Darn it!
Posted by Mountain_Answer_9096@reddit | preppers | View on Reddit | 83 comments
it's fine, you can laugh at me but one of the things I'm kind of proud of is my ability to repair my socks and other clothes in general.
I know socks aren't exactly expensive or in short supply but as I was going through my wardrobe I realised a few pairs of my socks are over 12 years old, having been repaired many times.
I got to thinking how difficult socks can be to make ( for those of us who can't knit/crochet) and how much I appreciate socks when I'm walking any distance or when it's cold and wondered how quickly I'd wear my clothes to rags if I wasn't able to repair and maintain them.
So, what do you all think about repairing your clothing? Is it something you do or want to do? How do you prep your clothing situation? do you buy for quantity, quality, longevity, ease of repair etc?
Sugarpiehoneybunt@reddit
I’ve found that when I buy medium weight wool socks, they’re soooo easy to repair using felting wool and felting on a patch. The patch is stronger than the original wool and outlasts the original sock.
Mountain_Answer_9096@reddit (OP)
That's really interesting. Is that using a premade patch or actually felting into the sock itself?
Sugarpiehoneybunt@reddit
Felting into the sock itself. I just wad up an approximate shaped piece and start felting it into the sock. I add on pieces as necessary to shape. Heel felt spots are shaped like a heel on a regular sock. 🧦 Toe patches as well.
Mountain_Answer_9096@reddit (OP)
That's a great ability to have. I assume you find it lasts well?
I guess judging how much to use to avoid lumps is a part of the skill?
Sugarpiehoneybunt@reddit
The patches are outlasting the socks 🤣 Yes lots of thin wispy added layers. Try it- it’s weirdly fun. Use a trash sock for practice and you’ll get a good feel for what you’re doing. I’m not home atm otherwise I’d shoot a picture for you.
Mountain_Answer_9096@reddit (OP)
I will. I have some felting supplies somewhere at home I believe.
I'm not at home either, but I'll give it a go when I am, thanks
sjb2971@reddit
I love sewing. I made some stuff by hand over the years but once I got a sewing machine it opened up a whole new world. I know people will point out it needs power but just the level of detail and depth of knowledge you will gain is amazing. It upgrades all the projects, even the hand work. Socks are fun. Quick and fairly straight forward. Definitely wouldn't want to Have to make them by hand.
Mountain_Answer_9096@reddit (OP)
Sewing machines are game changers aren't they? I kept my eyes open for a few years for a treadle machine and was finally able to find one to provide an off grid option. It might be worth looking at some far eastern sites as manually powered machines are still used in many places.
I have a friend who knits socks and it seems like magic to me!
ErinRedWolf@reddit
Clothing repair is a great skill to have, and I am only just beginning to learn. I’ve started looking into sashiko, because I like the idea of artistic r/VisibleMending.
I also try to splurge a little more on well-made clothes that will last a while, rather than fast fashion that will fall apart in a season.
Mountain_Answer_9096@reddit (OP)
It's great that you're learning. Don't think I'm any kind of expert, I'm really not but I can keep my clothes going for much longer, even if they're not so pretty.
If you have the ability to spend on good quality clothes it's only going to benefit you in the long run.
Open-Gazelle1767@reddit
I know how to sew with a machine, to make clothes. But I'm not very practiced at repairing things. I have several sweaters with tiny holes in them and I've been learning how to darn (thanks, Youtube) so I can repair the holes. I'm not very good at it yet. But I guess I can use the same skill to darn holes in socks.
Mountain_Answer_9096@reddit (OP)
I'm not very good at it either. I considered myself good enough at it when I saw a post on here where someone had found a pair of socks in a stash of clothes from the 1930's. I realised my darning looked like that done on the socks in the post.
If you're already learning then you're going to get it. How amazing that you can already make your own clothes!
