2022 Fashion On The Ration Challenge

Cherryfudge

A bit of shameless showing off for a satisfying if not-quite-invisible mend. 😊 @flamingo747 and @thriftwizard are so right about mending, though I suspect we’re preaching to the converted.

I redid the repair to the lambswool /angora/nylon cardigan I bought for 99p when I needed a warm layer on holiday.

There was a small hole on the shoulder which I initially mended with 4ply yarn. It was a bit lumpy, so I undid it (first photo) and tried to Swiss darn with the most-nearly matched embroidery thread I could find (other photo). It’s still visible if you peer closely, but people are possessive of personal space so I’m not too worried about that happening.
The downside is that the thread cost nearly twice as much as the cardigan (but hopefully no coupons as it was bought to make a repair).

Daylight in one and artificial light in the other, hence differences.

flamingo747

@thriftwizard I have a friend who doesn't own a sewing kit, or even a tape measure, I must remind her about repair cafes! I bet it's a lot of fun to work at 

@Cherryfudge that looks fab! My mends are definitely more Frankenstein!

Cherryfudge

flamingo747 said:

@thriftwizard I have a friend who doesn't own a sewing kit, or even a tape measure, I must remind her about repair cafes! I bet it's a lot of fun to work at 

@Cherryfudge that looks fab! My mends are definitely more Frankenstein!

Thanks, @flamingo747, it's kind of you to say so. You have me wondering if Frankenstein-style mends could be the way to go! I expect someone has already made something of it, sort of sashiko with edge and black stitches...

PipneyJane

Really lovely repair, @Cherryfudge.  It looks like the embroidery thread is a good colour match, too.

- Pip

Cherryfudge

Thank you @PipneyJane . I couldn't get an absolutely perfect match but this one was close and I do enjoy looking through all those colours!

PollyWollyDoodle

That's a brilliant repair, @Cherryfudge. I didn't realise Repair Cafes do sewing as well as mechanical stuff. 

I visited my friend this weekend, I've mentioned before that she was going to throw out her son's school trousers because they had a hole in the seam which I showed him how to sew up. This time there were anxious requests from her daughter, away at university - her favourite dress is damaged, could Aunty Polly please look at these photos and say if it can be saved. 

It's a halterneck with the strap attached at the front of the dress on each side with a metal ring. One side of the strap has frayed and come undone. I reckon it will take me about five minutes to stitch up, possibly slightly longer if I need to attach a bit of fabric to replace the lost bit (luckily it's white so I'm sure I'll be able to match it).  I'm enjoying the totally unwarranted admiration I get!

Interestingly my friend said this weekend that the reason she dislikes sewing is because of having lessons at school, she remembers them as very dreary.

white-rabbit_2-2

@Cherryfudge that is an amazing repair!! Oh to have that skill…..❤️

flamingo747

@PollyWollyDoodle I know what they mean. Textiles at school was all about fashion design and how to make and market products. Fortunately I could already do the basics before that thanks to having a mum and gran that sewed. My mum made my wedding dress + 3 bridesmaids dresses, and then 3 bridesmaids dresses when she married my stepdad. I am far from that level though!

MrsCD

@Cherryfudge your repair is really good, and you can hardly see it! If anyone notices it, you could say it's a special logo! You could do some more random over stitches all over the jumper so it looks like it belongs....Well done. 

I just need to figure out how to mend the Stanley knife cut on DH's trousers. He thinks I can fix anything, and while that's very nice of him, I'm not that good.

Cherryfudge

Thank you @PollyWollyDoodle and @white-rabbit_2-2, it's meant to be Swiss darning so there are lots of YouTube videos, but I can see where I've not fully linked the stitches together. I struggle with adding in stitches where the thread has broken, despite being able to knit!

At my school Textiles was 'Needlework': in the first year we made a tabard-style apron for the next year's Cookery classes, then we were supposed to go on and make a dress. I had the prettiest fabric but was a slow sewer: I don't think it really occurred to me to work on it in my own time but if I had, Mum would have insisted on it being done her way. She made a lot of clothes but couldn't seem to get the idea that if I had been taught a particular way at school, then that was how I would be expected to do it. I wasn't up for that particular battle, so I only sewed in class and when I attached a sleeve inside out, I decided I was hopeless and the dress was never finished. I never found the remains of it when I cleared my parents' house so I assume either my sister took over the project (she is still a super dressmaker and made my wedding dress and the blouse part of the outfits for my four bridesmaids), or it was otherwise disposed of.

I've spent the next few decades intending to learn to sew by machine. I might yet get there! Being me, I then want to draft patterns and copy favourite clothes. Meanwhile at least I can mend small things, take up hems and fix seams. I agree with Polly it's such a useful skill and not one I'd be without.