Patch, fix, save!

The beauty of repair in crafts

Not long ago, a darned wool sock or a patched trouser knee was a bit embarrassing. Now it's a sign of caring – about the environment, clothes and the value of craftsmanship. Repairing has become beautiful, thoughtful and even trendy.

For a craftsman, mending is not just a necessary evil, but a continuation – an extension of an already beloved product. When a knitted sock wears out at the heel, it is not unusable, but rather a sign that someone has really used and needed it. It deserves a new life, not a throwaway.

Darning and mending can be aesthetic acts. They don't try to cover up wear and tear, but rather tell a story. Visible darning – like a hole mended with colorful thread – can be a beautiful and personal detail. In the Japanese boro and sashiko culture, this has been a part of everyday life for centuries: mending not only saves, but also enriches.

Sustainable consumption doesn't mean stopping buying – it means appreciating what you buy. And for the craftsperson, every knitted or sewn garment is already loaded with greater value from the start. When hours have been spent on it, colors have been chosen, details have been thought out – you don't want to give it up when the first hole appears.

Repairing can even be enjoyable. It's slow, done by hand, calming. At the same time, you can think about how much the garment has served you, and how far it can still go. Every patch or patch is a small act of love – for the environment and for the work you've done yourself.

When a hole appears in a wool sock, the first thought is no longer the trash can – but a darning needle and a ball of thread. And why not? Crafts are valuable from the moment they are created, but their true value is measured in use – and how long they are cared for.

I prefer to mend wool socks visibly. I don't try to hide the wear, I let it show. The hole is part of the story of the socks, and the patch can be like a new chapter. A bright thread in the middle of a dark one, a striped pattern on a monochrome background – like a diary entry made from handicrafts.

Here are a few tips on how repairs can be both practical and beautiful:

🧶 Choose a repair thread based on contrast – a bright color for a dark sock, or vice versa. The patch then becomes a conscious choice, not just a patch.

🧷 Use embroidery or embellishment – ​​darning doesn't have to be just for reinforcement. It can be a heart, a star, or a geometric shape that makes the garment unique.

🪡 Sashiko style for a new look – try a Japanese-style repair method where the stitch forms a repeating pattern. It brings rhythm and calm to your work.

🧵 Repair in time – don't wait for the hole to expand – then the repair will be faster and cleaner, and will not require structural rescue operations.

Repaired craftsmanship is not defective – it is more beautiful. It is a sign that the work has been taken care of, loved and cared for. Darning does not take away beauty – it adds to it.

Perhaps that's the whole essence of craft life: making something you can get attached to. And when you get attached to it, you want to hold on to it – stitch by stitch, place by place.

Sashiko – decorative darning

Sashiko (刺し子) literally means “little prick.” It is an old Japanese embroidery and reinforcement technique that was originally used to repair and reinforce work clothes – especially in peasant everyday life.

Sashiko stitching is based on repeating, geometric patterns such as waves, crosses, diamonds and swirls. They were not only decorative, but also had a practical purpose: they strengthened the fabric and protected it from wear. In addition, each pattern could have a symbolic meaning, such as luck, protection or prosperity.

Nowadays, sashiko has become its own craft , which is also done for decoration – and it works wonderfully as a visible mending. Sashiko usually uses white cotton thread on dark fabric (e.g. indigo blue), but the colors can of course be varied freely.

Boro – the philosophy of visible repair

Boro (ぼろ) means “rags” or “repaired cloth.” It’s more than just a technique—it’s a way of life and an attitude that emerged in poorer communities in rural Japan. When new clothes couldn’t be bought, old ones were patched up over and over again. Eventually, the garment would consist of many layers, pieces, and repairs that formed a beautiful, distinctive surface.

The spirit of Boro is linked to wabi-sabi , or seeing beauty in the imperfect, worn, and repaired. It is a counter-force to the throwaway culture – the idea that a garment has value as long as it can be worn and repaired.

Boro's aesthetic is rough and natural: it can include torn edges, asymmetry, and lots of visible stitching. Today, boro has emerged in the fields of art and fashion, inspiring both modern designers and traditional craftsmen.

✨ Sashiko and boro have in common:

• Both emphasize visible repairs and value the traces of craftsmanship.

• Making things by hand and the calm, repetitive act of sewing can be meditative – a bit like knitting.

• They bring a new kind of beauty and storytelling to clothes that you don't want to discard but rather revive .

Quick Guide: Sashiko & Boro – The Beauty of Hand-Mending

SASHIKO – decorative reinforcement stitching

You will need:

• Thick cotton thread (e.g. sashiko thread or mouline thread)

• A sharp needle (sashiko needle or embroidery needle)

• A piece of fabric (e.g. indigo blue cotton or denim)

• Marker pen and ruler for drawing patterns

Here's how to get started:

1. Choose a simple geometric pattern : e.g. a grid, a diamond, a wave pattern or a star.

2. Lightly draw the pattern on the fabric (or use a ready-made template).

3. Sew with long, even front stitches (running stitches) along the lines of the pattern.

4. Just sew from the right side or let the back side be more carefree – it's part of the aesthetics.

5. If you are repairing a garment, sew the pattern over the area to be repaired or use a patch as a base fabric.

🎯 Tip: Do one pattern area at a time – sew for 5 minutes every night. Sashiko is a calming and addictive craft!

BORO – visible patching and layering

You will need:

• Jeans, linen or other sturdy fabrics in pieces

• Needle and embroidery thread/sewing thread

• Scissors and safety pins (or adhesive tape) for attachment

• Used clothing or handicraft with signs of wear

Here's how to get started:

1. Cut patches of different sizes to fit the patch area.

2. Place the patches on top of each other or staggered on the fabric – try layers!

3. Secure the patches with safety pins or a few stitches of resin.

4. Sew with visible stitches in a crisscross pattern – unevenness is part of the look.

5. Use different colors , layers and shapes – build a unique texture.

🎯 Tip: Boro is not about being neat, it's about being honest. Let the threads show, sew over and leave the rough edges exposed - it makes the repair come alive.

For example, you can find more about Sashiko on Martta's website: Sashiko embroidery