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Mending Matters: Stitch, Patch, and Repair Your Favorite Denim & More
This guide explores visible mending techniques in both hands-on projects and thoughtful insight about how mending relates to mindful well-being.
Mending Matters explores sewing on two levels: First, it includes more than twenty projects that showcase visible mending—styles that are edgy, modern, and bold, yet draw on traditional stitching. It does all this with just four simple mending techniques: exterior patches, interior patches, slow stitches, darning, and weaving. In addition, the book addresses the way mending leads to a more mindful relationship to fashion and to overall well-being.
In essays that accompany each how-to chapter, Katrina Rodabaugh explores mending as a metaphor for appreciating our own naturally flawed selves. She also examines the ways in which mending teaches us new skills, self-reliance, and confidence, all gained from making things with our own hands.
Mending Matters explores sewing on two levels: First, it includes more than twenty projects that showcase visible mending—styles that are edgy, modern, and bold, yet draw on traditional stitching. It does all this with just four simple mending techniques: exterior patches, interior patches, slow stitches, darning, and weaving. In addition, the book addresses the way mending leads to a more mindful relationship to fashion and to overall well-being.
In essays that accompany each how-to chapter, Katrina Rodabaugh explores mending as a metaphor for appreciating our own naturally flawed selves. She also examines the ways in which mending teaches us new skills, self-reliance, and confidence, all gained from making things with our own hands.
228 pages, Kindle Edition
Published October 16, 2018
About the author
Katrina Rodabaugh
5 books31 followersKatrina Rodabaugh is an artist, writer, and crafter working across disciplines to explore environmental and social issues through traditional craft techniques. Her artwork, writing, and designs have appeared in various galleries, magazines, theaters, craft fairs, and alternative art venues. She's received artist awards from the Vermont Studio Center, Zellerbach Family Foundation, Puffin Foundation, Creative Capacity Fund and her blog won the Country Living Blue Ribbon Blogger Award. She received her MFA in Creative Writing from Mills College where she trained and taught in the Book Arts Studio. She currently lives in Oakland, CA with her husband, son, and urban garden.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 207 reviews
January 2, 2021
Visible patches and stiches can be a curated aesthetic as well as a type of mending. Anything that normalizes mending and/or slow fashion is a win, and I like the look and intend to implement parts of it. But it could definitely be conveyed in, like, a pamphlet (or a blog post); the book is lush, Pinteresty, and bloated. Filler sections should be cut or replaced by meatier chapters on the oft-mentioned natural dyes, international/historical mending techniques, or just explanations for things like "why might one prefer Sachiko thread?" (easily answered online but somehow not included here). The essays about slow fashion are blessedly brief; they repeat the general aspirations and limitations of a movement which puts the onus on the consumer rather than pointing towards industrial or political reform.
August 16, 2019
My mum taught me how to darn socks using a wooden 'mushroom' tool and to sew patches on my clothes to extend their life as an economic necessity. Additionally, I recall that in the 1970s that there were iron-on patches you could use to patch jeans. One of the phrases that stays with me from my childhood is "make do and mend," so I was intrigued to come across this book. I love the illustrations and chuckle that it has become fashionable to do something that I have taken for granted for so long.
April 11, 2022
So, I have mixed feelings about this book.
What I liked: The intro and backstory are well worth reading if, like me, you have an interest in the recycle, re-use, up-cycle philosophy and really try to minimize the amount of crap you send to landfills. There is some thought provoking information on the Slow Fashion movement and that is what interested me more, overall, than the various mending techniques.
What I didn’t like: I really don’t care for mended clothes with great big obvious patches and tend to go more for subtle repair jobs. I didn’t like the feeling that anyone ‘needs’ to show their solidarity with earth friendly mending people and the slow fashion movement by wearing clothes that shout about it.
But, like I said, its worth getting this out of the library just to read the first part so I’m glad I did.
