I wish I could tell you when or where I learned to take pride in how I mended everyday textiles. I think it comes from seeing a tidy little patch on my great-great-grandmother's quilt. (No photo available at this time.)
Also, I vaguely remember reading in Gone With the Wind about the meticulous patches on fine tablecloths distinguishing the old families from the nouveau riche. Newly rich were able to buy new damask linen tablecloths after The War Between The States. Old families had to patch their finery, but they used the best sewing skills at their disposal.
Maybe one influence is the Shaker mentality of doing whatever one does as if Jesus were to come back tomorrow, and doing it well enough to last 1000 years. I love the quality of Shaker furniture and textiles.
At any rate, any time I need to patch something I use in everyday life, I try to employ a bit of whimsey or charm. If I were patching a fine textile, I would match fabric and fiber content.
How do you approach mending?
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