Darning is a traditional textile repair technique used to reinforce worn or damaged fabric by stitching new threads directly into the existing material instead of using a patch.

We offer 3 different types of darning repair here at Rags and Mends depending on your needs, standard, light and invisible.

Standard is the most common repair offering a balance of flexibility and durability while still being very unnoticeable.

Light is best for those looking for a fast and affordable repair. This is a temporary fix that I recommended if it's your first time getting your jeans fixed or if you don't care about the appearance of your jeans,

Invisible is ideal if you want the repair to be as imperceptible as possible. However, this fix requires more thread rendering the area less flexible which is why I recommended it on smaller or flatter areas. 

The Standard Repair 

Thread is sewn in a vertical motion onto the damaged area following the original grain line of the denim weave. Every method repair uses 100% cotton thread in a color that best matches the worn denim jeans. 

In this method, the hole or rip will be completely closed and the surrounding area of the hole or rip will also be reinforced to strengthen the repair and make it permanent. 

By using less thread than the Invisible Repair, the repaired area stays flexible and comfortable. 

*The area may still feel stiff right after repairing, but will soften up with time, wearing and washing.*

The Light Repair

This method of repair is conducted in the same way as the Standard Repair, except that only the rip or hole itself will be closed up and the surrounding area will not be reinforced. 

I will also do less passes with the vertical sewing motion resulting in a faster turnaround time and cheaper fee since I use less thread. 

Doing it this way results in a repair that looks similar to the Standard Repair on the outside but is less permanent as a fix given that the area around the hole or rip hasn't been reinforced and is still subject to tension and stress.

If you've never had your jeans darned before, this is a great entry point.

The Invisible Repair

This method aims to make the repair blend in with the worn jeans as seamlessly as possible by using different thread colors and alternating sewing directions to match the twill and grain lines of the fabric.

*Please note that it is impossible for the repair to completely disappear.*

Like the standard repair, this is a very strong fix, as not only the hole or rip is sewn over, but also the surrounding area. However, in order to fully blend the repair into the original fabric, twice the amount of thread is used.

As a result, the repaired area becomes stiffer and tighter, which is why I only recommend this method for small rips or holes, slightly worn areas, or as a preventive repair to stop further damage.

I do not offer this method for crotch repairs, as it would make the jeans considerably less comfortable and, since it is mostly an aesthetic repair, it would be pointless in an unseen area.

Every repair is conducted with the utmost attention to detail on our vintage 1954 Singer sewing machine using 100% cotton thread lightweight fusible interfacing. 

Please check out this blog post for more before/after repair samples.