f the garment under the patch is cut away, leaving
one-fourth of an inch on the three sides. Cut the corners diagonally and
turn back the edge quarter of an inch, overcast and press. If this patch
is sewed on a lining, the worn part is not cut away. If this patch is
used to repair skirts near the band, only three sides are oversewed, the
upper edge should be gathered into the band. A large patch is less
conspicuous than a small one.

[Sidenote: Patch for Trowsers]

An onset patch may be used for the seats of trousers by shaping the
patch like the pieces on the seats of bicycle trousers and stitching on
the machine. Heavy cloth will need no inturned edges. The same
precautions are necessary regarding warp and woof, pattern, etc.

DARNING

[Sidenote: Thread for Darning]

Darning is usually done with a running stitch, with or without a piece
of net or cloth underset. Thread for darning should be as near as
possible the size of the threads in the garment. Whenever it can be
done, a warp thread of the garment should be used. No sewing silk is
fine enough to use without separating the thread and using one of the
strands. Never use the thread as it is, as it is too hard twisted.
Cotton and linen thread of the finest quality, untwisted, should be used
for darning stockings and underwear. Linen may be darned with linen or
mercerized cotton. Cotton is preferable.

A long slender needle with a large eye should be used. Darning should
never be commenced with a knot, nor finished with a back stitch.

[Sidenote: Bias Darn]

A bias or diagonal cut and a three-cornered tear are the most difficult
to repair. If the place is badly pulled and frayed, a piece of the same
material should be basted on the wrong side of the material and darned
in even stitches. Always darning _parallel_ with the warp threads and
the woof threads. In the diagonal tear, as the threads are cut
diagonally, to prevent drawing apart, the darning threads must cross
each other.

The stitches around any darn should not end in a stiff even line; this
makes a hard edge which does not wear and is unsightly, and
uncomfortable if on underwear.

[Sidenote: Darning a Three Cornered Tear]

The three-cornered tear may be darned in two ways. Begin by darning
diagonally through the center, darning back and forth towards the end of
the tear until one-half has been finished; then begin at the center and
work in the opposite direction. At the corner, the stitches sh