Antique All-Square' Darning Mushroom
This incredibly rare antique darning mushroom features a spinning metal grid guide plate to help you achieve an evenly spaced (i.e. square) darn.
Simply use the guide plate to set up evenly spaced warp threads and when finished pull and twist the metal part at the bottom of the mushroom handle to turn the metal plat 90 degrees. The plate can now act as a suitable guide for your weft threads ensuring they are spaced similar to the warp threads.
You can create any shape darn with this tool - 'square' in the name relates to the the spacing of the warp and weft threads and not the shape of the darn itself.
To see this clever darning tool in action please watch this video: https://www.instagram.com/reel/CsHAHvRou8M/?igsh=MXZoaWU0bzVtMnEwNw==
Invented in 1933 by Arnold Storey of Leicester (England) - this is a true piece of darning history!
In five years we've only ever found three of these mushrooms, so we believe very few were originally made.
Suitable for:
- darning heavier weight/thicker garments.
- mending small holes, thread bare areas or covering a stain.
- creating a classic darn or patch darn.
It has a lot of 'character' - flaky paint, minor chips, surface scratches, dents, and marks from it's previous life, but is still in usable condition with an authentic vintage feel.
This is labelled as a size No.1 which is meant 'For Thick Darning'.
Supplied with a photocopy of an original instruction sheet and a small stainless steel spring (not original, but maybe useful for this tool).
Measurements:
Height - approx 9cm/3.54"
Diameter of Cap - approx 6.5cm/2.55"
Diameter of metal plate - approx 5.5cm/2.16"
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!
