If you take a moment to think about the implications of a world that’s now populated by 7.7 BILLION people, then you might come to a very sobering realization…
…that’s an awful lot of socks to go missing on laundry day!
It’s one of life’s greatest mysteries where they all end up, but until we figure that out, here are some fun ways you can re-purpose your collection of mismatched socks. Yay!
1. Fingerless Arm Warmers
Not only are these totally cute, but the DIY difficulty level on this is “stupid easy.” All you need is a pair of scissors and a sock that your bare naked fingers won’t mind being seen with.
Just cut off the toes and make a small snip with your scissors at the heel – that’s where your thumb will go.
2. Soap Pouch Scrubbie
Snip a sock off at the ankle and stuff the foot area with a bar of soap. The rough texture of the fabric will help scrub away every last bit of dirt!
3. Mini Bean Bags – World Cup Edition
These are great for bean bag tossing games, or, you could just kick them around like a hacky sack to practice your World Cup skills.
Just fill a sock with inexpensive filler, like pinto beans, and then tie it into a knot. If you really want to get fancy, you can sew these into perfect little squares or spheres.
4. Keep Car Windows From Fogging Up
Fill a sock with clean cat litter and leave it on your dashboard. It’ll will absorb all the excess moisture, and random smells, from your car.
5. Doggy Chew Toy – Wimbeldon Edition
Hey, dogs are always stealing your socks anyways, so why not put a tennis ball inside of one and make it even more fun for them to sneak off with?
Just make sure to tie multiple knots into the sock so that your doggo doesn’t undo them all at once.
6. DIY Dryer Balls
If you suspect that your dryer (and not the washer) has been the one teleporting socks to another dimension, this might be a risky DIY.
Should you choose to accept this mission, then all you have to do is stuff a sock with a tennis ball (hopefully not the same one you just made into a doggy toy) and toss it into the dryer.
The ball will keep your wet clothes from sticking together, so it ends up drying a lot faster.
7. Chia Pet Sock
Cha cha cha chia! Remember way back in the 90’s when we didn’t even know what a “chia” was, other than a pet plant with goofy grass for hair?
These days chia seeds are sold everywhere as a superfood, but you’re nostalgic for bad fads from the 90’s, then travel back in time to chia’s original roots – via your sock.
Check out how to this chia pet sock, goofy hair and all.
8. Find Tiny Lost Treasures
Place a sock over the end of a vacuum hose and use it like a metal detector to suck up small, lost treasures, like the diamond stud earring you lost ages ago. The sock will prevent it from actually ending up inside the vacuum cleaner.
9. Coffee Mug Cozy
Here’s another great idea for a lonely sock – pair it up with a coffee mug so they can get really cozy together!
If you’re really feeling generous, you could add a few stray buttons to the family, too.
10. Store Board Game Pieces
Store the pieces to board games like Yahtzee or Monopology inside a sock, and you’ll never be puzzled over missing pieces ever again.
11. Fake Donuts – For Real!
I know what you’re thinking, why would anyone want a fake donut? Isn’t that just cruel?
Well, little girls love to play house! And these sock donuts are a perfect way for them to play with their food, without toying around at the dinner table.
Learn how to make the perfect new-sew sock donut with this tutorial. Yum!
12. Door Draft Stopper
This DIY sock stopper is your best defense against cold air that sneaks through the cracks of doors during the winter months.
Find out here how to hand-sew two socks together to make one very long, super duper door stopper. It’ll keep out the wind, leaves, and maybe even a few bugs or two.
13. Potpourri Sachet For Moths (And Humans)
Well, this brings new meaning to smelly socks!
To make a potpourri sachet, place some dried leaves, herbs, and flower petals into the foot of the sock. If the fabric has a dainty or pretty pattern, then just cut it off at the ankle and leave the top open. Otherwise, sew it up or give it a tight top-knot.
