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Kaketsugi: The Japanese Art of Invisible Mending That Makes Clothing Holes Disappear

 

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A post shared by Yoshiko goto (@artisan_of_kaketsugi)

Well-loved clothing shows its wear through holes that seemingly appear out of nowhere.  A small hole in a jacket or pair of pants is disappointing, and you might think it’s time to get rid of the garment. But, that’s not always the case. The Japanese art of kaketsugi, or invisible mending, can take a damaged piece of clothing and make it look brand new; you'd never realize that the hole was ever there.

Kaketsugi repairs the cloth by taking a piece of fabric from another part of the garment that's invisible, such as the seam allowance on the inside of a jacket. After snipping the fabric, it's placed over the hole and its threads are woven into the rest of the garment. Often, this will involve the craftsperson separating the fibers into thinner strands and then using a needle and piece of guiding thread to weave them through. The delicate process is a magical sight to behold and includes skills that can take many years to master.

When done well, the fix looks invisible and breathes new life into a beloved article of clothing. To see kaketsugi in action, watch the videos below.

 A small hole in a shirt or jacket is disappointing, and you might think it's time to get rid of the garment. But not with kaketsugi, the Japanese art of invisible mending.

 

View this post on Instagram

 

A post shared by Yoshiko goto (@artisan_of_kaketsugi)

 

View this post on Instagram

 

A post shared by Yoshiko goto (@artisan_of_kaketsugi)

 

View this post on Instagram

 

A post shared by Yoshiko goto (@artisan_of_kaketsugi)

This technique allows you to mend a damaged piece of clothing and make it look brand new. You would never realize that the hole was ever there.

Kaketsugi repairs the cloth by taking a piece of fabric from another part of the garment that's invisible.

After snipping the fabric, it's placed over the hole and its threads are woven into the rest of the garment.

h/t: [Reddit]

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Sara Barnes

Sara Barnes is a Staff Editor at My Modern Met, Manager of My Modern Met Store, and co-host of the My Modern Met Top Artist Podcast. As an illustrator and writer living in Seattle, she chronicles illustration, embroidery, and beyond through her blog Brown Paper Bag and Instagram @brwnpaperbag. She wrote a book about embroidery artist Sarah K. Benning titled 'Embroidered Life' that was published by Chronicle Books in 2019. Sara is a graduate of the Maryland Institute College of Art. She earned her BFA in Illustration in 2008 and MFA in Illustration Practice in 2013.
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