Mending wool tights with felt

[caterina]

Hello.
It may sound strange, but I am mending my daughter's wool school tights today and I got this idea that if I wet felt a bit of wool over the area that I have mended with cotton thread the mending will be less apparent (if I have the exact same colour of wool). Does it make sense? Has anyone tried it?
Because it is on a knee and a big hole, so I am not sure about my dubious skill at making it disappear with cotton thread. I don't have some wool-based thread for wool mending (I should have bought it when I saw it in the shop!), so maybe if I use a wisp of wool tops in the same blue...I would not wish to throw away the tights altogether, they were expensive ones and barely used before the hole, so mending it is.

[Ann @ frabjous fabrica]

I used to "darn" my husband's socks by needle felting similar coloured merino over the hole and then washing them. That felted the "darn" in position. He said it worked ok - mind you he always managed to stick his toe through again in the end. Of course the "darn" wasn't visible. I wonder if your daughter would like to show off fancy "darns" of different colours in her tights - you could put a rainbow on them. She might start a new "thank the NHS" fashion. I suppose the school might not be too pleased about it though.

[caterina]

Jan 5, 2022 18:36:00 GMT Ann @ frabjous fabrica said:

I used to "darn" my husband's socks by needle felting similar coloured merino over the hole and then washing them. That felted the "darn" in position. He said it worked ok - mind you he always managed to stick his toe through again in the end. Of course the "darn" wasn't visible. I wonder if your daughter would like to show off fancy "darns" of different colours in her tights - you could put a rainbow on them. She might start a new "thank the NHS" fashion. I suppose the school might not be too pleased about it though.

Great, Ann, that was exactly the experienced tip I was looking for. I will try that, needlefelting and then washing, brilliant. I will let you know if it worked.
I am afraid her Headmaster is quite strict on uniforms and "not lowering our standards", but the rainbow felt darning may prove a hit on drab tights that need a bit of life for weekend dressing or party dressing! I need to buy boring grey tights and try it sometime! :-)

[MTRuth]

I read an article somewhere about 'darning' socks with wool using a combination of needle and wet felting. I haven't tried it though.

I used to wear tights to grade school and I remember I really disliked wearing them. I always managed to get big holes in them too.

[Shepherdess]

I have done socks successfully. I needle felted them first. Needling might cause runs in the tights. I would try it first on a pair you were not going to use for school anymore first.

[caterina]

Jan 7, 2022 1:11:48 GMT Shepherdess said:

I have done socks successfully. I needle felted them first. Needling might cause runs in the tights. I would try it first on a pair you were not going to use for school anymore first.

Oh, yes, I had not thought about runs. Good point, Ann. Thanks.