An Afternoon of Mending

Friday, September 25, 2020

I sat down one Saturday and spent the afternoon making a dent in my mend pile. It's a very satisfying use of time. 

My ancient jeans needed further mending. I showed Andy and he said 'soon you'll be mending the mends', too late, that's exactly what I'd just done! As long as they fit and I can keep patching, I'll keep mending. I had to explain to my youngest nephew that the jeans were older than him, that they were once dark blue, without holes. I guess when you grow out of everything in a matter of months the concept of having an item of clothing for several years must be hard to wrap your head around.

I had a cardigan that had been sitting to one side for months after a hole appeared in the front. Not knowing how to mend it properly I just made it up as I went, used pretty thread and stopped when it felt done.

I folded my khaki maxi dress and left it on the floor overnight as I wanted to stitch the straps into place and in that time Socks bought in a mouse that nibbled it, and had a little wee on it too, just to add insult to injury (the mouse was caught in a humane trap and set free far from the house). I'd only worn the dress twice and was adamant that the little rodent wouldn't spoil it. I stitched some circles in similar colour thread so the holes wouldn't expand. It doesn't look too bad, and it's on the back so I can't see it anyway.

My skinny jeans needed some reinforcement around one of the back pockets. This is the first mend for them - probably the first of many. With interfacing on the inside for strength I added some overlapping stitches in white thread. I'm rather pleased with the result. I'm wearing them today for the first time in months.

I ripped the sleeve on my heart print shirt by simply pushing up the sleeve. This has been mended once already on the upper arm but it's hardly noticeable.

I then discovered a small tear on a summer top that I stitched to stop it getting any worse. I used white thread to try and keep it inconspicuous. And, after a few years, I finally mended a hole that was caused by catching my top on a door handle. The thread colour was a really good match so it's hardly noticeable.

With every mend I feel pleased that it's an item saved from landfill. Even if I were to put it into cloth recycling I have little faith that it would actually end up being recycled. If I can mend it and wear it a little longer, then I will. 

I mended some rips on two pairs of Andy's jeans, and have five pairs still in need of repair!

When it comes to Andy's old work clothes - they all eventually end up threadbare, ripped beyond repair, and stained - I tend to pop them on the bonfire. After reading some stats on how little of our clothing is actually recycled I felt that burning them was a way I would know they wouldn't end up in landfill.

Anything of good quality will always go to a charity shop, or is listed on ebay, but Andy's old work clothes are good for nothing, and if I can't be certain that they can or will be recycled, on the bonfire they go. I often wonder if this is the right approach, but it feels like the lesser of two evils.

I still have a pile of mending to do, I've resigned myself to the fact that I'll never get to the bottom of it, but as long as I can do a little mend here and there, I'm happy.

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Blogger, freelance graphic designer and farmer's wife living in Suffolk. Also, style lover, charity shop stalker, cat owner, tea drinker, crafter and writer of lists.

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10 comments

  1. Elderberry-Rob25 September 2020 at 18:31

    I do like your mending style, the back pocket looks colourful and neat and all the circular repairs look so tidy and fun, it's well worth repairing old favourites.

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    1. HazelxJoy26 September 2020 at 08:28

      Thank you. I do tend to get attached to my jeans so mending them was a no-brainer. As for the dress I was able to mend, I'd only worn that twice and it would've been such a waste to throw it away just because of a hungry rodent!
      xx

      Delete
  2. Jo25 September 2020 at 18:59

    There must have been steam coming off your needle after all that mending. I think this post illustrates that mending can be pretty, your fixing looks like a design feature.

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    1. HazelxJoy26 September 2020 at 08:30

      It was incredibly satisfying. I'm no good at invisible mends (they grey t-shirt was a bit of a fluke) so visible mends are my only option, but I do like they way they look.
      xx

      Delete
  3. Polyester Princess26 September 2020 at 18:48

    I've been known to mend the mends too, although they usually don't looks as great as yours. Some of your visible mends are looking as if they were meant to be! I can only say goodbye to something when it's really beyond repair and as most of my clothes have a print, any repairs I do are usually hardly noticeable. I sometimes find it hard to get started but once I do I find mending a very relaxing occupation! xxx

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    1. HazelxJoy27 September 2020 at 09:19

      It is absorbing, and I find it relaxing too, I did some more yesterday afternoon :)
      xx

      Delete
  4. Vix30 September 2020 at 12:17

    I love your pretty mending, it's quite addictive when you get started, isn't it?
    I had to giggle about the story of Socks, the mouse and your poor dress. xxx

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    Replies
    1. HazelxJoy1 October 2020 at 13:46

      Very addictive. I laugh now I look back on the mouse/dress event, but I was annoyed at the discovery!
      xx

      Delete
  5. Sophie in the Sticks8 October 2020 at 17:15

    Your mending is so pretty, it adds value to clothes! I'm very impressed. xx

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    Replies
    1. HazelxJoy9 October 2020 at 09:26

      I am rather fond of these items. The old, old jeans have had more mending since posting this! They're now 90% mend.
      xx

      Delete

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