(images via refashion co-op and Freshly Picked)
I mentioned yesterday we recently celebrated C’s 4th birthday. The day after he opened his gifts, I took advantage of his grandparents still being in town and embarked on an impromptu organization session. When I started out I intended just to make room for the new toys but, before I knew it, I was on to our closets as well (this is what Project Organize Your ENTIRE Life is doing to me people). By the end of the day I’d sent my hubs off to Goodwill with a truckload of stuff.
Once again I felt great after purging – with one small caveat. Later that night, still in a purging mood, I was cleaning out some of my blogging files when I came across a couple of cute patching tutorials I had saved. Seeing these DIY leather patches (SO cute) and monster patches (S and C would love!), I felt a smidge guilty that I’d tossed all their ripped play jeans without even considering repairing them.
So here’s my question – am I missing the boat? Do moms still do that? Are you all out there mending and patching up a storm or is it just not worth it at the rate kids grow? (I have a sneaky suspicion my much more sewing-adept friend Stacy is shaking her head at me right now – Yes, Stephanie… it’s not that hard!)
I’m undecided but I’m happy in the knowledge that these tutorials are stowed away on my “Good Ideas” pinterest board just in case the mood to mend ever strikes.
P.S. For more inspiring ideas, check out The Mother Huddle’s round up of Fun Ways to Patch Pants.
{ 20 comments… read them below or add one }
I’m not having to mend/patch just yet – my kids are still outgrowing clothes before they wear out – but I feel it coming. And yes, I’ll patch. That monster patch is darling.
I do mend toys and books. My glue stash is becoming large and varied with a toddler in the house.
Very good point that there’s more than one type of mending. My husband does quite a bit of of mending on broken toys, in fact.
I intend to mend. Does that count? There’s a pair of pants my 10-yr old son wore ONCE and tore a small hole in. They’re now sitting on my counter and I’m going to fix them. Any day now. Probably.
I mend, haven’t had to patch as my daughter outgrows before things wear out, but I certainly will, have mended husband’s things too, somehow he manages to keep putting holes in his pockets
I’m a mender BUT I have two girls less than two years in age. I never needed to mend clothes the first time around, but halfway through their second lives I’ve had to patch a few holes here and there. Now that the girls are growing a tad slower and/or they are both in an active school environment they are wearing out a lot of knees, so a lot of cute patches/conversions to shorts are being made. I would say, if the clothes won’t last your kids through the season (I count two seasons, hot and cold weather!) don’t bother mending, but if they just need a little tlc, take ten minutes of your day and fix em up!
Good rule of thumb Devon – thanks for sharing!
I just mended five holey pants for my six year old son! I freezer stenciled some designs he would like (Lego guy, Transformer, Thunder Cats logo, etc.) then stitched them on. He LOVES them, and I didn’t have to go buy five new pairs of pants!!! My adult mending pile on the other hand….hasn’t been touched in over a year. I guess it’s more fun to do the creative kids type mending!
Great idea to use freezer paper to make fun patches. C would just die if he woke up and his jeans were covered in Lightening McQueen
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My son is just like one of the other respondent’s — he blows through his right knee within a month. I am going to try the monster design but what is a freezer stencil design? He would love Lego, Transformers, etc. Thanks!
Honestly I gave up on patching the kids jeans mostly just because of the very skinny legs of my son’s jeans made it difficult to get the patches on and then after a couple of wash and wears, the patches started coming undone – or ripping below the patch! Probably I’m doing something wrong, but I decided to just buy new jeans and call it a day.
Timely post! I just dragged my old sewing machine out to mend some of my girl’s clothes. Even if they don’t fit her anymore, they get passed down to her cousin. But, believe me, I’m tempted to toss them to Goodwill rather than spend the 15 minutes fixing a one inch seam here and there.
I mend both kids and adult clothes. It is great to do the hand sewing or machine prep in front of the tv. That way I am not slacking off.
I’m a mender! It never stops. My 6 year old son has the ability to wear through the right knee of his jeans in under a month! His patches have patches and only the right knee…. His left knee gets some patches just to make them look ‘cool’. If I didn’t mend he would go through 20 pairs of jeans in a single year
My 3 year old just went through her first pair of jeans this week as well…. so i’m guessing she is developing the same play habits as her brother. but at least i will get to try out some cute flowers and hearts for awhile.
I think I mend, but I don’t ever look in the mending bag unless it is to donate a few things when it starts to overflow… so really I don’t!!! I taught my older kids to mend their own knees using double sided appliqué paper.
Ok, I’d say the verdict is in – modern moms DO mend! So any mending tips for this newbie?
I just found a hole in the girls’ jeans today and was quite excited to do this monster fix that I remembered seeing a few months ago. Perfect timing because now I don’t have to look it up!
I keep all of the things that need mending and my Mum mends them whenever she stays – about every 3 months. It is great!!
I love the creative patch ideas. I wish I could use these for my husband’s shirts. He wears the elbows of his shirts out, and I mend them at least once a month.
I do a bit of both. Mostly I cut off ripped knees and hem to make shorts for my boys
We have more of a problem with stains then holes in our house, maybe because my 7 year old son is more of a science guy than a rough and tumble guy. Anyone have tips for how to “mend” stains in cotton t-shirts and the like?
if i start to mend, i am doing this!