Village Mending

Mend and Patch

Why I like it – This is the book I got my start from. It’s a good comprehensive set of instructions for many different types of material. It’s modern and focuses on subtle and practical mends.
Get it from… me, in person (I don’t sell it online), or straight from the author on her website here. Your local bookstore may also have it in stock.

Iro Iro Fingering Weight Yarn

Use on – Handmade items of DK weight or more. Solid colors
Why I like it – Small ball sizes keep the cost of this yarn low. They’re just 20 grams, but thats more than enough for mending. It’s also 100% wool so it felts nicely with a needle felting needle.
Get it from… a local yarn shop. In the Portland Metro area, Knotty Lamb has all the colors.

Jawoll Reinforcement Thread

Use on – Socks! It’s about lace weight, so too thick for most delicate sweaters, but it’s perfect for the hard-wearing areas of hand-knits.
Why I Like It – This thread is incredibly strong. The heathered colors blend nicely.
Get it from… a local yarn shop, most shops carry this item. It’s also widely available online.

Wool Embroidery Thread

Use on – Any sweater where the knit is small and the color match needs to be spot on.
Why I Like It – The brand I like is “Bella Lusso”, but all the threads from an embroidery shop are great. They will be thin enough to mend with and are designed to go through the eye of a needle.
Get it from… A dedicated embroidery shop. In the Portland Metro Area, thats “Acorn and Threads” and “Northwest Needle Point”.

Laine St. Pierre Darning Thread

Use on – Anything! A single strand is as thin as sewing thread and you can use many strands to make it as thick as yarn.
Why I Like It – This thread is both thin AND strong AND heathered. It’s also ready to use straight from the card.
Get it from… My shop! Either one color HERE or all the shades of grey HERE.

Knitpicks Sweater Shaver

Why I Like It – Cheap, small, and has never snagged anything. Easy to clean out.
Get it from… Knitpicks Website

Gutermann or Coats and Clark

There is no shortage to sewing thread in the world, but there is a difference in quality. The brands “Gutermann” and “Coats and Clark” are widely available and trustworthy. Avoid cheap random brands from online.

To get a good color match, take your item into any craft store and compare to the walls of thread.