I LOVE darning with ball-tip needles.
I first tried them at Christmas while honeycomb-darning some thin cotton socks (10 out of 10, would recommend). Soon I was begging family members for more holey socks to darn, which was extremely out of character for me. The ball tips glide through machine-knit fabric like butter, and it didn’t take long before I was high on Christmas spirit.
Each needle has a tiny ball at the tip that helps it navigate to exactly the right spot, preventing unintentional yarn splitting when darning, and creating a smoother stitching experience on T-shirts and other machine knits.
These needles work best with:
- thin mending yarn and thread: Mend-its, Laine Saint-Pierre mending yarn, Cottage Garden Threads (1-4 strands) and Scanfil cotton mending yarn
- thin and medium-weight knit fabrics: socks, T-shirts, machine-knit jumpers and woollen thermal layers
- linen and Aida cloth
(They make kind of a ‘thunk’ sound and sensation when piercing tightly woven cotton and denim and aren’t enjoyable to use or recommended on these fabrics.)
Each pack contains two needles of the same size. The sizing works in the opposite way you would imagine: the smaller the size number, the longer the needle.
- Size 24 is 40mm long
- Size 26 is 37mm long
- Size 28 is 34mm long
These needles have a smaller eye than darning or tapestry needles you might be used to. They are compatible with the wire-bow needle threader. Size 24 (the largest needle) can fit my favourite Prym needle threader if you wiggle it a bit, but the other sizes won’t.
If you’re brand new to darning or have difficulty threading a needle without a threader, I recommend waxing your thread or trying the Prym cotton darners, yarn darners or Combi Card instead.
Made in Germany and packaged in a reusable hard-plastic case with paper and polystyrene inserts.
Want to see how it’s done? Modern Mending the book includes 32 pages of darning instructions and 18 pages of hand-stitching instructions, with photographs and illustrated diagrams.
Weekly dispatch
This shop dispatches orders once a week so I can do alllll the things – including running this shop and running after two tiny tots – and enjoy my life. Your patience and understanding are greatly appreciated.
Shipping carrier
I ship via Australia Post. If you select Express Post at checkout, it will speed up Australia Post's delivery timeframe but won't speed up my process.
After your order has been packed, you will receive an email notification with your Australia Post tracking number, which you can use to check on the delivery status of your order.
International customers: click here for current Australia Post international delivery timeframes.
Shipping fees
Shipping is currently a flat rate of $12 within Australia ($17 Express Post); international shipping is calculated at checkout. Gift vouchers are delivered electronically and do not require shipping.
International shipping
I ship worldwide with the exception of the UK, due to VAT regulations that came into effect on 1 January 2021. If you are in the UK you can order the UK edition of my book from your local bookshop.
Local delivery
Customers in Northcote, Thornbury and nearby suburbs (subject to capacity) can select local delivery at checkout. Local delivery is extra-slow and coincides with my pram-walking / kid-wrangling schedule, up to one week after purchase.
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I choose to reuse
When shipping orders my first priority is to reuse packaging materials whenever possible – boxes, padded mailers, cardboard, paper, tissue paper, bubble wrap and egg cartons from neighbours, second-hand shops and recycling centres. I cannot guarantee the materials used to ship your order will be plastic-free for this reason.
I buy recycled packaging
If I don’t have suitable second-hand packaging to use for your order, my next priority is packaging made from recycled materials. It's important to me to support Australian companies making good products from our recyclables, and to make sure that material gets a second life.
Tape
I use compostable, gummed kraft-paper tape to seal my parcels whenever possible. I have a second-hand tape wetter that I love, purchased from my local op shop. Gummed paper tape is available at most art-supply shops if you want to make the switch yourself!
Express Post orders will have official plastic "Express Post" tape added.
International orders will have a plastic pocket taped to them, to accommodate paperwork required by customs.
Individual product packaging
Every item for sale on this website has its packaging components listed and in most cases photographed, so you can make an informed decision.
Upstream packaging
When I speak to my suppliers I specifically ask that my orders be supplied to me without plastic packaging, whenever possible, to avoid waste and single-use plastic. This isn’t always possible, but I’ll keep asking, forever.
Here's how one of my suppliers has my name recorded in its database:
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