'Mend with wisdom, mend with love, it will mend the earth at the same time'
-Yoko Ono-
I've come to realise that there's much more to act of mending than meets the eye. On a soul level, Yoko Ono believes that 'As you mend..., mending that is needed elsewhere in the Universe gets done as well'; she encourages us to 'Be aware of it as you mend' (Yoko Ono). On a physical level, studies have shown that the gentle attention you give your clothes as you mend and the slow repetitive action of stitching releases serotonin; mending promotes a sense of peace, wholeness and wellbeing. On a global level, Vivienne Westwood encourages us to 'Buy less, choose well, make it last'. Mending saves us money but it also means we use less of the earth's precious resources. According the Ellen MacArthur Foundation, 'One garbage truck of clothes is burned or sent to landfill every second'.
January, the month of hibernation and hygge, is a great time to make a start on your mending pile.
I've also realised there's an overlap between mending and embroidery - mending requires the knowledge of a few basic embroidery stitches such as Back Stitch, Running Stitch and Blanket Stitch. With the rise of the "Visible Mending" trend, mending is also for some, an outlet for creative expression. After a recent infestation of moths that munched their way happily through much of our beloved cashmere clothing, Dan and I took the visible mending approach, and I have to say our visibly mended items have received quite a lot of attention.
For those of you who would welcome a bit of instruction on learning some mending stitches, I've written "A Short Guide to Mending" which all subscribers will receive as a welcome freebie. To receive your free copy click here.
Here's one of my illustrations from the Darning Stitch section:
And for those of you, like me, who have a mounting mending pile, here's mine:
...and need some motivation to get started on it - I'm hosting a 10 day Mendathon.
Mendathon members will receive:
* Access to the online "Mendathon Private Facebook Group" where the community will all be cheering each other on through our mending mountains, providing accountability, inspiration and much needed encouragement.
* There will be two live "Mendathon Masterclass" events where we'll basically hang out on Zoom and chat while drinking tea and I can try and help with any mending issues you might have.
* You'll instantly receive a downloadable "Mendathon Welcome Pack" which tells you all you need to know about how to get the most out of your Mendathon experience.
* I've written a whole section on organising a "Mendathon Meet-Up Event" and included adjustable, printable templates for you to use to advertise your local community mending event. Perfect for the extraverts among us who will be more motivated to mend with others or just want to create an opportunity to connect socially around mending.
* And you'll all receive daily "Mending Motivation" emails with "Mindful Mending Tips", visible mending inspiration and illustrated mending stitch instructions from me.
* I'll also be uploading some videos of me darning into the Facebook Group and making a few live appearances here and there to check in on the mending progress.
* Discount code for a select item from my online shop
It starts tomorrow (Wednesday 23rd Jan). It costs just £10 to join and £5 of every place sold, 50% of all proceeds, will be donated to a charity of the Mendathon group's choice - giving our mending piles even more of a sense of purpose.
So if you need some motivation to make an immediate start on tackling your mending pile, all you need to do is click here to join. Bookings close tonight (Tuesday 22nd January 2019) at 12pm - so don't delay click today.
I've also been busy making kits behind the scenes, details of which will be revealed soon but here's a sneak preview of the "Seed Pod Series" due to be released in February:
There's also Valentine's Day around the corner and I've been working on a kit that I'll be releasing next week:
And finally, if you'd like to spend a month this winter learning a skill that will not only nourish your soul but enable you to make beautiful, stylish objects for your home or as gifts, I recommend learning embroidery. I know that we're all reluctant to leave our houses in these winter months of hibernation so I've designed a course where you can learn all you need to know about embroidery from the comfort of your own home. Introducing the "Still Point Stitching Challenge"
Participants will receive:
* A downloadable PDF "Challenge Welcome Pack"
* Daily "Stitch a Day" emails with downloadable PDF illustrated stitch instructions
* Daily "Mindful Stitching Suggestions" explaining simple, practical Mindful Stitching techniques
* Access to the "Still Point Stitching Challenge" Private Facebook Group
* Weekly online "Stitching Surgery" time with Marigold
* Discount codes for selected items in my online shop
* Accountability and motivation to help you develop a nourishing daily stitching practice and finish your Modern Sampler
* Time investment is 20 minutes a day with encouragement to "embrace your pace" throughout the challenge - so there's no need to rush as you'll have all 30 lessons to keep and work through at your own pace.
It costs just £45 and there's a 50% discount for everyone who bought a Modern Sampler last year. It starts on February 1st 2019. To book your place click here.
And lastly, following my year of inspiration and my wish to spend more time by the sea - Dan and I enjoyed a beautiful 5 hour walk from Rye to Hastings at the beginning of January. That stretch of coastline provides such a rich source of inspiration for me:
And we also enjoyed a fantastic exhibition at the "Museum of Fashion and Textiles" which I highly recommend if you're inspired by 1930's fashion:
I hope you're all enjoying your season of hybernation as much as I am - I'm in stitchers paradise right now!