I have some nice knee-length dress socks I brought from the US that have holes worn out in the toes. I’d like to find a tailor that will patch them up (i.e., “darn” them), but friends, family members and neighborhood tailors all look at me like I’m crazy. Anybody know where I can get this done?
Surely you jest. Most likely no one does that anymore, since socks are machine-made and inexpensive compared to the labor of darning them.
Surely you jest. Most likely no one does that anymore, since socks are machine-made and inexpensive compared to the labor of darning them.[/quote]
Surely you know that she/he already knows that?
Obviously there’s something important about these socks, or the poster wouldn’t have started the thread and exposed themselves to the predictable jokes and jabs, don’t you think?
I don’t think it’s unreasonable to give someone feedback on the likelihood of finding a particular product or service locally. The OP could try taking the socks to a few of the seamstresses who alter and mend clothing, but after half a dozen rejections, I’d recommend learning how to darn them yourself. 
If you do find someone, of course please share the info here for others. 
shove a ping pong ball into the offending sock, use a medium sized or larger bnneedle with the appropriate coloured and material thread, and darn about 1cm wider than the hole diameter while holding the right amount of tension in the sock as you normally would have when it’s on the foot. easy but damned time consuming. after one darn you will just go and buy more socks. What’s your time worth? $1,000 minimum. darn one pair of socks: 1 hour minimum, first time… one pair of socks: $200. easy arithmetic, really.
i do have a pair that i darn from time to time, but then they’re specialist mountaineering socks and cost the earth.
Agree with Urodacus, if they laugh, then screw them. Here is a guide to darning your own socks.
tutorials.com/06/0632/0632.asp
Yeah, here’s another, with even better pics:
hjsstudio.com/darn.html
urodacus, TomHill… you guys are precious! 
:bravo:
Precious like diamonds, or precious like fossilized dodo turds?
Precious like diamonds, or precious like fossilized dodo turds?[/quote]
What’s the difference, really?
I mean, one woman’s fossilized dodo turds could be another woman’s diamonds.
I sure would rather wear dodo turds around my neck. Anyone can have diamonds.
Precious like diamonds, or precious like fossilized dodo turds?[/quote]
What’s the difference, really?
I mean, one woman’s fossilized dodo turds could be another woman’s diamonds.
I sure would rather wear dodo turds around my neck. Anyone can have diamonds.[/quote]
Can I use that as a signature?
Ok, but if you’re just sitting and watching TV anyway, you can be doing something with your hands. Things like knitting and darning are good for that. Me, I like to make chain mail, which is similar but less poofy. 
[quote=“TomHill”]
Can I use that as a signature?[/quote]
I think you already have. 
Maybe that will help me get them? Next guy who wants to impress me better buy me some fossilized Dodo turds on a string, you hear!
Darning socks? What are you? Jane Austen? Actually I too have specialist mountaineering socks. They have holes in both toes. Maybe I’ll darn them (but then they wouldn’t be specialist any more) or maybe I’ll just spend the damn NT$1,000 on a new pair.
I thought I had posted on this topic before but a search turned up nothing. I buy only one brand of socks - Tilly socks - because they’re great in hot humid countries. And they come with a three year guarantee!
Here’s their international website: http://www.tilley.com/home.asp?countryCode=Int
Sorry I wasted your time.
Why?
I grew up where and when darning socks was the norm. Hell, I learned young how to do it and have done my own expensive boot socks. Granny used to have a darning boot. It was nothing more than I giant dildo but, hell, that and granny just don’t coagulate. Anyway, try a traditional lite bulb. But finding multi-strand darning thread here will be a pain. Tell you what. You find the multistrand thread and needle, I’ll darn 'em. Not difficult and is a great pastime when you are listening to “The Lone Ranger” on the radio. Been there - done that. Let me know. I’ll sub the Ranger for “West Wing”
Darn that Kimosabe