OutlanderMom@reddit
Sewing, patching and re-working clothes is a great skill to have. I repair my husband’s socks because the last few packs I bought him shrunk up to fit an 8 year old boy. The quality is gone, and those 15 year old socks are worth fixing.
Mountain_Answer_9096@reddit (OP)
I'm glad it's not just me then! This is why I buy my socks from military surplus outlets. You can sometimes find them from over 20 years ago and for all that they've been sat in storage they're still perfectly good.
OutlanderMom@reddit
I hadn’t thought to look there, but I will, thanks for the tip. I got him some wool and alpaca socks for his work boots. But his dress socks for the office are almost beyond repair.
Mountain_Answer_9096@reddit (OP)
I'm not sure where in the world you are , but the Finnish company Varusteleka often has surplus from various countries, plus they are now producing their own lines which are very good quality. Their customer service is second to none and they ship almost everywhere.
I should really learn to make socks shouldn't I!
OutlanderMom@reddit
I’m American, but it makes me happy to know there are peppers all over the world. It becomes a lifestyle for us. For my great grandparents it was just life.
Mountain_Answer_9096@reddit (OP)
It makes me happy too. I think that whether any kind of Tuesday happens to us, the skills we are learning and keeping alive will be of benefit to everyone.
I started prepping because I simply ran out of money and had a hard time finding a job, there weren't many to be had where I grew up. When I next had a little cash I started to invest it in being prepared to run out of money again lol.
Things happen and having the resources and skills to carry you through is a huge reassurance
tw60407@reddit
I would sew any clothing except socks. I want smooth surfaces for walking so I avoid any risk of blisters. I will stock a lot of good wool socks. Grip6 socks are the best I have found so far. They are not cheap but they do last years.
Mountain_Answer_9096@reddit (OP)
I hear you and I did suffer my share of lumpy socks as a result of my own poor skills. It gets better though. These days I can make lump free repairs. This is why I'm kind of proud of myself now.
It's great when you can get socks that last though.
HotBoot3354@reddit
That's super impressive. Sewing is something I want to learn how to do
Mountain_Answer_9096@reddit (OP)
I'm sure you could. Even if all you do is pick up needle and thread and a couple of scraps of cloth, just don't be discouraged at the first results and keep going.
There are plenty of free resources out there to teach you but the main thing is to start.
RisingPhoenix26@reddit
Sewing and knitting are extremely important life skills. Skills that I do not have 😔😔 But I grew up seeing girls and women learning and teaching these things to each other in my culture. I grew up too "western" 😭
Mountain_Answer_9096@reddit (OP)
I know what you mean, I grew up the same way. Necessity made me start trying to mend things but I found I enjoyed it and was stubborn enough to keep going.
If this is a skill you'd like to learn, I'm certain you could
nsphilip@reddit
Skills are cool. Fools mock them.
BelleMakaiHawaii@reddit
I’m a fairly decent seamstress/costumer with huge bins of fabric in my studio… I’m good
Mountain_Answer_9096@reddit (OP)
Awesome! What do you make costumes for, out of interest?
BelleMakaiHawaii@reddit
I used to be big into cosplay, now it’s just a Halloween thing
Mountain_Answer_9096@reddit (OP)
That's fantastic. I used to make a lot of larp costumes and armour, so it's a subject I really enjoy. Where I live now is pretty remote, there really isn't anyone doing anything like that so there's no real opportunity except for my own amusement. I absolutely have not gone walking through the forest in a ranger outfit, nope not at all!
Hervee@reddit
I have three types of socks: 100% fine merino, 100% linen, and 95% mohair with 5% nylon in the tops. I’m careful with washing wool so socks are generally over a decade old before they need darning. I’ve got 20 year old socks. The only socks I don’t darn are the linen socks because they just get increasingly thin until they are no longer good to wear.
Many-Health-1673@reddit
I hand and machine sew repairs on jeans, load bearing equipment and hunting clothes quite a bit.
I have a pair of Cabelas lite loft coveralls that were made in the USA that you can't buy anymore that I will sew up any nicks in the fabric at the end of every hunting season.
When I was much younger, I made a DIY Heater Bodysuit out of a zero degree rated sleeping bag by adding a full length zipper on the inside and suspenders so you could shrug your shoulders out of the bag to draw your bow.
Worth the effort, because 30 years ago I didn't have $300 for a Heater Suit but I did have access to a sewing machine. I still have the bag and the sewing was gifted to me later on.
Mountain_Answer_9096@reddit (OP)
Nicely done. It's very satisfying to be able to make things isn't it? Especially when you would otherwise have to pay out a lot of money or go without. I machine sew better than I hand sew, so I made sure I had a treadle powered machine with spares. I admit I do use the electric machines more though right now
Many-Health-1673@reddit
It is satisfying to make your own. Particularly when you can make it exactly how you want. I ended up making the same bag for my FIL, because he saw how warm I was in my bag even on the coldest days.
My hand sewing is rough to say the least, but in my hunting gear I use a heavy thread that is UV resistant and made for outdoor use.
A little maintenance and repair goes a long way in the lifespan of a garment.
Mountain_Answer_9096@reddit (OP)
Very true. Most of my clothing is military surplus from around the world and most of it is good quality stuff. If you look after it, it will last many years.
I use a similar thread which I've also used as both an improvised fishing line and boot laces on a couple of occasions. It's too thick to make pretty stitches but it really works well doesn't it?
Many-Health-1673@reddit
Absolutely. I am about function over looking well, but not lasting as long.
MOF1fan@reddit
As long as Darn Tough Socks stays in business Im good to go. Great socks with a no hassle lifetime warranty, send them back and get new on return. If something ever happens to them I'm screwed. I have about a dozen pairs that I'll have to learn how to make last forever.
toolateforRE@reddit
Never heard of them before but they are so cute!!!
Mountain_Answer_9096@reddit (OP)
I've not heard of the brand, where are they to be found?
My partner has socks that have a lifetime guarantee .it's been 8 years and she's never had to invoke that warranty, no holes at all.
Sadly they are not in my size, so I have had to learn to darn.
MOF1fan@reddit
Darn Tough Vermont - Merino Wool Socks Guaranteed for Life https://share.google/sAz26ZXKDJ4uVqO9D
Mountain_Answer_9096@reddit (OP)
Thank you. A little far for postage for me sadly. These seem like the US equivalent of my partner's socks. I can appreciate why you have them!
daringnovelist@reddit
If something ever happens to Darn Tough Socks, that’s Doomsday, not Tuesday!
shortstack-42@reddit
I learned long ago how to reattach buttons, hem, patch, darn socks and sweaters, and sew from either a pattern or seam-ripped garment. It’s not only incredibly satisfying to solve a minor frustration, but it became a mindset of can-do almost anything. Which is really the mental part of prepping and just thriving at life in general.
If you’ll take advice from a fluffy old mom with plenty of glitter in her hair, practice “from scratch” as a hobby, get good and comfortable with the skill, then choose to buy readymade if you like. Skills get rusty but can be used anytime. I may buy bread most weeks, but I can make anything but croissants, puff, and filo from ingredients. I don’t have that kind of patience. I can build bookshelves and tables that will last 2 generations or more, even if I do send my kid an IKEA delivery at Xmas. I can make fabulous soup from a few pantry items and foraging in my yard…and I can save seeds and grow what I can’t forage. I can spin, dye, and weave, although my knit and crochet skills suck. And jerryrigging a “tin” roof for a fort from flattened recycling was a dare, but I could do it again if I had to. A lifetime of skills learned through the magic of “I bet I could…”
As for trying the other side of prepping subs, TwoXpreppers (I think I have that right) is welcoming of respectful XYs/others, and I find it a good space for a Tuesday prepper with fewer pounds of ammo than chickpeas.
