The Mender’s Kit

For when the clothes need mending

The Mender’s Kit. The right panel with the biggest pocket serves to hold threads for embroidery projects. On the left side is a compartment for the measuring tape and a pocket for buttons and other stuff.

For a long time, I kept most of my sewing equipment in a plastic bag. Handy, perhaps, but not ideal for long-term storage or usage. Moving away from plastic in general is something I am in the process of doing. Creating my own sewing kit, therefore, became the natural next step.

How I made it

This design started on the drawing board. I find it helpful to visualize; drawing the design helps a lot in this regard. I talked through it with my collective and received good hints on the structure. One person inspired me to make the tri-fold panel design, and another helped me see that I needed some extra space between each panel so they would fold nicely together. For this project, success lay very much in the prep work.

On paper, I measured the length I wanted for the final piece. I added seam allowance and decided where it was natural to hem (fold the edge of the fabric and seal it with a straight stitch). I left 2 cm for seam allowance and hemmed the edges. For each panel, I had drawn the size of the slots, compartments, and pockets.

The red fabric was sourced from a local Indian store on Grønnland in Oslo, and the thread is 100% cotton. By supporting local businesses and small actors, you choose to withdraw your money from the big industry and global chains.

I like to work in sequence and do one thing at a time. First, I finished the tri-fold panel piece, and then I worked on preparing each panel one by one.

Showing the left panel that holds the needles and a small slot for the seam ripper. The scissor is part of the middle panel.

Each compartment and pocket was first hemmed. Meaning that I folded the edge and then sewed it down. I made sure that it had the correct size, then I sewed it onto the panel.

Love is expressed through symmetry and beauty. It is a feeling of “Agh!” in the stomach, and connects you deeper with the Divine. That is why I finished the piece by adding a touch of embroidery around the edges of the kit.

Sew for Mother Earth

We as humanity are playing a game where the goal is infinite economic growth, but with limited resources. At some time, there will come a tipping point, where the resources are exhausted and left lying around on massive landfills. The clothing industry is a huge part of this.

The message from the industry is this: "You are not good enough. You are lacking something. We have what you need to make yourself whole, but only if you give us your money." Observe what the hidden message behind advertisements really says. It creates a whole lot of dependency, where you do not feel good until you own that piece of clothing.

That is why I sew for Mother Earth. I have decided to stop buying new clothes and gear and instead sew my own. By cutting myself off from the claws of the clothing industry, I hand the power back into my own hands. Sewing your own clothes (or at least buying second-hand) is one of the most self-rewarding and kind act you can do for yourself and Mother Earth.

Showing all panels in the sewing kit.