Mending Matters: Stitch, Patch, and Repair Your Favorite Denim & More, by Katrina Rodabaugh, includes 22 how-to projects, a number of essays on the topic of slow fashion, over 200 color photographs, and a foreword by our own Natalie Chanin. Rodabaugh dedicated herself to repair and sustainability after the Rana Plaza garment factory collapse, when she pledged not to buy new clothing for a year. After teaching several popular mending workshops, she realized that a growing number of people had an interest in clothing repair. All of this work led to the publication of Mending Matters, which is a tribute to the values of sustainability.
The book focuses on using simple mending techniques to express personal style—whether through interior or exterior patches, different stitch patterns, darning, and weaving. There are step-by-step photos and easy-to-understand instructions that give guidance while discouraging absolute perfectionism.
Rodabaugh weaves essays among her projects, explaining her own relationship with slow fashion and her personal philosophy on how the process of repair can change your outlook on the wider world. It encourages mindfulness and embrace of imperfection and promotes the idea that self-confidence can be born through making things with your hands. She uses mending as a metaphor for appreciating one another, flaws and all.
This book inspires without intimidating and will encourage the reader to rethink their own ideas and feelings about fashion, waste, and thoughtful use of products. Mending Matters offers practical and beautiful solutions to everyday problems and is a steady voice in the slow fashion movement. Voices like Rodabaugh’s are the future of the movement and we look forward to hearing more from her. You can purchase Mending Matters in our online store here or stop by The Factory to find it in The School of Making department.
P.S.: We’re partnering with Katrina to host a giveaway on The School of Making’s Instagram. To win your own copy of Mending Matters, follow @theschoolofmaking and @katrinarodabaugh and leave a comment on our post letting us know about your next mending project.