Mountain_Answer_9096@reddit (OP)
My partner would love to talk with you. She's an accomplished crocheter, needle and loom knitter but wants to learn spinning and weaving. She could trade you for welding lessons if you like :)
Yours is the kind of philosophy we try to adopt day to day. I'm right with you on the croissant front too. Delicious but I've not dedicated the kind of time to making them that they require. I live in France, so it's too easy to buy them.
I lurk on TwoXpreppers already, but I don't really say anything.
" Fewer pounds of ammo than chickpeas" 😊😊😊
shortstack-42@reddit
My spinning days were long ago so I’m not the best teacher/advisor, but weaving is a generational thing in my family. It’s in my bones. If she can knit or crochet a pattern, she’s got the patience for weaving. You can make a simple loom from an old portrait frame and wind the weft/vertical yarn on it. A modified tongue depressor or strip of cardboard as a shuttle/yarn carrier, a sturdy comb as a heddle (squishes the weft/horizontal yard down) and you can weave a set of placemats or fabric squares in a few days. If she starts small, all you need to buy is yarn.
An inexpensive store bought loom is nicer (Flax & Twine has a pretty one), and can be searched under “frame looms”, there are nice starter kits around $200 with yarn included. There used to be a book called “A Beginner’s Guide to Off-loom Weaving”. I don’t know if it’s still in print, but a used bookstore could find you a copy if not. I see it online now.
And send her my way. Happy to chat about weaving any time. I’m currently loomless, but the Flax & Twine site has me drooling.
Mountain_Answer_9096@reddit (OP)
Thank you, very much.
I'll pass your name to her as I'm currently travelling in another country. I think we have a small loom somewhere in the dark, mysterious recesses of the house actually. I know we have knitting machines that we still haven't figured out haha. I can see me having to make quite a lot of things for this haha!
I had a very good friend from Finland who's family's many generations were also weavers. Sadly she passed before we could arrange learning etc.
htxnoob@reddit
1: Darn Tough has lifetime warranties 2: Buy a 3d printer 3: Google “3d printed circular sock machine” 4: buy the needles and yarn 5: get on YouTube and learn to make socks
Nearby_Impact_8911@reddit
I think it’s an excellent skill to have
Mountain_Answer_9096@reddit (OP)
Me too but I realised it's not a thing that a see very often as a topic on the prepping subs, so I wondered
MamaBearForestWitch@reddit
I see it all the time - but then again, any prepping-type sites or subs I follow tend to be more women-centric
Mountain_Answer_9096@reddit (OP)
I would totally be on those subs but I daren't for fear of intruding where I may not be wanted, which I do understand as frustrating as that is
MamaBearForestWitch@reddit
I feel the same way about some other subs - but still learn some things by "lurking" ;)
Mountain_Answer_9096@reddit (OP)
Oh I lurk in some of them too, it can be frustrating when you find yourself wanting to say something though.
In truth it's often a long time between me posting anything. It usually takes me a while to build up to it, so it's not like I'm a total chatter box online anyway :)
Pando5280@reddit
I can sew well enough to get by in an emergency but anyone who can actually sew would rightfully laugh at my skill sets. That said I consider good socks an investment in my quality of life as I spend a lot of time outside and on my feet. And theres only so much I can learn hence my subpar sewing skills and why I have a ridiculous amount of socks for different temperatures ranging from -20 to 100 plus. That said I have cut a lot of expenses out of my life and part of the reason I did that was so I could things like affording a ridiculous amount of good socks. To me its worth it mostly for comfort and partly because I really like having comfy feet and being able to go multiple weeks without doing laundry.
Mountain_Answer_9096@reddit (OP)
There's nothing to laugh at you for. If you can keep yourself clothes, how is there anything negative? Also, if you can own many pairs of socks, that can only be a good thing too, plus it gives you more time to fix any that have been damaged.
