This book is visually so beautiful with its wonderful drawings and illustrations. It is a pleasure just to flip through it. The words are also soothing. It shows you why mending clothing and other textiles is better for you and the environment without being preachy, and it also shows you step by step how to do it.

Just the book I've been looking for! I have favorite items that are in need of repair. I can't part with them and some have special, sentimental meaning to me. I sometimes recycle or upcycle favorite clothes: jeans and shirts into bags and purses. I guess maybe restoration work would be best, but I'd like to do the work myself. The chapters are arranged by topic: supplies, mending, darning, etc...which is useful to me! I never did learn how to darn! I remember my father-in-law darning his own socks; he learned in the army during WW2! This book has found it's way on to my need to purchase shelf!

Utterly charming, and practical, too.

Not only is this book extremely helpful and a reference for repairing/refashioning just about any item of clothing with nearly any malady (holes in all types of fabrics, busted seams, threadbare knits, popped beltloops -- literally, everything), but it's a beautiful collection of anecdotal memories about mending and the way the process of repairing things by hand can alter your relationship to nearly everything in your life, as well.

I especially liked the brief section on boro -- japanese visible mending with decorative stitches -- and can't wait to try it the next time I manage to rip something. (Which happens a lot; I'm a bit of a clod.)

The illustrations are charming and the book's interspersed with handwritten observations that read like poetry, too.

This book's got a permanent place on my shelves now, and I'll be using it to evaluate pretty much everything I wear or "wear out". Thank you, Montenegro sisters, for this new skill and this new lens.

This is a very useful book that would make a great addition to any home library. Aesthetically, the illustrations throughout are pleasant and inviting, invoking the joy and mindfulness of mending, and the illustrations showing technique are clear and easy to follow. The stories are warm and cozy, and make you want to search your clothes for holes and tears to fix! All kinds of different techniques are covered, from patches to sashiko to darning and more, plus tips on how to alter clothing that doesn't fit well, or to update the style. I love the idea of honoring the garment, and repairing loved clothing rather than buying new clothes all the time. I've done some repairing, now I'm inspired to do more!

#MendingLife #NetGalley

I adored Mending Life. It is simultaneously incredibly sweet and heart-warming, and very practical. Mending is such an important skill, especially as people are starting to realize the issues with fast fashion. Mending is one alternative, taking care of your clothes so it will last. Even if you've never done any mending or sewing before, you can get started with this book and just a few tools. There are great instructions as well as practical illustrations. If you have any interest in mending your clothes this is a great start.

I liked the message of the book, but felt the projects and illustrations fell short. Similarly, the prose was on repeat.

I was disappointed and wanted more from this book.

This book gives tips on mending clothing and other textiles, while also giving a considered reasons why it is important to repair and reuse items instead of discarding them. Climate change, mindfulness and sentimentality are discussed and add to this useful manual full of practical techniques.

Mending Life is a lovely little entry into the crafts & hobbies genre. While it doesn't offer much that would be new to anyone who has looked into the basics of mending fabrics, it does present the basics in a practical and logical manner, from stitch, tool, and fabric recommendations, to tips and suggestions for considering and repurposing your textiles.

Between the mending basics are lovely drawings, poems, and other text, which align with the accompanying whimsical stories and philosophies that take a moment to appreciate the (in)visible life of our daily objects, the concept of respecting and repairing the objects around us, and also the very real impact that repair and longevity of clothing and other textiles has in minimizing the damage of the larger global economy and consumerism in the fashion industry. Conscientiousness in our own consumerism and our relationship to the clothes and textiles we live with a mindset the world at large can only benefit from long-term.

The end of the book also compiles additional readings and resources on different topics, from practical resources to inspiration on how we live, produce, design, and consume the things that make up our lives. Definitely worth the read.

As a how-to guide for mending, I would probably rate this a 3-star book. I give it 4 stars based on the inclusion of the larger philosophies on life and mending objects, and for the art and love that clearly goes into and can come out of this book.

My thanks to the publisher for a review copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

I received an Advance Copy of this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

An excellent resource for those invested in living more economically, or just mending that one beloved item that you're not ready to part with just yet. This book offers a lot of advice and techniques, with delightful illustrations. I would recommend this book for beginners or those looking to add more skills to their repertoire!

First of all I must say that the illustrations in this book are absolutely delightful. They set the mood for the book. The authors mention that they were in high school in the early 2000s, but they are truly old souls, both in their writing voices and in their world view. While they refer to some Eastern religions, a mending life also fits into the Christian view of intrinsic value and restoration.

This book is as much about philosophy and a way of life as it is an instruction manual. The authors give step-by-step instructions for a variety of ways to mend different types of fabrics with different uses. The instructions seem clear, but I have not as of yet attempted to put them into use. I would recommend this book to young and senior adults, and everyone in-between. I am grateful to have received a copy from Sasquatch Books via NetGalley in exchange for my honest opinion. I was under no obligation to give a positive review and received no monetary compensation.

I requested this review book because I've been very interested in improving my mending skills lately - actually learning tried-and-true techniques, not just cobbling things together as I go along.

The book delivers content-wise: many different techniques for mending are covered and there are step-by-step instructions for all of them. To be honest, though, I skimmed through what seemed like half the text because it was endless waxing poetic about why mending is a good idea. Chances are, if you picked up this book, you don't need much convincing about the value of mending. It's curious that the authors devoted so much space on it relative to the parts about actually how to mend.

