Mending has been a passion of mine for a while now. There is a really large movement of menders and I have found so much inspiration from them. Visible mending and invisible mending; I love them both. There's #mendmarch #mendsday and so many other Instagram groups. On Facebook, there are many more groups to find like-minded people. Unfortunately, it is not as easy to find menders in my everyday life.
Which brought me to start teaching mending to others. I enjoy sharing knowledge and skills I have gathered over the years and seeing people get excited by the stitching they have done.
Not everyone, however, has the desire to mend their own clothes. Or they don't have the knowledge/skills. Or they really don't have the time. No shade, none at all.
So if the desire to maintain or alter their clothing is there, but the ability is not, I am now offering mobile mending services at the Southbridge Farmer's Market on Saturdays. You can bring your item/items to me on a Saturday and I will make the repairs and get them back to you the next week. Or we can arrange a pickup. Simple mends I may be able to do on the spot while you walk around to see the other cheerful vendors at the market.
There has been a lot of fluctuation in my life in the past few years, but especially in the past six months. When you try something big things shift. What I don't always remember is that they keep on shifting after the initial change that was to be expected.
I've had a passion for creating art with Procreate for the past couple of years. You will probably see more of that here in the near future.
I've had to make a number of decisions based on risk evaluation and probabilities. Here are a couple of things you will find have changed:
1. After enjoying having a studio for a year, I decided I could not, in good faith, sign on for another year. I had some things up my sleeve, but the timing was going to overlap in just the wrong way. So I vacated my studio at the end of last month.
2. Along with that decision was the need to let go of renewing my website as it came to the renewal date. So I have switched my content back to blogger here. Perhaps I will renew the website, but for the nonce, this is where you can find me. Well, that and on Instagram, Facebook, the Making app, TikTok, etc.
So as often happens when the decision is made to let go of the old ways, the new rushes in. Out of my sleeves came an announcement that changed the course of events once again.
Last Wednesday Mass Cultural Council announced the recipients of their Pandemic Recovery Grants and I was on the list! So exciting! I am so grateful for the opportunity. Now there are several things I must do straight away:
a.) Find a new studio (hopefully closer than before) and
b.) Make a serious decision about my digital efforts. Where do I want to be putting my attention?
Sometimes I just shake my head. I should've, could've would've, but honestly, I believe that some things must be let go of in order for better things to happen. I'm trying not to question it.
Wednesday's class at the Jacob Edwards Library, Using Historical Images in Mixed Media, combined learning about online resources available through the Digital Commonwealth. The Jacob Edwards Library has a significant collection of historic photos complete with descriptions and background information.
After perusing the resource, we talked about the different ways historical images can be used in mixed media.
The participants choose preprinted selections from the collection which were used as collage fodder.
Paired with tea-dyed paper and other collage elements these images came to life under the hands of participants.
Plenty of my tea-stained paper was available to create a vintage-style background.
A wide range of materials is presented for use.
My handmade tea ink made a splash. Packaged in individual bottles with eye droppers, they gave the participants a wide choice of techniques with which to experiment.
Once the initial materials were selected we got down to work. Auditioning elements and different layouts.
Pasting down the papers with gel medium.
Experimenting with ink...
markers...
and stamps made especially for this class featuring images gleaned from the Southbridge collection of the Digital Commonwealth.
The finished works were all unique.
We enjoyed seeing the variety of works, giving and getting ideas from each other and having fun.
Many thanks to the Southbridge Cultural Council and MASS Cultural Council for funding this project.
To download the brochure with the outline of this class click on the link below. It will be a shared Dropbox document.
The Mending Movement has grown a great deal in the past few years. With the environmental impact of fast fashion becoming better known, people are reevaluating their relationship with clothes, the people who make them, and the earth to which they will ultimately return. Return they will, but not without a cost to the world they inhabited for a short while.
Some people have always been menders. They buy carefully, judiciously and they maintain their belongings with care so that they may last a long time while being in good condition.
Some people become menders.
And while there are a wide variety of things to mend and maintain, mending clothing or upcycling is undeniably trending. From adding embroidery to cover a stain to reweaving an area that has frayed, there are many skills, choices, and levels of commitment.
There are plenty of online communities for mending. The one that stood out to me is an event called #MendMarch held on Instagram. Each year there is a list of prompts for each day of March. Beginners and professionals alike participate and there is a lot of knowledge passed along. I've learned a lot from participating. My Instagram feed shows some of the items I mended in that month.
Worn out coin purse
This brings me to this coin purse. It was my mother's. She loved it to pieces, literally. The fabric had practically melted away and the stuffing tried to escape. She intended on throwing it away, but I asked if I could mend it. Though it was started in March, I just picked it back up this week and finished it up.
Here are a couple of shots of the coin purse as it was before I worked on it.
Frayed fabric on coin purse
First I selected several fabrics which I thought would work well together.
The mended coin purse.
I pinned one piece of fabric to each side, turning the edges under as I did so. Then each piece was sewn down using an invisible stitch. Once front and back were in place, a contrasting fabric was chosen for the strip on the bottom of the bag. Again, this piece was carefully applied to the bottom section, turning the edges under in the appropriate places. Then it was stitched down with the same invisible stitch. I was delighted with the result.
Until I opened the purse and saw the fabrics used there. They were appropriate for the former pattern, but would not do.
With the leftover fabric from the fronts and sides, a small drawstring bag was made. It fits easily in one of the pockets and adds some whimsy to the look.
Mended Coin Purse with coordinating drawstring bag
I didn't want to line the inside of the coin purse. Adding a drawstring bag means I can add items that I want to keep together or add it to the pocket flat folded to add some connection between the outside and the lining.
Sometimes things go in our coin purses that aren't coins. Rather than lose a ring or earring when out and about, popping it into this little drawstring bag and securing it in my coin purse is a great way to make sure you do not misplace such items.
Last, but not least, is this beautiful charm created by Madeleine Ooka. It is the perfect finishing touch. You can find Madeleine on Instagram at @chasingtheroserabbit .
If you enjoyed seeing this transformation some of my other mends can be found on my Facebook page or my Instagram. If you would like to see more detailed posts like this one leave a comment below.
As National Embroidery MonthAs National Embroidery Month is comes to a close I have decided to deactivate my Patreon account and add some of the content to my blog. I found that having my content and video available publicly was important to me. It will take a while to choose what to include and space between current projects. I hope you will check back from time to time.
My process for using embroidered texture sheets for mono-printing on the Gelli plate was by far the most inquired about. So that is the first YouTube video that has been switched to public view. Feel free to come on over and check out this new video as well as the others.
A couple of flip throughs of journals recently posted to YouTube. The first is a journal called "Red: A Colorways Journal." In the process of making this journal I chose pages that were predominantly red and bound them together using the Coptic Stitch binding. Then I filled them with more red. Hope you will enjoy the flip through.
The more recent journal is entitled "She Had Things to Do." People appeared in this journal unbidden. While it may be tempting to think it gave me a chance to vent my feelings, it was more a matter of imagining what these unfamiliar people might be thinking. In truth, some of the thoughts might overlap. I enjoyed getting to know these new friends with big ideas and plans.
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