Wednesday, January 12, 2011

Prodigal Socks

I am convinced (and have been for several years now) that there is a planet in a far-away solar system that consists entirely of unmatched socks.

I know there are several theories of where these socks actually go - maybe a dryer or washer "eats" them, or maybe static cling makes a sock stick to the insides of pants or long sleeved t shirts. Whatever *really* happens to some of them I don't know (except for my above theory), but we occasionally do find one. Sometimes in the strangest place, and sometimes we even find one where it should be - unmatched - in the sock drawer. The poor thing was just a bit misguided. Maybe even a rebel.

Regardless of where they are or how rebellious they might be, I have always had a sock basket sitting on the top of the dryer, stuffed with socks waiting for that poor missing mate. It's dark and stuffy in there, and they just hang out in the dark until one of the mates is found. When that happens, the awaiting socks rejoice, almost like a 'prodigal son' homecoming. "Our dear sock has returned, let us rejoice! Go and kill the fattened dust bunny!"

Even though I know from past experience that the odds of finding a missing sock are heightened exponentially whenever the mate is thrown away, I still keep them because I just know that I'll throw one sock away, then the missing one will show up, then I'll have to throw *that one* away also, which is just a waste of socks. So I hang on to them. and on. and on.

Frankly, I'm tired of the sock basket, so I've come up with another solution. I've created a way for those socks to remain in the light of day, not stuffed in a basket so that we forget who they are. They now hang on a little clothesline on the laundry room wall, for all to see and be reminded that there are, in fact, poor socks that are missing their mates. It's kind of like a "missing persons" wall. Instead of posters and milk cartons, the look-alikes hang on a line and wait for their mate to show up. Eventually, the prodigal socks return. Winter comes, the long-sleeve shirts are worn, and a sock is found. Boots are worn and socks are found. An occasional search of the sock drawer or under a bed, and another missing sock is found. Just today, I used a coat hanger to reach under the dryer, and I found one (The "Thursday" sock shown in the picture below)!! There *was* much rejoicing.

Below is a picture of my "missing sock" wall. I did my "vinyl" thing and hung up a little clothes line for them, complete with some ladybugs here and there. Pretty cute, if I do say so myself. And not to mention fun to use some creative juices that haven't been flowing all that much lately.

Here's hoping that by having these socks out in the open, it will remind the (sometimes rebellious) missing socks that it's ok to "come home" and they will still be loved, even though they were missing.

Here's the location of the Missing Sock wall...
...and a closeup of the sweet little socks awaiting their missing matches.





Come home, prodigal socks...come home.

40 comments:

  1. oh great idea! unfortunately my mateless sock basket is overflowing, and i don't know how much line i would need to hold them all!:) i think of getting rid of the socks, as they've been around so long, but i know that as soon as i toss them, i'll discover the mate!

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  2. This is great I think I need to do this in my laundry room! Thanks for the inspiration. Also what font dod you use? Thanks again

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  3. This is brilliant! I found your Department of Missing socks on Pinterest, and loved the idea. I've been busy this morning decorating pegs for our own sock line. Now to just get small people to bed and get it up! Thanks for the inspiration.

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  4. great idea!and great sense of humour! My business can create these decals for anyone interested for $38...we had a customer contact us just this week asking for us to make one identical to this.

    bek from www.myfriendmatilda.com.au

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  5. Really nice.

    I did something similar to this but not that pretty.

    http://lukaluluka.blogspot.com/2010/08/um-lugar-para-as-meias-perdidas.html

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  6. Tami , boa noite, cheguei a seu blog e gostei muito da sua crtiatividade

    Para não perder de vista estou te seguindo , se quiser , me siga também ...

    Um abraço ...

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  7. Me encantei com seu blog...
    Beijos desde Iguassu Falls
    SIMONE

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    1. Es tan cierto su contenido,calcetines perdidos que viajan solos y tu te preguntas como se fueron hasta ese lugar.

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  8. So cute :o)
    I'm stealing the idea....;o)

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  9. Super cute! I am linking to your idea tomorrow on Dollar Store Mom. http://dollarstoremom.com/2011/07/organizing-unmatching-socks/

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  10. Hi, I found you on pintrest too. I was actually looking for where that was sold, I had no idea you made it! I don't suppose you'd be willing to sell me a similar decal, would you? Shoot me an email. Thanks!

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  11. Those first 2 socks are mine. Hand 'em over.... :)

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  12. OMG.... So doing this today...

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  13. oldest daughter has vounteered to take the sock with the monkey on it, think she's making plans for it already LOL.soo cute that wall. love it !

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  14. Such a cute idea!! I also love your laundry room door! :)

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  15. Where can I buy the letters to do something similar to this?

    It's such a cute idea!! I have a sock basket and that doesn't seem to be working for us..

