“If it’s not worth mending, it’s not worth buying” …
This week I finished repairing the cardigan that I darned last week. Once the holes were repaired, I moved on to the frayed cuffs. In fact the fraying wasn’t too bad, only affecting the very ends of the sleeves, but sorting the issue out now will save a much more difficult mend later.
I started by reinforcing the frayed edge, so that it wouldn’t fray anymore, catching any free stitches to avoid ladders forming. Then I worked a row of blanket stitch around each cuff, a couple of centimetres in from the end. I used these stitches as the foundation for crocheting new cuffs. I worked two rows of double crochet, then three rows of treble crochet so that the work was long enough to fold over the original end of the sleeve and enclose the raggedy ends. Although the original cuffs were cream, I decided that black would actually be much more practical. I used sock yarn, so it should be robust and, hopefully, last a good few more years.
So, have you mended anything this week? If you’ve written a post about mending recently, do share a link to it – I love to see how other people manage to extend the lives of the things they own.
The Snail of Happiness 
katechiconi
/ March 16, 2020You know, I like the black edges better! And using a more robust yarn should make them more hard wearing. Sadly, I have still not mended the Husband’s work pants. Other sewing lured me, but they are sitting there reproachfully and using up space I’m going to need soon, so it WILL get done.
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The Snail of Happiness
/ March 16, 2020Well, I know that I really don’t need to inspire you to do such things… those trousers will get done sooner or later. Part of the point of these blog posts is to persuade ME to mend something every week, so that I have something to write about. Until started, I didn’t realise quite how many items I had put aside for repair and then ignored. The only down-side is that once I’ve done a repair each week, I think I don’t need to do another one until next week and so the backlog is only clearing slowly! Currently I have three items in my work room that I am certain to mend, plus a couple of things that are on the cusp of mend/repurpose and I’m dithering about, so it’s a toss-up whether they’ll appear in Mend It Monday or ScrapHappy.
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Wild Daffodil
/ March 16, 2020That is a grand job Jan.
My greatest repair triumph recently (maybe ever) is this sofa repair for my son and daughter-in-law: https://daffodilwild.wordpress.com/2020/03/13/sofa-repair/
Hurray for curved needles!
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The Snail of Happiness
/ March 16, 2020Oh yes, curved needles. A friend of mine had part of their carpet damaged by their foster dog so I went and bought them some curved needles and they were able to undertake the mend an save a huge amount of money. That sofa repair is great – isn’t it appalling that they couldn’t find a professional to do the job?
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cedar51
/ March 16, 2020looks fabulous and it will be hardwearing…but useful to have it to wear again with pride.
yes I got the sweater dry that needs an elbow repair, and it’s not back in the closet, it’s on the back of the couch…will do it sometime!
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The Snail of Happiness
/ March 16, 2020On the couch is good – it’s in your line of sight.
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nanacathy2
/ March 16, 2020I love the crochet cuffs- quite a fashion statement, you could start a trend.
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The Snail of Happiness
/ March 16, 2020I was thinking that I might use this as a feature when making new garments.
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tialys
/ March 16, 2020A great save for what looks like a lovely cardie.
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The Snail of Happiness
/ March 16, 2020I think it is my all-time favourite cardie, and I just couldn’t bear to throw it out.
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Laurie Graves
/ March 16, 2020Nice! I finally mended the hole in my sweater. Sorry to say it doesn’t look as snazzy as your repair but it will certainly do, especially for wearing around the house.
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The Snail of Happiness
/ March 16, 2020A mend is a mend, however snazzy. Good for you for doing it.
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Donnalee of Kingston NY
/ March 16, 2020That looks great, and reminds me I ought to fix a scarf I knitted in 1983 that is looking a bit moth-chewed–
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Going Batty in Wales
/ March 17, 2020I like the black cuffs too and how clever to crochet a piece to enclose the damaged edges!
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