. . . as “shoring up!”
For a lot of years, I’ve had a favorite, beloved denim shirt in my closet. A LOT of years. So many years, in fact, that I can’t remember how many. For me, it was just one of those perfect shirts from the get-go — the right color, the right texture, sleeves I could roll and secure with a tab, a good length. Just all-around perfect.
And, as it happens, over the years . . . I wore the $hit out of that shirt!
It grew ever more faded and ever more thin . . . and ever more comfortable. After years of wear – toward the end of last summer – I finally went right through one of the elbows. And one of the cuffs had a hole and was threatening to fall off with the next washing. And the button band was threadbare at the collar. My shirt . . . was just wearing out!
I was sad that its useful life had seemingly come to an end — but I devised a plan! First, I’d give the shirt a rest by putting a newer denim shirt into action. (I wear denim shirts a lot; they are one of my “signature looks.”) And, then, I learned how to do Sashiko stitching so I could do some “visible mending” on the worn-out shirt.
It took me awhile to actually get to the mending part (the new denim shirt is a Very Fine substitute, so the pressue was off), but once I got started, it really didn’t take much time at all to actually . . . DO. “Visible mending” looks complicated — but it really isn’t! It’s just patching-with-purpose. And a little flair.
Is it a perfect mending job? Heck no! But that’s the beauty of “visible mending” — it doesn’t need to be perfect. It needs to be . . . visible! It should look . . . charming. Perhaps a little colorful. With plenty of whimsy (for good measure).
There are many more “weak spots” in my beloved shirt, so I’m sure once I start wearing (and washing) it again, I’ll have more cause to practice my mending. But, for now, my old shirt is all shored up and (most importantly) back in my closet and ready for wear!
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How about you? Have you ever tried some “visible mending” in your own closet?
I have a beloved pair of linen pants that are heading towards needing some mending, but I have not “jumped in” and begun the process. I LOVE your elbow patch! It is so exactly perfect! (and that little tab on the cuff… more perfection!) I think you are right, I need to do some practice Sashiko to get myself warmed up!
I have done Sashiko on some pants, a shirt. My mother taught me how to mend things, but she did not call it Sashiko. 😉 I find all kinds of fine needlework like this enjoyable, but I don’t do a lot of it. I like very obvious and colorful mending and consider it a design choice. Your denim shirt would have gotten a lot of primary colors if I had done it. Now, the real question is where on earth did you find a very fine substitute? I have a devil of a time finding good denim shirts. I think you did an admirable job on your shirt!
I’m with Becky and would love to know where you found a replacement. And I am sad that I let go of my shirt before I learned about meeting.
I think your old shirt is now better than new! I once did a tiny bit of visible mending as part of embellishing a pair of jeans like a pair I’d admired in the Sundance Catalog.
I’ve never done visible mending but I love how it looks! It almost makes me wish I had some worn clothing, but Duluth overalls seem resistant to wear (so far).
I love this! I recently found a denim shirt in a “everything is $5” bin and I love it but it has some stains from the previous owner so I’m trying to figure out how I best want to patch it up!
I really love that this is a trend, both because it helps us keep using our clothing for longer and because I’m not very talented with a needle and thread and it’s okay if it looks wonky! During the first year of the pandemic, I wore two pairs of jeans (alternating) every day. Eventually they’ve sprouted holes in the knees, but they were still so comfy, so I did pretty much the same thing you did and embellished them so I could keep wearing them.
You have much more patience than I have!
I’ve done that with jeans a number of times. Sadly my favorite denim shirt became too small for my ever expanding body – LOL (but I’m working on that and losing weight). I, too, want to know where you found a good denim shirt!!
In 1943 the draft age was raised and my grandfather was drafted into the Navy at age 39. I have his Navy shirt that looks denim but I think is chambray. I snagged it from him when I was a young teenager and it is still my favorite shirt. Surprisingly, there is not a worn spot on it, but if there were, I would be sure to do some visible mending to save that shirt.