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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 and Manager of My Modern Met Store. She is a graduate of the Maryland Institute College of Art where she earned her BFA in Illustration and MFA in Illustration Practice. Sara is also an embroidery illustrator and writer living in Seattle, Washington. She runs Bear&Bean, a studio where she stitches pet portraits and other beloved creatures. She chronicles the creativity of others through her website Brown Paper Bag and newsletter, Orts. Her latest book is Threads of Treasure: How to Make, Mend, and Find Meaning Through Thread, published in 2014. Sara’s work has been recognized in Be Creative With Workbox, Embroidery Magazine, American Illustration, on Iron and Wine’s album Beast Epic, among others. When she’s not stitching or writing, Sara enjoys planning things that bring together the craft community. She is the co-founder of Camp Craftaway, a day camp for crafty adults with hands-on workshops in the Seattle area.
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