UPDATE: the fresh new batch of Woollykins mushrooms have flat bottoms, which have the added benefit of being able to be used on tabletops! I haven't snapped an updated photo yet but they're the same as what you see here, only better and 1cm shorter. :)

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Darning mushrooms help hold the shape of the item you’re mending and keep fabric taut, so you get a more natural-looking result.

You don’t need a darning mushroom to start darning (I’m a big fan of using oranges and other citrus when darning socks) but it has a few benefits:

• Having nice tools can motivate you to mend more often.
• If you tend to find your mending mojo late at night, there’s no risk of panicking when you discover you’re out of oranges and it’s too late to go to the shops. Your darning mushroom is a lifelong, dependable, 24/7 friend.
• If you like to mend while travelling, your darning mushroom won’t squish in your bag and won’t be confiscated if you travel interstate or overseas (fresh fruit is often subject to quarantine restrictions).

This is an extra-large darning mushroom (9cm diameter cap, 14cm total length) best for mending items such as jumpers and tea towels that need to lie fairly flat. For sock mending I recommend using a smaller darning mushroom.

This product is hand-turned in Castlemaine, Victoria, Australia, from salvaged hardwood timber offcuts.

Want to see how it’s done? Modern Mending the book includes 32 pages of detailed instructions on darning.

 

Slow mode

This shop is in slow mode so I can enjoy a better work-life integration as a shop owner and mum of two tiny tots. Your patience and understanding are greatly appreciated.

I'm currently dispatching orders once a week; place your order by 5pm Thursday Melbourne time (AEST) for dispatch the next day (Friday).

Australia Post has been experiencing significant delays. 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.

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. ٩(｡•́‿•̀｡)۶