What I liked: The intro and backstory are well worth reading if, like me, you have an interest in the recycle, re-use, up-cycle philosophy and really try to minimize the amount of crap you send to landfills. There is some thought provoking information on the Slow Fashion movement and that is what interested me more, overall, than the various mending techniques.
What I didn’t like: I really don’t care for mended clothes with great big obvious patches and tend to go more for subtle repair jobs. I didn’t like the feeling that anyone ‘needs’ to show their solidarity with earth friendly mending people and the slow fashion movement by wearing clothes that shout about it.
But, like I said, its worth getting this out of the library just to read the first part so I’m glad I did.
October 22, 2018
I read this book cover to cover and found myself nodding "yes" as I savored Katrina Rodabaugh's beautiful writing. Filled not only with lessons on how to mend or create lovely projects from worn out clothing, there are excellent essays about Katrina's slow fashion path and beliefs as well as micro essays from many of the folks I admire in the slow fashion movement. The pictures are gorgeous, and the tutorials are clear. I am a fan of Katrina's, and I am thrilled to have her lovely book on my reference shelf.
February 10, 2024
For someone who knew nothing about the topic, this book was a nice starting point with notable gaps. This book is written by an artist, so I appreciated the beauty of the book and the general inspiration to celebrate the life of garments. However, I still had to google some basic information like what is shasiko thread.
January 5, 2019
What a precious upper-middle-class subject -- mending. It would have been more useful to write a book about how to sew. The instructions for her patches are excruciating, her essays are totally first the world views of someone who apparently has all the time in the world, and the supplies she recommends are sooo precious. Sashiko thread, anyone?
December 11, 2018
Turns out, I'm not that into visible mending.
December 16, 2021
I have strangely mixed feelings about this one, much like I had mixed feelings about Mend!: A Refashioning Manual and Manifesto. I appreciate the practical how-to techniques and I am slowly warming to visible mending in some circumstances, but something about the philosophy behind this particular book seems incomplete or out of touch with reality in some ways. Maybe my issue with this one was the lack of awareness of social justice issues. And the instructions for most of the techniques were...exactly the same. And how exactly does one source sashiko thread locally? Surely my 'Murican and Dutch forbearers mended their clothes with something a little more available? Furthermore, I think I like the slightly more precise aesthetic of Neumuller's Mend & Patch: A handbook to repairing clothes and textiles.
The useful thing about this book was the information about how to mend the inner thighs of jeans, which is where most of my friends' jeans wear through first and for which I've never before found clear instructions. I shall try it out and see how it goes. And I did appreciate some of the inspirational essays, on reestablishing our connection to the earth through local, natural dyes and fibres.
My learning journey continues. :)
The useful thing about this book was the information about how to mend the inner thighs of jeans, which is where most of my friends' jeans wear through first and for which I've never before found clear instructions. I shall try it out and see how it goes. And I did appreciate some of the inspirational essays, on reestablishing our connection to the earth through local, natural dyes and fibres.
My learning journey continues. :)
January 10, 2022
Interesting book: part philosophy (slow fashion) and part practical guide. I love the idea of patching clothes (I have favorites that I don’t want to junk) and even more the idea of making the patches eye-catching/fun in their own right. I skimmed the philosophy parts, but enjoyed the practical sections. I found the book inspiring and I’ve already put a bright orange heart patch on some ripped jeans, but I would like something that focuses on patching knits - this was denim, linen and silk. The search for a great book on darning continues.
December 10, 2018
I loved the photos and the idea behind the book. The essays got a bit repetitive and were rather vague - more inspiration than anything. I will try some of the techniques. I may end up buying the book to add to my small collection of sashiko and Japanese textile books.
September 9, 2019
Rodabaugh skriver om sin väg mot slow fashion, en väg som inkluderar en hel del reparation av kläder – i första hand jeans där hennes sashiko-inspirerade stil kommer till sin rätt. Fina och detaljerade beskrivningar av hur man kan reparera sina kläder, men kanske lite väl mångordigt kring hennes tankar om slow fashion. Någon reparationsbibel blir den inte för mig, jag har lite mångsidigare behov än så här och saknar till exempel en guide till hur man reparerar plagg i trikåtyg.
