Visible mending is trending and it might just be the fashion DIY to try now

Mending holes and tears in clothes is nothing new; historically, it's always been important for households to repair old or worn-out textiles, especially when they were considered more valuable commodities. And even today, the invisible mending and repair of apparel is a commonly available alterations service offered through dry cleaners and tailoring shops. 

But in recent years, perhaps as a sustainability measure, visible mending inspired by centuries-old Japanese stitching techniques like sashiko and boro has been experiencing a fashionable resurgence. Sashiko-inspired stitching has appeared on the runway and in designer collections, and across Canada a number of studios and textile artists have been offering visible-mending workshops and seminars. 

Why mend?

Mending an item that's damaged or worn-out instead of throwing it away extends its use-life. "For environmental reasons, it's important that we are not throwing away our clothes, that we are keeping them, and keeping them from landfill," says Kate Theriault, a textile artist and the founder of Cedars + Sage in Guelph, Ontario. "From an economic standpoint, it's great — we don't need to be buying new clothes every season." For Theriault, who was taught to mend her own clothes as a child, it's also an opportunity to spend time with a garment, while adding value and meaning through handwork. 

"If you really care about something, if you think something's cool, fix it — it is so worth it to take the time to repair things," says Kyle Van Der Velden, the owner of North American Quality Purveyors (NAQP), a menswear label and shop in Calgary that offers denim-mending services. "Repairs add to the story and the evolution of a piece. And the more you get into mending and the better you get at it, I think it actually really becomes an enjoyable activity."

Invisible vs. visible mending

"Practical patching and mending is usually unseen; it's trying to blend it into the fabric as best you can. Usually it's a patch from behind and it's hidden,"says Theriault. "With visible mending, you're accentuating that tear, adding embellishments and artistic stitching to create an even more beautiful spot where there was a tear." 

Visible mending is most commonly done on woven, structured fabrics such as cotton or denim, although decorative darning using yarn on knit fabrics is also becoming a popular DIY trend as well. Repairs on stretch denim are possible as well, but might result in some puckering at the edges. The stitching style and materials used can be inspired by Japanese techniques like sashiko and boro, although it may not strictly follow the practices' traditional guidelines, says Theriault. 

Sashiko embroidery originated in Japan centuries ago as a "lay-person practice," says Theriault; typically, it was done in the colder months by women, who would repair and mend garments and textiles for their family. Traditionally, its running-stitch would be done on indigo-dyed fabric with white thread, and patterns can range from simple gridlines to intricate geometric patterns. "With sashiko specifically, the stitches are about a quarter inch long, and in order to give it that simplicity and that beauty, the spaces between are a bit smaller. The art is in getting it completely even, so that every space between is the same and every stitch is the same," says Theriault. "There's an order and a sequence to how you're stitching, and certain guidelines to follow when, for example, two lines intersect." Boro, an increasingly popular embroidery technique, uses a running stitch to connect patches of fabric, creating a patchwork-like effect.

The essential tools

You don't necessarily need a sewing machine or expensive specialty equipment to try your hand at visible mending, but you'll have better results using needles and thread specially-designed for this practice (the beginner kits available online usually come with patterns, instructions and pieces of fabric as well). "You can definitely do [the stitching] with whatever threads you have at home, but it just won't show. I really think it's important to have better needles and threads," says Van Der Velden, who recommends Vancouver Island's A Threaded Needle for sashiko supplies, and Olympus thread for its smoothness.

For her mindful mending workshops, Theriault uses a sashiko needle, which is similar to a long darning needle, can pick up multiple stitches at once, and has a large eye for easy threading, and Daruma cotton thread. "It comes from Japan and is specifically made for garment mending," says Theriault. "It's a bit stronger than a typical embroidery thread, and made with a lot of wear and tear in mind." 

Where to learn these techniques 

Visible mending is a very accessible craft to learn, even if you've never done any sewing or hand-stitching before, says Theriault. There are lots of step-by-step instructions and how-to videos for all experience levels available online, and books on hand-mending and Japanese embroidery are available from bookstores and through your local library. 

For a hands-on demonstration, you could sign up for a workshop with a local textile artist or sewing studio (when social-distancing measures are no longer in place). "Mending is fun," says Van Der Velden. "It was something I did in front of the TV to start, something I wanted to try on my own." 

Truc Nguyen is a Toronto-based writer, editor and stylist. Follow her at @trucnguyen.