Reduce & Reuse, Care, Consumption, In the Home, Textile Waste
Visible Mending Books to Help Start Repairing your Clothes
Have you stopped wearing the clothes you love because of a pesky hole, slight tear or dreadful stain? If we toss these clothes in the bin, our guilt escalates when we know there is already a global textile waste problem.
Repair & Mend the Clothes you Love
It’s reassuring to know we can make a difference by starting to repair and mend the clothes we already own and love. Mending is an age-old concept that helps minimise our clothing consumption and making it visible highlights these imperfections.
Inspiration to Start Mending
These visible mending books will help start repairing your clothes in a jiffy. I’ve read all of them, and each one offers something a little different. The common thread is that they inspire you to start mending, using the most simple of tools for hand stitching – a needle and thread.
Source these books from your local library, borrow from friends, ask your local Buy Nothing group, or purchase these books to share the mending goodness. If you live in Newcastle, locally owned independent bookshop Betty Loves Books may consider ordering a book in for you.
This post contains affiliate partnerships links. If you choose to purchase the item, I may receive a commission for recommending, at no additional cost to you. #sponsored #affiliate
Modern Mending
By Erin Lewis-Fitzgerald
Modern Mending is a comprehensive 272-page guide by an Australian author, to mending clothes that combines creativity and sustainability.
♥ A ReNewy Living favourite
Buy here...Visible Mending
By Arounna Khounnoraj
Packed with skill-based projects, Visible Mending shows how to patch jeans, embroider over tears, dye stains and use the Japanese art of Sashiko.
♥ A ReNewy Living favourite
Buy here...Mending Matters
By Katrina Rodabaugh
Mending Matters includes more than 20 hands-on projects that showcase current trends in visible mending through just four very simple mending techniques: exterior patches, interior patches, slow stitches, darning, and weaving.
♥ A ReNewy Living favourite
Buy here...The Geometry of Hand-Sewing
By Natalie Chanin
The Geometry of Hand-Sewing focuses solely on the stitches themselves rather than projects or garments. It also includes right and left handed photos and descriptions for each stitch.
♥ A ReNewy Living favourite
Buy here...Joyful Mending
By Noriko Misumi
Joyful Mending shows you how to repair and improve old items of clothing by turning tears and flaws into beautiful features.Simply by applying a few easy sewing, darning, felting, or crocheting techniques.
Buy here...Mending Life
By Nina and Sonya Montenegro
Mending Life is a beautifully illustrated handbook that shows you how to mend jeans, socks, sweaters, down jackets, and leggings and other common repairs.
Buy here...Mending with Love
By Noriko Misumi
In Mending with Love, instead of stowing or throwing away damaged pieces that hold happy memories, you can use these beautiful and sustainable mending iideas to give them a new life.
Buy here...Mend and Patch
By Kerstin Neumüller
Packed full of simple fixes, as well as more advanced techniques, this Mend & Patch is perfect for sewers, crafters, and fashion lovers of all abilities.
Buy here...Wear, Repair, Repurpose
By Lily Fulop
Wear, Repair, Repurpose welcomes beginner and experienced makers with projects to refresh their wardrobes, make the most of op shop finds, and give worn-out clothes new life.
Buy here...Make + Mend
By Jessica Marquez
Make and Mend is an exquisite, full-colour guide to sashiko, a simple Japanese stitching technique that uses stunning patterns to decorate or repair clothing.
Buy here...Mend it, Wear it, Love it!
By Zoe Edwards
With fast fixes and clever techniques, this accessible, fully illustrated sewing book has everything you need to mend, customise and care for your clothes.
Buy here...Stitch, Fabric & Thread
By Elizabeth Healey
Stitch, Fabric & Thread is a treasure trove of over 40 inspiring practical exercises, a rich and creative exploration of fabric and stitching.
Buy here...Sashiko for Making & Mending
By Saki Iiduka
Sashiko for Making & Mending includes 15 simple Japanese embroidery projects, and shows you how to use sashiko stitching to mend rips and other repairs.
Buy here...Hand Sewing Magic
By Lynn Krawcyzk
Hand Sewing Magic gives you an in-depth overview of essential tools and materials, including thread, needles, fabric, and other key sewing supplies.
Buy here...Discover More…
Stories found at ReNewy Living about reducing textile waste include:
- using fabric as furoshiki gift wrapping,
- joining the Re:Club,
- making a shopping bag from an old t-shirt, and
- ideas for upcycling blankets and reusing socks.
The links below include affiliate partnerships links (#sponsored). If you choose to purchase the item, I may receive a commission for recommending, at no additional cost to you.
There are so many wonderful new hand sewing, stitching, mending and embroidery books that I’m yet to explore! One of my affiliate partners, Etsy is also a fabulous international online shop (#etsy #sponsored) that sells sewing books & patterns, and all the visible mending supplies you need (for example speedweve darning kit, sashiko embroidery thread, needle threader, and darning mushroom) to keep you consistently inspired until you find your own sewing groove. Available globally.
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