The Repair Shop: A make do and mend guide to caring for the things you love

by Karen Farrington, Jay Blades (Foreword)

THE SUNDAY TIMES BESTSELLER AND OFFICIAL COMPANION TO THE HIT BBC SERIES

BBC’s The Repair Shop is a place where Britain’s most skilled and caring craftspeople rescue and resurrect items that owners thought were beyond saving. Their shared love of craft has helped hundreds of people recover and relive cherished memories, and inspired millions to rediscover their own prized possessions. The skill required to properly restore those items may be beyond most of us, but there are small things we can all do to care for the items we love the most. How do you replenish the stuffing in your child’s beloved, tatty teddy bear, for instance? Or remove a water mark left on your wooden table? What’s the best way to prevent your leather from cracking?

Direct from the Repair Shop's 'Workshop of Dreams', this ‘make do and mend’ guide collects advice and stories from each of the show’s experts, to help you understand and care for those aging treasures and heirlooms around your house or gathering dust in the garage. Whether it’s wood, ceramics, leather or silverware, you will get to know your materials, tools and terms from Britain’s best, as the Repair Shop experts share their tips on restoring and conserving, reveal their favourite tools, and provide a series of small, manageable projects that help tackle the most common problems that occur in their given medium. Their book, like the show it accompanies, with help you safeguard your sentimental legacy for generations to come.

Genres: Nonfiction

224 pages, Hardcover

Published November 1, 2019

About the author

Karen Farrington is a former journalist who has contributed to numerous publications on military history. She has also written extensively on assassinations, natural disasters, & religion.

Reviews

[Chris · Rating 3 out of 5]

Rather disappointing. It has some brief descriptions of repairs that some might recognise from the TV programmes, but they are little more than an overview. There is hardly any detail about what was done or how it was done. And where are the photos?? This book is crying out for some before, during and after photos of the repair process. There are some sketchy illustrations (not of the repairs!) which don't add anything to the book. You also get a short list of some of each repairer's favourite tools, but it doesn't really help anyone who might like to tackle a project of their own. There is no detailed descriptions of them and there is no supplier information at all. This is a book that could have been a fantastic resource, but is instead a severe let-down. Such a pity.

[Lori · Rating 3 out of 5]

Very good for an overview of certain repair techniques, but lacks detail and doesn't illustrate the progress of the repairs. It is less a "how to" book and more of a what I have done book. But it does offer some informative techniques.

Very good for an overview of certain replacement techniques but lacks detail and doesn't illustrate the progress of the repairs. It is less a "how to" book and more of a this is what I have done book. It still offers some good information.

[Ally Howard · Rating 1 out of 5]

Absolutely the most disappointing book I have ever received. It’s printed on poor-quality paper and has very basic line drawings instead of photographs of the projects. Most of the text consists of trivia, plus very basic information that can easily be found on the internet, with little guidance on techniques used on the projects featured. It hasn’t even been proof-read: an example is the phrase ‘Biaze is a woollen fabric…’. And it cost £14.99. The BBC should be ashamed of this book.

[Bert · Rating 2 out of 5]

As I love to mend, repair and restore items, I was hoping to discover more about the techniques and tools used by the amazing craftspeople at the repair shop. However, the book doesn't show more than what is shown in the TV series... The bulk of the book is an annotation of the actual cases shown in the TV series, so not much new there. A bit disapointed.

[Lester Muirhead · Rating 4 out of 5]

A how not to rather than a how to book as it contains many warnings against trying to emulate the achievements of the experts chronicled herein, nevertheless there are many hints on how to maintain your own curios, heirlooms and objects d'art.
Like the television programme that inspired it, it tells many heartwarming stories of items repaired and renewed by the Repair Shop team.

[Ligaya · Rating 3 out of 5]

I love The Repair Shop show and was so stoked to find out that The Repair Shop books even existed! Unfortunately, this book left much to be desired. I read it cover to cover, remembering several episodes that I had watched, but so wished that there were PHOTOS that showed the restored pieces, tools used, or even some of the lovely cast from the show. Could have been SO much more...

[Stacey · Rating 3 out of 5]

Recap of some of the repairs which featured in the series, interspersed with glossaries and brief potted history fot each type of craft. Some useful tips on a few specific repair jobs - but an annoying number of typos throughout. No pictures.

[Deepak · Rating 1 out of 5]

Was expecting more detailed instructions but it lacks that and seems to cover stories about mending things.

[Gill Upson · Rating 5 out of 5]

Brilliant

Informative & knowledgeable
Clear & succinct advice on ‘how to’ repair items
Full explanation given & advice on tools
Brilliant

[Barbara Doolan · Rating 4 out of 5]

lovely simple reference book, the talent in the workshop is one to behold, so to be honest this book even has a little sentimentality attached to it.

[Kelly · Rating 2 out of 5]

I loved the idea of this book, loving the TV show and usually crying at least once an episode. A true companion would be a blend of tips, explanations of the repairs featured in the show and the history of the item. In a way the book did pull it off, but it definitely could have been better, a bit more time spent on it and some more money and this would have been a lovely little book.

I agree with other reviews in that it was desperate for before, during and after photos. Photos of the tools being described, photos of the repairers and the 'customers'... photos would have meant that the heavy written descriptions of items weren't required and would have been far easier. It also would have been much more of a WOW moment in seeing the before and afters. Thankfully I remembered almost all of the items from the show so I was able to flashback.

I also would have preferred more about the Repairers and their history etc. That would have been more interesting than the weird irrelevant sketches that took up a lot of page space.

Overall, this had the potential to be a really lovely companion to the show, but it just wasn't given the thought to make it either a handbook for repairs, a document of the show or an introduction to the Repairers and their trade.

[Chloe Pearce · Rating 4 out of 5]

Love the show and the book has some useful tips.