I have started knitting all my socks this way again. Partly because I like being able to easily replace the sole/heels/toes, partly because it seems to go much quicker for me, partly because I want to.
I don't mind the small amount of time required after binding off to seam the sole and instep together. I find it rather relaxing in fact. But then I like hand sewing. If you dread it, this pattern is definitely not for you.
I completed a pair of socks last weekend and posted them off to Son#5. I knew he was about to go down to Invercargill for work and wasn't looking forward to being that far south in winter. (Don't blame him and few of my sons seem to be as bothered by the cold as I am.) I had hoped the parcel would get to him before he went, but it apparently missed him.
When I asked if he had received the parcel, he asked, "It's not socks, is it? Because I wouldn't wear them to work anyway as they'd get wrecked."
Perhaps that was his polite way of sparing my feelings in place of saying, "I wouldn't be caught dead wearing knitted socks," but, if it wasn't, but a genuine appreciation for the time and effort that goes into making them, then he can be assured that it's no longer a concern and he can wear them without feeling guilty.
Yep, they're resoleable and all he has to do is send them back to Mum when he discovers a hole. Of course, having seen the state of some of Son#4's socks, by the time I get the sock, there may be little left of the sole anyway.
And let me just put another concern to rest: I don't mind reknitting the sole/heels/toe. It gives me an opportunity to be creative and use another yarn (because chances are that I no longer have the original yarn lying around) and there is something satisfying in making a holey pair of socks like brand new again. And if they really are too far gone to be fixed, well I can always use any yarn still in good condition in one of my blankets.
By the way, I promise no hideous resoled socks! (Well, I'll try not to inflict them on any loved one.)
Comments
If you found your pattern for this I'd love to see it please - my hubby is wearing through the soles of his socks in no time even though the entire sock is knitted with 2 strands together and is a really good quality sock yarn. A sock knitted like that would last me years and years - his don't even last a couple of months before there are holes in them! :-) I think being able to re-sole the sock is the best option at this point as it would end up being quicker and better than darning them, for sure. :-)
Thank you and kind regards,
Megan
I still haven't found my pattern and hope to one day republish it (I'm not sure how it ended up being removed from Google Drive) but this blog post about knitting socks on two needles was the inspiration behind being able to reknit the sole of the sock: https://julesoneagleswings.blogspot.com/2010/08/sock-on-two-needles-pattern.html
In the example I've used a provisional cast on and a short row heel, but I've also made the sock successfully with other heels such as French heel and handkerchief heel. The sole is then worked, followed by a toe (I prefer short row toe) and instep. The stitches from the provisional cast on are then picked up and the leg can be knit either flat (and later seamed) or in the round. The sole and instep do have to be seamed (I do a flat seam) and it is this seam that can be undone later and a new sole added (you don't even have to re-knit the heel or toe if they are still in good condition). By working the sock this way you also have the option of using a sturdier yarn just on the sole - although it seems that this isn't solving your problem.
Another thing I have done is to pick up stitches on the bottom of the heel and knit a whole new sole, knitting the ends of this new sole together with one stitch from the instep. This works with socks knitted in the round. I just leave the holey sock on the inside and after a few wears, the yarn felts together and isn't noticeable for the wearer.
Hope that helps.