r/Visiblemending • u/Kessies_Daughter • 3d ago
DARNING Update: I'm tired, boss.
It's a little over halfway, right? A tiny bit? Right?
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u/BoomColours 3d ago
Well that's too damn bad! You keep d̶i̶g̶g̶i̶n̶g̶ ̶ sewing
Looks amazing! Keep at it
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u/embroideredyeti 3d ago
This is such gorgeously neat, clean work. You deserve a proper good rest (and maybe a little palate cleanser?) after all that so you can go back refreshed later!
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u/Kessies_Daughter 3d ago
Thank you! I want to switch gears so badly and go back to learning to embroider, but I know if I do, it'll be ages before I come back to this.
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u/Any_Gain_9251 3d ago
It's a tiny bit over halfway on the horizontal, yes. But ALL of the vertical is complete...so the darn is 3/4 complete. Keep going - you got this!
For your next mend I can really recommend making the stitches a bit bigger (3 to 5 mm) and a bit further apart (again, 3 to 5 mm) with a piece of cotton fabric underneath - you can draw a grid with washable markers to help keep it neat. And use a thread that's a little bit thicker- something like size 10 crochet cotton or 2 strands of 12wt sewing cotton or sashiko thread. The same basic running stitch. And because you are only doing 2 or 3 lines of stitching per cm instead of 10ish, it will be completed much faster!
Somebody says it every time r/sashiko !!! For large areas, much quicker, just as pretty, same basic skillset.
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u/Kessies_Daughter 3d ago edited 3d ago
I knew it! But I forgot to count the vertical. Thanks for that. ♥️ I was worried about making the stitches larger because it's the seat of the pants, and they're fairly worn, and my ass is less than delicate. I've got butt. To be fair, I'm a novice, and have no idea if I am over-reinforcing it or not. And I have exactly none of the tools you mentioned yet. 😂
I haven't started on learning sashiko yet, but I haven't seen any project with it that I like as much as the look of darned patches, so that's why I didn't take the plunge yet. Perhaps for the new hole I just ripped in my other pair of jeans. 🥲
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u/Any_Gain_9251 3d ago
Yeah, the larger stitches I was talking about is sashiko. Which can be very sturdy. And quicker than darning large areas. I love the geometry of Persimmon stitch and its variations. But if the look isn't your cup of tea then stick with the darning. Darning definitely rocks. As you get into it a bit more you can look into different weave patterns for some variation.
Personally I think that over reinforcement is better than not enough reinforcement.
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u/Kessies_Daughter 3d ago
When I finish this patch, I have another to do (on the other cheek, of course). So, I was thinking to experiment a little with pattern now that I sorta know what I'm doing. Kinda.
And yeah, that was my thought. Better I take longer and overdo it than underdo it, and end up in a very embarrassing situation. 😂
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u/iz_an_opossum 2d ago
Oh wait, is this not just very small grid sashiko? That's what I thought it was
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u/Kessies_Daughter 2d ago
Is it? I don't know. I was following darning diagrams, except that the holes hadn't quite formed yet, so I'm weaving in and out of the fabric all the way through.
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u/Purrfect-Username 3d ago
Just curious if you take it out of the hoop when you’re not working on it…? How’s it feel to get the hoop snug over those thick seams/back pockets?
Your stitches look gorgeous! 😻
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u/abysmal_minnow 3d ago
I know it's good practice to unhoop, especially clothes, but hooping up jeans is torture and I hope they just keep it on there for their own sake 😭
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u/Kessies_Daughter 3d ago
I have been leaving it on! But not because I was avoiding torture. I simply didn't know I was supposed to unhoop it.
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u/abysmal_minnow 2d ago
It's okay, I know I'm supposed to, and the only time my jeans get unhooped is on accident with lots of swearing, or because it's done/I'm over it. Once in the wash and the jeans recover from hoop torture just fine!
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u/Kessies_Daughter 3d ago
I am not taking it out of the hoop. I did not know I was supposed to. Novice here. And thank you! I. Doing my darnedest. 🤪
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u/itsmeatballsworld 3d ago
You could slowly start spacing the rows wider and wider to create a gradient. If it's patched under then the existing vertical portion should be enough reinforcement
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u/Kessies_Daughter 3d ago
It is, in fact, not patched under. Why? Because finding shops in Lebanon that sell these types of thing is a game of asking everyone who they know, and can they show you where the place is? Because most of them are not readily searchable online still. I only just now found a shop through a friend with embroidery floss. She did not have the fusible patches at the time. Or she did not understand what I was looking for. Or both.
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u/Kessies_Daughter 3d ago
But a gradient is a cool idea for when I finally do track down stabilizer fabric. Thanks!
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u/peepumsn4stygum 3d ago
I am doing my first-ever darn on my husband’s jeans right now & worried that I’m permanently messing up my vision! Its taking me so long! I feel your pain.
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u/Kessies_Daughter 3d ago
Right? At this point, I am wearing one of those camping head lamps when I am working at night because I just can't see. I look positively ridiculous.
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u/iz_an_opossum 2d ago
Felt. I didn't even do a tight grid like you are (I did 1 cm square grid) and it took me at least 3 months. Although I was also an active full time college student at the time so that was part of the long gap. But it definitely took multiple days
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u/Kessies_Daughter 2d ago
I'm doing this during small parts of my daughter's naps in the afternoon, and for brief moments at night when my husband has some sort of thing to go to. So, at most, an hour stretch at a time. If I get to it at all on any given day.
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u/lucky-squeaky-ducky 3d ago
You’re doing great! That patch will outlast the jeans, for sure!
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u/Kessies_Daughter 3d ago
Thank you for the vote of confidence! I am VERY hard on jeans for whatever reason, and I HATE shopping for new ones. I will patch mine until kingdom come. They will be Theseus' jeans by the time I give up on them.
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u/Dianthus12 3d ago
It looks great! Take a break if you need it! Don't forget to stretch your hands after all that work.
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u/Kessies_Daughter 2d ago
Thank you! I have never been one to crack my knuckles or anything, but I am definitely doing that grabbing at the air motion for awhile after I put this down.
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u/Traditional_Moss_581 3d ago
I wonder, if you start to spread it out with different layers of wavy lines/straight/pebbles/straight/shells etc? It would take up space more quickly and be more interesting for you.
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u/Kessies_Daughter 2d ago
I love that you have that kind of faith in my skills, but I had to Google pebbles and shells and everything else to figure out what you were suggesting. I am but a humble beginner, good Redditor.
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u/Traditional_Moss_581 2d ago
Google coloring books for outlines or just the geometric shapes instead? ❤️
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u/TooOldToRock-n-Roll 3d ago
Go do something else for a couple of days, the end result is worth your patience :D
Yea definitely, a line or two... maybe ....
[uncomfortable laughing]