Darning: A Visible Thread

Abstract

This paper documents the transformation of cloth through the repair process by examining the impact of darning on the cloth’s surface. It traces historical definitions of darning and museum examples of darning, documenting the translation of a darn into a decorative embellishment. This darned embellishment becomes a resource for imagery for my practice of contemporary Jacquard woven textiles. A traditional practice transformed, a tradition not well documented but rich in interpretation, like the darn itself- invisible and/or visible. My interest in darning arose from it being part of the weave process, correcting errors made when weaving, an interest in the manipulated surface and a desire to produce works that asked- What memories are evoked by looking at aspects of the life of cloth? What experiences are recorded in the surface of the fabric, embedded in its structure? Textiles are an essential and often assumed part of everyday life; we are wrapped in them, lie in them, walk, sleep and sit on textiles. Inevitably they wear out, are worn, ripped, torn and are damaged. How general wear and tear effects cloth, how does it disintegrate, fray and deteriorate and what changes occur throughout its existence became an interest in my practice. Paralleling this change and marking through disintegration, is

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