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  16. I also found your DOMS on Pinterest.. I absolutley love it.. would you be willing to sell some of your signs - you should make a page on Etsy.. seriously - i would buy this one in a heartbeat!

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  17. love love love this! Found you on interest and I am also making this today! My bare laundry room really needs it :)

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  18. Pam - Cullman, AlabamaOctober 01, 2011 5:52 AM

    I found this on pinterest and made a similar one for our laundry room. Ours won't have cute tiny socks on it, but grown up sizes 10 - 14!! Anyhoo, I'd link my pic to your original post so you'd have the credit, but I haven't figured out how. Maybe you'll come across mine on the board. It says "seen my sole mate???" I want to do the "Laundry Room" for my door, as well. Thanks for the inspiration :)
    Pam

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  19. Did you make your vinyl sign? Im really wanting to buy a machine to make the vinyl sayings. If you did make it? Could you PLEASE tell me what machine you got?? I could put the sayings everywhere!!!

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  21. Where do you get the vinyl paper to make these and what Font did you use? You did an awesome job! ;)

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  22. Hey everyone, thanks so much for your kind comments. I get the vinyl at the local craft store, you can get Cricut vinyl or you can order it online from other retailers.

    I used my Cricut Expression (for those of you who have asked what machine I used) with a non-Cricut program (shh, don't tell...) to make the design. I can't remember the font name right now off the top of my head.

    I have had so many people ask me about doing this for them -- I would (I'm sure I could make some money at it), but it seems like I'm busy enough with my job as wife and mother, that I just don't have time to make these for other people. Priorities.

    Maybe one of these days I'll get my Etsy shop up - but I'm really not sure when that will be.

    If you're interested in the machine, Google it, you might just find a good deal somewhere.

    Thanks again for all the comments, and I'll keep the ideas coming as I can!

    ~Tami

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  23. Love this idea! Our "sock drawer" used to get so full (with five kids in our family) that my mom would use a sock matching party as leverage for the privilege of watching TV.

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  24. so THAT's where my other Thursday sock ended up....

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  25. I love this idea of hanging mismatched socks! Thank you! :) :)


    _______
    Lee Ann

    My new blog: Crochetgottaloveit
    *********
    My website: Crochet...Gotta Love It!

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  26. Oh i so wish I had a laundry room. Mine is a tiny closet with no room to even put the laundry supplies. Maybe I might just have to hang a string on the inside of the door and put up some clips instead. Thanks for the inspiration though because we are finding out that we have lots of mismatched baby socks and they are really hard to find in the laundry pile!

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  27. what a lovely idea! wish I had a laundry room to do it in... love the whole post

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  28. I would love to know the program you used. I'm looking into a non-cricut program to use with my expression and want some input on which one works. I hate being hostage to buying those stinkin' cartridges. If you get a sec, (ha, ha you have kids) please shoot me an email @ sfrickel@aol.com. Love your wall! :)

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  29. I have long held the theory that aliens are abducting the socks and probing them. I was so concerned I made a handy flyer to help people avoid the sock abductions.
    http://www.propartganda.com/king/sockabduct.htm

    Another theory is that the spin cycle on the washing machine creates a black hole and the sock is then sucked into it and appears in some other time and place.

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  30. I have found your picture on pinterest. Really nice idea for some lost socks. Unfortunately, I have more of lost socks than found ones. I dont know why that happens. Who would steal a sock? Anyway, maybe someone really needs a sock and just happens to sneak inside my house and just leave the other pair behind. This is really funny.

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  31. Love this!! Sorry not sure if anyone else has asked this.. But where did you get the lettering from? Have a basket of my kids old baby socks.. Odd ones of course.. lol
    Thanks:)

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    1. Hi Christy; I used my Cricut to make the lettering myself. I believe the font name is "Romance Fatal Serif". Strange name, yes, but really cool font. I think I got it off of a free font site somewhere. Anyway, I'm glad you like it...actually I'm glad everyone likes it. :-)

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  32. That was without a doubt one of the silliest things I have ever read about socks (and I once made a sock monster under my husbands desk just so I could write about it.)

    I can see, though, that I've been lacking faith. I've been convinced that the missing mate NEVER shows up until you throw the first one away, so I just never hold on to them. And all the while I could have been rejoicing and killing fatted dust bunnies. NOW I KNOW.

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  33. The annonymous comment providing a link to a web site to make something similiar is using your image on their web site. Just thought you should know because it looks like they cropped off your copyright of the image (all the socks look the same).
    http://www.myfriendmatilda.com.au/product/custom-listing-sarah-love

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  34. For those of you without laundry rooms, what about using magnets to hold a clothesline to the front of your washing machine?

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  35. It's dark and stuffy in there, and they just hang out in the dark until one of the mates is found.

    MPI Machine

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  36. I *LOVE* this idea! I recreated it on my own blog and just blogged about it today. Thanks for sharing!

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  37. What a cute and clever idea!

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