Tag: Repairs

Counting on … day 14

20th January 2025

One way of reducing waste, is to repair things. Darning a sock saves a pair going into landfill. Stitching up a hem or a seem to get some more wear out of a skirt or shirt. Sewing a patch on the knee or elbow will add more wear to a pair of trousers of jumper. Sewing a sheet sides to middle will do likewise. 

Re-heeling or soleing shoes where that is possible – sadly the design of many pairs of shoes don’t this as an option. 

Repair Cafes and repair shops can mend household items such as kettles and toasters. Do ensure that electrical repairs are done by someone appropriately qualified. 

Other repairs might simply involve glue, ‘Sugru’ a mouldable silicone substance that can mend a hole in a pot, refix a pan handle or strengthen that weak point on a recharging cable. Gaffer tape mends  a hundred things! Be imaginative. Be creative! Give things you use and love an extra lifespan. 

About
https://www.ethicalconsumer.org/climate-action-how-increase-repairing-upcycling-buying-second-hand
https://greentau.org/tag/repairs/

Counting on … day 107

15th May 2024

Maintenance is linked to repair. Good maintenance reduces the need for emergency repairs. 

The things we maintain most – now that we no longer have a car – are our bicycles. Cleaning, checking tyres and brakes, and twice a year a thorough service at the local cycle shop. 

Waterproof coats and trousers, walking boots and shoes, all benefit from regular cleaning and rewaterproofing. 

Counting on … day 1.211

8th November 2023

Repairability and maintainability of things we buy and own is an important part of sustainability. I have previously commented on repairing and mending things around the home – https://greentau.org/tag/repairs/ – and on regular bike maintenance – https://greentau.org/2022/09/03/counting-on-day-298/ Maintenance also includes regularly cleaning shoes, re waterproofing coats, emptying and cleaning vacuum cleaners, servicing boilers etc.

Maintenance may also include reviewing our lives, our daily habits, to check that they still align with our faith values.

Counting on … day 1.126

31st May 2023

Having both a number of sheets and pillowcases that are wearing thin (even after turning the outsides into the middle) I have combined the two to make/ mend some new pillowcases, and used the left overs to make handkerchiefs. Possibly a bit excessive but it does give the cotton an extended life.

For more on making repairs and mending – https://greentau.org/tag/repairs/

and https://greentau.org/tag/up-cycling/

Counting on … day 361 

27th October 2022

I recently mended the vacuum cleaner – where the hose connects into the body, the plastic collar had broken – and the charging cable for the iPad – which was showing signs of cracking – using Sugru. This malleable silicone substance can be moulded to the required shape or location and then left to harden binding to the substrate. So far it seems to have been effective! I have previously used it to mend the clay birdbath which had cracked in half. 

Repairing anything that can be repaired is always a good option as it prolongs its useful life.  

Counting on …day 180 

12th May 2022

“Make do and mend” reduces the amount we consume, making our lifestyles more sustainable. Repairing a pair of trousers so that they can be worn for a couple more years makes good sense. 

Repairing sheets – https://greentau.org/2021/09/20/count-down-58/ 

Darning –  https://greentau.org/count-down/

 Counting on ….day 178

10th May 2022

In a world where resources are limited, we need to avoid waste them.  One way is  to ‘make do and mend’. By repairing and maintaining and repurposing things we can prolong their useable lifespan before recycling them. This skilfully repaired dustbin belongs to a neighbour. The less skilfully repaired coffee filter is mine – gaffer tape can mend a lot of things. 

 Counting on …. Day 78

28th January 2022

Mending and repairing items to extend their life applies to clothes too. Catching up a hem that has come unstitched, sewing a button back on, re stitching a gap/e in a seam, replacing a zip or patching a hole are straight forward repairs. Slightly more tricky but not impossible, you can turn cuffs and collars inside out when they being to wear. 

Practical if not a glamorous repair

There are plenty of web sites that will show you how to make repairs if you are not sure – and give you new ideas too. https://sewguide.com/clothing-repair-mending-tears/

See also repairing sheets https://greentau.org/2021/09/20/count-down-58/

And  darning https://greentau.org/2021/09/03/count-down-41/

Counting on …day 77 

27th  January 2022 

I am a small part of a local sewing group  – The Scrubbery – making NHS scrubs. Recently an engineer visited the central hub so that people could bring in their sewing machines for a service/ overhaul. Serving and maintaining equipment that we use is an important way of extending the life of such items  – a good way of maintaining a more sustainable lifestyle.