I am slowly trying to persuade myself that sewing repairs can be fun. I’ve finally reconciled myself to darning – but only items that I made myself – and now I’m making progress with other repairs. And so it was with inspiration, but not a huge amount of enthusiasm, that I tackled this morning’s job… Mr Snail’s gardening jeans. He’s been stoically wearing these for gardening whilst simultaneously getting cold knees for ages. They are so well-used that, no matter how much they are washed, they still look grubby, but apart from that and the rips they are still functional.
I finally decided that he deserves to have his knees both warm and dry in the garden. The latter turned out to be possible because I remembered the chewed waterproof jacket that I had put one one side after it proved just too tempting for Sam. So, out came my mending box and I set to work, using iron-on mending tape and some cotton fabric salvaged from some old pyjamas. Trouser legs are a pain to sew with a sewing machine, so everything had to be pinned then hand-stitched before I could make sure it was all extra-robust with some machine sewing. Once the mending tape was ironed into place and the cotton patches secured, I cut some large pieces of Gortex fabric and covered the whole knee area with these – sewing by hand and then by machine. The end product means Mr Snail will be able to kneel down on damp ground and still be snug and dry.
Next job – darning a pair of bed socks – what a glamorous life I do lead!!
Ann
/ April 2, 2016We’ve some old jeans, destined for the bin. Would you like them for a denim supply for future repairs??
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The Snail of Happiness
/ April 2, 2016I hope not!! I’ve got some spare denim, but thank you anyway. The Salvation army will recycle rags as well as good clothes if you put them in a bag labelled ‘rags’ and put them in one of their clothes bins.
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Ann
/ April 4, 2016Thanks for that info, I’ll give them a try. I tried in vein to re-home some the other week – no one wanted them. Found some more now…
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Pat
/ April 2, 2016Excellent solution! Knees are especially tricky and that’s what usually goes. 🙂 I used to have a lot of fun back in the sixties finding bits of brightly colored fabric to mend jeans. Sometimes adding patches even if they weren’t needed. 🙂
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The Snail of Happiness
/ April 2, 2016I don’t wear jeans at all myself, and I never used to repair them for Mr Snail, but I am trying to mend my ways (pun intended) and approach this chore with a smile.
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katechiconi
/ April 2, 2016Waterproof knees for gardening jeans is an excellent plan. I have a large box of pieces of denim salvaged from the Husband’s old work jeans, which are used for all sorts of repairs. One of these days I’ll probably make us a picnic quilt for the car using denim pieces and a waterproof backing… I agree mending can be a pain, but I find the seat of the pants is harder than the knees!
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The Snail of Happiness
/ April 2, 2016yes, I’m pleased with the idea of adding Gortex patches. I have not progressed further than knees yet – I’m not sure I could manage anything that had too much shaping!
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insearchofitall
/ April 2, 2016You did a good job with these. I used to patch my last husbands overalls often. He was always wearing out the knees. They are hard to sew on the machine but he was a big man, big jeans, easier to sew. 🙂 Never thought about waterproof material though.
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crawcraftsbeasties
/ April 4, 2016Waterproof patches – genius! Mr Snail will be unstoppable in the garden now 😀
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The Snail of Happiness
/ April 4, 2016Yes it suddenly dawned on me that I had all the necessary bits and pieces. In fact I am toying with the idea of doing this with some of my trousers that don’t need mending, but that I wear for gardening. Then I have to work out how to make a waterproof bum too!!
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crawcraftsbeasties
/ April 5, 2016Hahaha! Those could become essential kit for picnics too – the ground here never really dries out enough for you to just sit on the grass 😃
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writinghouse
/ April 6, 2016Yay! My knees have been getting old for quite a while… oh, COLD, yes well they have been doing that too.
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