December 31, 2020
I really enjoyed this book! It's a super fast read, as much of the book is projects, but the author also includes her own philosophies and slow fashion process. She also includes tidbits of knowledge and slow fashion advice from other artists/activists, etc. If you've done any mending before, you're probably familiar with the process behind mending but she has lots of tips and tricks that she shares that really help illuminate the process (think how to mend crotch rips).
I really love the mindset that she shares, and reading this book helped remind me why slow fashion is so important. I think this is one I'll need to own and reference often.
One of my favorite quotes:
"By better understanding wabi-sabi we can shake off our perfectionist tendencies while we let the wonky stitches and misaligned patches on our denim be the things we love best. Ultimately, we come to accept our imperfect selves by embracing our own physical aging and the experiences and wisdom our bodies have accumulated over time. If we can honor the natural aging of our distressed and beloved denim, perhaps we can begin to embrace those laugh lines for what they really are-- proof of laughter so frequent and deep that it left a permanent mark" (pg. 143).
I really love the mindset that she shares, and reading this book helped remind me why slow fashion is so important. I think this is one I'll need to own and reference often.
One of my favorite quotes:
"By better understanding wabi-sabi we can shake off our perfectionist tendencies while we let the wonky stitches and misaligned patches on our denim be the things we love best. Ultimately, we come to accept our imperfect selves by embracing our own physical aging and the experiences and wisdom our bodies have accumulated over time. If we can honor the natural aging of our distressed and beloved denim, perhaps we can begin to embrace those laugh lines for what they really are-- proof of laughter so frequent and deep that it left a permanent mark" (pg. 143).
February 26, 2019
A bit hippie-dippie in tone but the basic technique tips are good. Patch with the same type of fabric, size the patch generously for strength, and make a virtue of necessity, i.e. visible, sometimes high contrast repairs.
I'm not sure how much of this I will actually be doing since I generally hate hand-stitching but there are some gorgeous examples of sashiko on Pinterest. I’ve also seen pairs of vintage jeans with fantastic patches and colorful stitching. I’m really drawn to the personalization and design aspects, in addition to getting a little more mileage out of beloved garments.
I'm not sure how much of this I will actually be doing since I generally hate hand-stitching but there are some gorgeous examples of sashiko on Pinterest. I’ve also seen pairs of vintage jeans with fantastic patches and colorful stitching. I’m really drawn to the personalization and design aspects, in addition to getting a little more mileage out of beloved garments.
August 1, 2019
The text often has a preachy, look-at-me-being-good kinda feel. While the projects are interesting and make me think about the possibilities, they are also very limited. Not everyone wears denim (shocking, I know) and not everyone has ready access to thrifted clothing made from natural fibers. It would have been nice to see a greater variety in projects and possibilities. That said, mending is fun and creative, and I would love to see more people attempting it.
February 17, 2021
I thought this would be a helpful how-to for basic clothing repairs, but it was more artsy nonsense than actually helpful.
December 14, 2022
I've made scarves in a boro style using tattered quilt scraps and picked up this book on Libby to learn more about how to use similar stitching to repair clothing. Good basic projects with denim and linen. Easy to follow instructions and clear photos even with e-book version.
To further describe my interest in reading the book: I want to repair clothing to preserve items I love and slowly transition from following fast fashion trends. As I read this book, I realized I was unprepared for the larger social and environmental movements that this mending trend espouses. That's fine, it's just not yet my mindset to view mending clothing as a radical act. These social warrior stories felt a little too self-congratulatory when compared to my interest but would likely appeal to others.
I also think that most of us, particularly those with children, have many fast fashion pieces particularly synthetic knit articles of clothing that we would like to mend - as an effort to pump the brakes on our consumption. This book doesn't cover repairing those types of knits. I knew that when I began but it would be a helpful addition to help us be better stewards of what we've already purchased.
