Fearless Fibers Yarn

Mmmmmm . . . Smell the Cedar

A couple of months ago, I mentioned in passing to my husband that I might buy a pair of sock blockers. He, of course, responded with: "Huh?" Translation: "What are sock blockers?"

Although my husband, Bruce, now works in the high-tech world, he was at one time a finish carpenter and still loves working with wood. And so with my simple mention of sock blockers began a long journey that has now reached the point that I can announce a new product in my shop!

You guessed it! Sock blockers!



These aren't just any ol' sock blockers though. They are handcrafted from solid aromatic cedar. No finish is applied to the blockers so as to allow the aromatic cedar to retain its natural moth and insect repellant properties. When the blockers are not in use, you can slip them into a sock drawer or closet to help protect against the enemy moth. (Aromatic cedar does not rot from moisture, so a bit of dampness from your sock during the sock-blocking process will not harm them.)

Unlike most sock blockers which are made from thin plywood, these babies are made from ¾” to 1” thick cedar, with gently rounded edges. The thicker construction not only creates a sturdy blocker, but it also provides a nice smooth and rounded edge that won’t result in blocked socks with sharp creases at the edges.

I showed you a photo of my latest sock last week while it still sat on the blocker. Here's a photo of the finished sock, off the blocker, looking just perfect and ready for action.



Another use for the sock blockers is to save the fate of a shrunken pair of socks. Some of you may recall from long, long ago when I knit a pair of eyelet ribbed socks from my Classic Merino Wool Sock Yarn. That's the classic wool -- not the superwash. Well, I have to admit, I accidentally put them in the washer and in a heat cycle on the dryer, not once but twice! They have been sitting sadly in my sock drawer for some time now, shrunken to a shell of their former selves.

I took one of those shrunken socks and blocked it with my new sock blocker and took this photo to show you the comparison with its shrunken twin.



Yippee! All I need to do now is block the other one and my precious socks will live again!

You can find Bruce's handcrafted sock blockers in the "Patterns and Blockers" section of my Etsy shop. They come in three women’s size (S/M/L). Dimensions can be found in the listings. In time, we'll add men's sizes as well and perhaps even children's.

I can't tell you what a kick it is to see Bruce excited about participating in the business! He occasionally helps with a bit of packaging or labeling, but getting him interested in yarn and knitting has been beyond my capabilities. At last, I've found a way to combine knitting and woodworking!

Of course, it seems that perhaps this little business venture is for Bruce just a good excuse to purchase a myriad of new tools . . . Hmmmmmm. Ah well. It matters not. I have new sock blockers of my very own and something new in my shop to share with all of you. Can't ask for a better outcome than that!