Hockey Socks DIY How-to

I'll start the hockey socks how-to with a schematic view of the parts needed. This will also make it easier to see the different panels once they are sewn together as I go through the assembly. Making your own hockey socks allows for a great deal of freedom in design opportunities, so keep in mind that within each of these panels can be details such as stripes, embroidered logos, etc. After showing the assembly of a basic sock, I'll show how to add stripes, which must be done prior to cutting of the shin panel.

Currently, I'm still working some of the minor kinks out of the patterns, mostly in making them easier to print to the correct scale, so they will be posted a bit further into the how-to.

Here's a photo of the basic parts needed to sew a sock together. You can use any stretchable fabric you like, but my recommendation is to use 100% polyester ponte knit (no holes) and 100% polyester micro mesh for the upper rear panel (grey in photo below). The different colors are used just for the schematic purpose of making each panel more identifiable just for this example (and these colors happened to be available in my scrap bin!)

Showing panels needed for DIY hockey socks.

All fabrics above should have the greatest stretch running across the panels, left to right in the photo. In addition to the fabric stretch, stretch-stitches must be used to allow the fabric to stretch along seams without breaking the thread. There are a few different stretch stitches that I use and the choice may be mostly dependent on your machine. Most modern machines have several stretch stitches available and make it easy to produce good results. If you are working with a vintage machine, your choices may be more limited. For example, my Bernina, which was made in 1962, does not allow for stretch stitches that include automatic forward/backward motions. The best stitch on such a machine is either a "blind hem stitch" or, if available on the specific Bernina, the "overcast stitch" which is basically a blind hem stitch that is flipped over with fewer straight stitches between zig zags. Either of these stitches can provide plenty of stretch for this application, but they lack some of the built in "backtack" that some of the automatic forward/backward motion stitches provide. The other problem I've encountered with my Bernina (which would be similar for any Bernina up into perhaps the late 80's) has been that there is no good straight stretch stitch. The only alternative is using a narrower blind hem or a zig zag, but neither look nearly as good as a normal straight stretch stitch. The main difference visually is that the latter looks like topstitching while the blind hem or zig zag just look out of place and less finished. The advantage of using something like a blind hem for the constuction seam (not the top stitch) is that it is really fast in comparison to a true stretch stitch. I use my Bernina for these stretch stitches and then I use a different machine (White 782 or Elna 62c) for the top stitching because they can do a proper straight stretch stitch. In my next post, I'll show the differences between these stitches in photographs and show the construction of the panels in the photo above.

Of Hockey, Socks and Sewing Machines

It's always odd to start a project. Where to begin? So I'll keep the introduction brief.

I play hockey. My kids play hockey and my wife plays hockey. I'm sure many of you who also play can relate to the constant drives to and from the rinks which shape the schedule of my free time. I'm sure you can also relate to the seemingly constant wear and tear that gear goes through and the desire to still look cool on the ice. Of course, if you play on a lot of rec league  teams and want to wear at least something similar for colors, it can all add up fast.

I'm frugal, and I also enjoy projects. I've worked in many different fields over the years and the common denominator seems to always be that I like projects that require some degree of craftsmanship. Many years ago, I worked for Dana Design in Bozeman, Montana. There, we produced some of the best mountaineering backpacks money could buy. While working there, I found that I also enjoy sewing. I don't know why, but I always thought that was a little strange for a guy, though now I've met many others who also find it enjoyable as well. Ever since working at Dana, I've continued to learn about sewing and how I can apply that knowledge to my other passions in life.

So, back to hockey, it seemed obvious that much of the things I buy could be made instead of bought. In some cases, there isn't really a great deal of savings, but there is always some satisfaction that I did the work myself. Plus, I've found that not everything I may want is always available just the way I'd like it. To date, I've made jerseys, lots of Tron / Reebok Edge style socks and a custom hockey bag. In this blog, I hope to help other DIYers  out there who may also want to take on some of these projects by providing some of the patterns and instruction that I've been able to develop. It takes quite a bit of work to produce these patterns, and in the small quantities that we DIYers work in, it can be an obstacle preventing us from doing what we love; making things!

I'll start posting patterns over the next couple weeks for socks. They are a great small project that can be done in a couple leisurely hours and typically don't cost much to make. Plus, with the pattern I developed, there is a larger mesh section that seems to feel a little cooler than their commercially available counterparts. And, the sky is the limit as to what they can look like! The pattens will be free to download and I've developed three different sizes. Small, which covers 13 inch shin guards, Medium, which cover 13-14 inch shin guards, and Large, which covers 15 inch shin guards.

Before I get started with the sock, I'll write up some basics about the machines that I use most often. Commercially produced garments are made with sergers and coverstitch machines, but most of us don't have access to these. I've found that it really is unnecessary for most hockey applications. The knit polyesters used don't fray like woven fabrics do, so the decorative edge made by sergers is not needed and tends to cost more due to thread consumption. The main attribute of a serger stitch that is useful is the stretch capabilities provided. There are, however, many alternatives that standard contemporary sewing machines can provide with similar stretch properties, and far less thread needed.

I use mostly vintage 50's and 60's machines from Elna, Bernina and Necchi. Any one of these machines can do most of what a person needs, but they do all have their strong point and weaknesses. I tend to favor my Bernina for most things, but I'll cover that another day.

'56 Elna Supermatic