then made replacements for it instead of the disposables. She doesnt get it, love her dearly tho. I told her next Christmas a roll of foil would be GREAT! The roll I got 2 years ago is almost gone...http://imagesf.frugalvillage.com/editor/separator.gif

.

I remember this idea from the Tightwad Gazette...Amy got a huge roll of foil for Christmas one year, I think it may have been some sort of joke (?) but she wound up using it for like 7 years.

This is a great idea. I think this year I'm asking my mom for more practical things for Christmas! (Think she'd buy me some chickens for my dream homestead? LOL!)

**cuteoldlady** · 05-14-2011, 08:23 PM

Originally Posted by wanna_homestead

I remember this idea from the Tightwad Gazette...Amy got a huge roll of foil for Christmas one year, I think it may have been some sort of joke (?) but she wound up using it for like 7 years.

This is a great idea. I think this year I'm asking my mom for more practical things for Christmas! (Think she'd buy me some chickens for my dream homestead? LOL!)

I think the sock mop was from Amy also. I rarely have an original idea of my own!

Yes, I had told mom about the Tightwad Gazette and the foil. She (mom) was trying to make a point with me cuz when I opened it she asked "still want foil for Christmas?" I smiled big and said "LOVE IT".

I always ask for "practical" things, and mom always feels I deprive myself. Its ok. She definitely would not get chickens for me (I want some too! But Homeowners Association kinda frowns on it

). So I have learned to ask for things like books on cd or things that I have a hard time finding used. A compromise of sorts, and I tell her to NOT spend a lot of money, save it for the "kids" (now all over 18).

Good luck on the chickens!!!!