How to Darn a Sock

Look at the sock fabric closely. Thicker, chunkier socks need a heavier thread - Eleganza #3 weight pearl cotton matches well. Thin athletic socks or dress socks need a finer #8 weight. The middle weight #5 covers everything in between.

The patch only blends in if the thread roughly matches the sock's existing fiber thickness. A heavy thread on a thin sock leaves a stiff lump; a thin thread on a chunky sock looks ragged.

Slide the sock over the wooden darning mushroom (a curved-top tool that mimics a heel or toe shape) so the hole sits centered on the wide curved surface. The mushroom gives you a hard, smooth surface to stitch against.

Secure the sock with a hair tie or rubber band wrapped around the stem of the mushroom so the fabric stays flat and stretched out. Loose fabric makes for messy stitches.

Cut about 20 inches of darning thread (longer for bigger holes) and thread your darning needle. Starting at the top right corner of the hole, push the needle down through the sock fabric just past the edge of the hole. Pull the thread to the bottom edge and bring the needle back up.

Move slightly to the left and lay the next parallel thread. Continue across the entire width of the hole until you've covered slightly past both edges. These vertical foundation threads are what the next step weaves through.

Switch to the same color or a contrast color thread (visible-mending style). Starting at the top of the patch, weave the needle perpendicular to the foundation - over the first thread, under the second, over the third, and so on across the whole row.

On the next row down, alternate the pattern: go under where you went over, and over where you went under. Continue until you've covered the entire foundation. This creates the classic woven darning patch.

Once you've woven across the whole hole and slightly past the edges, take the rubber band off the mushroom and slip the sock off. Push the needle through to the inside of the sock at the patch's edge.

Make a few small running stitches into the sock fabric (not through to the outside) to anchor the thread. Tie a small knot, then trim the tail short. Do the same for the foundation threads' tails on the other end of the patch.

Lay the sock flat on an ironing board, patch facing up. Run a warm iron (no steam) over the patch for a few seconds. Pressing settles the threads, smooths any waves in the patch, and helps the new fibers blend with the sock's existing knit.

The patch will look slightly bumpy when fresh; pressing flattens it so it sits comfortably under your foot. The sock should now last longer than it did before the hole.