Visible mending

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Visible mending is a form of repair work, usually on textile items, that is deliberately left visible (compare to invisible mending). The dual goals of this practice are to adorn the item, and to attract attention to the fact it has been mended in some way. The latter is often a statement of critique on the consumerist idea of replacing broken items with new ones without trying to bring them back to full functionality. [1] [2] In other words, the repair is supposed to be a new and distinct feature of the item.

Contents

Visibly mended textile item; visible are sashiko embroidery, a sequinned iron-on patch and additional fabric. Visibly mended garment.jpg
Visibly mended textile item; visible are sashiko embroidery, a sequinned iron-on patch and additional fabric.

Methods and materials

Visible mending is a practice of repairing the item in a non-traditional way, which means that less importance is placed on simplicity and speed of the repair work and more on the decorative aspect. [3] Popular methods of visible mending are:

Those methods are frequently used simultaneously, for example a patch might be stitched on a tear using embroidery and adding sequins on top of it.

The patching materials are usually stitched onto the mended area using a hand sewing needle or a sewing machine. Embroidery hoops are often used to keep the mended fabric area appropriately tense and allow the mender to more easily stitch on the repairing materials without causing wrinkling or puckering. [4] Other widely used item is a darning egg; a device that allows to stretch the mended area (typically the heel of a sock) onto a circular shape and prevent shape deformity [5]

Selection of haberdashery items used for visible mending: buttons, sequins, beads, embroidery floss, ribbons, fabric scraps, ready-made patches and bows, sewing thread, fantasy yarn. Selection of haberdashery items.jpg
Selection of haberdashery items used for visible mending: buttons, sequins, beads, embroidery floss, ribbons, fabric scraps, ready-made patches and bows, sewing thread, fantasy yarn.

Kinds of materials used to visibly mend include: [6]

As the practice has been garnering the attention of crafting communities, many tutorials are available online; some stores have experienced rise of the haberdashery items sales due to the growing popularity of the visible mending. Per the press office of the John Lewis department store, which attributes the sales trends to the popularity of the practice:

the department store chain said it had sold out of darning needles and that sales of darning wool had doubled year-on-year [2022 to 2023], while sales of repair products such as patches and repair tape were up 61 percent. [7]

Social and historical aspects

Sashiko stitching MET RT792C.jpg
Sashiko stitching

History and varieties

Many argue that the current revival of what is contemporarily called visible mending is a cultural rediscovery of practices which date back centuries. For example, kantha is a Bengali tradition in which well-worn garments are patched in layers by sewing those on with a running stitch, while Biharian practice of kheta is a form of geometrical repair-quilting. [8] Boro, a seam reinforcing technique began to be used in Japan in the Edo period by women from poor, rural communities, who tried to extend the life of clothing and bed linen. Thanks to this, clothes became not only more durable, but also warmer. More widely known sashiko is a more decorative form of boro, and is characterized by geometric patterns. [9] These elements include fish scales, diamonds, mountains, bamboo, leaves, arrows, pampas grass, and shippo-tsunagi (a pattern consisting of interlocking geometric shapes symbolizing the "seven treasures"). However, sashiko was used not only for mending, but also just for beautifying the textile item.

Decorative darning was widely used in the western cultures since early 18th century; [10] many darning samplers survived, displaying a variety of stitches which were supposed to repair the garment by decorating it; all of the samplers feature contrasting thread on usually white or beige fabric. [11] According to some historians, most darning samplers were made by girls in their early teens as a way to advertise her domestic skills. [12] Contemporary newspaper advertisements called for maids who had experience in darning and garment mending in general, as lack of these abilities would mean the necessity of sending the garments out for repair. [10]

