That description — smooth wood, mushroom-shaped top, short handle, found in a sewing tin — very strongly suggests it’s a:
🧵 Wooden Darning Mushroom
What It’s For
A darning mushroom is used to repair socks and knitwear by supporting the fabric while stitching over holes.
Why It Looks Like That
- The rounded “mushroom cap” stretches the fabric smoothly.
- The short handle makes it easy to hold inside a sock or sleeve.
- The smooth wood prevents snagging delicate fibers.
How It’s Used
- Slip the mushroom inside the sock (under the hole).
- Stretch the fabric over the rounded top.
- Sew back and forth to weave thread across the hole.
- Weave perpendicular stitches to recreate the fabric structure.
They were very common in older sewing kits — especially when people repaired clothes instead of replacing them.
If it’s small (fits inside a sock) and nicely polished from use, that’s almost certainly what you’ve got.
If you’d like, I can show you exactly how to use it to repair a sock — it’s actually a satisfying little skill. 🧦
