Helping you create a home by hand.

How to Darn a Sock

This is a perfectly good sock.

sock

Except when I zoom in, you’ll see that there’s a small hole in the toe.

zoom-in-on-sock-1

And every time I put it on, my toe works it’s way out of that hole and that is really uncomfortable.

It was a simple fix though.

First, I gathered my materials.

darning-materials

Cotton thread, needle, scissors and light bulb.   Yes, a light bulb.  It’s what my grandmother used and it’s what I use.

Next, I put the light bulb inside the sock, like this.

sock-over-lightbulb

I started by weaving the needle in and out all the way across to close the hole.

weave-in-and-out

I made sure to catch the little knit loops so that the hole wouldn’t continue to unravel after darning.  Then I wove in and out in the crosswise direction until there was no hole left.  Then I tied a knot, wove the thread in for a few stitches and then cut the thread.

There… almost as good as new.

good-as-new

For a larger hole in wool socks, the process is basically the same, it just takes a bit more work and weaving.  Here’s a great video showing how to darn a wool sock and it will also give you a better view of weaving process:

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4nY1jTVyBE0]

This technique can also be used to repair small holes in clothing.  Larger holes will require patching and that’s something I’ll be doing a post on in the near future.

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4 Comments

  • katmaxx
    January 12, 2009 8:27 pm

    My great-grandma had a wooden egg in her sewwing basket for darning. I bet a plastic easter egg would work too and not be breakable.

  • momstheword
    January 9, 2009 9:42 pm

    I have to admit that I have never tried this. I just assumed it would be uncomfortable to walk on if I did something like this. The lighbulb idea is great!

  • julie
    January 9, 2009 9:10 pm

    Thanks for visiting me! I’m trying to get together ideas for next year also. I was sewing up till a couple of days before.
    Just like you I made a puppet theater. My olders made the puppets. You can see them if you scroll down a couple of entries. Actually come to think of it, I remember looking at your puppets when I needed some ideas. Small world!

  • AmyG
    January 9, 2009 6:46 pm

    I never thought of a lightbullb…that’s reallly handy for holding the fabric still! I’ll try it tonight on Hubby’s socks waiting in my mending basket!

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