STORM, Nan van der (no date). Het grote Stoppenboek, home published, softback, 48 pp., fully illustrated in colour with photographs and patterns. There is also a two page summary in English. Cost: €18 (€27 inc. postage abroad).
For thousands of years people have been repairing and mending their textiles and garments using various darning techniques. Examples of darned textiles were even found in the tomb of the ancient Egyptian pharaoh, Tutankhamun. By the 18th century in Europe, the technique of darning was being used to create decorative effects and as a purely practical skill. The 18th century also saw an increase in the production of decorative darning samplers, which became works of art a century later.
This book is based on the darning techniques of the past, but in a modern and colourful jacket. It is essentially looking at darning as a decorative rather than practical technique.
The book is divided into six chapters. The first chapter pays attention to the materials used and the various techniques. There are also various tips given that help make the technique easier. There then follow several chapters that give various different types of darning patterns and techniques with examples of each form. The last chapter includes a pattern for a large example of darning that is based on patterns given earlier in the book.
Recommendation: this booklet is suitable for both beginners and those with more experience. It is also a source of inspiration for further experimentation with this ancient technique.
Gillian Vogelsang-Eastwood
