Can you use embroidery floss for darning?
Yes. Embroidery floss is a common, inexpensive choice for darning, especially for small repairs on socks, lightweight knits, and t-shirt fabric. It comes in many colors, which makes it easy to match a garment or contrast with it on purpose. Because it is made of six loosely twisted strands, you can split it to get the thickness you want.
Where floss works well and where it does not
Floss suits small to medium repairs on light to mid-weight items. It is less suited to high-wear areas, such as the heel of a hard-worn sock, or heavy fabrics like denim, where sturdier thread tends to hold up better. Floss can also split or fray if you pull it through fabric many times, so work with shorter lengths.
How many strands to use
Thinner thread makes a thinner, flatter darn, and thicker thread makes a denser one. Many people start with two strands for fine knits and add more for thicker fabric. Try a test on a scrap or hidden area. Separate the strands individually and recombine them rather than pulling all six through at once, which can tangle.
What you need
- Embroidery floss in a suitable color
- A needle with an eye large enough for the floss; a blunt tapestry needle makes weaving easier
- Something firm to put under the hole, such as a darning mushroom or egg, a wooden spoon, or a smooth jar
- Small scissors
Step-by-step darning with floss
- Place the support under the damaged area.
- Thread the needle with your chosen number of strands and make a small knot, or leave a tail you will secure later.
- Stitch parallel lines across the hole, starting and ending in sound fabric beyond the edges.
- Turn the work and weave over and under the first set of lines to fill the gap.
- Pack the rows close enough to cover the hole, without pulling so tight that the fabric puckers.
- Fasten off on the inside by weaving the end under existing stitches.
Other threads to consider
- Pearl (perle) cotton. A tightly twisted, shiny cotton sold in several sizes. One mender notes it suits embroidery-style mends better than darning, since it does not blend together as softly as yarn.
- Sashiko thread. Soft, not mercerized, and sturdy. It is used for visible mends on denim and for darning mid-weight socks. See sashiko stitching for beginners.
- Yarn. The natural match for knitted items. For a wool jumper, matching the yarn usually gives the best result; see fixing holes in woolen clothes.
- Regular sewing thread. Fine and strong, but usually too thin to build up fabric on its own when hand darning thicker items.
What type of thread is best for darning jeans?
Denim is thick and takes a lot of strain, so a stronger thread is usually the better option. Sashiko thread or a heavier cotton thread are popular for hand mending, and a sewing machine can darn jeans with strong all-purpose thread. Floss may work for a decorative repair on an area that gets little stress.
Can embroidery floss be used as sewing thread?
It can be used for hand sewing, such as decorative stitches or attaching a patch, but it is not designed for seams that must be strong, and it is not suited to machine sewing. For patches, a stronger thread is usually the safer option, as discussed in iron on vs sew on patches.
Tips
- Keep the darn flat and the tension even.
- Extend your stitches beyond the weak area, since the fabric around a hole is often thin.
- Choose a color slightly lighter or darker if you want the repair to look intentional.