Beaded Socks

 

I made Hayden some beaded socks.  They would have looked a lot better if I'd used white thread but I had the ecru in the craft drawer and I wasn't sure how her parents would feel about the beads so I went with what I had.

We put the socks on her and she immediately noticed the beads.

She loves to kick her feet and if she is anything like her Aunt Sarah, she will love wearing them and hearing the beads rattle/click/make noise.  

I made socks like these for Sarah from the time she was two until she was seven or eight.  She wore them constantly and they went through the washing machine, with or without bleach, and the dryer with no problems.  Not a single pair ever lost a bead so I feel pretty safe making them for Hayden.

If you have a young lady you'd like to make some for, they are super easy.  I've used round beads, but the triangular ones look better I think.  The thread wraps in the dent of the triangle and isn't as noticeable as on the round ones.  Besides the beads and thin cotton crochet thread, you'll need socks that have fold-over cuffs and a crochet hook small enough to go through the bead.  I use a USA4 hook.

So get your sock, poke the needle through just a tiny bit under the edge of the cuff, grab the thread and pull a loop through the sock.  I hold the yarn double for a few stiches to anchor it and then chain 3 (or 5 for older, bigger girls,) put the hook through a bead and pull the thread through.  Chain one to attach the bead then chain 3 (or 5) and attach it to the sock with another chain stitch.  Then just keep doing that all the way around.  The closer together you attach to the sock (if that makes sense,) the more full, ruffley, and fluffy beads will be, if beads can be fluffy.  Hopefully you understand what I'm trying to say.  

For this pair, I used whatever colored bead I grabbed out of the box but you can make patterns or add a special charm type bead, or use holiday themed colored beads... 

Oh and as a word of warning, do NOT use jingle bells.  Jingle bell socks are only cute for about 30 seconds then they become VERY, VERY annoying.  They also don't wash well. Trust me on that.