A hole in the heel or toe of a sock is one of the most common signs of wear. Many people throw the sock away as soon as the hole appears, even though the rest is still good. Darning is an old skill that needs only a few tools and a little patience. After the first try, you will find it easier every time.
Choose a thread close in colour to the sock, or pick a bright one if you like the mended look. Thread a needle with a large eye and knot the end. Slip a smooth jar or the back of a wooden spoon inside the sock, under the hole. This holds the fabric taut and keeps you from sewing the sock shut.
Weaving the stitches
Begin a little way from the hole, on firm fabric, and sew small running stitches in rows that cross the hole. Keep the rows close together and stop just beyond the edge on each side. When the hole is covered with parallel threads, turn the sock round and weave new threads across them. Go over one thread and under the next, as if weaving a tiny piece of cloth.
Do not pull the thread too tight, or the mend will pucker and feel hard against the skin. Leave a little slack so that the darn can stretch with the sock. Keep the stitches flat, and avoid leaving large knots inside where the foot will press. When you finish, weave the end of the thread back through a few stitches.
Mend a sock while the hole is still small, before the fabric around it wears thin. Check the heel and toe regularly, because they give way first. If the wool around the hole is thin, extend the darn a little further onto strong fabric. A hole that is caught early is much quicker to mend than a big one.
Keep a small tin with needles, thread and scissors somewhere easy to reach. Darned socks can be worn as usual and washed with the rest of the laundry. Do not be discouraged if your first attempt looks a bit untidy, since it will still work well. Each pair you save is one fewer thing to throw away and one fewer to buy.
