Mending can be boring, especially when you try to get your kid to do it.
To be honest, I don't know of any child or teenager who loves to sew.
I spent last Thursday trying to convince a group of secondary school kids that sewing is a useful skill. I think they didn't realise how long the process would take, and that needlework does require practice. But at the end of the day they did appreciate it.
When I was trying to get my kid to repair his shorts, I realised it had to be a fun process, or he wouldn't do it at all. There's no point in forcing something when they don't think it's fun - I think it applies to everything too!
Mend Together
We were changing the elastic of my son's two pairs of shorts together. It was fun because we were doing it TOGETHER and he was learning from what I was doing to his shorts.
Mend & Compete
My son suggested that we see who took the fastest to insert the new piece of elastic into the wasit of the shorts. That was fun, and we definitely had a lot of giggles.
Mend with Friends
I think the best part of mending is if you can mend with your friends. It becomes more than just mending; it's about building friendships and sharing ideas!
Mend as a Community
Then why not become part of a mending community? Look out for repair sessions in your community, make new friends and learn new repair techniques! In Singapore, we have Repair Kopitiam!
How would you make mending fun?
Mine aren't quite old enough to do their own mending, but we'll be there one day :)
ReplyDeleteThis is a great skill to know and to teach your children! I'm always fixing and hemming my clothes. It saves so much money!
ReplyDeleteMy mom was a terrific seamstress. I'm not the seamstress she was, but it was definitely more fun sewing with her than alone. She saved her sewing scraps for me and taught me how to make a quilt and Barbie clothes. I still have some of those patterns.
ReplyDeleteI couldn't agree more! I want to teach my daughter to sew, it's such a useful tool and very therapeutic to me!
ReplyDeleteThose are good ideas for making mending fun because in reality, it really isn't. Thanks for the suggestions.
ReplyDeleteI had no idea that there are mending communities! These are really good suggestions! :) Lisa
ReplyDeleteMy grandmother taught me to mend. I don't always enjoy it, but I appreciate the value and cost savings. Your ideas to share in the joy are great!
ReplyDeleteI really admire your commitment to repairing things in our throwaway culture.
ReplyDeleteI wish I could say I could teach mending to my girl's, but quite frankly I can't, I'm horrible at it!
ReplyDeleteI never really learned to sew but I'd love for my daughters to learn as even just for mending and simple tasks it's a great skill to have!
ReplyDeleteRepairing with friends around here means bring Stella all your repairs and beg her to fix them for you. Not fun. I need more sewing friends that actually live nearby.
ReplyDeleteI love the ideas. I think anything can be fun if you make it that way.
ReplyDeleteI'd say that will be a fun memory someday!
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