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Mend It Better: Creative Patching, Darning, and Stitching
by
Kristin M. Roach (Goodreads Author)
Don’t hide that patch, make it a bold, beautiful embellishment! Repair holes with bright thread and a creative darning stitch; revive a stained shirt with fun embroidery! In Mend It Better, popular craft blogger Kristin M. Roach puts a new spin on mending by adapting traditional techniques for today’s crafty sewers. With detailed photography to show each step, she teaches...more
Hardcover, 224 pages
Published
January 31st 2012
by Storey Publishing, LLC
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Mend It Better: Creative Patching, Darning and Stitching by Kristen Roach is a wonderful resource for mending clothing to keep it wearable, or for buying clothing from thrift stores and garage sales and being able to mend it into something for your wardrobe. Mending is one of the most ecologically sound choices you can make.
It's well thought out, and the instructions are clear enough for beginners. Even experienced sewers may find new things in this volume. There are instructions for doing mendi...more
It's well thought out, and the instructions are clear enough for beginners. Even experienced sewers may find new things in this volume. There are instructions for doing mendi...more
What a neat book! Filled with the basics and beyond, Mend it Better is a toolbox for anyone who's hesitated to get rid of something previously loved just because it's stained, has a hole, is a bit outdated, has a bleached spot, etc. It's a great source to have on hand these days, whether your concern is saving a much-loved garment, helping the environment, or preserving the contents of your wallet. Roach writes in a non-threatening manner, explaining everything in just enough detail for the trul...more
When I end up marking just about every other page, it's a clear sign I need to own the book. This is a fantastic resource. In addition to some basic information on the history of basic mending styles, each aspect of mending is explained two different ways. First, as if you do not want the mending to show. Secondly, using the mending as a means of embellishment. In both cases, there are directions, and in the case of embellishment, there is usually an example of a possibility. The techniques alon...more
Never in my life could I have imagined giving a five-star review to a book on mending! I checked this book out of the library because, well, I like to read about World War II on the Homefront, and the blurbs made it sound a lot like "make do and mend", something that HAD to be done in the 40s. What I found was so much more! This book is genius! If Ms. Roach had been alive in the 40s, she would have won any Make-do and Mend competition very handily! Filled with a million ideas and illustrated bea...more
Interesting combo of a sewing manual and an upcycling project book. Very friendly and approachable, especially for people who don't want to learn how to sew, per se. It covers hems, replacing zippers, patches and lots of other minor repair topics. I personally don't want to draw even more attention to the hole in my sweater by sewing a beaded flower around it, but this could appeal to a certain kind of maniac crafter/thrifter/frugal person.
A great guide to everything you need to know to do your own mending. It has some creative ideas that I enjoyed a lot. It was comforting to confirm for myself that there wasn't much I didn't already know, coming from having my own alteration business, but worth reading through and I would highly recommend it to all my customers that I left without a seamstress when I moved!
While there were a lot of instructions for beginners in this book, I think I would probably still need a sewing class or book on the basics. There were a lot of really good pictures and step-by-step instructions throughout the book. But I'm a super beginner when it comes to sewing.
I would recommend this book for anyone crafty who wants to learn more about mending things.
I would recommend this book for anyone crafty who wants to learn more about mending things.
Got this from the library. I'm not a sewer or a mender but this book has lots of great ways to fix clothes that actually make them cuter. Going to used them on my daughters clothes that she ruins at recess. Might consider buying the book.
Lots of cute ideas for mending as decoration or elaboration, plus good basic info on how to mend common types of wear on your clothes. I was always a little curious about darning, now I know a few different ways to do it.
The darning section of this book has the most AMAZING project for darning socks by crocheting the holes in heels/toes. It also has great ideas for DIY cloth patches, hand stitches, stain solutions, seam fixes, and so on.
Yep, mending as devotion. LOVE IT.
Yep, mending as devotion. LOVE IT.
This is so ambitious! I wish I had 1/10th her energy when it comes to multimedia work. One of best of all the several excellent books on the new wave of needlework out today.
Absolutely AWESOME 'text book' style book that walks you through all kinds of ways to repair clothing and other fabric items. The book includes decorative repairs as well as more subtle ones including things like zipper repair and replacement.
There are a few projects included as well, but really I think the book's strength is its detailed instructions and gorgeous photos of the process. Mending and darning are the kind of thing you're supposed to 'just know' or 'learned from your mom', and I'm s...more
There are a few projects included as well, but really I think the book's strength is its detailed instructions and gorgeous photos of the process. Mending and darning are the kind of thing you're supposed to 'just know' or 'learned from your mom', and I'm s...more
This book has a lot of really creative ideas for patching up your overly worn clothes. Kristin also has a great blog at craftleftovers.com.
Super fun, very informative with fun project ideas sprinkled in.
Pretty good descriptions for the casual seamstress.
Pretty good descriptions for the casual seamstress.
I just won a "First Reads" copy of this book. I am so excited!
Book came in the mail today. I have been flipping through it and it seems to have lots of good ideas and instructions. One of the ideas I want to try it fixing holes in jeans with fancy fabric peaking through the holes.
Update:
Lots of great ideas that are fun and inspiring. Basics for mending, but some of the instructions were a little over my head (but I'm a beginner). I believe this will be a good reference that I will turn to again...more
Book came in the mail today. I have been flipping through it and it seems to have lots of good ideas and instructions. One of the ideas I want to try it fixing holes in jeans with fancy fabric peaking through the holes.
Update:
Lots of great ideas that are fun and inspiring. Basics for mending, but some of the instructions were a little over my head (but I'm a beginner). I believe this will be a good reference that I will turn to again...more
Skim-read this since it didn't have much of anything I didn't already know/do. But it is a pretty thorough and entertaining guide to repairing and repurposing clothing.
The is the work of a lot of talented folks, but I am not ace at "getting" crafty instructions without adequate photos or diagrams. The ideas are original and fun. As you'll find in a lot of craft and art books, the book tries to recreate the wheel with information on stuff that could be googled or found in an intro sewing book. For example, the info on clothing care. Some of the example ideas photographed have no instructions. I found so much potential in this book, great ideas, but the book nee...more
Apr 23, 2012
Jucy
added it
i love hand sewing, mending & patching but not to this degree. fun flip through.
Great techniques and ideas. Already lent to friend.
Good information, but I'll pass on the patterns.
Mend It Better: Creative Patching, Darning, and Stitching by Kristin M. Roach, which I received a free copy of through Goodreads "First Reads," is very well laid out and informative, easy to understand, with charming photo illustrations. The book contains some very creative and useful ideas and only fell short of being 5 stars because it lacks a spiral binding (allowing it to late flat) as all craft and cookbooks should have :)
Practical and approachable, gives the reader confidence.
Helpful how to for mending and replacing zippers and such.
Apr 22, 2013
Katharine Rees
marked it as to-read
Mar 26, 2013
Mary S
marked it as to-read
Mar 25, 2013
Jennifer
marked it as to-read
Mar 19, 2013
Kelly
marked it as to-read
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