I spend the early part of my adult life thinking I had to have everything that I was told I should want. After about 6 years of misery I dumped all of those things and started living a more simpler life that made me a lot happier. Cutting unnecessary expenses is hugely liberating
Pando5280@reddit
I went through a unique set of life circumstances that required me to both simplify and reprioritize. Rediscovered some ancestral knowledge along the way that low overhead and self-sufficiency are the keys to happiness and freedom. That said far too many people let marketing and advertising executives define their priorities for them and thats rarely in your best interest. Personally Id rather have good socks and money in the bank than be miserable and seen as successful by someone else's standards.
Mountain_Answer_9096@reddit (OP)
I agree entirely. Your story sounds fascinating!
For me I just grew up being told by family and my social groups what I should want, so that's what I did until I realised how unhappy I was. Now I'm much more interested in not needing money so much, which is fortunate given I have little anyway lol
andy1rn@reddit
Have you seen r/Visiblemending ? The premise is - if you can't hide it, flaunt it.
Mountain_Answer_9096@reddit (OP)
You're the second person to recommend that sub. I'll be heading over there in a bit. Thanks!
Spreadeaglebeagle44@reddit
Coming from a former soldier socks are life and sewing is absolutely a great skill.
Mountain_Answer_9096@reddit (OP)
No idea where you served but good job nonetheless. I walk a lot. I've had roles that were sort of military adjacent and known a lot of military personnel. Every one of them valued good footwear!
Mule_Wagon_777@reddit
I wear Thorlo diabetic socks which ain't cheap! You bet I repair them if needed. I bought a lot on sale, and stitch up the toes if my nails poke a hole. The padded bottoms of even the oldest pairs have got thinner but don't have any holes yet.
Mountain_Answer_9096@reddit (OP)
My mother wears prescribed stockings to prevent thrombosis, she repairs them. It's too fine work for me but she's done it for years. If your socks are anything like those, I can appreciate the price thing.
BookLuvr7@reddit
Sewing and mending are two very different skills, but both are valuable
Mountain_Answer_9096@reddit (OP)
Having made my own clothing too I agree. Knitting and crochet are beyond me it seems, but basic sewing and pattern cutting I can do and as you say, very different to repairing existing items.
Imaginary-Angle-42@reddit
Please don’t give up on knitting and basic crocheting. Handmade dishcloths last nearly forever and are easy to make. Most cotton yarn is inexpensive.
Mountain_Answer_9096@reddit (OP)
I am ashamed to say that because my partner both knits and crochets, she takes care of that side of things, including making some of our clothes. I tend to take care of repairs and maintenance, with the occasional making.
I often feel I should learn more skills but I know I can't learn everything, so that is her domain for now.
Ok-Return-347@reddit
Repairing things in general is a really good skill. I repair, and up cycle/recycle all our clothes until they’re to damaged, than they become rags for the garage. It’s such a waste of materials not to do so I think. I prefer good quality and second hand.
Mountain_Answer_9096@reddit (OP)
I'm the same but I find it hard not to fall into that trap of keeping everything in case it's "useful one day" :)
Ok-Return-347@reddit
That’s true. But you always need something you kept when you’ve just had a clean out.
Mountain_Answer_9096@reddit (OP)
Don't you though! Can't count how many times I've done that. However, the alternative is filling your property with potentially useful "stuff"
8Deer-JaguarClaw@reddit
I rate repairing clothing as a very highly important skill. Making clothes is also awesome, but you can get through a lot of hard times by just being able to keep your existing clothes in working order.
Mountain_Answer_9096@reddit (OP)
I remember those denim patches, my mother used them too.
I tend to buy the same kinds of clothes, so when a pair of trousers becomes unwearable, I tend to strip them for parts so I can repair other pairs, it helps get around that issue where the fabric is too thin.
Do you have other uses for the things that are beyond repair?
