Darning a hole in a sweater took me 3 hours, is that normal or am I doing it wrong?

I bought a wool sweater at a thrift store in Columbus for $8, and it had a nickel-sized hole right at the elbow. I watched a couple of videos, grabbed a darning mushroom and some yarn, and thought I'd knock it out in 20 minutes. Three hours later, I had a lumpy patch that's technically closed but looks like a scar from a bad surgery. Do most people count on this taking a whole evening, or is there a faster way that doesn't end up looking like a mess? I'm just trying to figure out if I should keep fixing stuff or only buy items without hidden damage.

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1 Comment

chen.phoenix22d agoMost Upvoted

Whoa, yeah, three hours sounds about right for your first time, honestly. I used to think darning was this quick little 20 minute fix too, but then I actually tried it on a sock and realized it's more like a meditation session that refuses to end. The lumpy part is totally normal, especially at the elbow where the fabric stretches, and honestly, I've started to just lean into the scar look because it adds character. You're not doing it wrong, it just takes forever until your hands figure out the rhythm, so keep at it if you like the sweater, otherwise thrift store damage is a gamble you already paid for.