Sunday 1 May 2016

Mend It Monday

Last week I had my first day running SewGood Whangarei - the community sewing space that is getting started again after having a year off.
We have a free room to use, and loads of donated sewing machines, material, zips, threads, patterns, fasteners - in fact everything we need for people to walk in and get sewing.

Some of the donated goods free to use at SewGood


One lady came along to check it out, with a pair of her son's shorts to mend as her own machine was no longer working. She said "I know this sounds silly, but I'm really proud of that" with what she had done when it was finished. She will be back next time with a bigger pile of mending.
Do people who throw stuff out when it breaks or becomes less than perfect, realize the sense of achievement of mending things? I think not.
So here are a few of my little projects today on - Mend It Monday.

My leather wallet had seen better days, as a result of overloading it with too much coinage most likely.
I have restitched it on the sewing machine and given it a clean up with some bees wax leather conditioner that I use on my boots.

Before and after - wallet mend, clean and condition


It's still not perfect - but it will last a bit longer, and hopefully the kids won't keep saying "You need a new wallet'

This dear little brooch that I had been given had a broken pin on the back, so I have added another one that I had among my supplies, using that wonderful E6000 glue. Done.


An old pair of jeans that really, I did consider throwing out as I have so many home clothes. But then I thought, no, I'll just mend them. Most people reading my blog will know how to mend jeans, and I'm sure there are more ways than one. I found a piece of similar coloured material, which I pinned and sewed on the inside, then zigzagged all over the split part. I then turned it back inside out, trimmed away the excess material and zigzagged over the edges.



I love how the look of something mended has become trendy.

So are you are mender? Have you had a great success lately? 

4 comments:

  1. I had a big mending day last week and I still have two items to finish. That's the sewing-mending. My wool socks from winter are slowly getting some darning before I put them away for next year.
    The sewing center is such a wonderful idea. Will there be lessons? It would be nice to had access to free patterns as they are so expensive these days (at least they are here). Between those and the price of new fabric I can't afford to sew new garments these days. Much cheaper to buy from the charity shops and alter or even remake.

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    1. There won't be lessons at this stage, but there is guidance from people who have been sewing for a while. I don't sew new garments either as I prefer to alter and refashion too. I'm hoping to get other people doing that too.

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  2. How amazing that you have this sewing room for anyone to use. I would love to have a space in town where I could meet up with those who know more than I do and teach me the tricks I should have learned as a child. Yes, I do mend but my skills are pretty basic.

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    1. We are lucky to have been allowed to use this ex-classroom for free. I am so looking forward to seeing it really get going. From what I have seen of your handiwork on your blog Lois, I'm sure you under-rate your skills.

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