Since I approach this pursuit with a focus on preservation and acceptance, I enjoyed the section about Japanese wabi-sabi and a couple of quotes resonated:
We are drawn to objects made with intention, skill, and love. If we can accept that nature, use, and everyday experience will alter this object, and if we can see this alteration as added value, then we can continue to enjoy the object indefinitely.
Ultimately, we come to accept our imperfect selves by embracing our own physical aging and the experiences and wisdom our bodies have accumulated over time. If we can honor the natural aging of our distressed and beloved denim, perhaps we can begin to embrace laugh lines for what they really are - the proof of laughter so frequent and deep that it left a permanent mark.
Overall, a great introduction to mending denim with clear project ideas and instructions.
To further describe my interest in reading the book: I want to repair clothing to preserve items I love and slowly transition from following fast fashion trends. As I read this book, I realized I was unprepared for the larger social and environmental movements that this mending trend espouses. That's fine, it's just not yet my mindset to view mending clothing as a radical act. These social warrior stories felt a little too self-congratulatory when compared to my interest but would likely appeal to others.
I also think that most of us, particularly those with children, have many fast fashion pieces particularly synthetic knit articles of clothing that we would like to mend - as an effort to pump the brakes on our consumption. This book doesn't cover repairing those types of knits. I knew that when I began but it would be a helpful addition to help us be better stewards of what we've already purchased.
Since I approach this pursuit with a focus on preservation and acceptance, I enjoyed the section about Japanese wabi-sabi and a couple of quotes resonated:
We are drawn to objects made with intention, skill, and love. If we can accept that nature, use, and everyday experience will alter this object, and if we can see this alteration as added value, then we can continue to enjoy the object indefinitely.
Ultimately, we come to accept our imperfect selves by embracing our own physical aging and the experiences and wisdom our bodies have accumulated over time. If we can honor the natural aging of our distressed and beloved denim, perhaps we can begin to embrace laugh lines for what they really are - the proof of laughter so frequent and deep that it left a permanent mark.
Overall, a great introduction to mending denim with clear project ideas and instructions.
August 22, 2022
For Katrina Rodabaugh, "slow fashion is a revolution." In Mending Matters, Rodabaugh asks us to rethink the way we buy, wear, and discard our clothing.
To read the full review, please visit my website for Mendfulness.
If we agree that the triad of human survival is "food, shelter, clothing," then we also must recognize that the first two needs are well on their way toward sustainability. We have a prevalence of weekly farmers markets, community food co-ops, urban gardens, backyard homesteads, chicken-keepers, beekeepers, organic aisles in the grocery store, and websites, books, and magazines dedicated to growing, harvesting, and supporting healthy food. We also have multiple energy-efficient appliances, and reclaimed building materials […] But clothing is not yet positioned at the mainstream like food and housing.Enter the world of mendfulness.
To read the full review, please visit my website for Mendfulness.
January 30, 2024
If you're someone who really likes reading blog posts that have long stories about the writer's journey before you get to the actual content, this book is for you. I am someone who always scrolls past all that to find the instructions. I admittedly started skimming the "ethical eco-warrior" narratives and will likely disregard her suggestion that I use less-strong biodegradable thread.
There are a few good techniques - about three - that get used in all the projects in very similar ways, but I can see myself using them, so it was worth reading. You only need three basic hand stitches stitches, so great for beginners. Each project is self contained, so you don't need to build on techniques to do them (for example, she explains how to measure a patch as step one of every single project).
I had hoped for more variety in ideas or different looks from the mending, but the cover photo is basically the entire span of options. And these techniques are only for non-stretchy materials (denim, linen, and silk), so knits, cottons, (or what I actually need to repair in my wardrobe) etc are out of luck.
There are a few good techniques - about three - that get used in all the projects in very similar ways, but I can see myself using them, so it was worth reading. You only need three basic hand stitches stitches, so great for beginners. Each project is self contained, so you don't need to build on techniques to do them (for example, she explains how to measure a patch as step one of every single project).
