Repair Cafes are part of a new brand of anticonsumerism. The cafes and other efforts try to offer an alternative to mass-produced, disposable goods that have dominated the economy for the last half-century.
Bernadette Banner also has many videos on doing this with simple hand sewing
I was looking for historical costume project information once on YT and saw her channel. Very interesting. It’s worth noting that the hand-sewn historical garments she was copying, hundreds of years old already, are often worn, even well worn, and where there are defects it’s because the material itself failed before the seams did.
One time I had to sew up the entire side seam of a dress shirt with needle and thread, there was no one around with a sewing machine to do it for me and I needed that shirt, so I did it myself. I drew a line and used a backstitch with the smallest spacing I could manage. It took a couple hours maybe. When I got done with it, it looked and felt indestructible. Couldn’t even tell it had been resewn from the outside.
But I can’t take credit for just knowing how. Long, long ago when I was a kid, everyone had to take Home Ec at some point in their schooling; for me it was junior high iirc. It was a required subject. Everyone I went to school with knew how to turn on a stove, follow a recipe, use an iron, sew a simple project like a potholder, that kind of thing. All of it was useful, but hand sewing especially is an incredibly handy skill to have. I honestly thought it was stupid at the time – “For what purpose could I possibly need a potholder?” – but I can’t count the number of times I have used that skill since.
A basic sewing machine & knowing how to sew a seam will save you a lot of clothes. YouTube has this covered. Full lessons from old ladies.
Bernadette Banner also has many videos on doing this with simple hand sewing equipment, if you aren’t inclined to get a new machine!
I am also always willing to share what information I have about Darning and Clothing repair if needed… but I am just some person on the internet…
I was looking for historical costume project information once on YT and saw her channel. Very interesting. It’s worth noting that the hand-sewn historical garments she was copying, hundreds of years old already, are often worn, even well worn, and where there are defects it’s because the material itself failed before the seams did.
One time I had to sew up the entire side seam of a dress shirt with needle and thread, there was no one around with a sewing machine to do it for me and I needed that shirt, so I did it myself. I drew a line and used a backstitch with the smallest spacing I could manage. It took a couple hours maybe. When I got done with it, it looked and felt indestructible. Couldn’t even tell it had been resewn from the outside.
But I can’t take credit for just knowing how. Long, long ago when I was a kid, everyone had to take Home Ec at some point in their schooling; for me it was junior high iirc. It was a required subject. Everyone I went to school with knew how to turn on a stove, follow a recipe, use an iron, sew a simple project like a potholder, that kind of thing. All of it was useful, but hand sewing especially is an incredibly handy skill to have. I honestly thought it was stupid at the time – “For what purpose could I possibly need a potholder?” – but I can’t count the number of times I have used that skill since.