Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922, 1905-12-03

surface. They are a great convenience II
one wishes to group pictures.
.
Machine that Darns socks.
A machine for darning stockings viii
''1ll long-felt want" It is believed The
machine has come, and 1t is the invention
Of Denver woman, Mrs. George Henry
Maynard. The darner bids fair to revolu-
tionize the old system of endless stitches
day in and day out. and the busy mother
will find time for rest and relaxation.
The Continuance, which has already been
patented in the United States and Canada,
promises a return OF no less than 81 200, 900
and Is pronounced the most useful inven-
ton for tightening household cares that
has been made in years.
Mrs. Maynard is of an inventive turn Of
mind. Although she is no longer a young
woman, her mind is ever on the alert and
when last winter she turned her atten-
ton to models for stocking darners she felt
that II would result in a patent which
would crown her labors with a rich re-
ward.
And so II has. Mrs. Maynard some time
ago in darning a tablecloth by machine,
with the aid Of embroidery hoops. began
TO think out a plan for mending hosiery
IN a similar manner. But there was one
obstacle which at first seemed insurmount-
able. 1t looked as II It would be impos-
sible TO get down into the stocking so that
the needle could operate. Then Mrs. May
nard let the matter rest and went on with
the old system Of darning by hand
Last winter she found herself thinking
again of the possibility Of inventing a
darner which would do away with the
tedious in-and-out stitch. With cardboard
she made numerous models. each one a
trife less impracticable than the last.
Then she hit upon the right one. She
had a steel works make the machine after
her ideas and with one slight improve
ment she had a patent darner which was
a revelation to her friends.
The model is an oval steel band about
six inches in circumference On one edge
II has prongs which catch and hold the
material to be darned. On the other are
slender steel rods projecting. The distance
between the pronged edge and the, rods
is about three-uuarters of an inch. The
stocking Is fastened to the prongs and
stretched across, as a piece Of linen would
be on ordinary embroidery hoops. The
darner Is shaped so that II will At easily
in the toe Of a small stocking. The stock
ing is gathered and held in place by the
TOOS, so lHdl when the garment Ttduy
for mendng it presents a perfectly smooth
and plain surface. There are grooves in
the side Of the hoop through which the
needle Of the sewing machine passes after
the foot has beer removed and then, with
out lowering the ear, the stitching Is run
back and forth in a lattice work which
when completed makes surface as smooth
as the unworn part Of the stocking.
The finest thread Is used in the machine
and after the whole is worked solidly there
is hardly a trace OF the rnending. Silk
hosiery can be darned with the new con-
trivance in a manner which dehes detec-
ton. The darnng Of silk stockings has
always been a problem. The stitches are
ant to he lost In the mending and then
thew ravel in what is known as '1adder"
fashion. The member invented nv Mrs
MAYNARD does away with this difficulty.
Mrs Maynard is a pleasant woman to
talk with She has fund NJ interesting
information and is 60 enthusiastic over her
invention that she plans to do many other
remarkable things.