Visible or invisible? Over the centuries, two schools of thought have shifted the nature of darning. Historically, darning was treated with exacting precision. Repair of textiles was a regular necessity, but hardly something to draw attention to. With the advent of synthetic fibres starting with rayon in the late 18^th century, and daily lives that have become less physically demanding, clothing and house hold textiles now fall out of fashion long before they require repair. As a result, darning has switched from a skill valued for its invisibility, to work that intentionally draws attention to itself as evidence of reuse and investment of time...