{"id":4823,"date":"2022-03-26T10:44:14","date_gmt":"2022-03-26T14:44:14","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.thedailysew.com\/?p=4823"},"modified":"2022-03-26T10:46:29","modified_gmt":"2022-03-26T14:46:29","slug":"how-to-repair-and-patch-the-elbows-of-a-sweater-sleeve","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/thedailysew.com\/blog\/2022\/03\/how-to-repair-and-patch-the-elbows-of-a-sweater-sleeve\/","title":{"rendered":"How to Repair and Patch the Elbows of a Sweater Sleeve"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Elbows of sweaters tend to wear thin and sometimes wear out completely while the rest of the sweater is still good and still a favorite. How can you fix your sweater\u2019s elbows to get a few more years of wear from it? Because, why not? For me, it is faster to mend a sweater than to find a new one I like and certainly cheaper. (I admit, finding a new sweater I like and can afford does feel good)<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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When the elbow area needs repair it\u2019s usually more than just a hole- the fibers in the area are worn thin and will continue to wear down because elbows tend to rest on surfaces, no matter what Miss Manners said.  So, unlike larvae that eat their fill and move on, leaving one or two holes, this part of your sweater is never going to stop wearing down. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

I tried a few ways to go about fixing sweater elbows and they didn\u2019t all work. For instance, machine darning in the middle of a narrow sleeve is almost impossible – possible if you\u2019re stubborn and don\u2019t mind it looking like a big mass of stitches. It would be a great option for an easier-to-access area of the sweater.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Felting wool roving onto the worn-down elbow area was another fail for me. This area was too large for felting wool onto and I didn\u2019t have a pliable enough backing to felt onto. (I used a towel and broke the needle). This is a good way to repair small holes if you have a backing made for felting and I have plans to try it again soon.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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What did work was a two-layer patch; one under the hole to stop the hole from growing and use as a base for hand darning in order to bulk up the worn fibers and a second patch on the outside to prevent future wearing down and cover up the hand darning.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Of course, you don\u2019t have to cover up your mending. There are a few ways you could really play up the mending or just patch it a little differently than my traditional patch mentioned in this post.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

You can watch all the steps in this 12-minute video or read on.<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
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