Sock It To ME: a community public art project to raise awareness and funds.

Ropey Tapey stuff:

Your little socks are so poignant, jace! And I love the end-to-end attaching. My brain is falling down on a couple of things though and it's because I'm not really any good with textiles myself. Would there be varying widths of tape, or was that just to show that one section is different from another?

I'm realizing now that some testing will be needed to determine ideal size and weight of each sock, number of socks, length of garland section and type of tape that will result in a garland that doesn't sag sadly. How to attach it to walls and between trees or lamp--posts, how to attach it to poles for marchers to carry like banners in a parade, these things I don't know. Would the buttons and loops have the option of buttoning around the poles?

Feeling bad so I'm going offline for a bit. Next steps for me to work on:

- arrange copy for web: can someone send me the text of the CFS info card?

- discuss best project status (non-profit, project of a non-profit, informal for now, etc) with my non-profit wizard friend next week.

creekfeet, I hope you take a break whenever (and preferably before) you need to. It is all to easy to get excited about this project, and run with it like we used to, but these days accepting our limitations is essential. We don' want no burn out. That won't help.

One of my regular sayings is 'I am such a lightweight' I didn't used to be, but now I've got ME (or something - think it's ME - life's a puzzle)

There is time, this project will run, but only if you look after you

jace x

Good point Jace and nice saying. Let's all keep this in mind okay?
(((group hug)))

Creekfeet, What you wrote is perfect! Koan is so right that it looks like it came out of a committe of 10 that worked 20 hours or so.

That's great that talkingFox in Socks has a geek who will make a webpage and that your daughter wants to create the FB page. This is really taking off!! And thank you for letting us put the CFS info card on. Perhaps the cool CFS PR posters etc.. that fresh_eyes came up with can go on there too?

Your post makes perfect sense creek! You're doing good.

I am so impressed with everyone's awesome suggestions and I'm learning a lot here about how to put something like this together.

Those pics of doll socks and the pic of hanging them are sooo cute!! What a great idea your daughter has to of linking to sock-making instruction sites, creek.

Let's not worry about the Info Card yet okay? I think fresh_eyes is going to work her magic on it first to make it look good. :Retro smile:

How apropos that your name is Creekfeet and you're doing advocacy using socks!

No, Sjan isn't going to charge for the website A statement of work just lays out in detail what needs to happen and how. He's donating his time (of course...he's good like that)

The knitting patterns idea that your daughter had is an awesome one. We'd thought about using the XMRV sock pattern as an inexpensive fundraiser as well. Easy to print off, easy to ship or even as a download. I mean everyone has a dollar, right?

And yup, the pattern for lapel socks I had in mind were the Tinybear ones. And yes indeed that's t patter #2

Keep it simple; keep it cheap for the tired, sick and poor among us.

Let me say first that this is an outstanding idea. Yesterday, I put down my book to read this thread. I was excited. Thought I would sleep on it. It morphed into something unrecognizable overnight. In an effort to keep it simple for us sick people:

1) Must reach 1 million+ CFS sufferers. Contact the major support groups. 2) Ask PWC's to mail their favorite socks glued to a 12X12" decorated white piece of cardboard, along with name and length of illness, to specified point persons in their state. Any pair of socks will do -- ratty or otherwise. 3) Point persons display socks at local malls/libraries, etc. on folding tables for May 12th. Locally create banners for display tables. 4) Point people hole punch the cardboard at each corner and string a dozen with blue ribbon leaving 2' length at end of each string. 5) Point people then place strung cardboards into UPS cartons and ship to first large display venue. 6) Local healthy people would need to be involved at the large display venue to tie the blue ribbons together with bows and somehow string them up for display.

Then, and I read this idea on-line a long time ago, we march on Washington while being pushed in our wheel chairs wearing robes and pajamas.

Hi Browneyedgirl,

I totally agree that we need to keep it simple! I really like your thoughts about mobilizing the various orgs!

I think maybe we should keep the socks soft and tactile and touchable. So I'm thinking maybe not to attaching to cardboard. Know what I mean? A sock is such a soft and tender item of clothing. Whataya think, should we play up that innate quality a sock has? I'm thinking yes.

