Making Do and Mending
For the most part, I wear hand knit socks every day. Since my hand knits literally get many miles put on them, sometimes they need a little TLC. My mending pile was becoming overwhelming to look at, so I jumped in and darned a few pairs of socks this past week.
I was struck by how unbelievably bright my darned patches look on the socks. Man those puppies have faded! Mr. G+N said to me, "Pfft, don't buy that wool again!" To which I retorted, "No, no hun, that is the nature of a well loved sock!"
I have not been feeling particularly crafty the past few weeks. Perhaps it's the holiday let down. When I don't have the energy to make something entirely new, I love to mend. It's nice to be able to resuscitate something handmade, like a pair of well loved socks. :)
What about all of you? Are you menders? Or do clothing repairs scare you?
I was struck by how unbelievably bright my darned patches look on the socks. Man those puppies have faded! Mr. G+N said to me, "Pfft, don't buy that wool again!" To which I retorted, "No, no hun, that is the nature of a well loved sock!"
I have not been feeling particularly crafty the past few weeks. Perhaps it's the holiday let down. When I don't have the energy to make something entirely new, I love to mend. It's nice to be able to resuscitate something handmade, like a pair of well loved socks. :)
What about all of you? Are you menders? Or do clothing repairs scare you?
Labels: mending
posted by Geek+Nerd at 4:59 PM
10 Comments:
I've felt un-crafty lately too... like you, I chalked it up to the holiday let down. Also, the cold is killing me. I bought some little flower pots and seeds, so maybe that'll make me think it's spring and get back with it. :P
As for the mending - I've never really needed to mend anything, so I couldn't say. I like the idea of mending, though!
I'm a mender, and my pile is out of control right now! I really need to put a dent in it. Your hand knit socks are lovely - how nice to be able to make something that you use so much!
I LOVE mending! I tackled a big pile of mending (hubby's handknit socks, some missing buttons on thrifted shirts and skirts, even some tights with a big hole in the butt!) over the holidays, when I had the flu, and it was great! Such small tasks, but so rewarding and productive. I especially love mending thrifted clothes--it's nice to be giving them new life AND knowing that I'll have something new-to-me to add to my wardrobe!
I soooo know what you mean about the post holiday thing; I just want to curl up into a ball and hibernate until April.
I've never darned socks! Well, I've tried desperately to hold handknits together with some half-hearted stitches, but nothing that looks as good as what you've got. I seriously need to brush up on my darning skills looking at this! :-)
I just learned to darn, and I'm soooo glad I started. Love saving those socks.
I don't mend often, the pile does tend to just sit and grow. But when I do, I find it very satisfying. I love those little darned patches.
First, I just love the fact that you wear hand knit socks evey day. Tha is aweseom. I love darning, I just picture myself as a lady in old days mening all the woolens. OK, yeah, I know that is silly.
I think that you did a great job with all the mending, and it all looks great
Wow! Those yarns have seen a lot of trips through the wash, haven't they! I couldn't believe how bright the original yarns are - in fact at first I thought you were mending with other yarns entirely!
I applaud your willingness to mend. I didn't get the mending gene. In fact not only do i hate to mend, I simply will not do it. For me it's like doing something over - which I also don't like to do.
To stave off the after holiday January, dark, cold, rainy doldrums I make ornaments! Lots of them!
Wow, I am so impressed that you not only wear hand knit socks but that you repair them yourself! I just buy a big bag of white socks and throw them away when they get holey. It'd be nice if I knew how to repair some of my nicer clothing items though.
I recently read a quote: "Asking a quilter to mend is like asking Picasso to paint a garage." But yet we do get asked to mend things. Personally, I like mending things, usually. It makes me feel very useful. I always love it when I can sew or make something for someone else, be it something new or mended.
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