Clover stitch dome

Is it an embroidery hoop? Is it a darning mushroom?

It's both! Meet the Clover stitch dome.

The stitch dome ensures consistent, even fabric tension for smooth, precise, pucker-free stitches and darns.

It’s useful for areas that are difficult to mend with an embroidery hoop or darning mushroom, such as shirt collars, cuffs and hems.

I love using mine to darn my sock heels, which I often wear out in large sections; the large metal surface (86mm diameter) is reflective and highlights threadbare areas as well as holes, so I can mend all of the damage the first time and not be unpleasantly surprised later (see photo for example).

Advantages of a stitch dome vs a darning mushroom:

• Easier to fit in tight spaces, like shirt sleeves (no handle to wrangle)
• You don’t need to cover the whole dome to use it, so you can mend fabric edges: shirt collars, cuffs, hems, etc.
• More secure mending – the silicone rubber band secures fabric and won’t budge when you pause your mending spree and leave it in a travel bag or mending kit.
• Light-reflecting stainless steel makes it easier to identify worn, damaged areas in fabric
• Gentle curve makes it suitable for use beyond sock mending, for flat sections of garments.
• Bigfoot-approved – wider surface (86mm) accommodates larger holes and damage

Advantages of a stitch dome vs an embroidery hoop:

• Easier to fit in tight spaces
• No screws to adjust or get in the way
• Silicone rubber band is a tighter fit and requires less readjusting over time
• Gently curved surface is a more natural fit for curved sections of clothing, e.g. sock heels and armpits

The stitch dome’s stretchy silicone rubber band is very strong – getting it on the dome is fiddly and can take a minute. But once it’s on, it’s on, and you don’t have to adjust it or worry about it sliding or falling off while you work or in between mending sessions.

To use:

• Place the stitch dome under the section of fabric to be mended.
• Secure the fabric to the dome with the silicone rubber band
• Mend!

Made in Japan from stainless steel and silicone rubber, packaged in a slim cardstock box with no additional packaging materials.

NOTE: The stitch dome is only compatible with the silicone rubber band included. It won’t take standard rubber bands or sewing elastic, as there is nothing for them to grip onto. For a long, happy product life, remove band from dome when not in use and store them in the same container (or original packaging) so you don’t lose them.

Want to see how it’s done? Modern Mending the book includes 18 pages of hand-stitching instructions, 32 pages of darning instructions and 30 pages of patching instructions, with photographs and illustrated diagrams.

Weekly dispatch

This shop dispatches orders once a week so I can do alllll the things – including running this shop and running after two tiny tots – and enjoy my life. Your patience and understanding are greatly appreciated.

Shipping carrier

I ship via Australia Post. If you select Express Post at checkout, it will speed up Australia Post's delivery timeframe but won't speed up my process.

After your order has been packed, you will receive an email notification with your Australia Post tracking number, which you can use to check on the delivery status of your order.

International customers: click here for current Australia Post international delivery timeframes.

Shipping fees

Shipping is currently a flat rate of $12 within Australia ($17 Express Post); international shipping is calculated at checkout. Gift vouchers are delivered electronically and do not require shipping.

International shipping

I ship worldwide with the exception of the UK, due to VAT regulations that came into effect on 1 January 2021. If you are in the UK you can order the UK edition of my book from your local bookshop.

Local delivery

Customers in Northcote, Thornbury and nearby suburbs (subject to capacity) can select local delivery at checkout. Local delivery is extra-slow and coincides with my pram-walking / kid-wrangling schedule, up to one week after purchase.
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I choose to reuse

When shipping orders my first priority is to reuse packaging materials whenever possible – boxes, padded mailers, cardboard, paper, tissue paper, bubble wrap and egg cartons from neighbours, second-hand shops and recycling centres. I cannot guarantee the materials used to ship your order will be plastic-free for this reason.

I buy recycled packaging

If I don’t have suitable second-hand packaging to use for your order, my next priority is packaging made from recycled materials. It's important to me to support Australian companies making good products from our recyclables, and to make sure that material gets a second life.

Tape

I use compostable, gummed kraft-paper tape to seal my parcels whenever possible. I have a second-hand tape wetter that I love, purchased from my local op shop. Gummed paper tape is available at most art-supply shops if you want to make the switch yourself!

Express Post orders will have official plastic "Express Post" tape added.

International orders will have a plastic pocket taped to them, to accommodate paperwork required by customs.

Individual product packaging

Every item for sale on this website has its packaging components listed and in most cases photographed, so you can make an informed decision.

Upstream packaging

When I speak to my suppliers I specifically ask that my orders be supplied to me without plastic packaging, whenever possible, to avoid waste and single-use plastic. This isn’t always possible, but I’ll keep asking, forever.

Here's how one of my suppliers has my name recorded in its database: