Learn how to ‘embroider’ over the threadbare areas on your knitwear by using a technique called Swiss darning or duplicate stitch. This repair method is perfect to use both to reinforces a worn area or to cover a hole.
Swiss darning / duplicate stitch is simply done by duplicating those V’s in stockinette stitch and stitching on top of the stitches that already has been knitted. This technique is perfect to use for almost invisible mend, but it can also make amazing visible mending designs if done in contrasting yarn. Therefore it sometimes is called ’embroider on knits’
For example, in this video, I am showing you how to make a Swiss darn in the shape of a white patch with a red heart inside.
It’s always best to aim to fix your knitwear before an actual hole appears – but do not worry if you already have a hole in your socks! Here you can learn how to lay a foundation of threads before you make your duplicate stitches. You can do so either horizontally as well as obliquely across.
As the heel on my sock is only slightly worn out I do not need to do so, instead, I can use the worn-out stitches as my guide.
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To Swiss darn you will need:
- Yarn that’s in the same, or similar weight, as the knitted piece
- Yarn needle
- Embroidery scissors
- Thread (if you have a hole instead of a worn-out area)
- A darning mushroom or embroidery hoop (optional)
If you wonder which yarn to use, how to pick a darning needle and if you really need a darning mushroom or egg I have created a video & blog post where I share general tips & tricks on darning including which tools & materials to use.
Want to learn more about darning?
- All about darning socks & knitwear + tips & tricks!
- Make a simple weave (warp/weft) darn
- Scotch darning
- Machine darning
How to Swiss darn
Thread the yarn needle with a length of yarn in your chosen colour. In my case, I am using white as my background-colour and red my heart-coulor.
Put your darning mushroom inside the socks, or use an embroidery hoop if you are working on a flat surface, to make sure you have the correct tension.
As my socks were pretty slippery I put an elastic band around the darning mushroom to help to hold them in place.
Bring the yarn needle up through the bottom ‘V’ of the first stitch that you want to duplicate. Make sure that you leave a yarn tail that’s about 1–2 inches to weave in later.
Insert the yarn needle across the ‘V’ of the stitch above the stitch you are duplicating. Pull that needle through the ‘legs’ of the knit stitch above, then insert the needle into the bottom of the ‘V’ where you began the duplicate stitch – the same spot where you initially pulled the yarn through.
Then continue working right to left to create your first row of duplicate stitches, but you can also stitch up and down vertically if that makes more sense to you.
To make the next duplicate stitch, bring the yarn needle up at the bottom of the ‘V’ of the next stitch which you plan to duplicate. Repeat these steps to create as many duplicate stitches as you’d like, in my case I started by creating 2 rows of white yarn before I started to create the heart-shape.
How to create the heart shape
Row 1-2: White stitches (13 sts in total)
Row 3: 6 White sts, 1 red st, 6 white sts
Row 4: 5 White sts, 3 red sts, 5 white sts
Row 5: 4 White sts, 5 red sts, 4 white sts
Row 6: 3 White sts, 7 red sts, 3 white sts
Row 7 – 8: 2 White sts, 9 red sts, 2 white sts
Row 9: 3 White sts, 3 red sts, 1 white st, 3 red sts, 3 White sts
Row 10: 3 White sts, 2 red sts, 3 white sts, 2 red sts, 3 White sts
Row 11: White stitches across (13 sts in total)
I found it helpful to have two separate white threads at times, like when you make intarsia, to make the finished swiss darn less bulky.
I am working both horizontally and vertically and as I mentioned earlier you can do either, or even combine it like I am doing.
Once you’re finished, cut the yarn and leave a 1–2-inch tail on the wrong side of the work. Use the yarn needle to transfer them to the back of the work and then weave in those two loose ends on the wrong side of the work. Cut off any excess threads and you are done!
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