Who knew socks could be so exciting!?!

I'm with you on that one Koan, although on a small scale the carboard might make handling easiser. the problem is when thisgs go big it also adds a lot of space/weight which makes for a very heavy shipping container. Plus looser socks would flutter in the wind ilke those banner strings.

Brown eyed girl: I think we were hoping to find volunteers to help make socks for the very ill and broke. I've already volunteered to make a bunch of decoratable sock blanks Here's to hoping we get some positive response from the healthy activism community.

Speaking of volunteers, d'ya think it'd be ok if I put out a call for warm bodies on my facebook page? Without going into the project details in public anyways? We're going to need people by the time launch is in place to make it go

Well I don't know about the rest of you, but since I've been practically bedbound for the past three years, I've developed quite an intimate relationship with my socks. I mean shoes are sort of a thing of the past and my socks have become ever so important.

They have to be just right - soft, not too tight, not too loose, not too hot, but warm enough - just right. For me the socks theme really has a lot to do with this illness. Socks and jamies. Since I've been homebound, I have found it completely unnecessary to wear matching socks - even boring to do so. My relationship with my socks has become something quite special these last few years........so while I love Dr Bell and his socks that go up and down, I think the socks are very representative of CFS.

Lily : I have a very similar relationship with my socks And all the things you just said ran through my mind with this project...but not worded nearly as well.

Yes foxinsox, put out the call!

There would be a spare button on one end of the buttoned-up string of socks, and a spare hole on the other end. These would be used to attach fixing string.

The garland can be added to, or divided, simply by doing up or undoing a button. As long or short as you like.

It would be easy to assemble, provided people listen about the size of the buttons and holes. It will work, so long as those buttons are sewn on strongly, and people glue in the lollypop/popsicle sticks.

Each sock, or pair of socks, would be sewn by the provider to a piece of hemmed cloth or tape, between 1" and 2" wide, and 12 - 18" long when made. The only fixed thing would be a button of 1" 5% on the left, and a buttonhole to suit it on the right. The website could have a page that would explain what was needed. Stffening the ends of the tapes with popsicle sticks will stabilise, stiffen and strengthen.

I can arrange artwork for that, and give people ways of how to make them easily, written and graphic.

I think the variety of sizes, within limits, will add to the charm.

The tape could be the place to put details, like NAME - LENGTH OF TIME ILL - BEDBOUND/HOUSEBOUND/RESTRICTED - LOCATION or whatever people want. It wouldn't matter much about weight, so long as people use textiles and card I reckon it would work. For a very long display, if wanted to be dead straight, a wire could support the whole, tensioned with turnbuckles, and the garland just looped this way and that over it.

My work used to be designing and building fabric constructions, mainly for boats. Like covers, and sails, and safety lines. I'm enjoying this project :victory::sofa::victory:

I've been super sick this week, and haven't been here much, so I'm just going to spray out a bunch of random ideas and ignore me if they don't make any sense.

more free sock patterns than you will ever want:
http://www.knittingpatterncentral.com/directory/socks.php

if you go to the main directory and click on jewelry, I am pretty sure there is a pattern for sock pins. (cause, and it's embarrassing that I know this, people use them at knitting festivals and conventions to denote that they belong to certain knitting groups, No! I don't personally have one)

On another note, this would entail more volunteer labor, but the most effective way to have the socks labeled might be to have a form printed onto an iron on label or tag with blank lines for the info. Either ironed on to the back or inside the sock. You might be able to get a discount if you shop around screen printing shops (there are tons of them, someone will take pity on us!) But the point of this would be uniformity and ease of reading. So people could send in the info on a piece of paper, and then it would have to be transcribed (fabric pens are waterproof and easy to find and use) and ironed on by volunteers. It might make sense to have 3 different tags based on the info that it seems you are seeking- one for kids, one for adults, one for the deceased.

Another thought- people who are otherwise capable of decorating a sock for themselves but cannot sew will be turned off and possibly prevented from participating by the need for sewing, buttons and buttonholes. Is there any way it could be optional to make such a tab yourself, like to send it in without it and have that part done by volunteers if you are unable do that part but can still decorate your own sock? cause I really think if you ask people to sew and make buttonholes this will be dead in the water. ( Next to no one knows how to sew buttons anymore- which I know cause I've sewn a lot of buttons for people) If they don't know what they are doing, even listening carefully and with the best of intentions, there is a pretty good chance the buttons or buttonholes will be too big or too small, risking either not fitting or falling off.

