Crafts: On the mend, two ways

Hey, look at this! When I saw this man locking his bike outside a thrift store, I spontaneously shot him from the back. Then I realized I better explain myself; it was the jeans that drew my eye:

Jeans Guy shows his chops

Jeans Guy said he's been doing this kind of mending for years. He had also screen-printed some of the patches on the jeans and his messenger bag. I noticed the care he had taken, removing the pockets to patch the seat, then detailing the pockets and using sashiko stitches to re-apply those. 

At a thrift, I found a pink jeans jacket and, encouraged by his work, now want to do something with it. Here's the before version:

"What will she do with me?"

I thought that with some pointers, I could try sashiko and maybe some boro. Jenny Lennick's "Jenny Lemons" blog has just what I was looking for, a beginner sashiko on a jeans jacket tutorial. Her own jacket is in progress too; she plans to completely cover it:

Photo courtesy Jenny Lennick, on Jenny Lemons

I tend be dazzled by projects that take more advanced skills than mine, so I'll start with a simple motif on a small section, like the pocket flaps. But I have time. I'm recuperating from a meniscal tear that curtails my long daily walks, and hand-sewing doesn't stress the wonky joint.

To break the mending ice, I darned Le Duc's well-worn navy and pink marinière and sewed a VW bus patch over a hole; it has become his favourite:

Le Duc's "Magic Bus"

But, whoo hoo, there are some stunning embroidered jean jackets and tops out there! Reading the makers' posts gave me a list of supplies I'll need: an embroidery hoop, thread, and stencils for the more detailed sashiko patterns. (Free patterns here.) Yep, hobbies equal stuff.

I looked at traditional sashiko and boro, classic embroidery stitches, and merrily mixed techniques:

Clockwise from top left:

Leslie Fehling's mandala-embroidered jacket. Classic stitchery, and one focal image.

Marina Tophika's embroidered blouse reminds me to just go for it, once I have a few sections done.
Emily Vanleemput's sashiko and embroidery jacket; her succinct step by step tutorial is on Autodesk Tutorials.

The knee is going to take time to rehabilitate; stitching is a pleasing reward for completing the daily physio exercises. It's worthwhile to keep the worn but treasured bits going as long as we can, whether denim or knee joints!