I had hoped for more variety in ideas or different looks from the mending, but the cover photo is basically the entire span of options. And these techniques are only for non-stretchy materials (denim, linen, and silk), so knits, cottons, (or what I actually need to repair in my wardrobe) etc are out of luck.
January 29, 2021
Gentle encouraging to care for your things
Ms Rodabaugh's writing style is friendly and conversational. It's engaging, like a good chat with a friend who's enthusiastic about Their Thing: their art, their fandom, the space where they spend all their energy and most of their time.
The repeating instructions and the clear photos about multiple kinds of simple mending calmed my worries about my skills being "not good enough", and even gave me the courage to start repairing a much-loved silk quilt with patches I'm making with scraps from other meaningful projects.
If, like me, you've been sad or frustrated about losing a favorite garment to rip, tear, or wear, this may be a good book for you. 🪡🧵🧷
Ms Rodabaugh's writing style is friendly and conversational. It's engaging, like a good chat with a friend who's enthusiastic about Their Thing: their art, their fandom, the space where they spend all their energy and most of their time.
The repeating instructions and the clear photos about multiple kinds of simple mending calmed my worries about my skills being "not good enough", and even gave me the courage to start repairing a much-loved silk quilt with patches I'm making with scraps from other meaningful projects.
If, like me, you've been sad or frustrated about losing a favorite garment to rip, tear, or wear, this may be a good book for you. 🪡🧵🧷
Read
November 24, 2019This is the book that introduced me to the layers of importance which underlie our clothing choices. Maybe, like me, you have felt that by shopping secondhand and donating castoffs you are doing"enough".... This well-written and beautifully illustrated book is both deeply inspiring and crucially informative.
April 10, 2019
Easy to follow directions for stunning mending methods, and overall inspiration to keep patching things up. I hope she keeps writing.
March 5, 2020
A great but narrow sighted book for mending denim. The "more" part was even more minor than the denim part and not very in depth, which I found disappointing. It's highly specialized with only the very bare basics of patch mending, and a lot more overview on sashiko, which is time consuming and not everyone's cup of tea. The essays themselves were a bit smug in tone, and didn't explore what should have been her greater reasoning for doing this, which is the massive amount of clothing waste produced every year, plus the pollution caused by producing synthetic and commercial manufactured cotton, which is predominantly done overseas in Asia at very high cost to the workers and residents who live there. Acrylic clothing especially is a massive problem as we use fossil fuels to manufacture it- you are basically wearing plastic when you purchase an acrylic sweater, not to mention the very high flammability point of it, and the massive amount of microplastics released into our water systems whenever you wash acrylic clothing (5 times more than poly-cotton blends). I have been furious in recent years at the sexism within the clothing industry itself that happily produces cotton clothing for men, but offer up acrylic and nylon for women. Next time you're in a nice clothing store, check the labels: women's sweaters for example, tend to be nearly all acrylic or acrylic blends, while men's sweaters and pullover shirts are nearly all pure cotton. If you want to encourage people to "make do and mend" instead of roll their eyes at you (which I found myself doing at the tone in those essays) then you need to teach them the wide-reaching consequences of purchasing that cute $20 top at H&M. I did not want to read about the author back-patting herself on only mending with very expensive threads.
This may not have been the book for me, as while I completely agree with having a biodegradable wardrobe and highly prefer natural fabrics over synthetics and always have, that is also not my wardrobe right now. I have been on a no buy for clothing for awhile, with the intent to wear and repair what I already own as much as possible, and eventually only replacing with organic fabric pieces and handknit ones I make myself. So I was hoping to find advice on mending and reinforcing worn patches on partially synthetic clothing (items containing nylon, etc) because I don't have the privilege of ridding myself of those pieces at the moment and replacing them with something else; and I don't see why I should add to the clothing waste problem myself by disposing of items that still have loads of use left in them, partially synthetic or not. I did notice the author made no reference to what she did with her synthetic clothing, whether she ensured it went to recycling or not or just ended up in a landfill. I will continue to look for resources on mending those items to last as long as possible- and because I live in the Netherlands, we have a very strong clothing recycling program nationwide so when I do finally dispose of them, none of it will end up in the ground.
