Preloved 'Chippy Paint' Darning Mushroom
Pick up one of these preloved wooden darning mushrooms, because secondhand is better than new in so many ways!
All of them are one-of-a-kind sourced from vintage markets and charity shops.
Each mushroom is painted a different colour and has 'character' - chips to paint, surface scratches, dents or marks from it's previous life, but all still in usable conditon with an authentic vintage feel.
The caps on these mushrooms do not unscrew from the stem.
Blue Marble - Height approx 9.5cm, Diameter of Cap approx 6cm
Plain Blue - Height approx 11.5cm, Diameter of Cap approx 6cm
Plain Green - Height approx 11.5cm, Diameter of Cap approx 5.5cm
Suitable for:
- darning most items of clothing.
- mending holes, tears, thread bare areas and covering a stain.
History of the Darning Mushroom
This darning tool was an essential item in 19th and early 20th century household as self-reliant women often had to make and repair all their clothing. They were commonly made using wood as it was widely availiable and not too expensive, but following the invention of early plastic many were made using Bakelite.
They made it much easier to stitch a repair: not too tight and not too slack. The top part of the mushroom was placed behind the hole to hold the darning area taut for working. Its 'stalk' with the rest of the fabric around it, was held in one hand and the darning needle was worked with the other hand.
There are various types besides the basic darning mushroom. A darning egg (for socks and tights), and a darning stick (for gloves). Some are made with detachable handles so you can store a few needles and a small amount of thread which is easily to hand an emergency!