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Socks are a necessity when it comes to protecting your feet. But for those living on the streets, socks are a difficult item to keep dry and clean, so they’re often tossed to the wayside. This unfortunately becomes a continuous cycle of needing more socks, thus making them one of the most requested items by the homeless.

So Laura Lamers, owner of the NorthCoast Knittery in Eureka, is spearheading an effort to knit one hundred pairs of good quality socks for the homeless before September. The socks will then go to the Eureka Rescue Mission.

“The difference is a lot of people donate socks or buy them, but most of those are made of acrylic or unnatural fibers. So the water doesn’t wick away,” she said. “So we’re making more of a boot sock, the sock is thicker and it’s a made of a thicker yarn — 100% super wash wool. So the water will wick away, last longer and not be a throwaway item.”

Lamers teaches a wide variety of knitting classes and on Tuesday’s from 12 to 2 offers a free social gathering called “Knitting with Laura,” where you can knit or crochet anything your heart desires and she’ll give you pointers. But this is also the time knitters can come make the socks for the homeless. The knittery will provide the pattern, instruction, and a deal on the yarn.

In this LoCO Video Report we’ll explain more about the effort, how knitting various items for the homeless has become a tradition for the NorthCoast Knittery, and how Lamers is even getting people out-of-state to participate.