How to Make Ribbon Socks

I've been very inspired by Monica's Homespun Christmas series. She got me thinking about Christmas gifts months before I usually start (around November, most years!). Seeing her lovely creations has sparked me to start working on Christmas gifts, too. I'd love to share them with you in a series called Christmas Blessings, and I'll post my favorite first. (Thanks to Monica for proofing it for me!)

Ribbon socks are fun to make for little girls, and they're easy to personalize. Kardelen has worn her princess ribbon socks so much, the words have washed off the ribbons! (The Dora socks haven't fared much better.) And you can make a pair of them in a few minutes. I love them because they take something utilitarian (a pair of socks) and make them beautifully fun.

I've never seen anyone else make these (though I'm sure some have); I just figured them out myself. So, since this is the first pattern I've written, I'd welcome any constructive criticism and will gladly explain things further if needed! Here goes. . .

To make ribbon socks, you'll need ribbon and girls' bobbie socks, the kind that have a fold-down cuff.

A note about ribbon: I prefer 5/8" thick ribbon but have used up to 1.5" thickness (as shown in the pictures below). The length you'll need for each sock depends on the sock size you're using. Infant socks will need much less ribbon than girls' socks. On a 2T size sock, I use about 15 inches per sock, so have 1 yard on hand for a pair of small ribbon socks.

1. Begin working with one sock by turning it inside out. Then, with the sock folded flat, place a pin in the sock where the back of the child's ankle will be. Later you'll sew together the ends of the ribbon here, so you won't end up with a seam at the front of the sock.

2. Pin the ribbon to the sock wrong side up at the place where you pinned. Leave a tail of about 2 inches as shown.

3. With your hand, stretch the sock across your sewing machine, and begin sewing the ribbon to the sock. Stitch as close to the edge as possible.

Some of the friends I've taught to make ribbon socks prefer to wrap the sock around their machine's free arm so they don't have to manually stretch it. You can do this if you like.


4. Continue to sew around the sock, stretching as you go. If you're not stretching it around your machine's free arm, you'll need to frequently stop and adjust your hand to stretch the piece you're about to sew.

(You'll notice that once you've begun sewing, the presser foot holds down one part of the sock.) The more you stretch, the more "ruffled" the ribbon will look. However, do make sure to stretch it enough. Otherwise the sewn-on ribbon will not allow the little girl to stretch the cuff enough to put it on. I speak from experience. :)

5. As you near the end, pause to work with the tail that you left at the beginning of your stitching. Fold it over on itself, as shown in the picture.

6. Now go back to the other section of ribbon again, and continue sewing it to the sock. When it gets close to the tail, overlap it on top of the tail and sew till you reach the end of the tail.

7. Now it's time to sew the two sections of ribbons together. Pin well (especially if you're using satin ribbon) and sew a straight seam from the outside of the ribbon to where it meets the sock. You can choose to seal the raw edges of the ribbon by placing them near a flame (do be careful!) or you can simply let them fray to the stitch line. Turn the sock right side out. You did it!

8. Repeat the process to make a pair.

I hope you enjoy making these! I'd love to see your pictures.

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I thought you'd enjoy the note my husband added after reading this:
No Latin American Nickelodeon characters were harmed in the making of these calcetines.