Mend It, Wear It, Love It!: Stitch Your Way to a Sustainable Wardrobe

Description

A practical tool kit for mending and upcycling your wardrobe. It's “sew” simple to give your wardrobe an eco-chic edge! With fast fixes and clever techniques, this accessible, fully illustrated sewing book has everything you need to mend, customize and care for your clothes. Parting with damaged, yet beloved, clothes can be one of the saddest things, but what if you were able to fix those holes, give them a fresher look, and extend their life? Luckily, with this guide to mending and patching, you don’t have to say goodbye to your favorite clothing items ever again! Now you can cherish all your garments, even those in the furthest corner of your closet! This sewing book for beginners will help you master the skills to repair a seam and mend a hem, even if you’ve never touched a needle and thread before! Enjoy Your Clothes for Longer This sewing book arms you with the techniques you need to enjoy your clothes for longer and express your creativity. Detailed step-by-step illustrations and clear instructions explain how to sew, repurpose, and care for your clothes in a range of materials. For anyone who cares about reducing fashion waste but doesn't want to sacrifice style, this is the book for you! It addresses the way mending is great for fashion sustainability and gives you the low down on “fast fashion”. From polluting ecosystems and breeding unsafe work environments, discover the huge human and environmental impacts those irresistibly cheap t-shirts have. The Art of Mending and Sewing Mend It. Wear It. Love It is for everyone! Packed full of simple fixes, as well as more advanced techniques, this book is perfect for sewers, crafters, and fashion lovers of all experience levels. Contents Introduction The lowdown on “fast fashion” The Basics Your basic sewing kit Other equipment and useful supplies Mend Your Clothes Introduction Using a sewing machine Sewing on a button Repairing a buttonhole Inspiration: Contrasting buttons Repairing a hem Invisible-hem method Visible-hem method Mending a hole from the top Basic sashiko-style stitching Inspiration: Visible mending Patching a hole from behind Patching robust garments No-sew method Stitching for strength Darning a hole Inspiration: Visible darning Mending a tear Robust repair Less-visible repair Mending a split seam Repair from the top Repair from the inside Repair and reinforcement Zipper issues Repairing collars and cuffs Fixing a collar Mending cuffs Repairing visible topstitching Inspiration: Visible stitching Wear Your Clothes Introduction Shortening a hem Lengthening a hem Adding a contrast band Creating a ruffle Inspiration: Contrast bands, trims, and ruffles Adding a simple patch pocket Inspiration: Patch pockets Refitting a garment at the seams Refitting with waist-shaping darts Making a garment larger Removing sleeves For woven garments For knit/jersey garments Adding elastic to hems and cuffs Super-speedy method Creating a channel Inspiration: Elasticized sleeves and trouser hems Love Your Clothes Introduction Smart storage options Laundry and ironing tips Stains and how to remove them Fabric dye transformations Inspiration: Dyeing Disguising a stain with embroidery A simple flower motif Flying bug or bee motif Inspiration: Using embroidery to cover stains Index Further resources Acknowledgments and About the author