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This is a badge bit (BB) that is part of the PEP curriculum.  Completing this BB is part of getting the straw badge in textiles.

Knit-stitch darning (sometimes called Swiss darning) is a method of repairing holes in knitted fabric by recreating the knit stitches with a darning needle. For this badge bit, you will mend a hole using this technique.

To complete this BB, the minimum requirements are:
- must be knit fabric
- must be a truly invisible mend - not obviously visible from 3 feet away

To show you've completed this Badge Bit, provide proof of the following as pics or video (less than two minutes):
 -  the hole in your knit fabric, darning needle, and repair yarn
 -  your darning in progress
 -  your mended fabric


Videos to get you started:





Articles with more information:
- What is invisible mending?
- Invisible Mends One Pair of Hands
- Repairing Knitwear Knitty.com
- How to Repair Holes in Multiple Rows of Fabric Part 1
- How to Repair Holes in Multiple Rows of Fabric Part 2
COMMENTS:
 
pollinator
Posts: 122
Location: Gloucestershire, UK
89
5
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Approved submission
I absolutely love this cardigan and it has already been fixed a number of times by me, I'm always wearing the elbows out as I work at a desk all day.

Here are my pics. My finger is right below the repair in the last pic.
IMG_20210429_210204.jpg
Pic of the hole
Pic of the hole
IMG_20210429_211453.jpg
Materials to fix it
Materials to fix it
IMG_20210429_211027.jpg
In progress from the wrong side, about to darn in the ends
In progress from the wrong side, about to darn in the ends
IMG_20210429_211622.jpg
Pic from the right side all done - invisible!
Pic from the right side all done - invisible!
Staff note (gir bot) :

Dave Burton approved this submission.
Note: I hereby verify this BB as complete! Congrats on being the first to complete this BB!!!

 
Posts: 119
Location: Montréal, QC
77
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foraging tiny house fiber arts building rocket stoves homestead
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Edge case submission
Did 2 fixes tonight, but neither one quite fits the requirements.

For the scarf, I forgot to take an in-progress photo.
For the sweater, the yarn I had didn't match the colour so it's not an invisible mend.
20220115_205707.jpg
[Thumbnail for 20220115_205707.jpg]
scarf with materials
20220115_211548.jpg
[Thumbnail for 20220115_211548.jpg]
scarf mended
20220115_221550.jpg
[Thumbnail for 20220115_221550.jpg]
sweater in progress (wrong side)
20220115_211923.jpg
[Thumbnail for 20220115_211923.jpg]
sweater with materials
20220115_222524.jpg
[Thumbnail for 20220115_222524.jpg]
sweater mended
Staff note (gir bot) :

Someone flagged this submission as an edge case BB.
BBV price: 0
Note: The repairs look good but do not meet the BB requirements.

 
gardener
Posts: 1514
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Approved submission
I made this skirt over a year ago.  This is the first time it has needed mending.   Made of wool and linen,  it bucks hay, rides horses and tolerates the washing machine like a champ.

Skirt-needs-mending.JPG
[Thumbnail for Skirt-needs-mending.JPG]
Picking-up-the-stiches.JPG
[Thumbnail for Picking-up-the-stiches.JPG]
darning-stiches.JPG
[Thumbnail for darning-stiches.JPG]
Filename: Finished-darning-skirt.MOV
File size: 34 megabytes
IMG_4328.JPG
[Thumbnail for IMG_4328.JPG]
Staff note (gir bot) :

Someone approved this submission.
Note: I certify this badge bit complete.

 
Posts: 68
Location: Northeast Indiana (zone 6a)
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Approved submission
Discovered a hole in the front of my favorite cardigan, so invisible mending was the obvious choice. I used a tapestry needle and some black wool yarn, but I ended up unraveling the yarn into a single strand to match the width of the yarn in the cardigan. I've never done a knit-stitch darn before, but it didn't take too long to get the hang of it and I'm happy with the results.
hole.jpg
The hole in my cardigan, plus the yarn and needle I used to fix it.
The hole in my cardigan, plus the yarn and needle I used to fix it.
ladders.jpg
Vertical "ladders" done - it's significantly less visible already.
Vertical "ladders" done - it's significantly less visible already.
darning1.jpg
Starting the actual knit stitches.
Starting the actual knit stitches.
darning2.jpg
Finally getting the hang of it.
Finally getting the hang of it.
finished.jpg
The darned hole - a little lumpy around the edges, but not bad for my first time trying this method.
The darned hole - a little lumpy around the edges, but not bad for my first time trying this method.
threefeet.jpg
The front of the cardigan as seen from about three feet away, with a practically invisible darn.
The front of the cardigan as seen from about three feet away, with a practically invisible darn.
Staff note (gir bot) :

Megan Palmer approved this submission.

 
pioneer
Posts: 78
Location: Königs Wusterhausen, Germany
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Approved submission
Fixed this hole in a beloved sweater.
20230327_123632.jpg
[Thumbnail for 20230327_123632.jpg]
20230327_124316.jpg
[Thumbnail for 20230327_124316.jpg]
20230327_133155.jpg
[Thumbnail for 20230327_133155.jpg]
Staff note (gir bot) :

Paul Fookes approved this submission.
Note: I certify this BB complete. Beautifully executed

 
pollinator
Posts: 250
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Approved submission
I noticed a hole in one of my everyday skirts. I used 2 different colors of yarn, the white held the stitches in place and the tan was my repair yarn.
20240726_173739.jpg
the problem
the problem
20240726_180922.jpg
in progress
in progress
20240726_182533.jpg
the fix
the fix
Staff note (gir bot) :

Paul Fookes approved this submission.
Note: I certify this BB complete.  Well done

 
Apprentice Rocket Scientist
Posts: 872
Location: 4a, high mountain dessert
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Approved submission
I have a hole in my favorite thermal layer. This sucker was EXPENSIVE! So I set about re-making the knit fabric.
20241201_104803.jpg
Hole, with black thread, and scissors/needle
Hole, with black thread, and scissors/needle
20241201_111853.jpg
From the inside of the material. All the ladders have been placed, like the Swedish repair technique shown in the bb video
From the inside of the material. All the ladders have been placed, like the Swedish repair technique shown in the bb video
20241201_121844.jpg
The finished gob of new fabric from the inside
The finished gob of new fabric from the inside of the shirt. It's a double-layered knit, so although you can see my foundations from the inside, it's much harder to see anything from the outside.
20241201_122001.jpg
Thanks to my daughter for taking an action shot. I know it's not required. But thanks to SKIP, my kids have a habit of snapping pics whenever they think I am working on a bb. She wasn't wrong this time! So I had to include it...
Thanks to my daughter for taking an action shot. I know it
20241201_122746.jpg
Can you see the repair from 3 feet away?
Can you see the repair from 3 feet away?
Staff note (gir bot) :

Cheryl Loomans approved this submission.
Note: i hearby certify this BB complete

 
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