Does PATTERN DARNING make you think of holes in socks? That’s what I thought of! I remember watching Mom darning socks when I was young. Now, I must admit I have never been inclined to darn socks myself!
The ladies in the canvas group recently introduced me to Norwegian pattern darning. It is a very traditional form of embroidery. Surprisingly it is a simple counted embroidery technique using a basic running stitch. Great for beginner’s as well as advanced stitchers. It involves weaving the embroidery thread over and under the fabric threads. The stitches that show on the front create a geometric pattern.
This sample is from Yvette Stanton’s book Smoyg featuring Norwegian pattern darning. You will see Smoyg in folk dresses worn by Norwegians for special occasions. The pattern can be found on page 28 of the book displayed as a jewelry bag. If you would like to check out the book you can find it HERE.
Marie stitched this sample which measures a little over 3 inches. She chose a background of 28 count even weave fabric in an off white. I love that she chose Colour Complements Colour #57 in 2 strands of floss. It is a blend of beautiful rich browns found HERE in the shop. This colour is one of my recently introduced fall collection colours. Naturally, it could be stitched in any colour of your choice.
Hopefully, this may inspire you to attempt some pattern darning yourself. I think I might even be able to give this a go myself! Check out Yvette’s book at the link above.
Thank you Marie.
