STITCHING KIT
Mending equipment and supplies can assist you in improving your sewing kit and making your mending more attractive and practical. When I’m repairing, I store my tools in a little zipped pouch that I put into my bag. For years, I fixed just denim until I learned I could repair any woven fabric with the same procedures as long as the thread, patch, and needle were considered. Remember that it is preferable to make an incomplete repair than none at all.
Basics
Sashiko thread has a beautiful, earthy texture and a substantial weight that complements well-worn denim. Silk thread is used to mend the silk slip on this page. Organic cotton and linen thread are also good choices. Just make sure the thread you’re using is strong enough to be used for repairs.
If you’re using denim as an interior patch, you should be able to cut the patch’s edges with pinking shears. Denim knee patches must be large enough so that the bulk isn’t bothersome when you bend your knee. When repairing anything fragile, such as silk, use the tiniest but strongest needle possible to avoid making larger holes than required.
When working with dense fabrics, needle-nose pliers come in handy: I push the threaded needle with my thimble and pull with my pliers. Straight pins and safety pins are required for fastening patches to clothing. To properly evaluate the borders, I use a fabric pencil to form straight lines for stitches and to define the margins of a concealed patch. I use quilters’ chalk liners with refillable cartridges, but any washable fabric pencil would do. Natural beeswax coats thread and makes it easier to thread through fibers. An antique fold-up wooden ruler is an excellent item to have in your mending arsenal. Bone folders are useful for rounding corners and may also be used to make books.
What should I put on?
My attire is almost entirely self-made. It didn’t happen immediately; it was a process of trial and error that I have enjoyed every minute of. I no longer consider clothes in the same way. Shopping for clothes used to make me nervous, and it was seldom productive. When I think about a garment, I now consider the silhouette and fabric, the drape and ease, the fiber content, and the lifespan. Instead of being dictated to by someone else’s beliefs, I get to make my own choices and decisions.
