Hello Minders & Menders,
Uff. 2026 feels like both the best and worst year to be pivoting the business like this. I hope 2026 can be a year of visible mending both literally and figuratively.
Visible mending is the practice of repairing in a way that celebrates the flaw, rather than hiding it. Many cultures have versions of this such as Kintsugi – the Japanese art of repairing broken pottery with gold. The repair becomes part of the art and part of the story.
It’s also a practice that can apply to societies. Instead of mistakes being buried or victims being gaslit, those loose threads are acknowledge with vulnerability and intentionality. True visible mending is artful.
What goals do you have for visible repair in 2026?
Ignorance adheres only to fleeting bliss,
Fraying and falling in steady decline.
Conscious mending says "I've come through this."
Each visible stitch unearthing a peaceful shine.
So it is with threads, and trust, and land:
repair is art when done by hand.
UFF – TADA
Hand-me-downs are fantastic, but they can also come damaged. Maybe you have a cotton or wool hand-me-down that has a little hole from kid rough-housing, an ink stain from a messy apology letter, or maybe it just doesn’t feel quite like “you.” Do some mending with a few simple tools and it can still become a cozy favorite.
Tools: Wool roving, needle-felting needle, felting pad, and finger protectors
Steps:
1. Place your felting pad inside the garment under the spot you wish to mend or enhance.
2. Pull a piece of roving off (it should pull apart like cotton candy) and place it over the spot.
3. Needle-felt the wool into the garment in whatever design you prefer. (Tip for beginners: Use a cookie cutter for your shape – this also helps keep your fingers out of the way)
4. For more stability, you can follow up by wet-felting your design.
Uff Tada Updates
While it’s hard to wait, Uff Tada (as of this post) is technically in the “coming soon” stage. You can still buy North Delta patches and artwork at local locations, but here is what else is growing behind the scenes in the meantime:
1. A patch-themed card game is in the works. Hopefully ready to be released this spring or summer. If you want to test out the rough draft, please reach out!
2. Tool & product curation is coming together. If you have a recommendation for a kit or product you’d love for Uff Tada to carry, please reach out!
3. Class & event updates are coming soon. The rough draft page for workshops can be found on the “Events” page. If you want to get on the books ASAP, please reach out!
A huge thank you to everyone who has supported this new step. I hope the gratitude is palpable. Here’s to new adventures in the new year!
Love Always.