Side note, I was very please to see recommended shop sources for supplies including A Verb For Keeping Warm and Fringe Supply Co, both of which I have shopped at- they have excellent supplies for mending and purchasing natural fabric items, and I highly recommend them myself.
This may not have been the book for me, as while I completely agree with having a biodegradable wardrobe and highly prefer natural fabrics over synthetics and always have, that is also not my wardrobe right now. I have been on a no buy for clothing for awhile, with the intent to wear and repair what I already own as much as possible, and eventually only replacing with organic fabric pieces and handknit ones I make myself. So I was hoping to find advice on mending and reinforcing worn patches on partially synthetic clothing (items containing nylon, etc) because I don't have the privilege of ridding myself of those pieces at the moment and replacing them with something else; and I don't see why I should add to the clothing waste problem myself by disposing of items that still have loads of use left in them, partially synthetic or not. I did notice the author made no reference to what she did with her synthetic clothing, whether she ensured it went to recycling or not or just ended up in a landfill. I will continue to look for resources on mending those items to last as long as possible- and because I live in the Netherlands, we have a very strong clothing recycling program nationwide so when I do finally dispose of them, none of it will end up in the ground.
Side note, I was very please to see recommended shop sources for supplies including A Verb For Keeping Warm and Fringe Supply Co, both of which I have shopped at- they have excellent supplies for mending and purchasing natural fabric items, and I highly recommend them myself.
June 10, 2019
I'm inspired to get mending and thinking much more deeply about the ecology of clothing consumption.
February 25, 2022
The mending projects in this book really boil down to "use a running stitch with sashiko thread and add a patch." There is no variety or even additional instructions on different sashiko patterns or embroidery stitches that could be used to attach patches. There is no mention at all of duplicate stitching to reinforce or mend knits.
When we reach the accessory patterns at the end, the instructions are so bad they can't be followed. Photos show a close-up of the fabric with a line of stitching instead of showing the layout and dimensions of the piece. I understand using the fabric you have and adjusting measurements to fit, but a novice sewer wouldn't even be able to follow the layouts.
All-in-all, this felt like a book to make the reader feel good about mending a tear in their jeans. Nevermind the fact that you had to buy new, specialty thread for it instead of picking up one of the inevitable packs of embroidery floss available at every thrift store. There was no real grit to this book- no feeling of making do with what you already have available and actually expressing yourself with color and patterns and learning some damn embroidery.
You could read a couple blog posts and learn all that this book has to offer. You could read a couple more and feel inspired to bring personality and color to your wardrobe, beyond just blue and cream.
This book focused on the author an her experiments in not purchasing new clothes, not on mending in the larger context. It is great that the author has found her aesthetic and cut down on her fast fashion purchases. For those of us who already don't follow trends or shop often, there is very little to learn here. Save yourself the time and find a blog post or article about mending instead.
When we reach the accessory patterns at the end, the instructions are so bad they can't be followed. Photos show a close-up of the fabric with a line of stitching instead of showing the layout and dimensions of the piece. I understand using the fabric you have and adjusting measurements to fit, but a novice sewer wouldn't even be able to follow the layouts.
All-in-all, this felt like a book to make the reader feel good about mending a tear in their jeans. Nevermind the fact that you had to buy new, specialty thread for it instead of picking up one of the inevitable packs of embroidery floss available at every thrift store. There was no real grit to this book- no feeling of making do with what you already have available and actually expressing yourself with color and patterns and learning some damn embroidery.
You could read a couple blog posts and learn all that this book has to offer. You could read a couple more and feel inspired to bring personality and color to your wardrobe, beyond just blue and cream.
