Well Worn

by Skye Pennant

[annieb123]

Originally posted on my blog Nonstop Reader.

Well Worn is a philosophically written monograph on mending, enhancing, fixing, and extending the life of the clothing we have, written and with tutorials by Skye Pennant. Released 21st May 2024 by Princeton Architectural Press, it's 144 pages and is available in paperback and ebook formats.

This is a practical guide, but additionally, the author educates about the negative impacts of the "fast fashion" industry in terms of resource use, exploitation and abuse of workers, and environmental impact. The book is logically laid out and written in layman accessible language which anyone can understand. 

The introduction (roughly 1/3 of the content) includes background, a -solid- tutorial on notions and tools for repair, and a good triage discussion on what to repair, how to decide if it's worth it, and what to do with the pieces which don't get repaired. The author is practical and efficient and explains the how, what, where, and when of the process. 

The other 2/3s of the book are given to specific tutorials (jeans, knitwear, shirts, t-shirts, leggings, socks, jackets, and delicate fabrics). The specific tutorials are very well illustrated with clear color photographs as well as line drawn illustrations. 

This will be a fast favorite with readers who enjoy fibrearts, thrift/retro shoppers, marketplace and flea market bargain hunters, as well as making a good addition to the home sewist's library. It would also make an excellent acquisition for public or school library, maker's groups, and similar. 

Five stars. Creative and worthwhile. 

Disclosure: I received an ARC at no cost from the author/publisher for review purposes.