Harper's Household Handbook: A guide to easy ways of doing woman's work

by Martha McCulloch-Williams

Machine-darn table linen as soon as it shows threadbare spots, putting them in an embroidery hoop and stitching back and forth the way of the missing threads. White net underneath strengthens, but with napkins and tea cloths it is better left off. A cloth broken along the middle fold can be darned thus over net. But it is easier and better to split it evenly, hem the split edges, and trim them with lace, then join the selvages with a row of coarse insertion, herringboned in with coarse linen thread.

Darning Stockings: Children’s stockings last much longer for ripping to the calf when new and machine-darning inside them, over the knees, sound old tops. Sew up loosely. Darn strong net or thin stockinet loosely inside heels and toes; when the stockings come in holes, rip out this first application, cover your darning-egg with fresh net, set the hole over it, taking care not to stretch it, whip down all round loosely, then darn as usual, running threads through the net and cutting away surplusage when finished.

Silk stockings should always be darned on net, matching colors of net and darning-floss. Tack lace insets or embroidery smooth upon white stiff paper and fill in breaks with lace stitches or new embroidery. Mend a running break—colloquially, a ladder—by catching the errant stitch, sewing it fast, then filling the raveled space with very fine herringbone. Fill holes in the instep, or heel, above slipper height, with loose buttonhole stitches in matching silk, going across and back, catching each stitch after the first row in the top of the one below it. Make neither tight nor slack. Infinite patience and a very fine crochet hook enable one to fill such breaks with real stocking-weaving. Ravel the break to a line, take up the stitches on a very fine thread, then fasten on silk and draw up in loops, keeping them on the needle. Fasten to the side and work back, drawing a new stitch through each one already on the needle. Repeat till the hole is full, then draw stitches through those in the upper edge, which has been likewise raveled straight. Only very costly stockings are worth such pains.

Coarse Mending: Boys and men wear holes at knees, elbows, and on seats. Rip seams, cut the holes square, match new squares, and stitch, press, and sew up. Seat holes need not be cut clear across-only as far as the break. Cut corners diagonally the depth of a seam, but not too deep. Lacking cloth for such repairs, take note when clothes show threadbare in such spots, lay other cloth under, and machine-darn thickly with matching thread, fine rather than coarse. Such prevention often outlasts the patch cure besides being more presentable.

Mending Bed Clothes: Fine threadbare blankets are worth darning. Wash well and darn with soft wool, using a large-eyed needle. Avoid puckering. Darn warp way first, then go across. Cut ragged edges smooth, and overcast loosely with colored wool rather than bind. Darn tears on net, using silk or flax, rather fine. Beware making mends hard and lumpy. Comforts should be untacked, the stuffing, whether cotton, wool, or down, aired and washed at need, the outsides made into rags, and new covers provided for the padding. Cheesecloth unbleached lasts and launders well. Make pocket covers of it, half a yard deep, for the tops of comforts breaking there and nowhere else.

Old muslin rarely pays for mending more elaborate than running together slits. Wide sheets can have the thin centers torn out, the selvages joined, and raw edges hemmed, thus turning them into single-bed size. Handsome linen sheets, when they break along the hem-stitching, should be cut there, hemmed neatly each side, and joined with strong narrow linen insertion, or beading, or linen braid crocheted in a straight line down either side. Embroidered pillow and bolster cases, when the body wears, should have the embroidery cut off and joined thus with insertion or crochet work to new bodies—it will last as long. Handsome monograms and motifs should be transferred from old linen to new. Cut out, neatly baste on new stuff, and sew down all round with fine needle, thread, and stitches. If there are holes in the pattern, pierce them and sew over well, using slightly coarser thread. Press before sewing, and be careful not to draw the work.

Mending Lace: Transfer figures from heavy laces, such as hand-run Spanish, to new net grounds, first cleaning them carefully, and dipping, if rusty, in stale beer or water in which a raw Irish potato has been grated. Drain without squeezing, press while damp, then cut out and arrange upon the new ground, which has been stretched smooth over paper.

Point lace, being needle-made, can be needle-mended as good as new. Tack smooth upon waxed linen or stiff paper, study the breaks, and fill them with the same stitch, using the same thread. If the ground is badly broken, expedite work by laying under a bit of fine net, matching the mesh, and sewing the figures to it. Lace stitches can be learned from any book on needlework, and are none of them difficult. Irish crochet wears out all over commonly—tears or breaks, though, can be filled with a crochet hook, matching stitch and thread.

Mend lace curtains by laying new net under breaks and either sewing figures to it or, in case of tender old fabrics, wetting with starch and pressing with a hot iron. The starch mend will last as long as the curtain. Tiny tears can be thus starch-mended to advantage at any stage.

Furniture: Threadbare coverings, as damask, brocatelle, and tapestry, require deft darning with a fine needle—several fine needles, indeed, and matched silks. Follow the pattern as nearly as possible in putting in stitches. Put worn hangings into an embroidery frame and work boldly in coarse silks or wool, keeping to the color scheme and using as far as possible the woven pattern, but making the new figures hide blemishes. Remove linings before embroidering, press on the wrong side, and, if too limp, stiffen slightly with gum water (see section Renovators).