With an abundance of cheap everything everywhere, you might wonder, “Why do people mend?”
Well, there are several reasons.
- Mending saves us a lot of time and money.
It takes around half an hour to fix a hole in a sock or a sweater. It takes at least a few days to knit a new pair of socks, and it takes weeks to knit a new sweater. The math is simple.
Even if you plan to buy a new sweater instead of knitting it, in most cases, it takes way more than 30 minutes to find the right one. It is much easier to mend your favourite sweater and wear it for another few years.
Moneywise, mending is free. New socks and sweaters are not.
- Mending reduces waste.
Even though we rarely stop to think about how much waste every one of us generates, deep down we know that it is important to care for our planet. Mending is a great way to show that care.
Instead of throwing out a sweater, we mend it and keep wearing it. This way, we not only keep this piece of clothing out of landfill, but we also don’t buy a new one, reducing the harm often caused by apparel manufacturing.
- Mending gives our favourite garments a second life.
There is something very intimate about the process of mending. We take our favourite sweater (or any other garment) and heal it. It is a lot like helping an old friend.
As we mend, we remember the pleasant moments that we experienced when we were wearing this sweater, and these memories often make us smile. It feels good.
Now that we know why mending is such a wonderful practice, let me show you ways to fix holes in your socks, sweaters, hats, scarves and any other knitted item.
In this mini-course, we’ll learn to fix small holes, big holes, and frayed edges. We’ll see how we can do all that invisibly, and how we can turn those imperfections into design elements by using the visible mending techniques.
HOW TO MEND SMALL HOLES
INVISIBLE MENDING
In woollen sweaters, small holes are often caused by moths. Sometimes small holes appear when we accidentally snag the fabric (watch bracelets are especially guilty of causing those snags!).
Whatever the reason, when you set out to fix a hole, start by looking for a runaway stitch.
If you see it, pick it up with a knitting needle and move it up the ladder of strands created when that stitch ran away.
Here’s how to do it step by step.
WATCH EVERY STEP IN THIS VIDEO TUTORIAL
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You can also fix this dropped stitch with a crochet hook.
With the stitch fixed, we are left with a small tear in the fabric.
To fix it in the least visible way:
- Take a piece of the same yarn that you used to make this garment. If you don’t have any of that yarn left, or if the item you are mending is store-bought, take a piece of yarn in a similar thickness and in a very similar shade.
- Thread this yarn into a wool needle or a sewing needle if the yarn is thin.
With the right side of the fabric facing you, carefully close the hole with a few overhand stitches, making sure the needle catches all live stitches. - Hide the tails on the wrong side of the fabric.
If the hole is vertical, use the baseball stitch method described over here and in the video tutorial below.
WATCH EVERY STEP IN THIS VIDEO TUTORIAL
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VISIBLE MENDING
If you’d like to turn this hole into a decorative element, start by locating all live stitches and fixing any stitches that ran away.
Use a knitting needle or crochet hook and this simple method.
If the hole is vertical, use the same baseball stitch method that we used when we fixed a hole invisibly, but this time, use yarn in a different colour and make the stitching wider.
You can also decorate your project with cross stitch.
Here’s how we add cross stitch to knitted fabric.
WATCH EVERY STEP IN THIS VIDEO TUTORIAL
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Use any design you like or the classic star design demonstrated in the video. The chart for that design is over here.
No matter what method you use, stitch with the right side of the work facing you.
This way, you will see exactly how each stitch adds to the design formed on the fabric. If you don’t like the look, you can adjust it or redo a few stitches, just as we do in embroidery.
This is how we deal with small holes. But what if the hole is big?
HOW TO MEND BIG HOLES
INVISIBLE MENDING
There is a way to fix big holes that leaves no visible trace. Whether the hole is torn and messy, or whether it is made by an accidental cut, this method works well in all situations.
The swatch on the right in the photo below used to have a huge hole at the very centre.
Can you tell there was a hole there? Probably not.
Here’s how this (almost magical) invisible mending works.
WATCH EVERY STEP IN THIS VIDEO TUTORIAL
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VISIBLE MENDING
When we want to cover a hole with a bright (or not so bright) patch, a great way to do it is by using the classic Scotch darning method.
It adds a touch of a rustic look to the project, and the patch formed by this type of mending is so strong that it stays intact even when the rest of the fabric falls apart.
Here’s a photo of an elbow patch I made using Scotch darning. This patch covers a pretty big hole on my daughter’s favourite cashmere sweater.
Of course, mending is a very creative process, and it is hard to account for all possible shapes of holes, but this tutorial shows how Scotch darning works in general, and it outlines the steps that you need to take to mend holes and worn-out areas in your knitted garments.
You can also watch these steps in the video tutorial below.
WATCH EVERY STEP IN THIS VIDEO TUTORIAL
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Now we know how to fix holes in our favourite knits. But not all worn-out areas result in a hole. Sometimes we have to deal with frayed edges. Let’s see how we can fix them.
HOW TO MEND FRAYED EDGES
HORIZONTAL EDGES
The best way to fix frayed edges of cuffs, collars and bottom bands involves knitting surgery.
If the frayed edge is at the bind-off edge of the project, carefully undo the bind off, unravel the band until you remove the frayed part, then pick up the live stitches and reknit the few rows of the band.
If the frayed edge is at the cast-on edge, use a method described over here to detach the band from the project. Then pick up all live stitches and reknit the band.
It sounds complicated, but this process is very straightforward. A bit scary if you do it for the first time, but not difficult at all.
Here’s a video that shows how this knitting surgery works step by step.
WATCH EVERY STEP IN THIS VIDEO TUTORIAL
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If you want to make this mending invisible, use the same yarn that this garment is made of.
To turn the reknitted edge into a design element, use yarn in a different colour or even in a different texture for maximum effect.
VERTICAL EDGES
Frayed side edges do not need a surgery. They are usually fixed by patching. We do it with a crochet hook to keep the edges neat and straight.
WATCH EVERY STEP IN THIS VIDEO TUTORIAL
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You decide whether you want this mending to be visible or invisible when you choose the yarn.
The same yarn as the project will blend in with the texture of the edge. A different yarn will make a lovely accent.
LET’S PRACTICE
Take a knitted project that needs mending and inspect the damaged area.
Answer two questions:
- Is there a small hole, a big hole, or a frayed edge?
- Do you want the mending to be visible or invisible?
If the hole is small and you want to make a visible mending, follow these steps.
To mend this small hole invisibly, follow the steps over here.
If the hole is big and you want to turn it into a design element, click here.
To make this big hole disappear, follow the process described over here.
If the problem is in a frayed horizontal edge, here’s what you need to do.
If it is a vertical edge, click here.
Now you are well equipped to repair any part of your favourite knits. I hope the skills you’ve learned in this mini-course will heal your favourite knits, bring you joy, and save you time and money.
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