My Journey With 100% Wool Socks… & We Learn HOW TO MEND SOCKS Together!, by Drowning in Yarn on YouTube. 11 min 25 s.
- Video length
- 11 min 25 s
- Time to do it
- 30 minutes
- Difficulty
- Easy
- Steps
- 9
What you need
Steps
Turn the sock inside out and find the hole, along with any thin, see-through patches around it. Mend those too before they split.
Trim loose, frayed threads with small scissors, but leave a short fringe around the edge so the fabric does not unravel further.
Push a darning mushroom, small jar or smooth rounded object inside the sock under the hole. This holds the fabric flat and slightly stretched while you work.
Thread the darning needle with wool yarn about as thick as the sock. Leave a short tail on the inside instead of a tight knot.
Sew a row of running stitches across the hole, from one solid edge to the other, about 3 mm apart. Keep the yarn loose enough that the sock still stretches.
Turn the work 90 degrees and weave a second set of stitches over and under the first strands. You are building a woven grid that fills the hole.
For thin spots that have not torn yet, work Swiss darning instead. Copy the V shape of the knit stitches with small duplicate stitches over the worn area.
Slide out the mushroom, turn the sock right side out and press the patch flat with your hand. Check that it does not pucker or pull the sock out of shape.
Weave the yarn ends into the inside of the sock and trim them. Wash the sock as usual before wearing.
Tips and common mistakes
Match the yarn fibre to the sock, so pure wool socks get wool yarn and the patch wears at the same rate.
Keep your stitches slack. Tight darning makes a hard lump that rubs and tears again quickly.
Darn as soon as the heel or toe feels thin, since a small thin patch takes minutes and a full hole takes much longer.
Darning needles are sharp and the mushroom can slip. Work on a table and point the needle away from your fingers.
Questions
Do I need a proper darning mushroom?
No. A small jar, a smooth stone or even a rounded doorknob works, as long as it holds the fabric flat and gives you a firm surface to sew against.
Can I darn a wool sock with cotton or acrylic yarn?
You can, but the patch will wear differently from the wool around it and may pull loose. Wool or a wool blend close to the sock's own thickness lasts best.
Will the darned patch feel bumpy under my foot?
A little at first, especially on the heel. Keep the weave thin and the stitches loose, and the patch softens after a few washes and wears.
This guide was drafted from the video's details and general task knowledge. It has not been checked against the full video. Check the video and relevant product instructions before following a procedure. Report a correction.
