The Benefits of Visible Mending for your Mental Health
It is my firm belief that visible mending can benefit our mental health and overall wellbeing as well as being a wonderfully practical and creative task.
Over recent years, there have been some studies and several articles about the benefits of crafting, in particular knitting and crochet, for our mental health. Although I have no study to back me up, I believe mending has the same benefits as knitting, as it’s really very similar in all the ways that matter. It may even beat knitting on a few points!
This is a sweater of mine that only had a tiny hole on the front, but I’ve decided to customise it as well as mend it, so I’m adding more colourful triangles to it. One of the reasons I’m adding so much to it is partly to be creative, and partly because I’m enjoying the process and got into flow state with it and didn’t want to stop!
Visible mending can help you relax
Being able to relax can be a challenge at times- it certainly is for me. I’m almost always thinking about and worrying about work (it’s a downside of being self-employed). Repetitive tasks like darning and swiss darning settle the mind and body, while your heart rate and breathing even out, and blood pressure lowers. It’s no wonder that mending has become my go-to de-stressing activity over the last few years.
In the knitting and crochet studies, they found that people feel happier, calmer and more useful after their time spent making, and I see no difference for mending.
Visible mending can be done for creativity, relaxation, and a sense of accomplishment brought on by making something wearable again, and giving it a new lease of life.
From years of teaching I appreciate that at first mending might not seem relaxing because you’re concentrating very hard on the stitches. Practice is a key element to learning any new skill, and it will improve!
Visible mending is very accessible
As mending is low cost and portable, it makes it very easy to take up as a craft, and easy to fit into your life. I always pack a project for a train journey, have some on the go at home, some at work and particularly when mending small items socks or gloves find they’re really easy to carry with me.
It’s low cost as all you need to get started is a needle, some yarn and a small pair of scissors. I also think visible mending is great as there are no techniques you have to do. How you decide to fix a hole is your choice, and you can use any relevant skills you have, or the skills you enjoy most. It’s ok not to be perfect and to still wear your repaired garment with pride.
This is a merino base layer of mine, that recently needed more repairs around the thumb holes. These were quite quick repairs, and they’re not perfect, but they give me the satisfaction of not having the holes, stoping the damage from getting worse, and I can wear it again!
Visible mending to improve mental health and wellbeing
People use craft to manage mental health conditions and emotions such as grief, and again mending can certainly fulfil this benefit too. Visible mending, like knitting or crochet, is helpful for processing, as repetition absorbs part of your attention but still allows you to think deeply. Studies have shown that people problem solve better while doing a repetitive task. I find it means I feel calmer and either able to escape my worries for a while or come up with solutions more easily and in a calm state. When mending a garment for a loved one, I’m often thinking about them as I work, and for me that’s a great way of gently connecting with them.
Mending something provides focus and creates a sense of achievement, and this helps combat depression. It’s also gives you a sense of control, combating feelings of uncertainty and reducing anxiety.
Taking part in any craft also helps maintain dexterity and cognitive health.
Activities that are challenging but not stressful or overwhelming help achieve flow state. Repetitive active and rhythmic movements lead to flow state, and darning and swiss darning are both very repetitive. In flow, thoughts and movements should come naturally and feel pleasurable and joyful, and it’s easy to lose track of time.
I do think it’s important to say that to achieve flow state it’s helpful to set aside time for your mending project- ideally a few hours so you can really sink into it! I personally find it hard to get into flow state if I’m having to try and squeeze my mending into the odd half an hour here and there, so my tip is to make time for it. It’s worth it.
This is a darn to repair and reinforce and area at the front of a sweater that had been worn away by a car seatbelt. It was very repetitive, and I spent about 4-5 hours on it I think and it was just bliss! A great mix of creativity and relaxation.
Visible mending and social connection.
Mending is an activity you can do alone, or it’s a simple one to do in the company of others. There’s a good online community, as well as increasing in person communities. Look out for local groups, start one yourself or come along to a visible mending workshop!
Mending in an in-person group can help with social anxiety as it’s a way to meet people while not having to make eye contact or engage too directly, while being in a supportive and encouraging environment.
Mending comes with environmental benefits
The environmental benefits of mending is where I think it beats knitting and crochet. By choosing to repair our clothes, we are are slowly reducing waste and creating a deeper connection to the clothes we wear. By keeping out clothes for longer, we’re also reducing the use of new resources, which is also beneficial for the environment.
I think it helps to shift our attitude to the clothes we buy, and I think it makes us think twice before buying. We can feel a sense of purpose, renew our determination to make positive changes in our lives for the sake of the earth we live on, and start reducing the stress I think a lot of us feel about the climate crisis. It might feel like a small thing to do, but it is something, and the more people who try it, the more difference it can make.
The satisfaction of mending something while wearing a sweater I’ve already repaired!
How to start visibly mending your clothes?
If you’d like to learn how to visibly mend your knitwear, I have a range of resources to help you, including my book ‘Visible Creative Mending for Knitwear’, video tutorials and regular workshops, both online and in person. I also have mending kits and darning yarnsif you need them.
Looking for inspiration, or some advice? I have a range of blogs that you might find helpful, with mending tips and examples.
Just looking for tips on how to make your knitwear last longer? I have blogs about that too, with washing tips for both wool and cashmere, and tips for avoiding moths.
Do you find mending helps your mental health?