To keep moths from eating holes in your clothes, use dried lavender instead of regular potpourri, and place the sock in a drawer. It works just as well as cedar to keep the pests at bay.
14. Bean Bag Neck Pillow
You know those horseshoe-shaped travel pillows that you see at the airport or highway truck stop?
Yeah, those things are always way overpriced.
Make your own by filling a really long sock with dried beans, and then it off. If your neck and shoulder muscles are feeling particularly achy, you can pop it into the microwave for a minute to warm it up first. It feels soooo good!
15. Hobby Horse For The Kiddos
If you don’t know what a hobby horse is, it’s basically a horse’s head that’s been impaled onto a stick. On the surface that sounds like a really bad idea for a toy, but when it’s made of rainbow socks and fluffy stuff, it’s a-okay!
These instructions will show you how to make a sock hobby horse for your kiddos. Fingers crossed they don’t ask where the rest of the animal is!
16. Yoga/Dance Socks
This is basically the same concept as the fingerless arm warmer, but you’ll be making a much bigger snip at heel.
Make this non-slip by applying rubber dots to the bottom – it’ll give these babies some serious floor-gripping power!
17. Patchwork Leg Warmers – Frankenstein Edition
Ever wondered what Frankenstein was feeling when he saw his masterpiece come to life? Make this patchwork leg warmer and you’ll soon find out!
Thankfully, this mix-n-match creation isn’t all that scary, and the only cut-up pieces you have to sew back together belong to inanimate socks.
18. Baby Sock Coin Purses
Did you know that baby socks are abducted just as often as adult socks? That’s actually fabulous news, because it means you can make coin purses out of the wee little ones that get left behind!
Check out this baby-step DIY to learn how to craft these cute lil’ fuzzies for dimes and quarters.
19. Painting Buddy
Wear an old sock on the hand you’re not painting with, and use it in place of a rag to wipe away random drips. Unlike paper towels that smear paint all over the place, thick socks will absorb it.
20. Candy Pin Cushions
Make a tired old sock look sweet again by giving it a fun pin cushion makeover!
21. Baby Knee Pads
Turn an old sock into knee pads for your little one that’s still crawling around on all fours. It’ll save baby’s tender knees from getting banged up and bruised on hardwood floors.
22. DIY Duster
It can’t get any easier than this! Grab a sock and get to work dusting things around the house.
Putting your hand in the sock is totally optional, but if pretending it’s a sock puppet makes you get the chores done faster, then do it!
23. Crafty Sock Snake
This article wouldn’t be complete without mentioning the gold standard in sock crafts – the sock monkey!
But, there are plenty of other animals out there who are equally deserving of the spotlight, like this cute-n-curly snake.
24. Level An Uneven Table
Place socks of varying thickness underneath a wobbly table leg to make the playing field even.
25. Holiday Sock Snowman
This is so cute, it might make you want to un-pair a happy sock couple before laundry day – or Christmas – rolls around.
Find out how to make this no-melt snowman here.
26. Clean A Dry-Erase Board
Lost the eraser to a dry erase board? No worries, just grab a sock and start wiping away!
27. Argyle Sock Vase
As the name implies, you’ll want to find a single argyle sock to make this sock-vase pairing work.
28. Sweaters For Teacup-Sized Pups
Everyone will be cooing over your pooch when you dress them up in this tiny sock sweater and matching cap!
For obvious reasons, this project works best on tiny dogs.
29. Computer Wrist Rest
Instead of buying the gel-filled kind from the office supply store, make your own ergonomically-correct wrist rest by filling a sock with some rice. Your future tendinitis will thank you!
30. Drawstring Sock Sacks
You can use this to store all sorts of little treasures. All you need is a sock, some scissors, a string, and a thread and needle.
Check out the full tutorial here.
Be sure to watch the video at the end of this article to learn how to transform a lonely sock into a reusable Swiffer cloth, heating pad, decorative container cover, or a”socktapus” that you’ll want to cuddle up in bed with.
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