All the slow stitching was driving me nuts. It was taking forever and I just wanted to make something pretty to wear - right now!

I've got an old wool jacket and it's threadbare in places. Moths have eaten holes in one of the elbows. The sleeves are torn, ragged and worn at the wrists. None of the zips work but it's warm and I spent good money on it. No way am I gonna throw it out!

Then I had a brainwave. Patch it up with eco-dyed wool scraps left from making the vest I'm *still* slow stitching.  So I cut out leaf prints, acacia pod prints and green copper rod marks. I managed to avoid most of the parts where there were black (possibly) mould spots from the eco dyeing - bonus!

I like the organic feel from the slightly wonky hand stitching and the unevenly cut fabric. The wool has already started to fray a little around the edges because I didn't bother to zig-zag them first. 

I get so much joy from mending the things I own and continuing to use them long after they should have been thrown in the bin. It's crazy how happy it makes me feel. When I mend something, it becomes completely mine - no-one else will wear or mend their clothes in the same way I do. We're all unique and it's nice to have clothes to reflect my individuality.

I love fast projects where I just dive on in and trust it's going to turn out okay. There's a fluidity and grace to working fast with no pattern and minimal thought. It's liberating and gratifying when it works out.

Thanks to my gorgeous girls for taking the photos