This book focused on the author an her experiments in not purchasing new clothes, not on mending in the larger context. It is great that the author has found her aesthetic and cut down on her fast fashion purchases. For those of us who already don't follow trends or shop often, there is very little to learn here. Save yourself the time and find a blog post or article about mending instead.
May 14, 2023
Katrina Rodabaugh, Mending Matters: Stitch, Patch, and Repair Your Favorite Denim and More. New York: Abrams, 2018(?).
Sometimes my wife chooses fascinating books that have little to do with my interests but interest me. She found this book at Three Little Birds Sewing Co. here in Hyattsville, MD. I have no idea what the “slow fashion” movement is, but it seems to share a fascination with craftsmanship, traditional tools, and practices just as much as my interest in wooden boat building. Along the way, it takes joy in the doing.
It is a sturdy book, prepared to last, with hefty binding and heavy pages, yet filled with lush, well-chosen color photos of fabric craft of different kinds. It might be useful to sailmakers, sailors, and others who celebrate “Make and mend day” every so often. On many ships of the past, it was a weekly day for sailors to take care of their clothes and gear.
Chapters include mending tools and materials, basic techniques and slow design, exterior and interior patches, hand stitches and sashimi and improvised darning and weaving. The author is a fabric artist who shares her thinking about the process and how to do it. So in some ways, it is a philosophical view of sustainable craft. I found it quite interesting, reminding me of some material from the Wooden Boat School, or Chasee Maree, those classy, pricey maritime magazines from France. It made me think when I read it but it made me take note of the techniques in the photos when I browsed. Recommended.
Sometimes my wife chooses fascinating books that have little to do with my interests but interest me. She found this book at Three Little Birds Sewing Co. here in Hyattsville, MD. I have no idea what the “slow fashion” movement is, but it seems to share a fascination with craftsmanship, traditional tools, and practices just as much as my interest in wooden boat building. Along the way, it takes joy in the doing.
It is a sturdy book, prepared to last, with hefty binding and heavy pages, yet filled with lush, well-chosen color photos of fabric craft of different kinds. It might be useful to sailmakers, sailors, and others who celebrate “Make and mend day” every so often. On many ships of the past, it was a weekly day for sailors to take care of their clothes and gear.
Chapters include mending tools and materials, basic techniques and slow design, exterior and interior patches, hand stitches and sashimi and improvised darning and weaving. The author is a fabric artist who shares her thinking about the process and how to do it. So in some ways, it is a philosophical view of sustainable craft. I found it quite interesting, reminding me of some material from the Wooden Boat School, or Chasee Maree, those classy, pricey maritime magazines from France. It made me think when I read it but it made me take note of the techniques in the photos when I browsed. Recommended.
August 8, 2020
It is a phenomenon of physics that the moment jeans become "good" -- that is, the moment that the jeans embrace you and you the jeans -- they tear. They tear, they fade, they fray, and not in a good way. The existential dread encroaches: salvage or Salvation Army (and would SA have them? maybe not).
There is hope. A movement in fashion and design, as outlined in mending matters, encourages the fixing of fashions and the fixing of the frenzied mind that often plagues us.
Truly a delight, the book not only reinforced my inability to seek out that one last wear and repair but also got me to ask myself, what is my fashion heaven? Not a gown worthy of the cover of Vogue (although I have no objection, as art appears in many forms), but a t-back top, tight jeans, a belt, and sneakers. And that's it. And that's me, in a nutshell, and for all the interpretations of this I will turn to my journal.
I very much enjoyed the enthusiasm of the writer but would be cautious about going overboard on minimalism. While "fast fashion" is easy to criticize, it should be borne in mind that until the latter part of the 20th century, affordable and comfortable (and sometimes durable) clothing was not available to lower middle class persons. While there are downsides to the explosions of TJ's and Target's, the ability to clothe oneself without incurring financial hardship is a benefit to be enjoyed. Those who had to wear cast offs might agree. The point: to each her own 'healing' journey.
There is hope. A movement in fashion and design, as outlined in mending matters, encourages the fixing of fashions and the fixing of the frenzied mind that often plagues us.
