Visible Mending with a Darning Loom

While I wait for my yarn and shuttle to arrive for my table loom weaving project, I have time to work on some sewing and mending.

Rodrigue has a favourite old wool jacket that's full of holes, from regular wear and moths, and during the pandemic lockdown, I ordered a "speedweve" type mending loom-- but never used it.

These little looms were originally sold in the 1940s, and now they're plentiful on Etsy. They're fairly simple to use, and allow you to weave a small patch directly onto a piece of clothing to conceal a hole.

I got some darning yarn in compatible colours from a local knitting store, and got to work, using the project as a chance to practice some basic weaving patterns.

At the outset of this venture, we identified three holes that needed mending, but by the time I was done, I'd made 11 patches. The more acquainted I became with the jacket, the more worn spots I found.

The patches are messy in spots-- sometimes unavoidable because near the seams, the fabric was too bulky and would slip off the loom. But I'm overall satisfied with the finished look of the jacket, and I learned a lot while doing it-- including that sometimes it's easier to just weave directly onto the garment, setting aside the loom.

Most importantly, we've saved a beloved jacket from the landfill, and I've reignited my mending habit, which is definitely going to serve us, in this time of an impending trade war.