I knit wool socks to wear during our long, cold winters here in northern Vermont, but ultimately the socks wear out in the heels and toes — even after I repair them a few times.
After all of my knitting labor, and because of my appreciation for handmade, warm wool socks, I still manage to get another practical use out of them by turning them into fingerless mitts.
By the time the socks wear out, the heel usually has a gaping hole that’s perfect for fingers to slip through. I then cut an additional small hole for the thumb. Sometimes I sew a blanket stitch around the openings, or I just leave the openings as they are. I then machine-wash them with a load of jeans, which helps tighten the mitts. I wear the mitts while doing outdoor farm chores, and can slip my fingers in and out as needed.
Norma Bromley
Newark, Vermont
