Once upon a time every household had at least one of these – a darning egg. 
When we see a hole in a sock or pair of tights they get thrown in the bin without a second thought. However, imagine you had actually knitted those socks; a hole in the heel would be a minor tragedy. That’s where these charming little wooden objects came in handy: slip one under the tear and they made it easier to repair the damage. I am assuming you all know what darning is but I suppose there is no reason why anyone under 30 or so would, so, for just you – darning was a way of mending textiles which developed holes with time. Most women had to regularly darn knitted items such as socks and jumpers and the skill was to replace damaged yarn by sewing in a woven manner in such a way as to make the hole disappear.
As with most objects, darners range from utilitarian simplicity to practically works of art. At the basic end they were rounded pieces of close-grained wood, usually boxwood, maple, apple or elm, made very smooth so as not to damage the garment being mended. The egg is thought to be the oldest shape used but they come in balls and mushrooms, with and without handles or hollow to conceal a needle case. They weren’t always wooden either and were produced in glass, pottery and ivory with natural objects like gourds and cowrie shells also providing just the thing. Once a useful present for a friend, and an essential household object for a bride to be they are now just bought for their intrinsic beauty and the sentimental reminder of a time when hands did so much more than dishes.
