Fig. C, Wave Pattern.—This is one of the more elaborate darning patterns. It makes a more solid filling and takes rather longer to work than some of the others. Many pleasing variations may be formed with darning stitches, where the background weft or warp threads are utilised to form the pattern.
Damask Darning.—Materials may be repaired by a linen, twill, or damask darn, in which case the weft threads have to be put in first by the worker before the pattern can be woven.
Work Fig. C by lifting two weft threads in descending rows and passing over seven; after working six rows the pattern is changed by the two weft threads being lifted in ascending rows, the last of the descending counting as the first of the ascending row.
In a twill darn, the pattern of weft threads descends all the time in regular diagonal lines.
It is quite worth while copying some of these damask patterns from table napery, and reproducing them on a larger scale in bright colours—in order to see what effective designs they are; they might well be utilised as fillings for squares, stools, or cushions.
PLATE III.
A RUNNER IN CRASH ([See p. 63])
Fig. A, Single Darning.—A simple grounding pattern, such as that of Fig. A, is useful; it is quickly worked, too, a number of threads being lifted by the needle at each stitch. Start at the left corner; pass over four and lift two weft threads alternately for the first two rows; for the next two rows, lift the two weft threads in a line with the centre of the long stitch, and so on.
Basket Pattern.—A basket or brick pattern may be got by working four rows with the lifted threads in a line, instead of two, as Fig. A, before changing the stitch. This pattern looks very well when the chequers are worked with contrasting colours. Work four vertical stitches first, in lines, and in one colour, over eight strands; then take the contrasting colour and fill in all the horizontal stitches. If one colour only is used these squares may be worked in rows, the vertical and horizontal sections alternately.