The 1943 pamphlet Make Do and Mend, issued by the British Ministry of Information, was an aide for the housewives who had to deal with the rationing of textiles due to the war effort, and described various methods of repairing and maintenance of the clothing. The booklet contained several tips for using visible mending to save the existing garments from being demoted to rags, such as: "A woman's woolly jumper, or silk blouse or a frock that has a lot of small holes [...] can be repaired decoratively by embroidering small flowers or other designs". [13] An entire part of the pamphlet is exclusively devoted to decorative patching:

When you can't get a patch to match the cloth, make your mend as decorative as possible. Apply the patch on the right side of the cloth with some fancy stitching, such as feather-stitch, herring-bone or buttonhole, and let the patch be a sharp colour-contrast to the original material. Give it a fancy shape; for instance, you can hide a worn elbow with a diamond or heart-shaped patch, and add a pocket of the same material on the bodice or the skirt, to make it look intentional. [13]

In People's Republic of Poland (and, arguedly, other countries in the Soviet sphere of influence) many booklets with similar advice were published as a way to help citizens prolong their clothing's lives amongst the struggles of the reality of coupon rationing. [14] A journalist from a popular magazine Moda i Życie Praktyczne (Fashion and Practical Life) stated that "the alterations [of the clothing] were so beautiful in the harmonious combinations of colours, seams, sew-ons, fasteners and lacing that one suspects that fashionistas are ready to make new dresses look like they were altered." [15] In Przekrój, a popular Polish lifestyle magazine, two imaginary friends—Lucynka and Paulinka—were regularly having discussions about how one should visibly mend clothes so that they look fashionable and chic. [16]

A deliberately torn jumper held together using a plethora of safety pins. Clothes-safetypins.jpg
A deliberately torn jumper held together using a plethora of safety pins.

Some argue that visible mending (understood as making whatever effort to close a rip in a clothing item) experienced a modern revival in the 1970's, as Vivienne Westwood shone a spotlight onto the practice by decorating her punk designs with patches tacked on or pinned on with safety pins, or even just using safety pins to hold together tears in the fabric. [17] [18] In the realms of punk and grunge culture, intentionally ripped clothing became a rebellious fashion statement, symbolizing a vocal protest against societal norms and the limited opportunities available to young individuals. The garments were often put back together using various methods to further bring attention to the fact that the item of clothing has been damaged somehow, and the flaw is not hidden, but openly displayed. Westwood herself pleaded with the community: "Buy less. Choose well. Make it last." [18]

A cartoon depicting vagrants; poor individuals begging for money, wearing tattered, patched-up clothing A history of vagrants and vagrancy, and beggars and begging; (1887) (14778979381).jpg
A cartoon depicting vagrants; poor individuals begging for money, wearing tattered, patched-up clothing

Poverty cosplay and reasons for resurgence

The growing culture of mending on social media spurts discussions about how a task that has been the daily occurrence within less privileged groups is becoming a trend [19] [20] widely popularized by more affluent communities, in the vein of so-called poverty cosplay . [21] The critique often cites the stereotypical imagery of a poverty-stricken individual, clothed in patched garments, being repurposed for a fashion trend. [18] While mending clothes was and is a necessity for some groups, especially those of lower socioeconomic status, the visible mending communicates being privileged enough to take time to mend by adorning a garment, and thus is an extravagance when compared to utility-focused mending. [22] Kate Fletcher used a descriptor of "delight in the durational aesthetics of repair" [23] to delineate this phenomenon. In contemporary times, the act of purchasing newly-made clothes with intentional rips, stains, and frayed seams has become a common practice among younger generations of fashion consumers since the mid-1990s. This shift in perspective reflects a changing perception of what is fashionable, thus the original statement against the status quo has been commercialized—but, as some argue, so has been the practice of mending the items, given the facet that special “mending kits” are being sold worldwide, often consisting of regular household items, such as scissors, thread, and prepackaged fabric scraps. [7]

Conversely, some sociologists argue that visible mending is a method of highlighting the fact that "rather than celebrating the creativity and the craft of maintaining, we have always focused on the shame and poverty and need" [24] and restoring the respect that poverty-stricken individuals were stripped off due to social stigma. Given that textile work has been perceived as a female pursuit throughout the history, bringing attention to the act of mending can also be perceive as a feminist statement. [25]

