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When they finally appeared, many people thought they were unnecessary, impractical and even scandalous
Sustainability can be as easy as sewing up a small hole. We often think of sustainable fashion as making your own clothes or buying from eco-friendly brands but mending items is just as important.
In this tutorial, we’ll take you through how to sew a hole in a jumper and save it from the scrap heap! We’ll show you how to mend a hole both big and small as well as how to fix pulled threads.
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For this tutorial, we’ve fixed a wool jumper but this technique will work on most fabric types including jersey and cotton. To make our photos easier to see and follow, we’ve used a contrast thread. If you want a seamless mend, use a thread that matches your garment’s fabric.
Grab your needle and thread, it’s time to get mending!
How to sew a hole step-by-step guide
How to mend a small hole
The moment you spot a small hole, try this quick repair and fix it before it gets any worse.
Step 1
You’ll need wool or thread to match your jumper. For a small hole, you can use an ordinary sewing thread in a matching colour, as the stitches won’t be seen. You’ll also need a sharp pointed needle to sew small holes.
Turn your jumper inside out and snip off any untidy loose ends. Anchor your thread by working a few small stitches.
Step 2
Work straight stitches from side to side across the back of the hole – avoid pulling them too tightly.
Straight Stitch is very versatile as it can be worked to any length and in any direction. Bring the needle up at one end of the straight stitch, then down at the other end of the straight stitch to create the required straight stitch length.
Straight stitches are the best stitches for sewing up a hole. It’s simple, secure and if done correctly, won’t be seen!
Step 3
Work straight stitches in the other direction weaving them in and out of the first set.
Very gently begin to tighten the thread as you weave but keep checking on the front so that you don’t over-tighten it.
Step 4
Secure the thread to complete.
How to mend a large hole
Mending a large hole uses the same process but with a more structured technique.
Step 1
For larger holes the stitches will be visible so use a wool or yarn that matches your jumper in weight and colour. If this isn’t possible, then stranded cotton works well and comes in a huge range of colours.
Use a darning needle with a blunt point and a large eye for larger holes.
You can also use a darning mushroom to help you sew the hole. Darning mushrooms keep the edges of your garment flat and taut. If you don’t have a darning mushroom anything with a rounded edge will do, like a plastic bottle, cup or even a lemon!
Turn your garment inside out and sew a circle of running stitches around the hole about 5mm (¼in) away from the edge. This will prevent your garment from stretching out of shape.
Step 2
Sew horizontal straight stitches across the hole starting and finishing on the running stitch line.
Space them the same distance apart as the width of your strand of thread.
Leave a loop of thread at the end to start the next stitch for a little stretch.
Step 3
Work stitches in the same way in the opposite direction, but weave these in under and over the straight stitches already worked.
Fill the hole densely with this woven patch so that you can’t see through it. However, be careful not to make it so bulky that it’s raised above the front of the jumper.
Weave in the thread end and snip off to secure.
How to sew a hole – mending a pulled thread
Never cut a snagged thread in a jumper or you’ll end up with a hole! Here’s how to mend a pulled thread.
Step 1
Turn your jumper inside out. If the pulled thread has pulled your jumper then carefully stretch it back into shape.
Use the tip of a darning needle to gently tease the thread back into position.
Step 2
If there is still some looped thread left on the front of the jumper, then thread the pulled end through your needle and push the tip through to the inside of the jumper so that it’s hidden from the outside.
Say goodbye to fast fashion through learning how to sew a hole!
Knowing how to mend your clothes is an invaluable skill. By learning how to sew a hole you’ll be able to fix your favourite garments and stop them from ending up in landfill.
Grab your damaged items and get to sewing! Your pieces will be as good as new in no time.
Fix up your wardrobe with Simply Sewing
Caught the mending bug? Patch up your wardrobe with our how to mend clothes article. It covers everything from sashiko mending to how to sew on a patch!
