Mended Wool Suit bag
Every mend carries a history.
This bag began as a men's wool suit, originally transformed in London by Edson Raupp for his Suitcase brand into a structured crossbody bag. The jacket front became the main body, while the sleeve—with its original cuff buttons still intact—folds over to form the top flap.
When its owner brought the bag to my studio, moths had compromised the wool. Rather than hiding the damage, I addressed each hole with its own distinct hand stitch using rich reds and burgundies against the grey check fabric. The repairs feature a variety of motifs—rings, sunbursts, dense knots, and a bold sawtooth medallion.
Most of the visible mending lives on the back of the bag, holding a second, quiet set of details for anyone who turns it over. It has now been given a new life twice: first as a tailored bag, and then as a canvas for functional textile art..
Upcycled grey wool suit crossbody bag originally crafted by Edson Raupp (Suitcase), customized with red and burgundy hand-stitched visible mending by Carlyn Clark to repair moth damage. Features original sleeve cuff buttons on the fold-over flap and geometric stitch motifs across the back.
Detail of the back of the upcycled grey wool suit bag, highlighting hand-stitched visible mending by Carlyn Clark. Moth hole repairs feature decorative stitch motifs in bright red and deep burgundy thread, including a sunburst ring, a sawtooth medallion, and small intricate knots against the fine grey wool check.
A composite gallery showcasing individual visible mending details by Carlyn Clark on grey wool. Each moth hole is repaired using a distinct hand-stitched motif in red and burgundy thread—including sawtooth medallions, sunburst rings, French knots, woven patches, and starburst patterns.