I've been repairing some clothes recently - it's an environmentally friendly activity that helps save money and resources and I find it quite relaxing to do some sewing. The photo shows the buttonhole of one of my scruffy pairs of trousers that I wear round the house. The buttonhole had ripped apart, but otherwise (apart from being faded) the trousers are perfectly wearable and very comfortable. I don't know how well it shows up in the photo, but I mended the buttonhole by sewing two thin strips of ribbon round the edges. One strip on the outside and one on the inside, fastening them both firmly to the bit of buttonhole that was left. So far this is working and I'm wearing the trousers again quite happily.
The other story of repair is not so successful. My favourite summer trousers for round the house had developed acouple of small holes in the seat so I repaired them by sewing patches over them. The patches then ripped off and the original holes expanded so I patched everything up again but it all ripped dramatically apart again the next day, the trousers now have huge holes right across the seat (and it's not as though I'm putting on weight or anything!) So I think I'm going to give up and reuse the fabric to make something else!
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Isn't it frustrating when you try repairs and they don't work, especially for beloved pieces of clothing? Recycling into something else works. One of my favourite pairs of jeans has transformed into patches on the knees my grandson's jeans. He skate boards and often rips out the knees. Good idea for the ribbons on the button hole!
ReplyDeleteDreamy and lovely work over at the other blog...
ReplyDeleteI'm impressed by your repairs. I wish I were better at sewing (but not enough to do anything about it, sigh).
Ripped jeans are all the rage!
ReplyDeleteHey, can I send over a drawer of sox for mending? Do you darn bunny-holes in shirts?
that's nice to repair things raather than throwing them away
ReplyDeletei read your poems. they were very nice :)
I liked the 'Unblinded' poem especially.
ReplyDeleteIsn't there some New Testament parable about mending old cloth with new, and it tearing worse? I find that happens with darning,which I love doing, where the stronger darn can pull on the thin worn bit of the sweater. As you say, better to repurpose the material elsewhere - I meant to say how much I enjoyed that word and idea when you used it the other day!
Carol - yes it can be very frustrating!
ReplyDeleteHannah - thanks, glad you enjoyed the poems! I'm not actually very good at most types of sewing, icanjust do enough to be useful I think!
Rabbits Guy - maybe, but I'm not really a ripped jeans type of woman! I've got enough sox to darn as it is just now! I have darned some bunny holes, but it can be difficult....
Manish - thanks, glad you enjoyed the poems!
Lucy, yes, you've got to get a good match between the fabrics. I've got one shirt which I repaired and the repair has lasted over a year. The linen trousers that have fallen apart were wearing really thin and maybe just reached that critical point...