Learning how to mend has felt really liberating! No longer do I feel like I have to reluctantly let go of items just because of a little damage. I think many mending techniques are also easier than one might expect. These skills are in danger of being lost, but they are just as relevant today as they’ve ever been!
This is one of the highest-reward mending jobs I can think of. These jeans sustained damage in the thigh area — a high-wear area for a lot of people — and as a result had become uncomfortable to wear. But with a little care and attention, jeans in this condition are easily saved. The repair isn’t totally invisible, but I think it’s pretty discreet — definitely one of my quieter mends.
I’m making party ribbons 😈
Really this is that twine again, not ribbon, but whatever! Continuing to build up my gift wrap stash. Next year I’d like to significantly decrease the number of things I have to wrap in paper.
I found this damaged shirt in my fabric stash and spent some time repairing it. It’s my partner’s shirt, but he hasn’t been able to wear it for quite a while — one elbow had completely blown out, the collar and cuffs were looking worn, and there were a couple other small holes. I decided to use the back patch technique on the holes and bound the worn edges with a narrow tape. It was fun seeing this shirt come back to life, and my partner was pleased to get it back!
This holiday season I’ve started working on shifting to wrapping gifts with reusable materials — besides reducing waste and being less of a strain on the environment, I think there is also an opportunity for them to be more special and reflective of the things we care about! On that note, I spent some time today making these little gift tags — the one on the right’s inspired by this wonderful tutorial by Swoodson Says. They were so fun to make and I can add to my collection over time!
This is possibly the most specialized garment I own now??
I have Raynaud’s, a circulatory condition that affects my fingers when it’s cold. Last winter I had a hard time reading in bed at night (it’s Maine, lol). Since winter is approaching again, I thought about how to solve this problem and this is what I came up with: a pair of thermal gloves with the right hand modified to allow me to turn pages without sacrificing necessary protection from the cold. I’m not totally done with them (I’d like to make them less pink and more rainbow) but they’re functionally ready to go and they worked really well in a test run!
Here’s how the glove looked originally:
I’ve been doing this repair job on my partner’s favorite coat off and on for a few months and I think I’ve got all the holes now. This parka is 20+ years old and 100% cotton, and the fibers have become so soft and fragile with age, I know it will continue to be an ongoing labor of love. That’s one of the things I love so much about mending — seeing pieces continue to change the longer they are loved and used.
I’m finally beginning a major mending project on this beloved hoodie I’ve been wearing for ~20 years. The fabric has become transparent in many places, the zipper is broken, the grommets are tearing away… I’m not only looking forward to being able to put this piece back in my regular rotation, but excited about the process of caring for it through extensive repair!
Here’s a before/after showing what a huge difference the new flannel lining is making:
It’s pretty significant! Obviously it will also be much warmer. This is a great project to sit and do on the couch watching a tv show too. I’m putting the lining in piece by piece, which is a little finicky, but once basted it goes much faster. I decided to do all the non-structural stitching intuitively, changing techniques based on my mood or what shapes it feels like my fingers want to stitch right now.
From this horrendous mess…
and this nonfunctional lunchbox…
to this well-stocked, organized mending kit! It’s amazing how much more pleasant my supplies are to use when I’m actually able to find what I’m looking for. Not pictured: my darning egg, currently in use 🙂
This soft handle is stuffed with tiny scraps of fabric, yarn, and sewing thread — I love finding ways to reuse materials that would normally be thrown away! It’s a huge upgrade from the plastic manufactured handle, which I couldn’t even fit my hand in.