Some attribute the resurfacing of visible mending and coining the wholesale term to the COVID-19 pandemic and lockdowns. Those made people seek entertainment within their own living spaces and try activities that were associated with non-consumerist, bohemian culture, such as bread baking. [7] [26]

Pair of jeans visibly mended by weaving and darning using mint green embroidery thread. Visibly mended pair of jeans.jpg
Pair of jeans visibly mended by weaving and darning using mint green embroidery thread.

Practice as a critique and act of defiance

The skill of mending clothes has diminished in recent decades, largely due to the prevalence of fast fashion and its emphasis on easy and affordable clothing replacements rather than repairing old garments. [2] As a result, many individuals lack the basic sewing skills required for simple repairs such as button replacement or sock darning [5] and the decision to mend an item is a deliberate, optional action taken by an individual, rather than a fact of life. [27] The convenience and affordability of purchasing new clothes have overshadowed the formerly appreciated value and importance of preserving and maintaining existing items through mending. [2] Some practitioners describe the stigma of mending items:

There are plenty of reasons why people mend, though the stigma around repair is alive and well. Recently I mended a favourite shirt for my partner, a teacher, who was later asked by a student, “Sir, can't you afford a new shirt?” What was once a luxury item, a new piece of clothing, has become throwaway for some, and expensive and rare yarns such as cashmere are now ubiquitous. [28]

This shift in mindset away from disposability carries a strong anti-capitalist sentiment and is seen as a form of performative resistance [1] [29] or normalisation of reducing the consumption of textiles by outwardly communicating that one mends them. [20] [23] This is sometime called craftivism. [30] Some clothing brands, however, adopted visible mending as a form of novelty marketing (for example as pop-up upcycling events), [31] communicating dedication to sustainability, whilst promoting their own merchandise, thus garnering critique from anti-fast fashiion activists.

Cup visibly mended using kintsukuroi Kintugi.jpg
Cup visibly mended using kintsukuroi

Visible mending of non-textile items

Kintsukuroi is a similar practice originating in Japan; it involves the restoration of broken pottery by meticulously repairing the fractured areas using lacquer blended with powdered gold, silver, or platinum. [32] This technique not only mends the broken pieces, but also accentuates the mended areas with precious metals, creating a unique and visually interesting effect. The practice of using Lego bricks to patch crumbling walls or other structures [33] [34] is also a form of visible mending.

See also

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Cross-stitch</span> Form of counted-thread embroidery.

Cross-stitch is a form of sewing and a popular form of counted-thread embroidery in which X-shaped stitches in a tiled, raster-like pattern are used to form a picture. The stitcher counts the threads on a piece of evenweave fabric in each direction so that the stitches are of uniform size and appearance. This form of cross-stitch is also called counted cross-stitch in order to distinguish it from other forms of cross-stitch. Sometimes cross-stitch is done on designs printed on the fabric ; the stitcher simply stitches over the printed pattern. Cross-stitch is often executed on easily countable fabric called aida cloth, whose weave creates a plainly visible grid of squares with holes for the needle at each corner.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Embroidery</span> Art or handicraft of decorating fabric or other materials with needle and thread or yarn

Embroidery is the art of decorating fabric or other materials using a needle to stitch thread or yarn. Embroidery may also incorporate other materials such as pearls, beads, quills, and sequins. In modern days, embroidery is usually seen on caps, hats, coats, overlays, blankets, dress shirts, denim, dresses, stockings, scarfs, shoes, handbags and golf shirts. Embroidery is available in a wide variety of thread or yarn colour. It is often used to personalize gifts or clothing items.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Quilting</span> Process of sewing layers of fabric together to make a padded material

