People are learning to mend their ways, one broken item at a time.

No matter whether it is a sock that needs darning or a table that needs a new leg, repair events are on-trend and helping keep items from landfill.

Repair advocate Lorna Schmidt has been a loyal supporter of Wastebusters’ repair events over the years, always attending as a volunteer, armed with two sewing machines.

She uses one for heavy duty repairs, while the other is used for mending holes in clothes.

Lorna, of Luggate, has been to numerous repair events, including in Cromwell and Queenstown.

“It’s putting into action the sort of things that you personally think we need to do, to have a bit more respect for this earth we are living on,” she said, of why she enjoys taking part.

Her main superpower is sewing. 

However, there is more to her craft than adjusting hems and mending holes. 

Among her many creations is a pair of trousers and shorts she crafted and designed for her granddaughters, made from one of her late husband’s jackets.

She also creates and mends items for friends, but the aspect she enjoys most is teaching others.

Many people she has taught are now confident repairers.

She recalls one young boy who attended a couple of Wastebusters events, who had taken some of his merino tops to her for mending.

“He chose all the threads and I got him to do a bit of pinning and he learned how to thread the sewing machine.”

Wastebusters will host two repair events later this month, to coincide with International Repair Day, which was celebrated last weekend.

The first event will take place in conjunction with Cardrona at Basecamp in Wanaka. The second event will be held in conjunction with Connect Cromwell, at the Cromwell Sports Club on October 30.

International Repair Day also marked the launch of Repair Cafe Aotearoa NZ, which hosted an online repair event last Saturday to celebrate the occasion.

How to:

• Volunteer at the Cromwell repair event by visiting wastebusters.co.nz and click on the repair tab to register.