Mend It Better: Creative Patching, Darning, and Stitching

The author writes for other women, but many of these tips are useful to men looking to keep their favorite clothes in decent shape.If you know which end of the needle to hold, you can follow her instructions and ideas for repairing and maintaining your clothes. She even gives pointers on how to determine if you should do so or just buy new. Mending, patching, taking in or letting out seams, and replacing or adding pockets are among the topics covered.

This book got me started into repairing my own clothes. A great starter book!!

I love this book. It gives you all the basics on mending. Not only just on mending but on how you can use the mending as part of the appeal of the garment thru decorative stitching to adding fun pockets. Kristin takes you from how to decide weather a garment is worth mending or not to basic stitches, patching, surface stitches, seams, zippers, fancy and decorative repairs/accents. As well as adding in several projects to practice your mending skills on like a project bag, mending clutch, needle book and a tailors ham. This is a great book with lots of ideas for upcycling your existing garments into new wearable art.

This sweet, practical guide to extending the life of your clothing, as well as customizing thrift store finds and learning how to make a garment work for you, has become a valued addition to my craft book collection. Mending your clothing instead of tossing it away just because it has a hole, stain, etc., is not only a measure in saving money and preserving favorite articles of clothing, but it also makes you feel good about yourself, and it makes you appreciate what you've got rather than having the automated knee-jerk reaction to go out and buy buy buy.This book will pay for itself quickly, even if you use it just for the sock-darning instructions alone. There are many wonderful ideas in here that I hadn't thought of before. The instructions are all very clear, and the author writes in a very friendly, down-to-earth way. Very inspiring!

I have four kids, so often have a pile of clothes in need of repair. Since I sew lots of their clothes myself, I'm inclined to repair rather than replace, but I'm not much of a mender. Well, WASN'T much of a mender. This little book gave me so many ideas that I actually don't mind mending as much. Not to say I love it, but honestly, the quality of my repairs is much higher and the fixes look cuter using ideas from this book. I really appreciate it since I taught myself everything I know about hand sewing, and I've gotten a lot of tips from the book.

I borrowed this book from my local public library, and loved it so much I decided I should buy it and add it to my personal textile library. I knit and sew and mend clothes, love vintage clothes and textiles, and like to re-use or re-purpose textiles when I feel so moved. I really appreciate the author's attitude of re-making or mending treasured clothes, instead of throwing them out.This book inspired me to make over my favorite green, very soft, machine-made lambswool sweater, of which I've long since worn the elbows into Swiss cheese-like hole-iness.Very helpful is the author's list of questions for determining whether an item is worth the effort of re-making or mending. Also very helpful is the list of tools and details of mending procedures.A quibble I have with the book is that the author doesn't go into re-knitting patches for knitted garments. Looking at the socks photographed in the book with crocheted, much thicker heels, I wouldn't want to wear those in shoes.This book did directly inspire me to knit a new sleeve up past the elbow for the beloved green sweater, and knit leaf-shaped patches to cover the small holes. This book has inspired a truly ˝mended-it-better˝ sweater than the original machine-made sweater was, so I count the book as well worth having.The sewing directions and mending suggestions are excellent and inspirational. Thank you, Ms. Roach! P.S. I used to shop at the Rag Stock in Iowa City in the 90's, too, and got some great clothes there, such as a pair of East German Army thick wool pants.

I have two young children and the knees in their pants all have holes in them half way through the school year. I am not about to go buy them new clothes at this point, especially where their pants still fit...enter Mend it Better. I felt like this book was excellent. It really lives up to its name. I am not a beginner when it comes to sewing, but I am when it comes to patching and mending clothes. The detailed list of supplies you need is excellent. Not only does she tell you what you need, but the author tells you why you need it. She also explains how to mend every conceivable fabric, article of clothing and type of rip you might encounter: Sweaters, pants, silk, leather, knits...You are given multiple ways to patch so you can use whichever method is best for you. I got this book yesterday and already I have patched a hole. It was easy to understand and I feel it turned out great! I might even bust out the holey socks that have been plaguing my family and mend those!!Really great purchase, I feel this book will get a lot of use.

Actually the reason that I purchased this book is to assist me in learning to apply applique's to baby blankets. This proved to be a big help in many, many, area's of sewing as well as mending. The instructions are clear and diagrams well drawn, tho there are a few places that I would have prefered a bit more illustrations.

I very rarely have the time to review all the books I purchase but I can't let this one go without some comment. Even the cover is tactile, so I was expecting great things when I delved inside - and I wasn't disappointed. I've seen and read lots of books that show you how to "make do and mend" or how to recycle your favourite clothes rather than having to part with them when you've worn them so much that they end up falling apart, but they're all very boring and don't give me the incentive to do anything with them, so what were once treasured items ultimately end up in the pile destined for "clothes to do the DIY in". But "Mend it Better" has changed all that. I now know what to do with that pair of jeans that have more holes in them than a kitchen sieve, or a jumper where the threads are forever snagging on things. The patching jeans idea that turns them into a work of art is especially brilliant. It's a good job the book's cover is so well padded and looks like it'll last the distance, because I'm sure to be delving into it many, many times in the days to come!

This is a sweet little book. Even the padded cover adds to the experience of leafing through its pages. I'm not sure I've learnt much that I didn't already know in terms of techniques, but they are clearly explained and illustrated, but I do feel that I have gained from the many ideas presented by the contributors. Even where I might not execute a repair exactly as in a picture, I think I will continue to find inspiration here for future projects and problem repairs.

This book has a wide variety of advice and how tos on diy mending. As a beginner at sewing, I found it easy to understand. It has close up photos of the techniques, all using bright green contrasting thread so you can see how it's done. Gives you options of both hand sewing and machine sewing versions. Includes mending zippers, different types of patches, hemming, and more. Includes some simple projects to follow and begins with some good sewing basics. I haven't found a better book on mending yet.

This book is just wonderful.It tells me all I need to know about patching and darning and how to achieve the best results.The book is a wonderful source of information-things you may have learnt from your mum or gran but forgotten.A nice tactile book to look at /touch as well.My mum would have known all of this as she lived through the war and had to make do and mend. She would never have thrown out something just because it was a bit worn or needed a new buttonhole.Get this and learn how to be more environmentally friendly and save money as well!

Lovely inventive book featuring great ideas and traditional techniques