Mending: what is it exactly? I used to think it was the process of closing up a torn seam, or adhering a fabric patch over a hole too large to close the seam on.
Those definitions aren’t wrong, but the act of mending is more than just those. It also is the creation of patches by means of weaving or knitting. These patches bridge the gap caused by worn out fabric, and are made of threads or yarn different from the original fabric. Sometimes the thread or yarn color is selected to match the garment being patched. Other times it isn’t, and a very different color is used, resulting in a color contrast between the original garment and the mended patch. This latter version has become an art form in it’s own right known as “visible mending”.
There’s a nostalgia to this too. Mending helps us keep beloved articles of clothing that might otherwise have been thrown away. This allows for the continued enjoyment of them and the corresponding memory of how they were acquired.
Its this nostalgic feeling about a particular pair of socks that inspired me to have a try at mending. This pair of socks were bought for my husband by me a few years back at Zumiez. They got a lot of wear, and eventually large holes formed that made them unwearable. And although they were unusable in that condition, we kept them. They were well liked, and we couldn’t bring ourselves to throw them away. The thought was that they could be repaired, and now, after having my attention brought to the #mendmarch event on IG, and studying some of the approaches to mending that others have taken, I felt that I had enough knowledge on the subject to make my own attempt on these socks.
Since the sock fabric is stretch knit, I thought that the technique of darning was incorrect. Darning is generally defined as a mending technique very similar to weaving, which makes woven non stretch fabrics. I chose instead to knit the repair patch. I used fingering weight yarn and #1 knitting needles. The yarn is in a color as close to the original sock color as possible, in this case a grey sock yarn from my stash. It was used to make these tabi socks, which incidentally also need repair.
The Mend March theme for March 11th 2023 is “Feet”, and I have this, my first foray into serious mending, to show for it:
For the worn out areas that still had mesh left, I just used a basic satin embroidery stitch for reinforcement.
I’m really blown away at how these socks now have a new life! They’re actually wearable again! I thought that I would find mending boring, but it wasn’t. The repair of the socks had an excitement to it, the anticipation of seeing them new again.
With that in mind, I think that I can answer the question I asked at the beginning of this post with fresh insight:
Modern mending is an act of clothing restoration that seeks to preserve and conserve the clothes we already have for as long as possible. It’s a statement of consideration for the earth and an effort to use less resources by making do with what we have. It’s part of a philosophy of living.
Take care and thanks for reading 🙂
Sewcoordinated 