Mending holes in tights

[jjane45]

I tripped over myself and produced a hole in over-the-boot tights around toe area during ice show performance. The hole measures quarter inch in radius when tights are extended. Any suggestions on mending it, if all possible?

Google search came up with clear nail polish for stopping the runs. Run Free and Fray Check also got honorary mentions. Can any of these hide the hole reasonably well too?

I am not sure if sewing will work because tights are very stretched at the toe area already. Honestly I wore OTB only because the ice show requires it. Would regular tights + beige boot cover look hideous? Or maybe I could wear beige boot cover and put OTB over it as long as the runs are stopped

Your help is greatly appreciated

[icefrog]

My competition/testing tights have small toe pick holes on the boot part of the OTB I used clear nail polish and its worked really well. Just put a dot on the inside of the tights and you won't beable to tell. Even if you do it on the top you won't tell from far away and they won't ladder. It might be best to put some nail polish around the edge of the hole for now if you need the tights for another show soon and retire them to the practice bin when the show is done.

[Clarice]

I've always just stitched holes closed with matching thread.  The mend can be visible up close, but doesn't show out on the ice at all.  If you decide to use the beige boot covers, I'd put them underneath the tights.  When our synchro team used black over-the-boot tights one year, we just popped pieces of black tape onto the boots where the holes would hit.  Out on the ice, you couldn't tell at all.  Remember, these are costumes meant to be seen at a distance, so you can get away with things you wouldn't do with street clothes.

[Kim to the Max]

Band-aids do wonders for disguising holes

[SillyAdultSkater]

I tripped over myself and produced a hole in over-the-boot tights around toe area during ice show performance. The hole measures quarter inch in radius when tights are extended. Any suggestions on mending it, if all possible?

Tight zigzag on the sewing machine and nail polish over the fray to keep it from running further (in no particular order). If you don't have zigzag, try a REALLY TIGHT (meaning lots of stitches per inch, lots and lots) overhanding stitch or a very tight buttonhole stitch. You'll still see it a bit but it won't be a hole and if done right you won't even see it from a distance too badly.

http://chestofbooks.com/crafts/needlework/Clothing-And-Health/Lesson-5-The-Overhanding-Stitch.html
http://chestofbooks.com/crafts/needlework/Clothing-And-Health/Lesson-9-How-To-Make-A-Buttonhole.html