4. Select the column immediately next to the previous one, with the purl bumps pointing down. Pick up alternate purl bumps, opposite the ones you did before. Don’t pull through too far; instead, make sure to leave a small loop at the turning point. This prevents puckering.
5. Keep doing this until you reach the hole, gradually enlarging the area where you pick up the purl bumps. When you get to the hole, pick up any live loops and span the hole with the needle and pick up the purl bumps at the other side before pulling through the needle.
6. Continue until you reach the other side of the area to be darned. By making the area octagonal instead of square, any strain on the fabric will be evenly distributed.