John: Face the cloth side towards the penis (you want to treat your favorite organ well
).
I'm not sure if I understand this question:
>> How much does the mouse pad strip need to overlap? Just enough to make sure there's no gap between the ends?<<
If it's cut to 6 inches, it will overlay a bit (depending on your girth).
About the socks: That's a good idea for a wrap. You may try using a piece of mouse pad and then putting the sock over the mouse pad as a buffer.