Meet Lizzie David a creative mender who specialises in visible mending, she takes on repair commissions, as well as running workshops to inspire other people to mend their clothing. With a love of colour, Lizzie takes inspiration from the Japanese tradition of Kintsugi, treating repairs to clothing as part of a garments history and something to celebrate rather than disguise.

What’s your background?

I studied fine art and have always loved colour, textiles and fashion and I find visible mending is the perfect combination of things that I love. During lockdown I taught myself to darn and I enjoy the meditative repetition of mending by hand, the slow pace and the creativity of it.

How did you discover visible mending?

I love clothes, but wanted to make more sustainable choices, so I only bought second hand and vintage. Taking care of the clothes I already had was important to me and so I learnt mending techniques to repair my own wardrobe. I was inspired by ‘How to Break up with fast fashion’ by Lauren Bravo and ‘Mending Matters’ by Katrina Rodabaugh and it went from there. This introduced me to the idea of making a mend visible, and the joy of hand stitching.

How has your practice changed over time?

I’ve learned there are so many different ways to mend something. Since I started practising 4 years ago, I’ve developed my skills and expanded my knowledge of different darning techniques and useful mending stitches. Sharing what I’ve learned with others at mending workshops has been so inspiring. It’s such a useful life skill, a mindful creative activity and a way of reconnecting with our clothes.

What do you love about visible mending?

I find mending meditative and calming, and so rewarding to bring clothes back to life through their repair, making them unique and personal to you. Through the process of mending, we develop a connection with our clothes which I find really interesting. This means we and are much less likely to discard them, which is a simple way of reducing our environmental impact.

You don’t need much to darn. A needle, some wool, something to hold the tension (a darning mushroom if you have one) but everyday objects such as jam jar lids, lemons or even your phone will work. I love the idea of how personal mends are, showing how the garment has been worn by someone, or how the moths have created a pattern of holes which you can make beautiful. The idea of making do and mending is an old one  but so relevant to now. I think everyone can enjoy it and I love sharing this new/old life skill with others, I would love to run some workshops for children and teenagers.

Any favourite materials or colours to use?

I use all sorts of yarn, from cotton thread to mohair, but mending with cashmere feels very special. Variegated yarn (yarn which changes colour) is fab as it transforms the simplest of mends. I also appreciate a darning mushroom and have a growing collection of them.

How would you describe your style?

I wear what I love, and I always know when an outfit feels ‘me’. I wear mostly second hand and vintage clothes and I love that they have had a life before I found them. I love contrasting styles in one outfit, mixing up textures and silhouettes but comfort is key. An oversized fit is my favourite.

Has visible mending changed your approach to buying clothing?

It’s always worth checking the label to see what your clothes are made of, and to buy natural fibres where possible. I always consider how I might mend something before I make a purchase to make sure I can make it last as long as possible.

Where can people find out more about you?

Sustainable Fashion Week is coming up in September and I’m running a colourful darning workshop for children for the first time which I’m really excited about.  I’ll also be at Brora Bath in September and running more workshops locally in November. You can also follow me on Instagram @little_moth_mends.