Stitch It, Don't Ditch It: Mary V Morton & Jeanna Wigger talk Mending Clothes

Mary V Morton is a climate-concerned grandma and a sewing volunteer with SHRUB Coop, a zero-waste charity in Edinburgh. Mary set up Edinburgh Street Stitchers, a group who take their camping chairs and 'Stitch it Don't Ditch It' banners out to streets and parks around the city to share their sewing skills and enable people to repair what they wear.

Jeanna Wigger (@thepeoplesmending) is a life-long educator, creative, and textile enthusiast. She has taught embroidery and garment repair classes, co-organized hand sewing creative groups building community through craft, and volunteered to sort donated clothing with a non-profit organization to learn more about the impact of clothing waste on the world.

Together they join us to celebrate their new book Stitch It, Don't Ditch It. Showing us how to master the art of mending just requires a few simple sewing techniques which can extend the life of your wardrobe and your treasured clothing.

Stitch it, Don't Ditch It will guide you through the fundamentals of mending, from the kit you'll need, how to tackle different types of repair to the core skills covering the common mends that will help you fix 90% of your clothes. Aimed at those with limited or no sewing skills, this book provides step-by-step instructions and helpful tips, including how to thread a needle, replace a button, back stitch a torn seam, rescue ladders and snags in knitwear.

Mary V Morton and Jeanna Wigger shows readers how to choose the appropriate technique for your repair, fabric terminology and the anatomy of garments, making this the ultimate guide to those who want to be less wasteful and more sustainable.

Learn to darn socks, sew on patches, hem trousers, and stop fraying with this ultimate immersive guide to mending for anyone who wants to have a more sustainable style.