I’ve been sewing for about a year and a half, and though I’ve gotten pretty good at a few things, I’m always learning. I mended my cardigans back in the spring, and instead of having to buy new ones, I was able to keep using them.

I’ve also taken to upcycling clothing into other crafts when it’s simply not wearable anymore. This book is full of ideas for making your clothes last longer, keeping textiles out of landfills, and even saving you a bit of money.

My favorite little tip was adding pockets to shirts. I’ve been wanting to do that to my tees forever but never got around to learning how. I’m excited to try it out.

From invisible to visible mending (think patches under frayed jeans), this book has tons of ideas to breathe fresh life into your clothing and step by step instructions for executing them.

It’s out in February, just in time to pick up a new hobby while you’re stuck inside during the doldrums of winter.

My grandmother was a seamstress. I remember when I was a little girl she would hand me a big U-shaped magnet and let me crawl around the carpet in her living room to collect all of the dropped pins. I learned to sew from her, and have made my own clothing and quilts. I have attempted many of the repairs shown in this book, but have rarely been very happy with the results. This is why I was interested in this book. And I was really pleased with the both the information provided and the techniques given. This book is going to be a permanent addition to my sewing bookshelf, and I want to purchase a copy for both of my sons who are young adults.

I found the introductory information about fast fashion easy to read, and with just the right amount of detail. As someone who already knows about the human and environmental issues associated with fast fashion, I felt that it was not necessary, but I can see how it might be a good intro for my sons. But once the book jumped into the different techniques, it really shone.

I found the descriptions of each technique clear, and the accompanying diagrams where clear and helpful. I also liked the clear explanation of the circumstances requiring each type of repair understandable and very helpful. I also enjoyed seeing pictures of more visible versions of each technique to inspire my creativity.

I only had two quibbles with the book. I wish that some of the example images featured clothing for men...again, I want to purchase this book for my sons, and am worried that they might have more trouble visualizing themselves using these techniques without a few examples of clothing that they might wear themselves. My other issue is that there were a few terms that I thought might need more explanation for the non-sewing savvy reader. In the section about repairing collars and cuffs, the author talks about using bias tape. But if someone went to their fabric store to purchase some bias tape, they might be overwhelmed by the variety of choices provided there. Should they buy double-fold or single fold bias tape? What’s the difference? And perhaps refer the reader to resources explaining how to make your own bias tape as a resource for updating/personalizing your clothing. I also wonder if the average reader would understand what she means by woven fabric versus knit fabric. Both small points, but I think addressing them might make this book even more accessible to the intended audience.

Thanks to DK for providing me with an advanced reading copy via NetGalley.

This is a fun and informative guide to mending and altering your clothes. There are detailed instructions with drawings that show you how to shorten hems, darn holes, fix zippers, embroider to cover stains, add elastic, let clothes out, add darts, dye, make pockets and more. There are some photos of the types of alterations that are visible (like patches and stitching that show and become part of the aesthetic) but I wish there were photos showing the subtle mending techniques too. I appreciate that there are also left handed directions, and the directions tell you how to use a sewing machine or do it by hand. Altogether it's a fantastic guide.

I read a temporary digital ARC of of this book for review.

This book is an excellent resource for not only mending clothes, but basic alterations as well. I appreciated the clear directions and pictures. This will have a place on my shelf when it comes out.

This is a really great, comprehensive mending book. I like that she began the book with a short introduction to the textile crisis and fast fashion. She walks through all the supplies you'll need for mending, how to use them, and then dives into step-by-step instructions on how to mend or tailor all sorts of different scenarios. This book would be a great resource guide - just look up what you need for a given project and follow the steps. She wraps up the book with tips for clothes storage to make them last longer and even clever ideas on how to give new life to clothes with stains etc. I highly recommend this book!

This book does a great job of providing both introductory and expert methods of mending different kinds of clothes. I’m excited to try out these mending methods on my clothes!