The act of mending or repairing fabric, especially by sewing closed holes or worn areas.
Present participle of 'darn,' from German 'dörnen' (to hide). The technique itself became popular in Europe during the Middle Ages as a way to extend the life of expensive fabric without visible patching.
Before industrial manufacturing, 'derning' was such a valued skill that children's books featured it as a virtue—and Victorian ladies had special derning needles and thread. The humble darn was once a mark of domestic expertise, not just necessity.
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