Truly a delight, the book not only reinforced my inability to seek out that one last wear and repair but also got me to ask myself, what is my fashion heaven? Not a gown worthy of the cover of Vogue (although I have no objection, as art appears in many forms), but a t-back top, tight jeans, a belt, and sneakers. And that's it. And that's me, in a nutshell, and for all the interpretations of this I will turn to my journal.
I very much enjoyed the enthusiasm of the writer but would be cautious about going overboard on minimalism. While "fast fashion" is easy to criticize, it should be borne in mind that until the latter part of the 20th century, affordable and comfortable (and sometimes durable) clothing was not available to lower middle class persons. While there are downsides to the explosions of TJ's and Target's, the ability to clothe oneself without incurring financial hardship is a benefit to be enjoyed. Those who had to wear cast offs might agree. The point: to each her own 'healing' journey.
October 18, 2020
I'm really torn on this book. I like the concept, but it doesn't quite hit the mark for me.
The text about slow fashion, etc won't be new to anyone who's read anything about fast fashion, but it was well written. The book itself is beautifully photographed, somewhat like a coffee table book.
However, the darning was really repetitive and very one note. Also, she mentions repairing knits but then doesn't show a single example of it. And a book about mending without an example of darning socks?
The instructions were nearly the same for every repair. I think the book would have had more value if she'd shown the instructions for ONE stitch/repair style and then shown a few photos of that method being used on other pieces. That way a greater variety of techniques could have been shown, which would have better aligned with the "and more" part of the title.
ETA: If you are looking for a book on how to mend/darn/do minor repairs to a variety of clothing types--including socks!--I think MENDING LIFE is a better fit.
The text about slow fashion, etc won't be new to anyone who's read anything about fast fashion, but it was well written. The book itself is beautifully photographed, somewhat like a coffee table book.
However, the darning was really repetitive and very one note. Also, she mentions repairing knits but then doesn't show a single example of it. And a book about mending without an example of darning socks?
The instructions were nearly the same for every repair. I think the book would have had more value if she'd shown the instructions for ONE stitch/repair style and then shown a few photos of that method being used on other pieces. That way a greater variety of techniques could have been shown, which would have better aligned with the "and more" part of the title.
ETA: If you are looking for a book on how to mend/darn/do minor repairs to a variety of clothing types--including socks!--I think MENDING LIFE is a better fit.
September 9, 2022
Wasn't what I was looking for, too much philosophy and too little useful for me. Basically few ways shown, repeated over and over again. Almost exclusively about visible and overemphasised patches, so basically patching as embellishment. Which is fine, but could easily be a nice blog post. For many examples I wondered how they originated, and since many are in low stress area, I can see how simple running stitch can work. At least for a while (eg end of trouser legs definitely need something sturdier).
No darning. No mention of interfacing.
Crotch area wasn't covered, and for me that's why I checked the book in the first place - too see some durable options for repairing highly stressed area.
I picked up book to learn about various repairing techniques, and got a book that is trying to convince me that salvaging clothes matters, introducing term mendfullness and so on.
Not my cup of tea.
No darning. No mention of interfacing.
Crotch area wasn't covered, and for me that's why I checked the book in the first place - too see some durable options for repairing highly stressed area.
I picked up book to learn about various repairing techniques, and got a book that is trying to convince me that salvaging clothes matters, introducing term mendfullness and so on.
Not my cup of tea.
April 1, 2019
Checked this out from the library hoping to find a fix for my back pockets tearing away from the butt of my favorite jeans. Luckily there is a coat pocket project in this book that explains a fix! So that's great! But everything else about this book is also great - not just tutorials but also her explanations of why she chooses mending and the different ways to go about it. The cover has a bit of embossing and is a nice hardback, too. It would hold up to a home library, I think.
March 20, 2019
A 2018 staff favorite recommended by Erica. Check our catalog: https://encore.cooklib.org/iii/encore...
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