Clothes are a lot like nerves: with enough stress, even the toughest wear thin. If you have your clothes long enough (and you should — no fast fashion for us) a few holes are going to pop up. Check your pockets, elbows, knees, seats — you’ll see what we mean.
Luckily, we have a proactive solution for everyone trying to keep their staples in one piece. See a small hole — some fraying or slight ripping, perhaps? Darn it! That’s right, darn that heckin’ thang! Our tailor Jen Sharkey is here to show you the darning technique, which mends a hole before it needs a patch. Darning: the best way to keep your oldish clothes looking newish.
WHAT YOU'LL NEED
- Needle
- Thread
- A Trucker Jacket that could use some love.
Learn how to do darning by hand, step by step.
STEP 1
Start stitching your hole from the back of the fabric.
STEP 2
Stitch up and down along the width of your hole.
STEP 3
Next, stitch horizontally along the hole’s length. You’ll create perpendicular lines that firmly secure the hole.
STEP 4
Finish the stitch with a knot or by winding the thread back through a few stitches.
STEP 5
Trim the excess thread.
Darn right! You’ve darned. You’re now a darner.
We’ve got plenty of DIY projects for you to try at home. Check our best summer time diy projects for a round up of some favourites and see all other DIY projects here.