Archive for Downsizer For an ethical approach to consumption
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Belinda
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Make do and Mend - 'most mended garment' challenge?In the interests of reducing and reusing, I'm sure lots of us mend clothes over and over. Let's hear about your 'most mended' garments - the ones that might win in any 'so mended it's hardly the same cloth anymore' competition.
My entry is my dressing-gown. It is 15 years old and I really like it so I intend to extend its life indefinitely. When the back wore through I sewed another piece of fabric to the inside back and machined over the shredded part. I've mended the belt, the belt loops, and stitched back the torn pockets. Most recently I am particularly proud of having properly turned the original cuffs - which had becoming very frayed and grubby. I cut off the cuffs, machined all the cut edges, and sewed back the cuffs inside out so that the outside part now looks brand new and bright. It is once again a perfectly good useable dressing gown, comfortable if not glamorous, and my next effort will probably involve a new fabric insert at the back of the collar. I see no reason why it shouldn't go on for another few years yet. 15 years is just the start. I am well behind my husband who has a jumper he has known far longer than he has known me (and we've been married over 20 years. In this house clothes are not disposed of until they actually die!
Ok let's have some more entries! Tell us about your 'make do and mend' longstanding successes.
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marigold
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I don't really do that much actual mending (apart from replacing buttons etc), but most of my clothes are ancient and are worn until they fall to bits or I get too fat/thin for them. I try to buy simple clothes that aren't very exciting, but don't date... And I don't throw my wrong-sized stuff out, I just wait until my size changes again  .
Ed. to say, your dressing gown sounds very impressive .
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Belinda
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| marigold wrote: | | your dressing gown sounds very impressive . |
It will soon be like the axe that had four new handles and three new heads....
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Penny
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Very impressive
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VSS
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i knitted tim a woolie made almost entirely out of wool unravelled from other garments - mostly socks (not his own).
given that the socks had a good life and the blanket woolie was so thick you didn't need to wear anything else at all - a candidate?
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dpack
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my matterhorn boots had 4 soles each
mostly i wear to destruction with running repairs if function is impaired but i dont mend to make it look tidy
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Andrea
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My trainers were held together with electrician's tape for ages & ages. Nothing like 15 years though!
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Brownbear
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My first Barbour Border had cuffs and elbows done (twice each), front zip replaced, fabric front zip was attached to replaced (each side), right patch pocket replaced, left pocket flap replaced, left patch pocket patched, collar patched and reattached, lining replaced, back panel replaced (after slip and toboggan-ride down flinty slope), and storm flap patched twice and replaced once.
Oh yes, and the left sleeve replaced.
In the end it just gave a sort of deep sigh and expired, the stitching coming unravelled over most of the garment in the course of a two-hour walk. When I got back to the car all that remained of it was a ragged gilet.
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Yarrow
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Just found out you can't keep clothes going forever! Apparently sewing thread will create rips in old enough material, and then you're Paris Hilton. Is this true?
Incidentally, my most repaired clothes would have to be my jeans, new pockets and constantly changing patches inside the knees. That's how I tell it's changed season.
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Belinda
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| Yarrow wrote: | Just found out you can't keep clothes going forever! Apparently sewing thread will create rips in old enough material, and then you're Paris Hilton. Is this true?
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Yes and no. If you use brand new thread on very old fabric, the thread will be stronger than the fabric and you may get rips where the fabric is weak and gets pulled. It depends though whether the repaired area is under tension or not I should think ,and what type of fabric it is.
I do most of my sewing with vintage thread (which I collect, I am the Sylko Queen) which often feels nice and soft, and is good for mending soft old fabric.
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