To celebrate International Repair Day, we’ve picked some books on creative and practical inspirations for mending and do-ups. The below list is full of advice, including a book from the BBC’s popular show The Repair Shop; the Haynes Manuals, an online resource for car and motorcycle repairs; and artistic upholstering to help you do some DIY upcycling. The benefit of repairing goes way beyond saving budget!
eLibrary resource: Haynes Car and Motorcycle Manuals
The Repair Shop : life in the barn : the inside stories from the experts / Dowle, Jayne
“In today’s throwaway culture, there’s a counter movement growing that urges us to “make do and mend”. The Repair Shop has brought this waste-conscious message to an even wider audience, cementing itself as a BBC classic of the likes of Antiques Roadshow. This book concentrates on the show’s much-loved experts, including woodworker and furniture restorer Will Kirk, clockmaker and mechanical wizard Steve Fletcher, silversmith Brenton West, saddler/leatherworker Suzie Fletcher and more. (Adapted from the Catalogue)
Mazda 6 automotive repair manual / Killingsworth, Jeff
“Save big with a Haynes manual and you can do it yourself from simple maintenance to basic repairs. Haynes writes every book based on a complete teardown of the vehicle. We learn the best ways to do a job and that makes it quicker, easier and cheaper for you. Our books have clear instructions and hundreds of photographs that show each step. You will find routine maintenance, tune-up procedures, engine repair, cooling and heating, air conditioning, fuel and exhaust, emissions control, ignition, brakes, suspension and more.”(Adapted from the Catalogue)
Style, stitch, staple : basic upholstering skills to tackle any project / Stanton, Hannah
“Style, Stitch, Staple combines straightforward upholstery techniques with advice on choosing and styling fabrics to make the even the most dilapidated furniture into gorgeous, updated pieces. Packed full of fabric advice, yardage charts, upholstery tutorials, and case studies that feature salvaged and inexpensive furniture, this book is the perfect go-to-guide for the many sewers, designers, and artists who want to learn to rescue and revive furniture with a unique, personalized, and stylish look.” (Adapted from Amazon.com)
Make & mend : the Japanese art of sashiko embroidery : 15 beautiful sashiko and visible mending projects / Marquez, Jessica
“Make and Mend is an exquisite, full-colour guide to sashiko, a simple Japanese stitching technique that uses stunning patterns to decorate or repair clothing, accessories and home textiles – requiring no special equipment other than a sewing needle and some thread! With 15 projects applying a modern, on-trend aesthetic to this ancient craft, this book focuses on repairing torn jeans, pillow, tablecloth and totebag.” (Adapted from the Catalogue)
The complete guide to bathrooms : beautiful upgrades & hardworking improvements you can do yourself
“BLACK+DECKER Complete Guide to Bathrooms brings you design advice, how-to instructions, with photography to remodel the bathroom of your dreams. From freshening up decor to a down-to-the-studs remodel, all of the information you need to design the job and do the work yourself is right here. This new edition also features smart home projects, from advanced toilets and add-on bidets to freestanding tubs, dimmable lights, and touchless faucets. (Adapted from the Catalogue)
