The Art of Repair: Mindful mending: how to stitch old things to new life

by Molly Martin

Overview

'Part how-to guide, part manifesto - a gentle exhortation that encourages us to reconnect with our damaged belongings and ourselves.' TOAST magazine

For Molly Martin, it all started with a pair of socks. Her favourite pair. When the heels became threadbare, her mother got out her darning mushroom and showed her how to reinforce the thinning stitches and bring them back to life. She has been stitching and darning ever since.

In The Art of Repair, Molly explores the humble origins of repair and how the act of mending a cherished item carefully by hand offers not just a practical solution but nourishment for the soul. Using her own beautiful illustrations, she guides us through the basics of the craft - from piecing and patching to the ancient Japanese art of Sashiko.

This book will stay with you long after you put down your needle and thread. It offers an antidote to our increasingly disposable lifestyle, encouraging us to reconnect not just with the everyday objects in our environment but also with ourselves.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781780725062
Publisher:	Octopus
Publication date:	03/04/2021
Sold by:	Hachette Digital, Inc.
Format:	eBook
Sales rank:	751,866
File size:	27 MB
Note:	This product may take a few minutes to download.

About the Author

Molly Martin is an artist, illustrator and professional textile repairer, specialising in delicate fabric restoration and traditional Japanese Sashiko repair. Molly also works for the slow fashion company Toast and has collaborated with them on a number of workshop 'repair' tours.

Table of Contents

Introduction 8

Wabi-Sabi 16

Boro 20

My Yellow Linen Jacket 26

A Brief History of Needle and Thread 28

Reinforcing with Thread 32

Rachel's Boiler Suit 34

Kantha 36

My Brother's Cushion 44

The Factory Work Coat 46

Double-folded Edge Patch 50

Make Do and Mend 54

Rebecca's Nightdress 58

Soldiers and Sewing Kits 60

Alf's Grandpa's Sweater Vest 64

Darning 66

How to Darn 74

Norwegian Sweater and Darned Fingertips 78

The Quilts of Gee's Bend 82

Emma's Italian Pillowcase 86

Museum Restoration 88

Toys 92

Mother's Shirt 98

Japanese Sashiko 100

Sashiko My Way 106

Cat's Navy Slip 110

Cowboys and Levi's 112

Arty's Dungarees 116

Swiss Darning 118

Ferg's Scottish Socks 122

Sewing Notes 124

Tools of the Trade 124

Before You Begin 127

Helpful Tips 130

Stitches 134

My Lilac Blouse 136

Contemplation 138

Acknowledgements 142