A mini darning loom turns a hole in your jeans into a tiny woven patch you will want to show off. Christine of Christine's Crafts walks through the whole thing on a pair of jeans, from strapping the loom on to stitching the last loops down. If the leaflet that came with your loom left you confused, this is the plain version.
How to use a mini darning loom: the short version
- Band the wooden disc behind the hole, then band the loom into the disc's groove.
- Run warp threads in pairs from tiny stitches on the fabric up to the hooks.
- Weave a weft thread across, flick the hooks, and weave back.
- Repeat right up to the hooks, changing colors for stripes if you like.
- Take the loom off and whip stitch the loops down.
What the hooks do
The row of hooks is the clever part. Every hook holds a pair of warp threads. Flick the hooks one way and every other thread lifts, so your needle slides across in one go. Flick them back and the threads swap places for the return pass. That is all a loom does on a big scale too. Forget to flick and the row pulls straight out.
Choosing thread
Six strand embroidery floss is the easy choice. It comes in hundreds of colors, it is cheap, and it fills a patch quickly on denim. For a fine knit or a sock, split the floss or use a thinner darning wool so the patch is not stiff. Use one color for the warp and play with stripes in the weft, or stripe both for a checked patch.
How big a patch can you make?
A patch can only be as wide as the row of hooks, roughly an inch and a half on most mini looms. For a bigger hole, weave two patches side by side, or turn the loom and weave a second patch across the first.
Helpful tricks
- Stand a few hooks up before you loop the warp. It is far less fiddly.
- Open the warp with a second, larger needle so the threaded needle slips through.
- Press each new row down with that needle, the way a weaver beats the weft.
- A needle threader saves your eyes and your patience.
Common problems
- The band keeps pinging off. Seat it in the groove first, then hook it over the disc. Try again. Everyone loses one.
- The patch has a loose top edge. You stopped short of the hooks. Squeeze in the last rows even when it gets tight.
- Gaps between rows. Push each row down before the next one.
- Loops pull out after removal. Whip stitch through every loop. Skip one and it unravels.
Patch shapes and ideas
A rectangle is the natural shape, but a heart or triangle works too. Change how many hooks you use on each row. Visible mends look great on jean knees, sweater elbows, tote bags and kids' clothes. You can even weave a patch on a plain item as decoration.
More mending
Prefer an invisible fix? Try how to darn a sock with a needle or how to fix a hole in a sweater. If you enjoy the weaving, weaving on a lap loom is the bigger version, and backstitch is handy for outlining a mend.
