SOCKS (Paperback)

Celia Pym

ISBN 10: 1068321539 / ISBN 13: 9781068321535

Published by Quickthorn, 2026

About this Item

Paperback. Celia Pym is an artist darner and her new book, SOCKS imaginative mending, is based on the exhibition commissioned by NOW Gallery, Greenwich Socks: The Art of Care and Repair.SOCKS celebrates the everyday act of mending socks through darning. Central to the book is a vibrant, colourful library of 488 socks, each stitched and darned by the Surrey Square Primary School community in Southwark using industry warehouse waste socks. Children, staff and families of the school, learnt and practised their darning and stitching skills on socks, during a series of 26 workshops facilitated by Pym in early 2024. The progression of the work from nursery to year 6 aged children to the headteacher, beautifully demonstrates the dexterity and creativity of the children and how that changes over time, highlighting the importance of practical education for cognitive development.SOCKS also includes Pyms own work mending socks for friends and family. Celia is a prominent artist and teacher, exhibiting and teaching internationally and her London workshops sell out within minutes. Her previous book On Mending: Stories of damage and repair is one of our best sellers. Published 2 February 2026, available to preorder, delivery in November. SOCKS celebrates the everyday act of mending socks through darning, the new book by artist darner Celia Pym. Shipping may be from multiple locations in the US or from the UK, depending on stock availability.

Seller Inventory # 9781068321535

Bibliographic Details

• Title: SOCKS (Paperback)
• Publisher: Quickthorn
• Publication Date: 2026
• Language: English
• ISBN 10: 1068321539
• ISBN 13: 9781068321535
• Binding: Paperback
• Condition: new

About this title

Synopsis

Celia Pym is an artist darner. Focusing on the concept of sustainability in fashion and our lives more broadly, the book celebrates the everyday act of mending through darning.

Central to the book is a vibrant, colourful library of 488 socks, each stitched and darned by the Surrey Square Primary School community in Southwark using industry ‘warehouse’ waste socks. Children, staff and families of the school, learnt and practised their darning and stitching skills on socks, during a series of 26 workshops facilitated by Pym in early 2024.

The progression of the work from junior school upwards, beautifully demonstrates the dexterity and creativity of the children and how that changes over time., highlighting the importance of practical education for cognitive development. 

SOCKS also includes Pym’s own work for friends and family. Celia is a ‘big name’ in the art textiles world and her London workshops sell out within minutes. Her previous book On Mending: Stories of damage and repair is a best seller. 

This book also coincides with the publication by Quickthorn of Darning Socks, the new book by Japanese darning guru Hikaru Noguchi. Noguchi lives in Tokyo, but visits the UK regularly. Mending is increasingly popular as we learn to respect our limited resources and abstain from fast fashion.

About the Author

Celia Pym has a BA in Visual and Environmental Studies, specialising in sculpture, from Harvard University, US and an MA in Constructed Textiles from the Royal College of Art, London. She is also a trained nurse. Her work has been exhibited at Firstsite, Essex; Somerset House, London; Design Museum, London; Wellcome Collection, London; Trading Museum, CDG, Paris; V&A Dundee; V&A London and Textilmuseum, St Gallen. In 2017 she was shortlisted for the Woman’s Hour Craft Prize and the inaugural Loewe Craft Prize. She is an Associate Lecturer in Textiles at the Royal College of Art in London.