Weekend Review: Mending with Love

Mending with Love / Noriko Misumi
trans. from the Japanese by Nancy Marsden
North Clarendon, VT: Tuttle, c2021.
88 p.

I read Misumi's first mending book, Joyful Mending, a while back and when I saw this one in my library I grabbed it. I enjoyed her first book and her approach to mending as a life skill. Plus Tuttle books are so nicely photographed and easy to read, I knew I'd find something interesting here. 

It's presented in five parts: 

• Intro- with her philosophy of mending and life
• Mending Socks
• Mending Stains, Holes and Frays
• Covering Stains with Stamps
• Remaking

It also includes nearly 15 pages of mending techniques at the end to help you accomplish the projects she shows throughout. 

I've read a fair number of mending books, but I did find some new approaches here. And as expected, it's lovely to look though. The projects are practical and attractive, and incorporate a variety of techniques, including more uncommon things like crochet or needle felting. There is even a section specifically on "mending the cat's mischief" ;) 

I like that she includes ways to cover or hide stains (embroidery, stamping etc) as well as just fixing obvious damage like holes or snags. It's maintaining a wardrobe (as well as household goods), not only mending in the traditional sense. And there is a cute addition at the end, with ideas for upcycling worn out things into household items -- it's brief, but includes making trivets, potholders and towels from old tshirts or wool sweaters. Handy ideas. Overall a really cute book with some fun ideas and a nice aesthetic, especially if you are a fan of Japanese sewing books in general.