ish without
minute examination from chain-stitch. Further reference to its use is
made in the chapter on shading. It may be interesting to compare it with
crewel-stitch (A on the sampler), which is also a favourite stitch for
shading.

DARNING.

It is the peculiarity of DARNING and RUNNING that you make several
stitches at one passing of the needle.

Darning and running amount practically to the same thing. Darning might
be described as consecutive lines of running. The difference is, in the
main, a matter of multiplication; but the distinction is sometimes made
that in running the stitches may be the same length on the face as on
the reverse of the stuff, whereas in darning the thread is mainly on the
surface, only dipping for the space of a single thread or so below it.

It results from the way of working that you get in darning an
interrupted line characteristic of the stitch. What is called "double
darning," by which the breaks in the single darning are made good, has
in effect no character of darning whatever.

Darning has a homely sound, but it is useful for more than mending. In
embroidery you no longer use it to replace threads worn away, but build
up upon the scaffolding of a merely serviceable material what may be a
gorgeous design in silk.

[Illustration: 43. DARNING SAMPLER.]

Darning is worked, of course, in rows backwards and forwards; but if the
stitches are long and in the direction of the weft, it is as well not to
run the returning row next to the one just done, but to leave space for
a second course of darning afterwards between the open rows.

The darning of the sampler, Illustration 43, is very simple. The flower
is darned in stitches of fairly equal length, taking up one thread of
the material, and covering a space of almost a quarter of an inch before
taking up the next thread. The outline of a petal is first worked, and
successive rows of darning follow the lines of the flower, expressing to
some extent its form. Much depends upon the direction of the stitch.

The texture of the work depends upon the length of the stitches, and on
the amount of the stuff showing through.

Darning is usually supplemented by outlining. The sampler is designed to
show how far one can dispense with it. The flower stalk is defined by
darning the first row in a darker colour; for the rest, voiding is
employed, but it is not easy to void in darning.

The background is darned diaper fashion. It gives