Style-wise, I wish there were photographs of the techniques rather than drawings. The drawings are helpful, but for the fine detail often needed for sewing, it seems like photographs would have been a more helpful choice.

If you're already familiar with mending, this book won't tell you anything you likely don't know. If you're new to the concept or techniques, though, it's valuable in its breadth and attention to detail.

I received an ARC of this book to read through NetGalley in exchange for a fair review.  Mending Life a Handbook for Repairing Clothes and Hearts by Nina and Sonya Montenegro is a lovely collection of thoughtful heartwarming essays and instructions on repairing clothing and hearts. With clear and concise instructions, beautiful illustrations and lots of practical advise this is one book you will want to keep on hand for future reference. Topics discussed include Patching, Darning, Sashiko Stitching, button sewing, hemming and more to keep your clothes in tip-top condition. The book is a wonderful combination of practical and beautiful, perfect for those who are new to mending and those who want to try new techniques. I highly recommend it.  Publishing Date March 10, 2020. #NetGalley #SasquatchBooks #MendingLife #NinaMontenegro #SonyaMontenegro #instructionmanual #booksasart #bookstagram

Mending Life - A Handbook for Repairing Clothes and Hearts is a wonderful and utterly useful book which urges us to take care of and honor the things and people we cherish. Should something become frayed or torn, it is not to be thrown away, it is to be mended and repaired. We help our world by not throwing things (or people) away.

Sometimes our repairs are done so that they are a seamless part of the item. Sometimes we may choose to draw attention to the repair as a reminder to how close we came to losing it, and how much more important and stronger it is to us now, or simply to be creative. The allegorical bits of the beginning of the book really resonated with me. It has become far too easy, I feel, to discard something still of good value, because it has a small flaw which disappoints us.

This is also a very thorough book on the art of mending. It gives detailed instructions on how to choose the best stitch, the best material etc. and provides step-by-step instructions on how to complete the repair. I do recommend that readers purchase the hardcover edition as the pictures and diagrams will be much easier to see than on an e-reader.

A handy reference book, a wonderful gift idea for men and women alike, I like this book!! 5 stars from me!

My thanks to NetGalley and Sasquatch Books for providing me with a copy of the book in exchange for an unbiased review. All opinions expressed here are my own.

Disclaimer: I was given a temporary eARC of this book from Sasquatch Books via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

This is a wonderful reference book for anyone. It shows you how to mend just about anything that would need mending. I love the artwork and the feel of this book. I would highly recommend this book to anyone that wants to extend the life of their clothes and other belongings. This is a wonderful reference book for anyone concerned with keeping things out of the landfill as long as possible.

Mending Life is a gently illustrated tutorial guide to repairing and repurposing textiles (especially clothing) for the modern person, along with a dose of philosophy and musings on meaning. Due out 10th March 2020 from Sasquatch Books, it's 224 pages and will be available in hardcover format.

This is an accessible and well written guide to basic mending techniques but it's also a wonderfully illustrated and gently philosophical treatise on the malaise of a consumer driven lifestyle and disposable culture. The introduction and background lead into chapters on darning, patching, other repair techniques, and alterations for clothing. Throughout the book, the artist-authors have used their artwork to illustrate and illuminate. The style is naive and whimsical, gentle and with a soothing palette.

The book includes a short index and a comprehensive and eclectic bibliography and resource links list for further reading.

Five stars. I really enjoyed this one and recommend it highly for all age groups and abilities. Anyone could use this book as a starting point to acquire some valuable life skills.

This book is beautiful and meditative and came into my life at the exact right moment. I had actually had a very negative experience a few days before I got my review copy of this book where I went to a craft store to try and find a darning egg and they had no idea what I was talking about or why I would want to repair my own clothes. The way this book is written and the gorgeous images take an extremely mundane and tedious chore and make it something almost ritualistic. I can't recommend this book enough.

I am very interested in visible mending and customizing clothes with simple abstract embroidery (although I haven't started yet) and was eager to look through this book. I was a bit put off at first by the quantity of illustrations at the beginning. As I only had the e-book, I was starting to think the book would be nothing but cute illustrations and maybe even directed more at children. Luckily, I was very wrong. The book is a mix of text and well illustrated examples. As a beginner, I found it very easy to follow and just in the first 20 pages or so, I learned several new techniques, such as how to add additional length to your thread when running out instead of tying it off and re-threading the needle, and a way to finish without tying a knot underneath. This book has stories and quotes and illustrations breaking up the instructions, so you get little breaks from learning techniques to learn life lessons. Overall, I think they did an excellent job, and I'm going to follow them on social media to see more of what they do.


I received this book for honest review at no cost.

Charming illustrations, philosophy, and solid practical instructions combine into a lovely meditation on mending. How to mend, why to mend, mending to change the world. Highly recommended.

A good introduction to mending and beautifully illustrated, but I wasn't able to finish it. I was expecting more on life and not as much on mending.

Mending Life is the perfect book for those who would like to live ecologically and ethically and teaches the basics of mending, which has become a lost art in our disposable society. The illustrations and stories that go along with the mending tips and advice are priceless looks into avoiding consumerism and making what you have last. Although this is how our grandparents and great-greatparents made do, mending is an art that has been lost as the push for everything new has come into being. Making and maintaining what you already have went by the wayside a long time ago, so it's nice to see it coming back! I highly recommend this book!

Thanks to the authors, Sasquatch Books and NetGalley for an ARC of this book in exchange for my honest opinion.