The Art of Repair Mindful mending: how to stitch old things to new life

In this beautiful book, master repairer, Molly Martin, champions the value of slow and sustainable fashion and the psychological benefits that go with it

For Molly Martin, it all started with a pair of socks. Her favorite pair. When the heels became threadbare, her mother got out her darning mushroom and showed her how to reinforce the thinning stitches and bring them back to life. She has been stitching and darning ever since.

In The Art of Repair, Molly explores the humble origins of repair and how the act of mending a cherished item carefully by hand offers not just a practical solution but nourishment for the soul. Using her own beautiful illustrations, she guides us through the basics of the craft - from piecing and patching to the ancient Japanese art of Sashiko.

This book will stay with you long after you put down your needle and thread. It offers an antidote to our increasingly disposable lifestyle, encouraging us to reconnect not just with the everyday objects in our environment but also with ourselves.

Molly Martin is an artist, illustrator and professional textile repairer, specialising in delicate fabric restoration and traditional Japanese Sashiko repair. Molly also works for the slow fashion company Toast and has collaborated with them on a number of workshop 'repair' tours.