Dying arts

It used to be a common sight to see parents, grandparents, and even children in every household regularly pick up a sewing kit to sew on a button and meticulously darn their own clothes. But these skills are a dying Art

It seems despite a growing interest in sustainability, fewer people are able to fix or make their own clothes with needlework falling out of daily use.

It may also come as a surprise to learn that only 16% of a surveys participants are proficient knitters. This comes despite 2025 having seen a boom in celebrities such as Gigi Hadid and Tom Daley publicly sharing their love of this relaxing and productive skill.

Despite a rise in interest in ‘slow fashion’, the skills needed to make or repair your clothing are no longer taught to young people on a regular basis, with only those willing to seek out lessons are learning these skills.

As someone who runs workshops in various handcrafting skills, I find this quite surprising. My courses are always full, but I suppose if you want to learn, you seek out classes. 

One of the things I’m passionate about is not wasting materials.  As a crocheter, I try to use up every bit of yarn. Any piece to small to be useful,I keep for stuffing, along with scraps of fabric.

You can be creative about using your yarn scaps. Try these ideas:

Conquering the Leftovers:
We’ve all been there – our project is complete, but now we have a basket overflowing with colorful yarn scraps. These beauties are perfect for creating all sorts of small projects such as amigurumi or hats. You may need to get creative in the way you combine your yarns, but that’s all part of the fun!

Patching Up Perfection:
A small snag doesn’t have to spell doom. Crochet patches are both a fun and functional way to extend the life of your favourite garments and reduce landfill waste. Choose contrasting or complementary colours to create a unique design element.

Visible Mending Magic:
Embrace the current trend of visible mending! Instead of trying to hide your repair, use contrasting yarn to mend tears in a bold and artistic way. Darning can be done in several colours to create a woven patch. Crocheted applique patches brighten up a garment as well as hiding a tear. More subtle patches can be made using delicate doilies.

From Scraps to Spectacular:
Tiny yarn ends don’t have to gather dust either; you can turn them into a vibrant scrappy blanket! I have a ball winder and make scrap cakes, joining in all the scraps as I wind. I group my yarns by weight and colour to avoid clashes. These scrap cakes are ideally suited to patterns that work in stripes, like C2C.

Learning these basic skills can enhance your wardrobe, saving you money and perhaps rescuing and reviving an old favourite piece of clothing. So, embrace make do and mend and enjoy slow fashion.