Mending clothing is one of my favorite sustainable practices and I love using wool to do so. This project works best with natural fibers or knit items but I’ve had great success mending other types of heavier weight fibers that do not have stretch, such as thicker cotton or denim. The process shown here is the same as the toadstool mending I shared last year. I recommend sewing any larger holes shut using a needle or thread prior to needle felting. The clothing can go through the wash as normal and the patches hold up well as long as they are completely felted.

Materials:

– clothing that requires mending (I’m mending a knit hat that has a small hole)
– wool roving
– felting needle (with holder / needle only)
– felting mat (extra small mat for narrow areas like sleeves and hats/ small mat for all other mends)
– needle and thread (if your hole is large and needs to be shut prior to felting)

Instructions for mending holes with wool roving

Step 1: How to prepare your clothing for mending

Use a needle and thread to close any large holes if necessary. You can also add a thin piece of wool felt to the back if the hole is large and needs more structure. Place your felting mat underneath the area that requires mending.

Step 2: How to needle felt a heart patch using wool roving

Tear off two small pieces of wool roving that are the same size and pull the fibers apart. Roll the fibers into a loose ball. Place one of the pieces of roving over the hole at a slight angle (this will be half of your heart) and use your felting needle to begin stabbing the wool all over. As you stab the wool, the barbs on the needle will catch on the fibers and the wool will begin to compact and reduce in size.

Repeat with the second piece of roving to create the opposite side of the heart. Add more wool roving to both sides if necessary if any areas are low. Keep stabbing the wool until it looks well compacted and is adhered well to your clothing item.

How to Wash Clothing mended with wool roving

These repairs will hold up well in the wash (cold wash, delicate cycle only) as long as the patch has been completely felted. I recommend hand washing the mended area with warm or hot water and a little bit of soap the first time to ensure that the fibers have shrunken up enough and then you can wash normally after that.