Quilting is the term given to the process of joining a minimum of three layers of fabric together either through stitching manually using a needle and thread, or mechanically with a sewing machine or specialised longarm quilting system. An array of stitches is passed through all layers of the fabric to create a three-dimensional padded surface. The three layers are typically referred to as the top fabric or quilt top, batting or insulating material, and the backing.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Clothing</span> Objects worn to cover a portion of the body

Clothing is any item worn on the body. Typically, clothing is made of fabrics or textiles, but over time it has included garments made from animal skin and other thin sheets of materials and natural products found in the environment, put together. The wearing of clothing is mostly restricted to human beings and is a feature of all human societies. The amount and type of clothing worn depends on gender, body type, social factors, and geographic considerations. Garments cover the body, footwear covers the feet, gloves cover the hands, while hats and headgear cover the head, and underwear covers the private parts.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Patchwork</span> Form of needlework that involves sewing together pieces of fabric into a larger design

Patchwork or "pieced work" is a form of needlework that involves sewing together pieces of fabric into a larger design. The larger design is usually based on repeating patterns built up with different fabric shapes. These shapes are carefully measured and cut, basic geometric shapes making them easy to piece together.

<i>Sashiko</i> Traditional Japanese embroidery technique

Sashiko is a type of traditional Japanese embroidery or stitching used for the decorative and/or functional reinforcement of cloth and clothing. Owing to the relatively cheap nature of white cotton thread and the abundant nature of cheap, indigo-dyed blue cloth in historical Japan, sashiko has a distinctive appearance of white-on-blue embroidery, though some decorative pieces may also use red thread.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Appliqué</span> Piece of textile ornament, or work created by applying such ornaments to a ground fabric

Appliqué is ornamental needlework in which pieces or patches of fabric in different shapes and patterns are sewn or stuck onto a larger piece to form a picture or pattern. It is commonly used as decoration, especially on garments. The technique is accomplished either by hand stitching or machine. Appliqué is commonly practised with textiles, but the term may be applied to similar techniques used on different materials. In the context of ceramics, for example, an appliqué is a separate piece of clay added to the primary work, generally for the purpose of decoration.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Sewing</span> Craft of fastening or attaching objects using stitches made with a needle and thread

Sewing is the craft of fastening or attaching objects using stitches made with a sewing needle and thread. Sewing is one of the oldest of the textile arts, arising in the Paleolithic era. Before the invention of spinning yarn or weaving fabric, archaeologists believe Stone Age people across Europe and Asia sewed fur and leather clothing using bone, antler or ivory sewing-needles and "thread" made of various animal body parts including sinew, catgut, and veins.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Darning</span> Sewing technique for repairing holes or worn areas in fabric or knitting using needle and thread

Darning is a sewing technique for repairing holes or worn areas in fabric or knitting using needle and thread alone. It is often done by hand, but using a sewing machine is also possible. Hand darning employs the darning stitch, a simple running stitch in which the thread is "woven" in rows along the grain of the fabric, with the stitcher reversing direction at the end of each row, and then filling in the framework thus created, as if weaving. Darning is a traditional method for repairing fabric damage or holes that do not run along a seam, and where patching is impractical or would create discomfort for the wearer, such as on the heel of a sock.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Whitework embroidery</span> Creative works made with a needle using white thread on a white ground

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Straight stitch</span> Type of simple embroidery and sewing stitch

The straight or running stitch is the basic stitch in hand-sewing and embroidery, on which all other forms of sewing are based. The stitch is worked by passing the needle in and out of the fabric at a regular distance. All other stitches are created by varying the straight stitch in length, spacing, and direction.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Bead embroidery</span>

Bead embroidery is a type of beadwork that uses a needle and thread to stitch beads to a surface of fabric, suede, or leather.

