How to Darn a Hole in a Sock (Tennis Ball Method)

Materials & tools you'll need

Step 1 — Set the sock over the ball

Turn the sock inside out. That way the mending happens on the wrong side of the fabric instead of where everyone will see it. Spread the damaged part of the sock, such as a worn heel, over the top of your tennis ball and pull it fairly tight. Pulling it tight keeps the hole open. You don't want to close the hole up by pulling it together. You want to weave new threads across it, and that's what closes it.

Step 2 — Thread the needle

Separate a single strand from your embroidery floss. Thread it through the eye of the needle and pull it through, so there are two pieces of thread hanging from the needle. Choose your colour to suit the look you want. A contrasting colour, like the lavender periwinkle used in the video, makes the mend easy to see and easy to follow. A matching colour keeps it hidden, which is a good choice for something like a pair of hand-knit socks that someone made for you.

Step 3 — Weave across the first direction

Look at which direction the stitches in your sock run. In the video they ran north to south and east to west, with no diagonal lines to follow. Start a little way off the edge of the hole and work a woven box around it. Knitted fabric has two layers of loops, one on the wrong side and one on the right, even when it's machine knit. If you only pick up the loops on the wrong side, your mending won't show through the front of the sock. Pick up a loop, weave across, then come back the other way, keeping your stitches as close together as you can and picking up almost every loop available. Repeat up and down across the whole square.

When you reach the hole, there is nothing to grab, so skip over it and pick up the first loop after it. Treat any weak spots the same way. Skip them, but pick up as many loops as you can on either side. This reinforces the stitches around the hole and covers it with thread.

Step 4 — Turn the ball and weave the other way

Turn the tennis ball a quarter turn (90 degrees) and weave through the loops in the other direction. This side is a little harder, because the loops run the other way and you end up working it out as you go. When you reach the hole, weave over and under the threads you laid down in the first direction, then pull through. Keep going across, using the loops where you can and weaving through your own threads where you can't. If you like, switch thread colours partway through to make a basket weave or a plaid pattern over the hole.

Step 5 — Finish and check the mend

To finish without a knot, keep stitching around in an area where you no longer need to weave, which tucks the end of the floss away tightly. Or bring the thread back to where you started and tie one double knot to secure the beginning to the end. Then pull the sock off the ball. The wrong side will show the whole woven patch. Turn the sock right side out to see how it looks from the front.

What to expect from a darned sock

The weave reinforces the stitches around the hole while covering it with new thread. From the outside, the mend is very subtle, even though you stitched all the way around the hole. The weave is still visible from the right side, and in white or a matching colour you would struggle to see it. A second sock in the video was thinner, so it ended up with a little more visible stitching, but still not much. Contrasting thread turns the repair into a bit of wearable artwork, and it can last longer than the original heel did.

You might not bother darning basic socks, but it's worth it for nice, expensive winter socks or hand-knit ones, which you won't want to throw out after a couple of seasons. If you enjoy mending, you might also like the visible mending tutorial for a crocheted sweater or the embroidered dress shirt repair.

Frequently asked questions

What materials do I need to darn a hole in a sock?
You will need a sock with a hole, embroidery floss (a contrasting colour if you want the mend to show, or one that matches the sock to hide it), a darning needle or embroidery needle, and something hard and round to hold the sock, such as a tennis ball, a jar or an empty candle. A thimble is optional if you tend to prick your fingers.

Which side of the sock do I darn?
Turn the sock inside out and work on the wrong side. Knitted fabric has two layers of loops, one on the wrong side and one on the right side, even on machine-knit socks. If you only pick up the loops on the wrong side, the stitches won't show through the front.

What do I do when I reach the hole?
There is nothing to pick up in the hole itself, so skip over it and pick up the first loop that is available on the other side. Do the same at any weak spots, skipping them but picking up as many loops as you can on either side. That reinforces the area and helps close the hole.

How do I finish darning a sock without tying a knot?
When you reach the end of your floss, keep going around in an area where you no longer need to weave, which tucks the end away tightly. Or bring the thread back to where you started and tie one double knot to secure the beginning to the end.

Can I use something other than a tennis ball to darn a sock?
Yes. Any hard, round object works, such as a jar or an empty candle. A tennis ball is a little easier to hold in your hand, and it lets you spread the heel over it and pull it fairly tight to keep the hole open.

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