The magnetic clasp on a friend's bag fell off, so they asked if I could repair it. A new clasp was bought, but to install it required access to the lining, I undid a row of stitching, then had to redo the stitches by hand. Used a simple saddle stitch. It's not the prettiest sewing I've ever done but it works. And the bag can now be easily closed again.
Took less than an hour.
My grandma would be so proud of me. I’ve been steaming the living shit out of scarves, hanging wool dresses and blazers out in the sunshine, and darning jumpers! It’s all very #makeDoAndMend… but with Alexander McQueen skulls on.
One of my reusable bags got ripped on a fence as we were walking home. So I fixed it.
EDIT: this is getting shared enough that I’m starting to panic. YOU MUST DM ME TO JOIN. THERE IS ONLY SPACE FOR SIX PEOPLE.
In the spirit of “fuck it, we ball” I am hosting an experimental Minor Mending Meeting on Monday, March 3 from 6-7:30p near Davis Square. DM me for location; there is only space for six people.
If interest warrants I can host another one later.
You: bring a clean item of clothing that needs a minor repair (a button replaced, a tear patched) and an intrepid spirit of fixing things
Me: bring an assortment of buttons and patches and thread and needles and some reasonable know-how and helpful diagrams and encouraging spirit of guidance and repair.
If this goes well and interest warrants, I’d love this to be a regular thing.
@MLE_online Congratulations!`
I spent a bit of time today recovering from the weekend and clearing out my mending pile. This bag from Market Basket had some places where the panels were pulling apart from each other and the binding was falling off. I pulled off the crummy binding and replaced it with some nylon webbing, and ta-da, bag is useful again.
From a purely capitalist perspective, this is a terrible use of time, right? I could just buy a new bag from MB for, like, what, $5? $10? And I could have used that time in Economically Productive Pursuits to Increase The GDP, and someone in an exploited country could have made another one and shipped it across the ocean, and in a couple years that binding would rip and I’d buy a new one and we’d just keep doing that dance until the heat death of the universe.
Or I could spend the time and effort to keep it out of a landfill for a little longer. So I did. And it’s a small thing but it’s better than nothing. Bonus: bag is now significantly gayer.
We can fix things if we take the time.
Update!
Flattening the worn whetstone on a concrete flag has been surprisingly effective and only took about five minutes
Stay tuned for more money saving tips right here on Mastodon 
I picked these up in my favourite charity shop today for three quid 
The whetstone is a bit concave though especially on the fine grit side 
Thinking of flattening it on a concrete coping stone 
#makedoandmend
About two hours ago I went to get warm jumper as I was really cold, I decided it needed pockets, I'm still cold but my jumper nearly has patch pockets 
#knitting
A stich in time saves nine!
In this case I've left it slightly late and it'll need twice that number of lock stiches
This coat inner liner was going to recycling but I had a brain wave and cut the sleeves off, stitched up the holes. Sewed the bottom together and the neck and, voila, I used what was left of the foam from the destroyed dog bed to make a smaller one with a nice sturdy built in zip and a strong material for the terrier. #MakeDoAndMend
Maybe someday my #mending will be insta-worthy #inspo but today it was an exercise in frustration. So I’m sharing the best of a bad lot and reminding myself that #DoneIsBetterThanPerfect. #darning #VisibleMending #MakeDoAndMend #handsewing