Sewing is the craft of fastening or attaching objects using stitches made with needle and thread. Sewing is one of the oldest of the textile arts, arising in the Paleolithic Era. Although usually associated with clothing and household linens, sewing is used in a variety of crafts and industries, including shoemaking, upholstery, sailmaking, bookbinding and the manufacturing of some kinds of sporting goods. Sewing is the fundamental process underlying a variety of textile arts and crafts, including embroidery, tapestry, quilting, appliqué and patchwork.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Pick stitch</span>

A pick stitch in sewing is a simple running stitch that catches only a few threads of the fabric, showing very little of the thread on the right side of the garment. It is also sometimes known as "stab stitch".

Invisible mending is a fabric repair technique that re-weaves yarn into the fabric of a garment or item of upholstery to seamlessly patch a hole. The technique reconstructs both the warp and weft of the fabric by collecting warp and weft yarns from the hem or a piece of fabric of the same kind, before using a long needle to reweave the yarns to match the original weave exactly. The finished repair is undetectable on the right side of the fabric, though on the reverse of the fabric, long, hanging yarns will be visible around the area that has been rewoven. The technique is done without tacking the new yarns into place, as this may deform the fabric.

<i>Boro</i> (textile) Traditional Japanese textiles that have been mended or patched

Boro (ぼろ) are a class of Japanese textiles that have been mended or patched together. The term is derived from the Japanese term "boroboro", meaning something tattered or repaired. The term 'boro' typically refers to cotton, linen and hemp materials, mostly hand-woven by peasant farmers, that have been stitched or re-woven together to create an often many-layered material used for warm, practical clothing.

<i>Manus x Machina: Fashion in an Age of Technology</i>

Manus x Machina: Fashion in an Age of Technology was an exhibition at the Metropolitan Museum of Art that showcased the dichotomy between Manus, also known as haute couture, and Machina, also known as prêt-à-porter. The Metropolitan Museum of Art debuted this exhibition during the 2016 Met Gala and ran it from May 5, 2016 to September 5, 2016. It included over 120 pieces from designers like Chanel and Christian Dior, varying from the 20th Century to present day.

Arounna Khounnoraj is a Canadian multi-disciplinary artist, teacher and author.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Make Do and Mend</span> UK government campaign in World War II

Make Do and Mend was one of the many campaigns introduced by the British Government to reduce clothing consumption and save resources during the Second World War. Offering practical guidance on caring for, altering, and mending clothes, instructional pamphlets were produced. In collaboration with voluntary groups, the scheme also offered classes in fibre craft techniques, such as dressmaking.