Stewart_Duck@reddit
Sewing is definitely a skill everyone should learn. It's something I had to learn in school. Basic home ec and shop were required back when I was in highschool. I can definitely say those two classes have been more relevant in my life than trigonometry ever has been. One thing I've learned about socks though is, there's socks, and then there are socks. Yeah you can pick up a 10 pack for a few bucks and they'll last a little bit, but if you spend some money on a decent pair of socks, you'll be amazed.
agent_flounder@reddit
I use trig way more than I use needle and thread in everyday projects and repairs, oddly enough. Too bad they never taught us the practical uses of trig back then. More people might appreciate it. We weren't required to take shop or home econ. I took drafting which was a lot less useful than the other two would have been. Oh well.
Mountain_Answer_9096@reddit (OP)
Oh for certain! I try to buy cotton or wool only, army surplus is definitely my friend for this. That's how I knew how old some of my socks were, I remembered the surplus stock they came from lol.
There are a lot of cheap socks that you can't even repair these days. The type that are thin enough we use for rainwater filters on our water butts
agent_flounder@reddit
Well, I'll be darned...
Replacing buttons is easy and well worth it. Usually they come off due to the oem thread coming loose. Repairs always lasted for the life of the garment.
I've tried repairing ripped cloth on pants and holes in socks a few times but in those instances, it was due to the cloth being old and thin so it couldn't hold the new thread. If my socks were made of a thicker yarn (hiking socks, say) it might be worth darning them.
If it was due to being snagged and ripped, that might be repairable but I don't think I've tried that in a long time.
I remember, however, my mom repaired my jeans with iron on knee pads when I was a kid. Probably saved a lot that way.
infinitum3d@reddit
I stitch up things frequently.
No sense wasting money.
Mountain_Answer_9096@reddit (OP)
I can't tell if you simply mean you repair things, or that you joke with people a lot :s Both are upvote worthy.
It's especially prudent to not waste money right now isn't it? Sense indeed.
nakedonmygoat@reddit
I've been able to hand-sew since I was a kid making clothes for my Barbie. I can do basic repairs and alterations for people, too. The one thing I can't do is darn, darn it. But I also don't have a darning egg.
I think clothing repair skills are useful anytime, but particularly in economic hard times. My paternal grandmother had seven boys and was a genius at fixing up hand-me-downs. And when the clothes were beyond repair, she made them into quilts.
I don't see it being necessary to make one's clothes from scratch until long after a true doomsday scenario, though. At least not in the US. We donate, throw away, and just don't wear mountains of clothing every year. Even if you're rural, you can bet there will be some enterprising peddlers coming through with clothes from looted suburban stores and homes. You'll need alteration skills, but not from-scratch skills.
Maybe there are a few people here and there with sheep, a spindle, a loom, and fulling skills, who can make their own cloth, or perhaps they plan to pick cotton, gin it by hand, spin it, and put it on a loom. But that's not what I hear a lot of people prepping.
I find a lot of mending inspiration on r/Visiblemending. Some repairs aren't that great, but others are pure genius.
Mountain_Answer_9096@reddit (OP)
Oh believe me, my repairs are often not pretty, but they keep my clothes going for a few more years.
I'm also a woodturner, so I make my own eggs/mushrooms for darning. Honestly, I can only darn because I started with no experience at all and just stubbornly kept going, suffering many lumpy socks in the process, until I finally managed to get it right.
Where I live, spinning is a skill that's still practiced, though as a hobby more than a life skill.
I feel there is a degree of peace of mind when you know you can repair things so they can continue to be used
Any_Needleworker_273@reddit
Many people overlook basic skills in lieu of buying their way into security: cooking, gardening, mending anything, knowing how to use tools, basic first aid/wound care, etc.
Being able to do simple repairs, cook a meal, gerry rig something, clean and dress minor wounds, all on autopilot, because you've already been practicing is a great way to reduce stress in stressful situations and gain confidence.
Mountain_Answer_9096@reddit (OP)
Couldn't agree more. It's also very satisfying to sit down of an evening in winter with a pile of socks and spend a few hours mending them in front of the fire.
random_username_guy@reddit
Lieutenant Dan would approve of this.