Darn



I’m slowly enjoying every morsel of my new book.  I’m starting to look at things with a new perspective and it’s very refreshing.



I found India’s Flint's sewing circle, Found Stitched Dyed and began to glean images in my head.

I spotted a hole and suddenly my mouth started watering.  I could not wait to get my hands on it!


I had darned before in the past but it was improvised and I didn’t know I was actually darning.  Interestingly, it was just common sense and I had done it correctly.

Some years ago during the Keep Calm and Carry On craze, I’d bought this book.  Now at last I could revel in some good old-fashioned instruction and apply some traditional methods.


I first sewed the vertical warp.  There was also an instruction point about covering a wider area which made good sense.


Then I sewed in the weft.  What I didn’t know was that knitted fabrics should have a diagonal weft.  My scant knowledge of fibre behaviour means I don’t yet understand why this is.  So if you know, I’d love to be enlightened!

On closer inspection, I found little holes and quickly gobbled them up.  Usually with one or two cross-like stitches.


Now this jumper has several more years’ wear.  Mending it has provided a feeling of great satisfaction.


2 comments:

  1. I love darning! I find it time consuming but, ultimately, very rewarding. I started out of necessity and continued for an ecological purpose, not wanting to throw away perfectly good jeans (why is it always the knee on boys' pants?) or wool socks that I loved. I love the character that your darning has added to your sweater. Who needs elbow patches?

    As for the diagonal weft on knitted fabric, I think (because I'm a new knitter but have been told) it's because the stitch leans to the right when you knit and leans to the left when you purl. That is what causes the V pattern to emerge. :)

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    Replies
    1. ooh so interesting...and makes good sense too! I now am on a hungry lookout for holes ;) Thanks for your kind comments. Darn on!

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