References

  1. 1 2 Racklin, Meghan (2019-03-25). "Instead of hiding rips and tears, the visible mending movement turns them into art". Vox. Retrieved 2023-05-21.
  2. 1 2 3 "Visible mending: An act of resistance to fast fashion". Le Monde.fr. 2023-03-19. Retrieved 2023-05-21.
  3. ↑ "Mending Has Never Looked So Good". Vogue. 2020-04-22. Retrieved 2023-05-21.
  4. ↑ EGA (2020-02-14). "Introduction to Visible Mending: Highlighting imperfections in a creative, eye-catching way". Embroiderers’ Guild of America. Retrieved 2023-05-21.
  5. 1 2 visiblemending. "MEND! Extracts". visiblemending. Retrieved 2023-05-22.
  6. ↑ visiblemending. "Getting Started". visiblemending. Retrieved 2023-05-22.
  7. 1 2 3 Butler, Sarah (2023-01-21). "Trend to mend: cost of living crisis puts darning back in vogue". The Guardian. ISSN   0261-3077 . Retrieved 2023-05-21.
  8. ↑ "When sustainable fashion becomes an act of revolution; here's how to keep disposable consumerism at bay". Firstpost. 2022-04-30. Retrieved 2023-05-22.
  9. ↑ "What is Sashiko? 7 Things to Know About Japanese Embroidery". Japan Objects. 2021-02-26. Retrieved 2023-05-22.
  10. 1 2 "RARE Dutch Middelburg Darning Sampler 1766 | Embroidered Textiles | Meg Andrews - Antique Dress and Textiles". www.meg-andrews.com. Retrieved 2023-05-22.
  11. ↑ "Darning sampler | Dutch". The Metropolitan Museum of Art. Retrieved 2023-05-22.
  12. ↑ "The ECP-1878 Darning Sampler :: Sampler Browse :: The Essamplaire". www.theessamplaire.com. Retrieved 2023-05-22.
  13. 1 2 "Make Do and Mend". www.bl.uk. Retrieved 2023-05-22.
  14. ↑ "Szkoła szycia. Moda w PRL według Aleksandry Boćkowskiej". Culture.pl (in Polish). Retrieved 2023-05-24.
  15. ↑ "Manicure na ruinach. Polska moda po II wojnie światowej…". Culture.pl (in Polish). Retrieved 2023-05-24.
  16. ↑ Huncwot.com. "Lucynka i Paulinka - Archiwum - Kwartalnik Przekrój". przekroj.pl (in Polish). Retrieved 2023-05-24.
  17. ↑ "The Growing Trend Of Visible Mending". Jones Supply Co. Retrieved 2023-05-26.
  18. 1 2 3 "Visible mending: punk's not dead, just patching itself up". University of Technology Sydney. 2018-04-23. Retrieved 2023-05-22.
  19. ↑ "Why Fashion Loves To Cosplay Poverty". TITLE MAG. 2022-05-28. Retrieved 2023-05-22.
  20. 1 2 Alex (2020-11-18). "Is visible mending only for the rich?". Bayleaf Handmade Goods. Retrieved 2023-05-22.
  21. ↑ "Poverty cosplayed by the rich". The Carillon. Retrieved 2023-05-22.
  22. ↑ "Visible mending = Subversive couture?". Eva Kittelsen. 2017-01-20. Retrieved 2023-05-22.
  23. 1 2 Fletcher, Kate (2014). Routledge Handbook of Sustainability and Fashion. Routledge. ISBN   9781134083022.
  24. ↑ de Castro, Orsola (2021). Loved Clothes Last: How the Joy of Rewearing and Repairing Your Clothes Can Be a Revolutionary Act. Penguin Life.
  25. ↑ "Feminisme for de 99 prosentene". brodogroser.no. Retrieved 2023-05-22.
  26. ↑ "Mending Made Visible: Locating Textile Repair in Early America". past@present. 2021-05-25. Retrieved 2023-05-22.
  27. ↑ Wyld, Helen (2022-05-06). "A stitch in time: 300 years of visible mending". National Museums Scotland Blog. Retrieved 2023-05-22.
  28. ↑ Bevan, Katy. "Darn it!: Resurgence & Ecologist" (PDF). Retrieved 2023-05-22.
  29. ↑ "Conspicuous anti-consumption that benefits brands, consumers and the planet". The Seattle Times. 2020-09-11. Retrieved 2023-05-21.
  30. ↑ McGovern, Alyce; Barnes, Clementine (2022-06-03). "Visible Mending, Street Stitching, and Embroidered Handkerchiefs: How Craftivism is Being Used to Challenge the Fashion Industry". International Journal for Crime, Justice and Social Democracy. 11 (2): 87–101. doi: 10.5204/ijcjsd.2352 . ISSN   2202-8005. S2CID   249321829.
  31. ↑ "Sewing New Life Into Levi's Jeans". KQED. 2023-05-23. Retrieved 2023-05-26.
  32. ↑ Richman-Abdou, Kelly (2022-03-06). "Kintsugi: The Centuries-Old Art of Repairing Broken Pottery with Gold". My Modern Met. Retrieved 2023-05-21.
  33. ↑ "Lego bricks used to repair crumbling walls". www.telegraph.co.uk. Retrieved 2023-05-21.
  34. ↑ "This Artist Uses LEGO to Repair Structures All Over the World". Apartment Therapy. Retrieved 2023-05-21.
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