Some tips on how to repair torn window screens and a discussion of various techniques to make the repairs.
Tie a knot in the twine and go through the first hole of the screen that's still intact, beside the tear. Catch the knot of the twine with the needle and pull the needle through the knot, securing the twine to the first hole. Take the thread across the tear, to the next intact hole on the opposite side of the tear. Go back and forth over the tear, following the pattern of the normal screen grid. Go across the tear to the adjacent hole, down one hole, then across to the adjacent hole. Continue this pattern until the hole is covered vertically. Now do the same thing horizontally. Go from the bottom, over the vertical thread, then under the next vertical thread, over the next, and so on. This will put the woven pattern back into the tear.
To get the torn pattern exactly right, it's sometimes easiest to start in the middle of the tear or hole, then work outwards toward the end. Go back to the middle and do the same thing to the other end. For a very jagged tear, cut a square out around the tear, then cut a new piece of screen for that area. With a perfect square, it's much easier to make the repair. Attach the four corners first, then whip stitch the new screen piece to the old one. Trim if necessary.
Sewing screens up is a tedious process but saves a few dollars in the long run. On the other hand, it's sometimes cheaper just to replace the entire screen. Cut the screen an inch and a half longer and wider than you need. On most screens, you simply remove the rubber strip that holds the screen into the casing, then remove the old screen. Lay the new screen on the frame and push the strip into the frame, on all four corners. Now, using a butter knife or something similar, push the rubber strip back down into the recesses, along with the screen. Do this all the way around and you're done.
A more unique way to repair a screen is to glue small trinkets to the screen - one on the inside, one on the outside. This works for small holes and tears. Just glue one jewel or butterfly or whatever you'll be using to decorate your screen on to the outside of the hole, then press another trinket on the inside of the hole. Put a few more of these around on the screen and your screen is decorated beautifully and no one can tell there ever was a hole.
