STOCKINGS are darned on the right side to keep a smooth surface next the foot. A darning-egg or ball, held in the left hand, is slipped under the hole, with the stocking stretched smoothly, but not tightly, over it. The darning is done with the right hand. In a woven darn the darning threads in a stocking usually run up and down with the rib, and then across, but when the hole is at the knee or heel, where greater elasticity is desired, the threads are run across diagonally.

A Broken Stitch or two in a stocking, sometimes giving the appearance of a large hole, can be very easily remedied if attended to at once. With a silk thread, pick up the broken stitches and draw the edges together, and by a web-like weaving close the hole.

A Dropped Stitch is an ugly imperfection in a stocking that is more easily remedied by the use of a crochet-hook than by darning. Slip a fine crochet-hook through the little loop at the lower end of the hole; catch up the first thread, and pull it through the loop. Continue until every dropped thread has been caught, then securely fasten the last loop at the end with a few sewing stitches. Fig. 58 shows the position of the crochet-hook in the process of picking up dropped stitches. Fashion Design Drawing - Darning Mending 4.jpg

To Set in a Piece is a very satisfactory way of extending the term of usefulness of the stocking when the hole is too large to be neatly darned. For this purpose it is always well to keep on hand the leg portions of a number of stockings of which the feet have been worn out and discarded.

Baste the part to be mended over a piece of paper and trim off the ragged edge. Cut a piece from a stocking-leg, matching it in color and texture, with the ribs running like those in the stocking, and conforming in shape to the hole, but a trifle smaller. Baste this piece into position on the paper, and join the two

edges, the needle passing inFashion Design Drawing - Darning Mending 5.jpg

close stitches, alternating, over one edge and under the opposite, until the piece has been securely and neatly worked into position. The stitch in this method will be seen to form a kind of lacing, which must be done evenly and closely, but not tightly enough to raise the edges. (See Fig. 59.)

An Underlaid Piece Darned In is a still better method of closing a hole when the stocking or garment is very loosely woven or knitted, in which case the use of a darning-egg Fashion Design Drawing - Darning Mending 6.jpg

would give it a baggy appearance. Do not

trim off the ragged edges. Cut the underlying piece a trifle larger than the hole, but conforming to it in shape and matching it in color and texture. Baste the piece on the paper first, and then lay the hole over it. Or the torn piece may be stretched over an embroidery hoop and the patch basted to it. Run the darning-needle back and forth, over and under the lapped edges, closely weaving them together, keeping down all the loose ends. Fig. 60 shows the right side of the finished darn, a black thread having been used in the illustration to show the stitches.

A PATCH is generally used for mending flannel or heavy woven underwear, particularly if the garment is too much worn to warrant the time and work necessary for a careful darn.

A Flannel Patch is a piece of the material basted on the wrong side of the worn or torn part, and catch-stitched to the garment with small stitches all around the edge. The worn place, or the ragged edge of the hole, is then cut away from the right side, and the edge catch-stitched all around in the same manner. (Fig. 61.)

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