There's something wonderfully satisfying about giving a much-loved garment a new lease of life.
Whether it's stitching up a little hole, replacing a missing button, or transforming a worn patch with colourful embroidery, mending is a simple way to care for the things we already own.
We recently discovered International Repair Day and immediately fell in love with its mission to celebrate the power of repair and reduce our impact on the planet. Although International Repair Day itself was on 17 October, global celebrations continue through to 25 October.
Here at Twig + Tale, we're celebrating the creativity, resourcefulness and joy of repair — and we'd love you to join us!
Click here to join the Mending Celebration in the Treehouse
Why we love mending
At Twig + Tale, we believe that the things we make and wear deserve to be treasured. Mending is a wonderful way to extend the life of our clothing, reduce textile waste and make the most of the resources we already have.
But mending is about more than sustainability. It's also about connection — to the clothes we love and the people who wear them, the memories they hold and the time and care that went into making them. It's about the satisfaction of giving something we hold dear a little more life, and the sense of accomplishment that comes from fixing something with our own two hands. It's a small but meaningful act of resistance against fast fashion.
And it can be wonderfully creative! A colourful patch, a little embroidery or some beautifully visible stitching can turn a worn or damaged area into a feature worth celebrating. Mending also makes a lovely portable project, satisfying that urge to create without having to start something new. It might even be just the thing to help you rediscover your sew-jo!
Every mend matters
You don't need to be an expert sewist to take part in our celebration, and your repairs certainly don't need to be perfect.
Some mends are almost invisible, while others proudly tell the story of a garment that's been loved and lived in. There's no right or wrong way to mend, and sometimes the simplest repairs are the most satisfying.
Join our International Repair Day mending celebration!
We're inviting our wonderful Treehouse community to join us for a day of mending on Saturday 24 October (NZT) — or Friday 23 October for our friends in North America.
This is an online, asynchronous celebration, which simply means there's no live meeting or set time to join. You can take part whenever it suits you!
How to join in
Find something in your home that could use a little love — clothing, a household textile or anything else that needs repairing — and share your mending adventures with us in the Treehouse. It could be a mend you've already done.
We'd love to see:
- Before-and-after photos of your repairs
- Mending projects you're particularly proud of
- Your favourite mending techniques, tips and tricks
- Works in progress (there's no need to finish!)
- Questions about repairs you'd like some help with
- Inspiration from local Repair Day events you're attending
And your mending doesn't need to involve a Twig + Tale pattern. All textile repairs are welcome!
When: Saturday 24 October, 9am NZT – Sunday 25 October, 8pm NZT.
Where: Our free, online Twig + Tale Treehouse community.
Click here to join the Mending Celebration in the Treehouse
A little mending inspiration
Not sure where to begin? Start small! A needle, some thread and a little creativity can work wonders.
Perhaps you could add a decorative patch to a pair of well-loved trousers, reinforce a thinning area with some visible stitching; now's the time to tackle that favourite garment that's been waiting patiently in the mending pile!
If you've got mending questions, be sure to bring those along. One of our team or fellow community members will love to help you out.
Let's keep our textiles in use
Whether you're an experienced mender or picking up a needle for the very first time, we'd love you to join us. Every repair, however small, is an opportunity to be creative, learn something new and give the things we love a little more life - and at the same time reduce our impact on the planet.
Beautiful images by Martha Middelton, Lorna, Muriel and Marie.
For mending discussion you might like to read the following blogposts:
