From the quiet stillness of the winter solstice in December 2025 to the first breath of the spring equinox this past Friday, March 20, I participated once again in the Winter of Care and Repair Challenge. It's a simple but meaningful practice to care for what we already have.
 |
| Winter of Care and Repair: mending blue jeans with an inside patch and running stitches. |
Mending: a stitch in time…
Over these past three months, I worked my way through a variety of mends (my favorite form of C&R). Each mend may be small on its own but is powerful in accumulation. These are my successes:
- I strengthened a pair of my soft-with-wear jeans through slow stitching (shown above),
- patched holes in several socks,
- extended the life of a favorite purse by repairing its handle,
- gave new structure to bath towels with fresh hems,
 |
| Mending socks with Scanfil mending thread. |
- hemmed a pair of jeans for a BIL (who has a very short inseam),
 |
| Shortening a pair of jeans. |
- and mended a silk drawstring travel bag that hold my slippers in my suitcase.
 |
| Repair of my drawstring travel bag for my slippers. |
Some repairs felt especially satisfying. The most meaningful project was repairing a quilt that I made for a BIL (Brother #2) by adding new appliqué patches to worn blocks and attaching a new binding over frayed edges where needed.
 |
| Worn fabrics and holes in a much-loved quilt. |
Each new patch was carefully needle-turned and appliquéd to match the seam lines of the patchwork below. After the new fabrics were applied, I re-quilted the areas, trying to blend the new quilting with the previous quilting motifs and join the new quilting lines with the existing.
 |
| “Checks and Balances” with new appliqué patches attached. |
An additional (new) label documents the repair, so this quilt now carries both its history and its renewal.
 |
| Original label (right) and new label to document the quilt’s story. |
Home maintenance
The Winter of Care and Repair extended beyond fabric. We turned our attention to home, specifically the kitchen. We repaired a door hinge on the refrigerator and I tightened the screws on a wiggly door handle. It was practical work that ultimately saved a significant expense by avoiding the need for replacement. These moments of maintenance reinforced just how much value lives in a little attention.
Paper recycling
This season also included recycling and creative paper reuse.
 |
| Two junk journals made with discontinued sales boards and recycled brown packing papers. |
I made several junk journals from recycled paper and old sales materials, transforming what might have been waste into something both functional and expressive.
- One journal was used for Junk Journal January,
- two pocket-size journals hold space for drawing and sketching (shown above), and
- the most current journal is for my “Scrap a Day”100 Day Project.
 |
| Handmade journal using recycled papers. |
A new life for fabric scraps
Another meaningful project in the Winter of Care and Repair entailed the making and giving from materials I have on hand. Using scraps and discontinued fabric samples, I created several charity quilts—
- three to provide warmth for the outside cats,
- two for a work associate who cares for her own cats and several outside cats,
- and I have three quilt tops awaiting my quilt guild’s charity Cuddle Quilt workshop where I can get them basted.
 |
| Two quilts made from recycled fabric samples and fabric scraps from my stash. |
 |
| Two small scrappy kitty quilts for the outside cats. |
These quilts, made from remnants, became acts of care that extended beyond my own home, reminding me that even the smallest scraps can be gathered and made into something purposeful and kind.
Changing a mindset changes relationships
What I’ve learned through this season is that repair is not just about objects. It’s about relationship—to our belongings, our resources, our habitat, and our habits. It’s about resisting the ease of disposal and rediscovering the satisfaction of stewardship… choosing restoration over replacement.
As spring 2026 begins, I’m carrying this practice of Care and Repair forward. It’s a mindset and part of how I want to move through the world: attentively, mindfully, resourcefully, and with respect for what I already have. Because small acts, over time, can make a big difference.
