Darning Socks (and Tights)

I have been learning to darn socks using YouTube videos as teaching guides. 

Why bother darning socks? You have probably discovered for yourself that when most socks develop holes in the heel and toe, the rest of the sock remains in good shape. Two of my favorite pairs of wool socks are wearing thin in the heel and toe. In spite of being more than eight years old, the toe and heel are really the only worn part of the socks. I didn't want to purchase new socks, so it was time to learn a new skill.

I tried two different methods. I can’t say that my first attempts were beautiful, but they are functional, and I am hoping to improve with practice. 

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The Weave Method

I used a weave method for the holes in my wool socks using this video as a guide. I didn't have wool thread in the same color as the sock, so I used a wool blend yarn that I had. It was colorful, but it worked.

It was difficult to work the yarn with nothing behind the sock, so I ended up using a round wax candle we have. It was really too big, but I managed to insert it in the sock. The size was a bit cumbersome and the needle dug a bit into the wax. There were three drawbacks to the candle - 1) the size was a bit cumbersome, 2) it would be too large to use with a smaller sock, and 3) the needle dug into the wax a bit. Ultimately, it worked, but for future projects, it would be helpful to have a tool designed for the job. 

The toe section was small and didn't turn out too badly:

The repaired toe

The heel section, on the other hand, was rather large and had an irregular shape. It wasn't skillfully done, but it is mended.

The repaired heel

The Loop Method

I also had a pair of winter tights with a hole in the toe section. I tried a different method for the repair on these. I decided to follow the simple method in this video. For this repair, I used embroidery thread. Like the socks, I didn't have the exact color to match, but at least it blended better than the sock repair. I again used the wax candle for a backing.

 A repaired hole in a pair of tights

What I Learned

  • Sock repair is not as intimidating as it sounds.
  • Since socks are usually covered by your shoes, the repair doesn't have to look perfect.
  • There is a reason people invented darning tools like the mushroom and egg.  

If you would like to try darning socks and are looking for an all-in-one kit, I found this sock darning kit that has a darning mushroom, a darning egg, several large-eye needles, and various colors of thread.

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