A Darn Good Time: recommended workshop supplies

These are my recommended supplies for my mending workshop 'A Darn Good Time'.

ESSENTIAL: Modern Mending book

We will be using my book, Modern Mending, as our textbook in class. If you already have a copy, please bring it with you.

ESSENTIAL: darning needles

For darning practice, you will need long-ish needles with an eye large enough to accommodate the yarn you are darning with.

They don't need to be 'darning needles' (you may have tapestry needles or embroidery needles that will work), but they do need to accommodate six strands of embroidery thread and be able to stitch through a tea towel or sock (whatever you will be using for practice).

1. Prym yarn darners (size 1-9) are my first pick for beginners.
2. The Prym Combi Card is a larger, more versatile mending pack. If you are attending both workshops (A Darn Good Time and Patch Party), this pack will work for both.
3. A Prym needle twister is the fun and clever option. The mint-coloured twister (with needles included) will work for both workshops (A Darn Good Time and Patch Party).

ESSENTIAL: sharp scissors

Any sharp scissors will do, but I use these small embroidery scissors the most.

OPTIONAL: needle threader, beeswax, tension tamers

• Needle threader: This threader will save you heaps of time when darning and weaving in ends. The wire needle threader that comes with the Combi Card is useless for darning; this one is the best.
• Beeswax: I always use beeswax when weaving with stranded embroidery thread and hand-sewing with machine sewing thread.
• Tension tamers: Darning mushrooms (the Clover Stitch Dome is a modern variation) and embroidery hoops can help make darning easier. I'll bring some along so you can try them out. If you are attending both workshops, an embroidery hoop is also useful for hand-sewing patches.

OPTIONAL: mending yarn

I will be providing cotton embroidery thread for this workshop, and you are welcome to bring your own yarn and thick thread, as well.

To learn woven darning (part one of this workshop), I recommend cotton embroidery thread or Scanfil mending wool. You will need at least two contrasting colours so we can easily see what you're doing and troubleshoot if necessary.

For blanket-stitch based darning (part two) and more advanced mends, I love Laine Saint-Pierre mending wool and Mend it upcycled mending yarn.

Other fun threads to mend with include Cottage Garden Threads (variegated embroidery thread) and variegated sashiko thread.