Making things last

I still believe handmade things are the most valuable. Rescuing a favourite toy, cooking a homemade meal. It’s the effort that counts. That’s the kind of thing I want to carry into my everyday life. SO much stuff is churned out as cheaply as possible. We can’t easily avoid that but we can make our things last as long as possible and that feels good.

Reducing waste is a big priority for me. Recycling takes energy and is really inefficient, especially for textiles. Too much of what we throw away ends up as a problem somewhere else. The fast fashion desert in Atacama, Chile is horrifying and utterly predictable. For me it’s better to use what we have carefully, fix it when we can and keep it in use. Choosing better materials helps, but if life hands you something imperfect, a bit of repair can make it last longer and feel valuable again.

I love seeing things in my closet that I’ve made or saved. A jumper I darned just right, a patch that gives a worn out pair of trousers new life, a careful repair that feels almost invisible. It brings a kind of satisfaction that shop bought stuff never does. Each repair has a story and a bit of me in it.

I try to share that in my workshops too. Teaching people to repair and embellish their clothes isn’t just about skills, it’s about finding joy in making, noticing the little things and sharing the pleasure of it together. It’s about building something that lasts, something meaningful, and keeping that love of care alive.