Jhb West - Nov 24

Socks gone wild!
Ever wondered where all your lost socks disappear to? Well, they may just have
been reincarnated as one of Donna Kruger’s famous Sockimals!
Text: ALANICKA LOTRIET. Photographer: ROELIEN MALAN. Venue: STUDIO WORTHIT.
Under the knife of our resident
Socktologist, Donna Kruger gives
socks a fresh lease on life. Stuffed
and stitched into the most delightful
creatures you’ve ever seen. Think
giraffes, piggies, llamas, Sockosauruses
(yes, you read that right), hippos, ellies,
donkeys, bunnies, and … well, you
get the picture. If it’s cute, Donna’s
probably made it.
Oh .. and she doesn’t really use old
mismatched socks from the laundry
vortex. Only brand-new ones that
have never been worn.
For more than a decade, Donna’s
been expressing herself through
socks. The more colourful and wilder
the pattern, the better ... since Donna
herself is, well bold, bright and busy.
Upon completion, every Sockimal
gets a hug from its creator (because
it’s become a ritual) before it’s ready
to head off to its fureva home. So far,
exactly 4157 Sockimals have been
lovingly adopted. (She’s her father’s
daughter, so yes, she keeps track)!
‘The best part is that each one is so
different, even if they start as identical
pairs of socks. I can never ever create
the exact same animal twice, which
speaks to me too. Each of us are
unique masterpieces and not one
person is the same as someone else.’
Socks have been a thread (pun totally
intended) in Donna’s life since she
was little. She remembers making
mud pies and sifting sand through …
you guessed it … socks with her little
sister, Laura. Later, she was knitting
baby jerseys and making dresses for
her niece. Creativity has always been
in her blood, and though her mom
tried to teach her sewing as a little girl,
it didn’t really click until Donna found
her Sockimal calling later in life.
Needless to say, she has always loved
colour, and she’s come to love people
16 Get It Magazine November 2024