How to fix a runny sweater

A runny sweater doesn't need to be thrown away, nor do you need a skilled craftsman to sew it properly (they're rare and expensive, after all). Runny sweaters mean that some stitches in the fabric have loosened, pulled, or broken. This can cause a loose thread or a small or large hole in the sweater. 

The first thing to do is to intervene promptly, as any damage, even the smallest, will always tend to become larger.

Then we intervene based on the damage.

Stretch mark with a pulled thread

If you have a small snag, there's no need to cut the thread, even if it seems long: that wouldn't have solved the problem. Instead, follow this simple and quick procedure: 

• Use a thin needle or a small crochet hook.
• Insert the tip into the stitch and gently pull the thread to the back of the fabric.
• Adjust the tension by pulling the adjacent stitches slightly until it becomes even.

Small hole with some missing stitches

If the hole is small, the procedure is much easier. 

• Thread a needle with a thread of the same color as the sweater.
• Review the structure of the mesh following the design (like “invisible embroidery”).
• Fix well on the back with small knots.

If the hole is bigger

If the stretch mark hole is larger, you need to proceed with the classic mending procedure: 

• Place a support underneath (such as a darning egg or a small ball).
• Create a base of horizontal threads and then weave them vertically
•  If the mending is too complex, you can solve the problem by putting some patches in the stretch mark area. 

When the stretch mark is irreparable

There are cases in which the stretch mark is so obvious and large that it becomes impossible to treat, even with mending. For example, in these circumstances: 

• Thread broken in several places: if the yarn has broken and there is missing material, you can't simply "put it back".
• Hole too big: when several stitches are missing, the reconstruction becomes complex and often visible.
• Long “ladder” (as in socks): if it runs for many rows, stopping it without marks is difficult.
• Very fine or delicate fabrics (light cashmere type): each intervention is more noticeable.
• Very tight or deformed shirt: even if you put the thread back on, it can remain wavy.

In these cases there are three possibilities: the first is to provide patches in the area of ​​the stretch mark and continue to use your sweater; the second solution is recycle it; The third option is to contact a seamstress who specializes in mending and sewing. In any case, you have no good reason to turn it into bulky and polluting textile waste.

Difference between a laddered or felted sweater

Sometimes people get confused by comparing a runny sweater to a felted one. They are two very different situations. Runs, as we've seen, don't concern the fabric, but the stitches themselves, which break, stretch, stretch, and even create a hole. But the fabric remains soft. 

In the case of the felted sweater, however: 

• The problem is about the fiber (usually wool)
• It happens when the sweater is washed badly (heat + movement)
• The fibers are they tangle and compact
• Result:
  • the boss it shrinks
  • becomes harder and thicker
  • loses elasticity and softness.

A felted sweater is much more difficult to fix than a runny one.  

Read also: 

• How to renew a pullover consumed
• How to recycle unwanted sweaters