mending – KDD & Co

mend

We celebrate the new edition of Wheesht with this essay exploring the creative work of mending and Celia Pym’s inspiring practice

make / mend: Collingwood-Norris

Kate talks to Flora Collingwood-Norris about mending, Scottish islands, and how colour makes you feel

One of the things I’ve been really struck by, as I reach the end of the process of writing our People Make Glasgow book, is just how many thriving enterprises in this city are led by brilliant young women. I’ve found learning more about the innovative work of makers, artist and designers like Rachel E…

Repair Café Glasgow

By: Kate Davies Designs April 28, 2020April 28, 2020

People MAKE Glasgow, photography, workcreativity, Glasgow, making, mending, People MAKE Glasgow, repair, sustainability37 Comments

Though we’ve not seen one another in person for more than 6 weeks, the KDD team are in touch every day, and, at the moment, one of the things we are working on from our separate locations is our People MAKE Glasgow book. Over the past year, we’ve conducted a series of interviews and photoshoots…

mending inspiration

By: Kate Davies Designs April 23, 2020April 23, 2020

darning, makingcollection, darning, darning sampler, mending, Museum, Rijksmuseum, stoplap, stoppen, textiles38 Comments

Yesterday afternoon I took a break from grading a cardigan (a task that makes my eyes spin round) and spent a happy hour (as I often do) poking about the Rijksmuseum – which is one of those wonderful institutions who have digitised and made publicly available large portions of their collection. If you have an…

A chat with Tom of Holland

I am sure that many of you may be familiar with the work of my good friend and woolly comrade Tom van Deijnen, also known as Tom of Holland. Tom is perhaps best known for his expertise in, and celebration of, darning, which he puts into practice in his classes and workshops, as well as…

another feature

By: Kate Davies Designs January 15, 2011January 17, 2011

History, textiles, writingdarning, Kate Davies, knitting, make do and mend, mending, Rowan, Rowan 49, rowan magazine, Rowan no 49, stitching34 Comments

The new Rowan Magazine has just come out, and I have a feature in it, exploring the history of mending, darning, and ‘plain work’. I really enjoyed researching and writing this piece, and working on it became quite important to me during some difficult times over the Summer. In many respects, it is a very…

racy mending

By: Kate Davies Designs August 6, 2010August 6, 2010

feminism, photography, sewing, textiles, writingdarning, early photography, feminism, gender, History, mending, sewing, stitching, women25 Comments

I have been playing around with ideas about mending and darning for a forthcoming article, and have been turning up some interesting tangential things in various digital collections. Pictured above are “Chicago’s top models for 1922” who have been co-opted to advertise the novel innovation of the seam ripper. The caption reads “Ripping is a…

out with the old

You may remember that a year ago I decided to stop buying clothes for the duration of 2008. My decision to do this was sparked by a couple of things. I had been reading a bit about darning and mending and wanted to think about what repairing and caring for one’s clothes meant. Also, since…

collared

By: Kate Davies Designs November 29, 2008November 29, 2008

beasties, crochet, refashioning, sewingcollars, Cranford, crochet, mending, owls, refashioning, robin, wardrobe refashioning, winter15 Comments

“Collars have played a very important part in the drama of fashion, and today command the attention of dress designers of repute, as well as makers of simple dresses. Each realises and appreciates the value of the right collar. Each knows the scope given by their use to the expression of individuality.” Elizabeth McCaskill ‘New…