Another idea is to put out the call to knitting and sewing groups when the time comes and this is launched. Many do group charity projects. The knitting group I co-founded in Maine does like 4 a year. My step mom is in a knitting group that does nothing but make shawls for sick people. The point is we may be surprised by the number of healthy volunteers we can round up. ( I personally can get at least 3 knitting groups to help, I'm certain of it, and most knitters are capable of very basic sewing)

Another thought is that if the socks happen to be handknit the tabs could also be knitted. I am only suggesting this for my sake because I know I can more reliably make the right size button hole that way than by sewing.

I haven't gotten through every single page of this yet, it's the first day I've felt up to reading much in quite a few days, so my deepest and sincere apologies if my suggestions are off- base or repeats or have already been addressed.

ETA- I'm gonna go dig through my sock yarn now. Perfect ME project...I only have to make 1!

Hooray for textile-savvy people like fox-in-socks, sarahg and the amazing fabric constructions whiz, jace! I'm so glad you've all got your capable hands on the project. I think some kind of felt-board effect will be the extent of my sockmaking genius.

Meanwhile, another wizard of words emerges:

I think we should include that on the home page. May we, Lily?

I'm going to try to take it slow, yes. The cognitive energy is hardest of all to budget, is what I'm learning. I'll try.

Brown-eyed Girl, Yes, definitely Keep It Simple must be our watchword. Or the way they taught it to a friend of mine in Clown College: KISS: Keep It Simple, Stupid. xD I think with volunteers helping make socks it should work out okay, and people sending actual plain old socks of their own with just a little markings on them in Sharpie is always an option too. Plenty poignant. The pajama march in wheel chairs sounds fabulous.

sarahg, yes, knitting groups who do charity work! I've run into a couple of those over the years myself and I'm sure some here and there would be into helping out on this. Great thought. As for buttonholes, I can't make them myself, but I don't think that's something we'll be asking each sock-sender to do at all. I was thinking attaching the socks to the garlands and putting buttonholes and buttons on was going to be done by sewing-savvy volunteers after the socks were sent in. Was that your thought too, jace?

teej, I just never heard of the info card project before it was brought up here: shows how many threads I haven't read yet! That or the wheel chair march. So I was just curious to get an idea what the wording's like, for my own personal satisfaction as much as for the sock project. I would love to have a succinct explanation all ready to hand people when my brain is too numb to deal with the situations that arise. If there's any version of it public now, in a thread or whatever, can I see? Otherwise I'll be good and wait quietly. *folds hands in lap and looks patient*

And tfox bravo again to your good hubby for volunteering. I'm already floored by all the time and organization this means.

Sarahg said

I do hope you're wrong, sarah. Buttons are not hard to sew on, and so long as folk can read.... what do others think? I'd like to think people are capable of making what is, after all, no harder than a quilt square. But if folk can't read, then whichever way you slice it, it is more work for the assemblers. We could have premade tapes to send out, for embelishing so people can use the tape to display their stories.

Or it could just be socks on a line... that's ok too...:Retro smile:

says creekfeet -

I've got a secret, I can't knit either! It is the one thing I decided I couldn't do when I was about 6, and I've had no reason to change my mind - until now. Having said that, I can splice with the best of them.

Maybe it's time to learn a new skill. I don't think sailcloth socks would be very comfy.

I had another thought. I would gladly write up a basic sock pattern of my own to put on the website or disseminate to raise awareness. I have a secret sock recipe.

Oh, but maybe sailcloth socks would be expressive of your individuality! It's not like we have to wear these things. We just have to put a little bit of our souls into them. XD

I hope to see burlap socks and gold lame' socks and socks studded with fishing flies (but no hooks, please).

Oooh, wonderful!

We're going to need so many volunteers. Yes, let's all put out any calls we can. I've sent out emails to a few trusted souls with the full details. Now I also put in my FB status:

Maybe I'll tweet something to the same effect.