Mistakes & fixes

A woven-thread repair for holes and thin worn patches, built by stitching a grid of threads across the gap and weaving a needle over and under them to recreate fabric. Common on socks and knitwear.

Thinning fabric at a sweater or shirt elbow, before it becomes a hole, can be strengthened with an iron-on patch, a fabric elbow patch, or darning stitched into the weak area to extend the garment's life.

A small, ragged hole in wool from moth larvae needs the surrounding area checked for further weak spots before mending with darning or a patch. Treat the whole garment for moths afterward.

A hole from wear, a snag, or a moth needs the surrounding fabric checked for further weakness before mending. Small holes can be closed with darning; larger ones need a patch behind or over the opening.

A repair technique that highlights rather than hides the fix, using contrast thread, sashiko stitching, or colorful patches over a hole or worn area. It turns damage into a deliberate design feature.