By #mending a cotton t-shirt instead of replacing it, you could help to save over 7.5kg in #CO2e. That would be equivalent to ironing for over 25 hours.
The days of being told that #repair isn't an important part of a garment's life cycle are gone. I hope this will also lead to a change in the way that repair is perceived in our society; as a skilled and valuable #craft that deserves to be invested in and as a powerful environmental and political act.
Repairing Our Clothes
Thanks to the latest WRAP report (Feb 2025) we finally have some statistics about how choosing to #repair our #clothes and buying #SecondHand is having an impact.
A few key points >>>
#Repairing our clothes has been shown to displace the need for buying new items by 82%.
This shows that we’re placing value on the pieces already in our wardrobes, showing the #BigCompanies that we don’t want to keep replacing items,
my mum and i both used this blankie over the years and it was getting very brittle and tattered. to try to restore it, i first removed the backing, then cleaned up all the loose thread inside.
[2/3]
Mended the inside pocket of one of my favorite hoodies. My keys had poked a hole that was steadily growing but not any more!
When you've mended the same threadbare but still serviceable thing so many times you need to do it colourful, for morale. Terrible photo, but I already put the damn thing away and can't be bothered to dig it up again! 
Anyone have a guide on how to identify well-made clothes? I was taught long ago, but I've forgotten the specifics and would not describe it well.
The reason I ask is that cheap clothes are usually much harder to mend. The allowances are small, there are no extra buttons, the materials barely hold a stitch, it all kind of wears out at once.
Better made stuff has enough *there* there to put it back together.
(Bernadette Banner's vid has been linked a number of times, thanks!)
I’ve just mended a well loved (and worn) merino alpine technical hoodie (holes and failing seams), with red sashiko thread and old wool socks (themselves with holes beyond repair).
It took me some time to remember how to properly do the « blanket stitch » :) but it was the right choice (elasticity, edge management, aesthetics).
Pretty pleased with the result, we’ll see how it holds!
The fabric is also a giant patch. I sewed the ripped edges onto it. Not invisible, but not terribly ugly, either. I would definitely have handled the zipper differently if I were making it new, but I left most of the construction as 11 or 12 year old Sarah designed it.
I'm satisfied!
When I was about 11, I made this batik in art class. About a year later, I sewed it together with a bit of dark purple velvet and put a zipper at the end. Stuff an old bed pillow in it and it makes a perfect back cushion for my desk chair.
But alas, the fabric is giving out. The first step was to put a new piece of fabric behind the batik, just a tad smaller so it will take the mechanic stress instead of the more fragile batik. I took the opportunity to finish the seams, since I hadn't done that all those years ago.
3. Home Sewing Is Killing Fashion
And it's illegal
I'm old enough to remember record inner sleeves with the industry slogan about home taping.
This is not my design, but I love both it and the sentiment.
#sewing #mending #fashion #propaganda #homesewing
3/3 end
I emailed my library the other day about hosting a mending workshop/free repair clinic. They are willing to help me organize and host it! 
I've been trying to get involved in the community without much luck, so hopefully this will be successful and just add some positivity to this year.
Today I:
- finished darning all the socks, some for the 2nd time - knitting more socks is on my wishlist but I have a jersey to finish first!
- wrote to a couple of friends
- had a long leisurely walk and managed to dodge the rain showers
Patched my husband's jeans with some #sashiko style #mending.
I'm interested to see how it holds up in the laundry. Worst case, I'll get to try another type of stitch and see.
I have yet to rinse away the grid guidelines I drew onto it, but they will vanish in water.
I tried to choose a playful color and a pattern that isn't too flashy, but which also provides some strength.
El año pasado, empezando en verano, reparé trece prendas u objetos textiles. Todas las veces que pude, apunté el precio de la prenda u objeto comprados nuevos. He ahorrado aproximadamente 330 euros, una media de 26 euros por prenda, o visto de otro modo, unos 70 de media al mes en prendas que no he tenido que sustituir. Al principio tardaba mucho tiempo, ahora tardo menos.
Algunas de las prendas más baratas son infantiles de fast fashion o ropa interior. La más cara es una mochila. Una cosa se ha roto de una forma que no merece la pena reparar (la cartera; la uso con la cremallera rota).
No es mucha ropa porque solo hago esto un ratito del fin de semana, pero me sirve ponerlo con esta perspectiva.
#mending #visiblemending
Question for visible menders: I have a much-loved cotton jersey top that now sadly has four little holes (two clustered together and two more just above the cuffs of the sleeves).
I am looking for a way to rescue it by mending it.
First I thought about doing some embroidery to cover up the holes, but I'm not sure how to neatly pull that off on a jersey fabric? I'm also not sure how to make it look good on the very busy print that the top already has.
Now I'm thinking maybe I should just go to a thrift shop and buy a jersey T-shirt or something with a cool print (maybe polka dots in a cool colour) and sew patches of that fabric over the holes?
Any advice or suggestions?
