We had to darn our socks for the three years that we were apprentices BAR. On our first leave, my mum showed/taught me to darn them over a KIWI boot polish tin. We also had to darn our jumpers too, especially where the brass buckles of our web belts caused it to rub through. I seem to remember that in the 'housewife' we were issued with contained buttons, some thread and wool, a thimble....., you know the kind of stuff. A 'housewife' was a little roll up thing. I was trying to think of a joke to make about it but can't because the whole time wasn't funny!

Back to darning socks....... They wera all about size 13, for a foot that size too. The big toe always went first so you'd darn it several times and so on but my friend would darn it a few times then instead of darning yet another hole, he would just cut the whole first 1" off and simply sew the split up where he'd cut the front off. And so it went on. He used to recon that by the time the heel had come around to the toes it was about time to get a new pair.