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A Japanese Twitter user has been wearing some of the same socks for over 20 years, opting to fix them up with cute, economical patches rather than throwing them out!

In our modern age of convenience and instant gratification, we are so used to throwing things out once they start showing signs of wear and just buying a replacement, that the idea of trying to fix up or repair our worn-out items seems almost alien to most of us. But taking a little bit of time to patch something up can not only save you some money in the long run, it also reduces waste. Plus, as is the case with these socks by Twitterer @basilsauce, it can create a special sort of charm you can’t get from something newly purchased.

@basilsauce writes: “Once I started fixing my socks when they got holes, I couldn’t stop, and now they’ve ended up like this. I’ve been wearing these two pairs for over 20 years. The third pair was requested by my friend to fix. I do buy about two new pairs of socks a year, though.”

It’s a great way to save something that might have some sentimental value. Or, if you’re like me and hate throwing away things that still have some life left in them, it’s a great way to reduce waste and save money. All you need are a sewing needle, some thick, colorful thread of your choice, scissors, and of course a sock with some holes in it.

The Japanese sewspert posted cute, easy-to-follow illustrated instructions for anyone wanting to give it a try:

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You’ll want to make your patch extend about two millimeters each way beyond the whole, in a square. First, start by threading the needle and poking it through at the corner of your envisioned square from behind, leaving about two centimeters of loose thread at the end. Then work your way from left to right, creating horizontal parallel lines across the hole. Once you’ve completed the horizontal threads, you’ll then want to weave it through vertically, down then up, to create the patchwork. @basilsauce recommends keeping the horizontal weaving loose, then pulling the thread taut as you weave through vertically. Finally, to finish the patch, thread the needle back to the inside of the sock, and, keeping the ends of the thread from coming undone, pass through the weaving on the back side then cut off the excess thread.

You can use this method for holes, or for threadbare parts in the heel and the toes, where most holes tend to happen, and in the end, you’ll have cute, one-of-a-kind socks that are better than new!

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Once you get the hang of it, and if you’re feeling particularly creative, you can make sweet little shapes instead of the typical square patches.

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@basilsauce’s idea has been popularly received by others across Twitter and has inspired others to take a few moments to save some of their clothes that would otherwise have been thrown out.

▼ “When I was a child my mother used to patch up socks like this, but now I just throw them away. I think I want to start taking care of my things and fixing them up again.”

▼ “Hello. My daughter just got a hole in her pants so I tried this out. It’s not that good and I finished it up pretty poorly, but my daughter was so happy.”

https://twitter.com/kirikirimai0902/status/681715353081151488

So hold on a moment before you throw out your next old pair of clothes. If you’ve got a few minutes and a needle and thread, you might be able to make them new again!

Source and images: Twitter/@basilsauce via grape
Top image edited by RocketNews24