Repairing a hole in your sweater

Put the thread through the eye of the needle but do not tie a knot. You just let the end of the wire hang. Make sure that the thread is not too long, then the chance of annoying loops during threading is smaller.

Turn the garment inside out. You repair the hole from the inside of the garment, so that the repair is less visible on the outside.

Now stretch the fabric over the apple. You can trim away any loose threads, but be careful not to cut them too short, especially with knitted clothing. This can cause the hole to become larger or tear out further.

To fix the yarn to the fabric, use the needle to thread the thread a few centimeters through the fabric. This involves threading the thread 'superficially' through the fabric, without piercing all the way through the fabric. This way you won't see the repair thread on the outside of your garment.

If you see loose, open stitches or loops (this will especially be the case with knitted fabrics), go through them with a needle and thread and pull them together slightly. In other cases (for example a cotton sweater) you can first thread a circle around the tear for extra repair security.

Now make a few horizontal stitches over the hole or tear. Insert your needle far enough past the hole and not through 'broken stitches'. Here too, pierce 'superficially' and not through the fabric. Do not pull the yarn too tight, as this will cause unsightly wrinkles in the fabric. The idea is to fill the hole and not pull it together. Once you have finished the horizontal stitches, continue with the vertical stitches and weave them through the horizontal stitches. Continue this until the entire hole is filled.

Don't pull your final stitch all the way tight, but leave a small loop. Thread your needle through it and gently pull the yarn tight. Thread it 'superficially' through the fabric for a few more centimeters, then cut off the end of the thread. You can now embroider your starting thread through your repair and secure it. Your darning work is done.

You can now 'embroider/secure' your starting thread through your repair.

Practice makes perfect; that is certainly the case with this repair. But look, you've succesfully repaired your sweater or jumper yourself. This weaving repair technique is also well-suited for darning your outdoor socks, warm hat, or scarf. So keep practicing, because repairing your clothing instead of discarding it makes a significant in water, raw materials, and energy consumption. And that, in turn, is good for our planet!