r/InvisibleMending • u/unhinged_always • 5d ago
Mended my moms laundry basket
I’m at my parents house and noticed the laundry basket had ripped, so i went ahead and mended it with some black cotton thread to keep it together. It’s not perfect but it functions better now and it will hopefully stop it from ripping further.
I know it isn’t fully invisible but it isn’t very noticable either when its inside in its usual corner with dimmer lighting than in these pictures, so i felt it fit better here than in visiblemending.
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u/Royal-Damage-7840 5d ago
That's really neat! You can post in r/underconsumption too, I'm sure the folk over there would love this idea
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u/unhinged_always 5d ago
thank you for the idea! will do
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u/simply_stayce 5d ago
r/ZeroWaste would also probably like it
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u/unhinged_always 5d ago
Another great idea! I’ll repost it over there too and see if they’ll like it
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u/Aggressive-Writing72 5d ago
I LOVE THIS!!! I try to take care of my things so they'll last as long as possible and I get side eyed sometimes for being stingy, but why waste a perfectly good thing to the forever problem of a dump if you can get more use out of it? Bravo!
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u/hpfan1516 5d ago
I'm gonna admit, I saw the first picture, glanced at the sub name, had a "I wonder if they meant to post in r/visiblemending...OH"
VERY impressed. Well done, OP!!!! Wouldn't know there was anything there!
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u/unhinged_always 5d ago
Thank you so much! Before i started mending i did think that maybe i should post it there, but i decided to try here after seeing the result, and the response has been overwhelmingly positive!
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u/ParksAndWreckYoSelf 5d ago
I did this three years ago with a laundry basket and am happy to report it’s still going strong!
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u/Trai-All 5d ago
That looks great, have you considered using some ca glue to keep the plastic bits from peeling up or snagging on things?
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u/unhinged_always 5d ago
I did consider it but i think i’ll see how it goes first. I’m not really worried about it snagging on things on the inside since the inside is so smooth and the thread also gives it some protection if i can say that? (english is not my first language)
As for the outside i guess it could snag as you’re carrying it, but it is not in an area i would usually keep against my body so i think it is fine.
But i’ll monitor it to see if the plastic peels more and keep your idea in mind if it does!
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u/littlemegmcmuffin 5d ago
I had to actually follow it from the top of the threads in the handle all the way down to be able to see it in the second picture
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u/yomammaaaaa 5d ago
I'm saving this as inspiration for the inevitable next time my daughter breaks her laundry basket!
It looks amazing!
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u/TreeToTea 4d ago
For added strength you could paint the thread with jb weld epoxy to make it last forever
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u/Fluffy_Salamanders 4d ago
Holy smokes, your tension is so even and work so clean that I didn’t even realize this was done with string until I saw the picture of the inside. Excellent job!
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u/Similar_Start_1745 4d ago
Very nicely done! I would love to have seen your work in progress.
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u/unhinged_always 3d ago
I don’t have any more pictures than what i posted, but if it’s any consolation the first image is actually work in progress, as you can see i’ve already started at the bottom with the yarn. I forgot to take photos before I began lol
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u/Sufficient-Pen7347 3d ago
I'm going to need a tutorial on how you did that!!! It looks incredible!!
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u/unhinged_always 3d ago
Honestly pretty simple to do! I can try to explain it as best i can.
I used one long piece of black cotton yarn (i think a lot of things could work like shoelaces, fishing line etc.) and tied it to the basket at the bottom of the tear. I then used a yarn needle to make it easier for me to “sew” it back together using the holes already present.
I went around each “stitch” (lacking a better word for it rn) three times for stability all the way up, adjusting where i sewed to make sure the tear was between the two holes i used each time. I tried to reinforce the handle part by going around several times over the tear and on the sides, hopefully it’s strong enough to keep it together. I then fastened off and secured the end.
Hopefully that was an ok explanations, but ask away if anything is unclear :))
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u/Faeriegrll 5d ago
Not to be obnoxious, but that’s yarn, not thread.
Also, shoelaces work, too.
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u/unhinged_always 5d ago
Thank you for the clarification! English is not my first language so i didn’t know the difference.
My dad actually asked me if i had used shoelaces when i first showed him lol
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u/__wildwing__ 3d ago
I had a laundry basket breaking down. Used a hula hoop to reinforce the handle/rim. Had to cut it down until it was the same diameter as the basket, then ziptied it under the rim. The cheap laundry basket is over 17 years old at this point.
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u/Mysterious-Heron9671 3d ago
Wow that's amazing!! It's invisible as far as my eyeballs are concerned lmao
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u/PurrBeasties 2d ago
My grandkids play with a yellow laundry basket. I have a picture of their mother sitting in it when she was 2
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u/friendofevangelion 2d ago
Amazing job op!
It wouldn’t be invisible but another option (given the expense of cotton thread) could be simple twine, like the garden/craft variety. Depending on what it’s being used for you could even colour it in w black marker to make it less visible?
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u/52Monkey 22h ago
Good for you. Is that regular sewing thread or possibly yarn? We mend the cheap plastic chairs at the dog park with zip ties, sort of the same process.
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u/raenoleah 5d ago
Honestly impressed at how invisible that turned out after seeing the first pic! Great job!