How to Darn a Sock

Written By: justinHo910

Comments: 1

Difficulty

Easy

Steps

Time Required

5 - 15 minutes

Introduction

If you have a hole in your sock and want to fix it, this guide will help repair it through a simple method called darning.

Darning a hole in a sock provides a different outcome than simply sewing up the hole. When you darn a sock, it acts as a replacement for the missing fabric. So, if you have suitable thread types, you can create cool patchwork socks.

A darning mushroom is one of the tools listed. These can be found on Amazon or whichever website you use to purchase goods. If you do not have a darning mushroom or wish to avoid purchasing one, substitutes include tennis balls, light bulbs, or, like in my guide, a water bottle. Essentially, you will need an object inside the sock to stretch out the hole.

Tools

Step 1

Insert a darning egg (or substitute object) into the sock until the hole is stretched out.

Step 2

Sew a running stitch around the hole to reinforce it.
To make a running stitch, move your needle in and out of the sock a fixed distance apart.
The needle is sharp; use caution and avoid poking your hand.

Step 3

Start a stitch from one side of the hole, about ½” to ⅛” away. Connect one side of the hole to the other using the thread.
Run parallel stitches until the hole is fully covered.

Ideally the parallel stitches should be much closer together than shown in the image; you're trying to create new fabric, basically! I don't have the resources to take better quality photos here but eventually I might be able to show the process better.

I learned how to darn from this zine. I don't have permission to use their images for here, though.

Kawa -