Apr 5, 20213 min read

Mend it Monday.

I do a lot of mending around here.

I like to keep things going for as long as I can. Keeping them out of the landfills and working in general to reduce our carbon footprint is close to my heart.

I grew up watching my parents and Grandparents mend things and keep them working. My Grandparents went through the war and Germany had really nothing after it was over. So it was a necessity to keep things going.

My family lived by the maxim of

use it up,

wear it out,

make it do,

or do without.

Few things were simply tossed.

A very real reminder, and something that still rings in my memory was my Grandfather saying at Sunday meals: we can eat it all. We need not worry about leftovers.

To him this was something special. No food needed to be kept back for the next day, to make sure you had something to eat. He was always so proud of that.

When I was little I had no concept of what it meant. But growing up and studying in school, I figured it out right quick and to this day I can hear my Grandfather's voice telling me we can "eat it all and need not worry about leftovers". It makes me smile and truly grateful that my family is lucky not to have worries like this. Isn't this funny? It's the little things that stick with you.

We do eat leftovers in our house. Regularly. Because food waste is another cause close to my heart.

But I digress.

So back to my mending. I try to keep up with it as it comes, but there seems to be always a little pile anyway.

This week, I decided to fix a few baskets. These are quite sizeable baskets an would be expensive to replace brand new, also they are not always available at the thrift stores, so it is well worth the effort to fix them. Specially easy fixes like these.

Only the handles were broken.

Well. The handle wrapping broke on one of them.

Wicker basket with one handle wrap broken and hanging lose

I decided this is a job for my handmade fabric rope and some hot glue.

Simply take the broken wrapping off and start wrapping the fabric rope around as a replacement. I hope glued it on several spots to make it stay. Now the basket is as good as new.

Same wicker basket with the handle wrapping fixed by using hand made scrap fabric rope. Inside the basket are more skeins of scrap fabric rope

The second basket had the handle simply stuck into the weft of the body. All I had to do was shove it back in. I did give it a spot of hot glue to make sure it would not slide right back out.

Another wicker basket with the nailed popped out of the wicker weaving on the side.

Same wicker basket with the handle inserted back into the wicker weaving of the main basket body.

I love baskets and always buy them when I find a nice one at a thrift store or garage sale. (Can't wait to get back to thrifting after I am fully vaccinated!!!!) If a basket has "good bones", but needs a little repair, don't let that scare you off. A loose handle is often easily repaired, as you have seen. A bit of research and reading up on how to handle other problems in baskets will help along with most repairs. It will keep your baskets looking their best for a long time, help you save money and the environment as well.

Of course, antique and collectors baskets should always be repaired by a professional, to restore/retain the value!

But my run of the mill/"last season's IKEA baskets", and simple working baskets can be repaired and refinished at home.

I have put together a bit of reading material on how to repair baskets for you.

E how to article.

Suggestion for a coiled basket repair.

Here is a repair for a plastic dishwasher basket. (Plastic baskets need to be repaired even more, since they don't decay.)

A link on how to repair wicker furniture.

Wicker care.

Reviving dried wicker.

Basket care.

I hope this helps you take care of your baskets and other wicker/rattan items and makes you more confident in acquiring baskets, even damaged ones.

Xo,❤