Anyone else out there mend clothes these days? This is my most recent sewing pile. Mending seems like a lost art in our disposable society today. These pajama pants with ripped seams were given new life after a few minutes with my needle. Granted, the pants came from Five Below and therefore cost only $5 but I still felt it was worth my time to fix them up. #1 because Eden loves them, #2 it's really hard to find "fluffy" pajama pants that fit her, #3 it fits into my philosophy of 'use it up, wear it out, make it do,' (I don't really follow the 'do without' part. I usually find a way to make it work.) I can only sew by hand -- sewing machines confound me -- but I love the feeling of fixing something up.
I also enjoy sticking it to the disposable way of life today. I'm stubbornly green in some ways and if I can avoid buying something new, I will. I love this quote from a Salon.com piece published in 2013:
"Although it’s not part of the well-known triad, “repair” partners with “reuse” in the reduce, reuse, recycle hierarchy—and it’s a better option than recycle when it comes to the environment. Why? Because when we repair, we don’t buy new stuff. No matter how “green” it claims to be, manufacturing new stuff almost always requires more energy and materials, and has a greater impact on the environment, than continuing to use something that already exists. Repair also generates less air and water pollution than recycling, leaves behind less hazardous waste, and creates an affordable supply of high-quality goods for those unable to afford new things."
There are so many reasons why it can be worth our time to repair instead of buying new. So, how about you? Do you mend or fix things instead of buying new? I'd love to hear from other old school fixer uppers.
Love this! I wish I had more sewing skills. I am constantly being gifted fabric or find it for cheap at thrift stores and wish I could make my 9yo skirts. But I can luckily do basics like replace buttons and such. Wish I had been taught in school (or by my mom, but she was absent in my childhood) how to sew!
Posted by: Tizzy | 10/07/2016 at 07:55 AM
Thanks! My skills are capped at Junior High Home-Ec level and what my Dad taught me -- he was actually the sewer in the house! My sister's skills far outpace mine so whenever I find cute fabric for my girls we beg Auntie to make a skirt!
Posted by: Valerie | 10/07/2016 at 09:29 AM
I have a pile of clothes, (probably most are too small for my kids now) that I can and will repair. I just have to find the time. . .
Posted by: Crystal Johnson | 10/07/2016 at 08:24 PM