Upcycle Your Knitting: How I Turned A Sock Into A Pin Cushion

Would you upcycle your knitting before you frog it? This is a great idea to consider, because sometimes the best option isn’t finishing or ripping back, but rethinking what you already have. Recently, I found myself in exactly this situation with a sock.

My Knitted Sock Dilemma

I had a nearly finished sock leg, about 20cm long, featuring a Snufkin motif from the Moomins. I had knitted the sock cuff-down, and although the leg itself was lovely, once I started to knit to foot, I realised it didn't fit me and I struggled to stretch it over my instep. A common dilemma when with stranded knitting, because the fabric isn't stretchy.

But Frogging my lovely sock felt so wrong, because the motif was too cute to lose, and Snufkin holds lots of childhood memories for me, because I loved The Moomins as a child. So the idea of unravelling Snufkin didn't sit well with me, which meant that my part-made sock was just sitting in a project bag, and serving no purpose.

My Knitting And Crochet Community Came To The Rescue

Because I couldn't decide whether to Finish It or Frog It - I thought I would ask my knitting and crochet community on Social Media. I was blown away by all the amazing suggestions, which inspired me to upcycle the sock into something practical. So instead of finishing or frogging, I decided to upcycle it into something useful. Snufkin was about to be saved from being frogged, which made me so happy.

Upcycle Your Knitting: How I turned a part-made sock into a pin cushion

1. First, I unravelled the sock foot and heel to the base of the motif  – I carefully popped the live stitches back onto long circular needles.
2. I turned the sock inside out carefully (on the needles) – I performed a three-needle bind off to close the seam. Kitchener stitch would have worked well too (no need to turn your sock inside-out for this).
3. Then, I threaded a life-line through the stitches at the base of the cuff – to save them unravelling further than I needed.
4. Next, I removed the cuff carefully – because the sock was cuff-down, it didn’t unravel easily. I used scissors to remove it.
5. I picked up the stitches along the life line – with my long circular needles.
6. Then I stuffed the sock – I filled it carefully to create a firm, usable pin cushion.
7. Finally, I closed the top with Kitchener stitch – this finished it neatly and kept the motif intact.
8. I also soaked and straighten the frogged yarn – this helped the curly yarn relax, ready to use again in another project..

Upcycle Your Knitting: Why it works

By upcycling the sock:

• I saved my beautiful Snufkin motif.
• I preserved the yarn and time spent.
• I created a practical, usable item instead of frogging and losing all the work.
• I soaked and dried my frogged yarn to save it being wasted. I can now use it again.

It’s a perfect example of mindful making and making the most of your knitting.

Upcycle Your Knitting: Takeaway

Next time you face the classic question:

Should I Finish it or should I frog it?

Remember there’s a third option: Upcycle your knitting.

A sock leg doesn’t have to end as a sock. Because, with a little care and patience, it can become a pin cushion, a pouch, a purse, or another creative project that gives your yarn a second life.

What next?

If you loved this idea and want more ways to upcycle your knitting or turn stash yarn into quick, useful projects, check out my free knitting patterns or free crochet patterns, or sign up for my newsletter (below) for weekly inspiration. You’ll find tips, patterns, and creative solutions to make the most of every yarn ball in your collection. Thanks for reading and I hope you've been inspired to upcycle your knitting (or crochet) too.

Share your knitting or crochet adventures

If you love this upcycling suggestion, and use it for inspiration, then I’d love to see your finished upcycled projects! Tag me on Instagram [@knitcrochetcreate] so I can see what you make.