I have a problem with Pinterest – it causes me to want to do ALL THE THINGS. You know what I mean right?! The likelihood of my ever finishing all of my pins is currently somewhere in the “never in a million years” range. Yikes! I recently got the chance to review an amazing subscription box and accomplish a bucket list project, so I took it… and now I get to share a fun new product with you today. (Disclaimer: Cannonball Collective sent me this kit in exchange for a review. All opinions are my own – as usual. This truly was a great experience.)
I’ve been seeing a ton of visible mending happening on the interwebs lately. Along with an increased focus on hand mending, hand sewing, slow sewing – reusing and recycling fabrics. When I got an email from Cannonball Collective asking if I would like to try out their Revival Issue, Torn and Frayed Cannonball Kit… I thought it was a great way to get to do some visible mending. But I have to admit it was the chance to use these Merchant and Mills products that made me say “Yes, Please!”
I got the box sooner than expected, Canadian shipping usually takes longer when things come here from the US. Great start! It was soooo hard to wait for the right sunny day to open the box and get some good photos. Unpacking it I wondered how I got to be so fortunate as to have all of these great quality sewing products landing in my mailbox. Fabulous Japanese sourced fabrics, thread and a super well designed ‘zine full of great inspiration – they call it “ignition” which is a great word for it! There’s even gum (melon flavoured) from Japan included just for fun.
I’m a sucker for marketing and branding – how things look – and this ticks all the boxes. It looks amazing and is well thought through. Best part is this box is all about visible mending. I’ve been looking for an opportunity to fix my favorite jeans. They got a huge hole in the knee and I think everyone was tired of seeing me walk around in them – plus my knee got cold in the winter. One bucket list project down! #check
I took an afternoon out recently to explore the box and fix my favorite comfy jeans. The mini magazine included was full of inspiration, so instead of searching online for ideas like I usually do, I turned to it instead. No screens! So I sat with my melon flavoured gum, reading an inspiring interview with Luke Deverell from Darn and Dusted and taking in photo after photo of amazing visible mending. (Oh, and the Imagination Movers in the background… yup, kids…)
The experience was a lot of fun and I found out that machine sewing doesn’t relax me. I love creating, but I’m too much of a hurry to be done and see the final product! With this hand-stitching it was totally different, concentrating on each stitch – the length of them, where to put them… I was inspired by the halo of stars you see over a cartoon characters head when they get hurt. So… the giant hole in my pants is surrounded by stars too. There’s also a star and a few cross-stitches on the side of my jeans – around the hip area where they were pulling apart. We won’t talk about why the hip area might be getting tight though, got me?! #reallife #momlife
You all know by now how much I like to know the story-behind-the-story. Going back again to my Pinterest comment – this kit gives you an actual experience. Cannonball Collective sends out kits with everything you need to create, to make it easy for you! Here’s what they have to say:
“We believe there is a strong desire for good, solid, interesting, inspiring, and entertaining storytelling, particularly delivered digitally. But while it’s fun to discover and learn through reading about stuff, actually doing the stuff takes you that extra mile.” ~ Cannonball Collective Founders Story
Does ordering this subscription and getting a new experience every quarter sound fun to you? The kit came to me with two $10 off cards, and I want to share the love. I will personally mail them out anywhere internationally. So, if you are serious about ordering the subscription they will go to the first two people to email me with their address – and I will update this post to let you know when they have been taken. (The subscription is $95 US every quarter and Cannonball Collective ships internationally. Send emails to: sherri at threadridinghood dot com)
Reader Feedback:Have you tried visible mending?
Why couldn’t I have found this post two weeks ago, before I cut my jeans off because of a hole in the knee??? Visible mending. Love it. Also, this month at Project Run & Play there isn’t a particular pattern, you just have to do some hand sewing on whatever you make. I’ve done one project and am totally itching to do another.
Oh no Mindy! Next time for sure, right?! That would be a great project for PR&P – great idea!
These are so super cute. I love that you went from the cartoon concussion stars to the beautifully stitched ones on your knee. Nicely done!
Thanks so much Daryl! It’s so much fun to wear them – kindof like an art piece, and not so much “just my comfy jeans”. 🙂
thank you so much for sharing your mending! I am pretty new to sewing and am just learning my machine, but after having 4 kiddos I’m finally getting back into a fav pair of jeans, and uhm…they need a little help 🙂 I love the kit and will be checking out that subscription as soon as budget allows. What kind of thread is good for mending jeans? Does it need to be the super strong thread or just regular quilting/sewing thread? Thanks!
Hi Kimberlee! I love the mending too! It’s really creative and fun. If you are mending it might help to get some thicker “jeans” thread. Or top-stitching thread. If you have regular thread you could go over the area multiple times – that should work too.