Make Socks Mend Socks 2024
A wee landing page for our Make Socks Mend Socks 2024 Adventures! I’ll update this area with links to our quarterly threads, and I’ll also start compiling mending resources, tips and tricks below.
Make Socks Mend Socks, Second Quarter
Make Socks Mend Socks, First Quarter
Make Socks Mend Socks Kick Off
Getting Started Knitting Socks (A Provisional, In Progress Guide!)
On The Mend
One of my hopes with this gentle challenge is we can build up our mending knowledge, sharing what mends wear well over time and what tools and materials help make the job easier. This area is very much a work-in-progress, which I’ll update with our findings over the course of the year. If you have a favourite mending tutorial, tool or tip, let me know and I’ll add it!
Tools
You can absolutely make a start mending with no special kit — something to stretch your work over, some sturdy yarn in a similar weight to your original knit and a needle are all that you need. I have a wooden darning mushroom I love, and I use a hair tie to keep my sock secure.
One inexpensive tool, however, that I have found really helps me create tidier mends, is a ballpoint needle. The ballpoint tip means you’re less likely to split stitches, and I’ve found working with a longer needle shaft really handy when darning. I got mine from Ministry of Mending, a UK-based shop that has lots of mending suppplies! (Mine is 100 mm/4 in and I’ve used it very successfully with fingering weight/4ply yarn)
Tutorials
On Instagram, Milli_and_The_Bee has oodles of beautiful and inspiring mending videos.
Darning: Right now, this is my go to method for larger holes/rips in my socks. I usually refer to this Seamwork post which has vintage illustrations for mending. Sometimes, I really prefer a static illustration to video when learning something new. (But I will update this with some video and photo tutorial links too)
Swiss darning/duplicate stitch: My go to for reinforcing thinning areas of the sock or small holes. This photo tutorial from East London Knit shows the principal of it quite clearly. This set of photo and video tutorials from Donna Wilson also looks handy; I’ve not tried using foundation stitches before on a hole I’m going to swiss darn, but it seems a very good idea!
Blanket stitch mend via Bookhou (Instagram) — I’ve tried this for particularly round holes!
Have a favorite mending tutorial, video or book — email me at fiberandsustenance@gmail.com and I’ll add it to the list!