Sock Questions

They need to fit you properly, which is the most important. A tight gauge is not good for socks. I find that a slightly looser one works better. Don't wear them inside shoes that are too tight or too loose, and don't wear them without shoes, especially on carpet.

HTH

Katherine

Most of us have nylon/synthetic carpets in our homes (not me, just a couple of cotton area rugs in one bedroom and one bathroom). Synthetics are stronger than wool and will abrade the wool fibers as you scuffle around in your socks or slippers. Even wool/nylon blend sock yarn is susceptible.

Here are two solutions:

1. Leather slipper soles sewn onto your slippers, and soft leather house shoes to wear over your socks.

1. Plasti-dip, which is stuff used to make tool handles non-slip and also to color-code tools. Spread it on slipper soles and allow to cure, it is machine washable but not dryable.

Reply to the list as I do not publish an email address to USENET. This practice has cut my spam by more than 95%. Of course, I did have to abandon a perfectly good email account...

Felted slippers last much longer - and they probably could be crocheted too. In fact felted are the only kind of slippers I make anymore. :>)

Shelagh

Diane, I would think that part of it is what kind of yarns you use, as well as the ply and the twist per inch. Add to that the gauge of your knitting and you have many variables. Wooly adds to that, that when you walk on man made rugs, it made aide to the wear and tear of your socks. My husband never walks around only in his socks, he always wears slippers. Otto only wears home knitted socks. I have found that some of his socks felt and wear out much faster than others. Loosely knitted socks suffer from that as well as socks knitted from cheap materials or non sock yarns. You want a good hard twist and a three or four ply with a bit of re-enforcement in it such as nylon etc. Add this to a good quality sock yarn and it will get a long way. Now another variable is sweaty feet. Hot wet feet and the friction of walking, no matter where or how you walk are great felting factors.

Els