Taking it up

Recently, I treated myself to a new dress. I hurried home and tried it on. I loved it, but it was just a few inches too long. So out came the needle and thread and I hemmed it up.

My daughter and I got chatting whilst I was sewing. She goes to a repair cafe, where people swap expertise to mend things, rather than throwing them away.

She commented that one day, somebody had come in because a button had come off of their shirt and they didn't know how to stitch it back on.

It got me to thinking about just how few people now can do these simple things that were once thought of as easy, everyday tasks.

Maybe parents seldom teach their children these simple skills anymore – sewing, mending, darning, fixing things around the house.

It is so easy nowadays just to pop to the shops, buy new and discard the old.

But should we let these skills die? I don't think that we should. Not only does it save us money, but it helps our planet, as we are re-using resources rather than simply throwing things away.

If your child loses a button, or breaks a toy, show them how to mend it, pass on your knowledge, so that they, in turn, can pass their skills on to their own children.