Darning

Using a lightbulb as a darning egg

At the darning session there were sweaters to mend. Each had either worn thin in places or had developed holes (from moths and other minor hazards). One sweater was a hand-me-down from a grandmother. Several were thrift store finds. Others had been bought new. The most nontraditional  project was a pair of jeans with a frayed hole--instead of a patch they were given the darning treatment and looked wonderful!

Communal Darning

Working on Jeans

Reinforcing a Worn Area on a Sweater

Mending = Brain Food

Completed Darn...Hardly Visible!

Renewing Elastic

By far the most challenging project in April's mending workshop was a pair of pants with six channels of elastic in the waistband. The waistband had been falling down because the elastic was worn out. We opened each channel, cut out the worn lengths of elastic and tied the still stretchy ends together. Then we restitched the waistband. The pants stay up now!

6 Strands of Elastic--in one pair of pants!

Working on the Most Complex Mend

Patching

Repairing Workpants

A favorite pair of workpants was mended Knee patches were added to strengthen the threadbare knee  area in kid's jeans. Where underwires were poking out, bras were repaired. A backpack got a makeover with a hand-sewn patch. All the items in this workshop were much worn and valued by their owners. Adding patches to them adds to their uniqueness and extended their wear. 

Repaired Backpack

Kneepatch

Patching Backpack

Bra Mending

Working on a Pair of Pants