What to do with Old Socks?

I have a grocery sack full of old socks. I also have a laundry basket full of socks waiting to be matched. I am not sure I will ever find the mates that go with these socks, but I stay hopeful that one day, maybe, just maybe, I will find the mate and reunite a happy couple once again.
But, I have many socks with holes in the feet. I am not sure what my family does, but they tend to get holes in the soles often! So, I have been looking around the internet for some neat ideas, and I did come across some. But, a friend reminded me of making arm/wrist warmers with the socks, and even leg warmers. I thought about it...and then I noticed a pair of socks on my sewing table that had been mutilated. When I asked the child who was the owner of these socks, why she did that, she told me she was trying to make wrist warmers, but messed them up...SO...I guess my kids WOULD like some wrist warmers :)
I am going to cut right above the ankle, stitch them up a bit there, just to reinforce and make sure they do not fray. But, Im going to take these a step further and decorate them nicely. Maybe by hand with some embroidery floss and maybe some with my sewing machine and a cute stitch. This will make them look nicely, but, also, since our socks are mostly white, I thought this would be a great way to know whose wrist warmer is laying on the floor after they come in from the cold-lol!! These will make a great stocking stuffer I think :)

Do you have lots of socks and wondering what you can do with all of them? It seems a shame to throw them away...How about using them to make a nice, warm quilt? One of my kids used them to make a fabric picture collage. They made great clouds in her picture :) Of course, there are sock monkeys, but you can use any sock and make any animal. My mom even took socks-though she used new ones-and made my kids sock babies. They adored those and a couple of my kids still have them! You could cut the tops into strips-as in making rounds with them-and use them in a loop loom to make potholders. Or, believe it or not, socks make terrific dusting clothes-slip one on each hand and off you go! Perhaps even floor dusters on your feet as well?


Here are a couple sites I found with sock craft ideas:
Sock and Nylon Crafts
 The New Homemaker
do stuff! Fingerless Mitts
Argyle Sock Scarf Instructions
Martha Stewart Sock Dog
HGTV Sock Dog
By the way, I have been once again making things for my kids this Christmas-a pair of jammie pants of my youngest son and some matching American Girl jammies-yes, he has a doll too-why doesn't AG make American Boys? Anyway... I have also made a couple AG outfits, working on jammies for each of my daughters' dolls as well-need to make my own pattern I suppose. I didn't like the one I used last year. And, I think I will make my oldest son one of those sock dogs :) He will love it. I will post pics once I am done to share :) If you are sewing or creating, feel free to share! I would love to know what others are doing!!