! Quick darning - PEP BB textile.sand.darn

I understand the BB specifications changed, it doesn't have to be a sock anymore.
So now my darning in a blanket can count for a BB! See https://permies.com/wiki/20/105490/PEP-BB-textile-sand-darn#1017444

I saw my BB is already complete now. But I like to show I did darn a pair of socks now too.

darning socks 1

darning socks 2

darned socks

My favorite wool sweater developed a hole, so I tried to darn it.  I used wool yarn.  I understood the concept but the execution was "patchy" at best.

Its raining...no wood working but luckily this yarn and darning tool came in the mail today!

I was skeptical when I started but its a surprisingly solid mend! I am very pleased and plan to work on this more to improve the asthetic value of my darning but for a first time needle and thread guy I'm happy. Please let me know if it does not meet you qualifications for some reason. I believe it does.

There is a hole in the armpit of my favourite work sweater!

Starting material: Sweater, lacrosse ball, wool yarn, fat needle



The process:







The finished product. Not pretty but there is no hole!

We're thinking that since the sweater has less wear on it than a sock that the darn should hold. On your next darning, you might want to try to use a thinner yarn if you have any, and try to avoid making the fabric pucker, because the puckers make it more prone to making more holes.

Good work learning the skills!

Woohoo... I have wool socks that need darning. I may even have some sort of wooden thing that will work in place of the mushroom.  Starring the email.  I'll Be Back...

Although I'm not bothering with the BB bit I'm gratified to learn how to do this. I actually have one of those mushroomy things (minus the stem) inherited from my mother though I was never taught how to use it. I do have a question though and I hope it isn't stupid. I see that no knots are done at the beginning or end of the strands and they are just snipped and left. How does it work that they don't unravel or slip out what with washing and wearing? Am I missing something? How closely do you snip the thread and doesn't it end up catching on something if not short enough?

Connie Zoeller wrote:Although I'm not bothering with the BB bit I'm gratified to learn how to do this. I actually have one of those mushroomy things (minus the stem) inherited from my mother though I was never taught how to use it. I do have a question though and I hope it isn't stupid. I see that no knots are done at the beginning or end of the strands and they are just snipped and left. How does it work that they don't unravel or slip out what with washing and wearing? Am I missing something? How closely do you snip the thread and doesn't it end up catching on something if not short enough?

Hey Connie! I,much like you, was never taught this skill.
I have completed the bb and done about 10 more mends.
Igs really great to learn new things. I was also concerned about the lack of knots but mine have not come unraveled.yet but on my later mends I've begun to tuck the folded back portion of the string into the weave and then cut off the excess very close to the weave. It seems to hold extra tight look neater and have not bumpy or uncomfortable feel.

I hope this helps. But even if you don't use this trick the weave holds it tight as shown

I was chief sock darner in my family back in the 60s, and I've kept a basket ever since, though haven't practiced it for decades.  Maybe I'll pick it up again, though the new wool socks with blends seem to hold up better.

Not sure I remember anything but cotton and silk when I was darning, so that's mostly what's in my basket.  

I do have a couple of examples of wool, one from a friend who spins.

I have an assortment of molds.  The mushroom shaped ones have a metal band so as to stretch (or perhaps just stabilize) the fabric, much like an embroidery hoop.  The duck shaped molds fit the toes of socks nicely.

The skinny ones are meant for the fingers of gloves.