I first learnt how to sew during my school days as it was mandatory. It was coincidentally called "Living Skills" class. At the age of 15, there wasn't much feel to it and we didn't appreciate the significance or importance of learning such skill. We just learnt as we were taught.
We learnt the different stitches that are commonly used such as the running stitch, invisible stitch, blanket stitch and back stitch. We learnt how to mend and we learnt how to sew up something like a blouse with written patterns and templates. Some liked it, some didn't and after that, all was forgotten.
As I grew older, I realised how useful and important sewing skill was. I couldn't remember the complicated ones like sewing a blouse with patterns and templates but at the very least, I could fix a dropped button on my favourite shirt or pants. I could mend a hole, shorten my pair of new pants and I could re-hem a fallen hem of my favourite pair of skirt.
It was a realization that one of the best things about sewing, apart from being able to create something, we can save our favourite garment by fixing or resize them instead of discarding them, or repurposing them into something else when the garment is no longer wearable. I liked that I could save my garments and continue to wear them.
It is also one of the most frequent thing I do nowadays whenever I sew. I think I fix and mend more than sewing up something new. And not surprisingly, sewing to mend and fix is a craft and art by itself. It is mathematical too sometimes or we can end up with a mis-measurement like in the case of zipper fixing.
Some mending is easier to handle with hand stitches while others, a sewing machine is a great help as the stitches are tighter and the work is faster although, everything can be hand sewn. There is a certain therapeutic experience when we hand sew.
And today, the internet is a great source of information. We can learn almost anything with the numerous video tutorials available online for free. If I wanted to use the sewing machine to sew a button hole, I just search for it and learn from there. If I need to fix a complicated hole or fix some complex looking zipper, there will be various ideas available for reference. But it does take quite some patience and perserverance to give them a try because they do not necessarily work for us.
I like that I could repurpose an old bedsheet into a summer dress, or into a cushion cover. It helps in saving too and for garments that hold special memories, they can be cherished longer.
You are right! Learning to mend is very important, helps the planet too! In this world of great wellness, of everything at hand, we rather throw away things we could actually mend! I do it too with socks, underwear, pants, tshirts and actually makes me feel satisfied and happy to keep wearing the things I like.