Sewing Circle: Visible Mending
There has been sewing! I discovered the concept of visible mending - thank you pinterest. The old Japanese technique of mending cotton kimonos - boro, with patches, and sewing them on with a running stitch in various patterns - sashiko, has inspired me no end. Old Japanese kimonos have been preserved that have been patched and then patched on top of patches.
This gave me the happy thought that if I take up patching my clothes I will never have to buy clothes ever again. Huzzah! I started with a pair of pyjamas which were in the scrap bag due to holes. I patched, then stitched over the top with running stitches. I tell you this, patches make your pyjamas warmer.
The Girl is staying with us this week. She needed a project, so took to my mending basket. She mended this shirt for me with a patch behind, and sashiko stitching. I love it!
Then she started on the next shirt, which tore under the arm. It is patched, and partly sashiko-stitched at this point.I love this as well - I especially like how the stitches get closer together as the blue colour gets deeper on the ombre patch (which is another old shirt which we decided to sacrifice for patches. It is a light cotton, but looks like denim. Perfect for patching the plaid shirts)
The Girl had the sewing machine out for another project, and whipped up these dishcloths for me out of The Boy's old quilt cover. As my dishcloths are mostly on the way out, this was a lovely surprise!
Comments
I borrowed Mending Matters from the library, it's all about mending, visible mending, why and how.
It's a very calming practice too.
Cheers Kate
Linda in NZ
My sewing girl going home soon:( Perhaps we should start a sewing circle of our own.. the wonderful thing about mending by hand is you can chat at the same time:):)
Mary, ooh, thanks for this. I have a collection of Jude's work on a pinterest board, but didn't know its source. Now I do! I love her pictures with fabric, esp the cats. So much expression!
Linda, I am also practising on Paul's old work clothes! And yes, that kimono is patches on patches. They would have been handed down through the generations as they were expensive and time consuming to make or buy. The exact opposite to today's fast fashion culture..
Linda Who Quilts, I think that's one of the reasons I really enjoy the aesthetics of visible mending - it looks like mini quilting on your clothes. Irresistible! Btw, I did not train The Girl in sewing - she learnt handsewing from her days at Steiner school, and she made me show here how to use the sewing machine, and off she went, teaching herself. Autodidact!
Anna, I completely agree - my favourite quilts are made from old clothes, and generally sewn a bit crooked! A true make do with what you have, and the skills you have philosophy. Your friend's quilt sounds lovely, with all those memories sewn in. The Girl has just finished a similar one that I'll post soon:)
Be well.
Patricia/USA
Anon, darning hearts and butterflies onto jumpers is definitely visible mending. Sounds utterly charming:)
Cheers
Patricia/USA
The most dramatic story of this was when while lighting Christmas candles on a sideboard I was wearing my new Prairie Dress made from a Folkwear pattern. One of the full sleeves caught on fire and in seconds a hole appeared. I had extra fabric, which I sewed on in a big oval patch, with decorative stitching. All that sort of "broke in" the dress and made it seem to me more authentic somehow. Ha!
I have a favorite gardening shirt in this recent era that I keep patching and darning, and when I read your post I was prompted to think that maybe I could take it out of the scrap bag and get more serious about my patchwork. Then I remembered that the whole thing (linen) has become threadbare... I am actually saving it to make a pattern for future shirts I might sew myself. But if my sewing room doesn't materialize soon, I might have to make that future shirt right on top of the old shirt!
Your shirt sewn onto a shirt sounds exactly like the plan I have for my future clothes. Would love to see photos when that project comes to fruition!