Let’s talk about mending. Typically the kind of chore that we often postpone to later on but which is so enjoyable once you get going. Over several blog posts we are going to discuss different mending methods, when and how to use them, their pros and their cons. We’ll start with the most popular of them all; the weave darn.
Best suited to small-sized holes, the weave darn is very quick and easy. From the right side of your knitting weave a thread back and forth across the hole to create a woven patch slightly wider than the surface you want to hide. First vertically, then horizontally. I personally prefer to start going vertically following the direction of stitches V (photo above) and then horizontally across each rows (photo underneath). At the edge of the hole weave over and under the stitches and alternate on every row. Over the hole weave under and over each thread you encounter. Again alternate on every row. Make sure your weave is tight enough so there is no gap left.
The thread should be approximately the same weight as the one used to knit the original item. If it’s too thick it will add some unwanted bulk around the hole. If it’s too thin the weave won’t be tight enough to fully cover the hole. For a neater result use a darning mushroom. By spreading your fabric over the mushroom it provides you with a curved working frame. This stops you pulling the fabric too close together and helps you create an even flat weave.
If the hole is very small a weave darn can be nearly invisible – bearing in mind that it does create a patch of woven fabric over knitted fabric so it is bound to contrast a little in that respect. As it is always best to mend a hole as soon as you spot it and not wait for it to get bigger the weave darn should be your go-to method for most of your mending requirements. For anything bigger that a £2 coin however we’d recommend stepping up to a knitted patch or an advanced Swiss darn which would offer a stronger result. Weave darns lack the strength, structure and stretch to cover big surfaces!
Did you know that the YAK blog is full of useful tutorials? You can find them all over here. Stay tuned as we’ll soon be talking about another mending method: the knitted patch.
Until Next Time.. Happy Knitting!
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I need a small amount of yak wool for darning a hole in a dark brown yak woollen glove. Do you have such an item to sell?
Hi Peter,
I am afraid we do not stock any yak yarn. Your darning thread however doesn’t need to have the exact same fibre content that the rest of your gloves. As long as they’re similar thickness and colour you’re good to go!