9 STITCHES

There's that old saying about a stitch in time saving nine - which of course means if you tackle a problem early you'll save yourself a much larger problem later on. This is also a saying from an era when mending and darning were not only commonplace but essential. These days a split stitch, broken heel or missing button is less often attended to early, if at all. Cheap, convenient and fast-changing fashions often mean we end up with more clothes than we really need and that we also generally neglect them (not helped much by the inferior quality products on the market that give up after a couple of runs in a washing machine).

From both an environmental and social perspective, this brings a heavy cost. From the cotton or oil needed to produce a garment, plus the water, energy and chemicals used in its manufacture, to the substandard conditions so often found in the garment industry - the era of cheap fashion is costing the earth.

I generally try and fix my clothes when they show signs of wear, although I'm not very good at getting onto it early. So, over time, I've ended up with a slightly overwhelming pile of clothes that need a little attention. So when I saw the 'Mend it May' social media campaign on a blog I follow, I decided to sign on for the challenge and get stitching! It's not exclusively aimed at clothing - and of course I have another pile of fix it projects sitting in another room, but it's a start. There's also a facebook group where people are sharing tips, questions, ideas and competed projects.

Check out the campaign and get inspired to tackle a to-do project this month!