I love knitting socks. Choosing the yarn and pattern are the start of the fun and then there is the magic of casting them on. I only knit socks for those who truly appreciate them. Knitting socks is a labor of love. Did you know that a pair of hand-knit adult size socks is made up of approximately 35,000 stitches? That’s a lot of stitches and a lot of love that goes into one pair of socks.
A couple of years ago, while I was at my local yarn store, I purchased some sweet baby sock yarn by Schachenmayr. The little balls of yarn were at the checkout and I couldn’t resist the color palettes. The fact that they were self-striping and patterning was also enticing.
Because the socks were so small I decided to knit three at once. I was also excited to see how the yarn would work up. Creating these little socks was so much fun. They were a fast knit and I was thrilled to give them to my granddaughter who had just found her walking legs.
Oh-Oh
Much to my surprise and horror, I found out just how slippery little hand-knit socks can be. My poor little granddaughter couldn’t go two steps without slipping and falling down when she had the socks on. I was so disappointed that my gift of love was turning into something quite dangerous. My daughter took the socks and put them in a drawer in the hopes that once her daughter was more steady on her feet she would be able to wear them.
A Good Solution
Fast forward to one of my pop-up shops where I happened to mention the sock fiasco to a neighbour. Wouldn’t you know she happened to have a brilliant solution to my problem. She recommended I spray the bottoms of the socks with a product called Plasti Dip, a clear spray-on rubber coating that would adhere to the bottom of the socks making them slip proof. It wasn’t long before I went to our local hardware store and bought a can so that I could safety proof the little socks I had made.
To apply the Plasti Dip I cut rectangles the size of the foot of the sock from boxboard and inserted them into the socks. This would protect the top of the sock from absorbing any of the rubber spray. I sprayed the socks in the garage–a well ventilated space–and waited for the spray to dry. Once the spray had dried, I put the socks through the wash and I’m delighted to report the Plasti Dip did not wash off.
Once the socks were toddler proofed, I couldn’t wait to see my grand-daughter and give her back the socks I had made. I’m happy to report that the Plasti Dip worked. The soles of the socks did indeed grip the floor and my granddaughter was able to wear them and not fall down. The socks were no longer a hazard.
I’m so thankful to my neighbour for sharing this helpful tip with me and I’m also happy that I can share it with you.
