Mending a shattered mug handle

This mug, made by a local potter friend, has been in my daily tea rotation for aproximately fifteen years! So when I broke the handle off (and into three pieces), I resigned myself to using it for pencils or something. However, the Mend and Maintain craftalong gave me the boost of inspiration I needed to rejuvenate my old favorite. :tea::star2:

I used gorilla glue to put the pieces back together - and they seem to hold well under a reasonable amount of pressure. (The first time I tried E6000, but it came apart when I was pulling the cord around it.) Rubber band to keep the pressure as it dries.

But then I didn’t like the feeling of the joins and chips in the glaze when I held it. I looked for something like a thin paracord to wrap it, but didn’t have any coordinating colors. What I did have was white shoelaces and RIT dye! I used purple dye for one, and teal for the other.

Starting at the top, and leaving a long tail trailing down the outside of the handle, I tightly wrapped handle and tail until they met at the bottom. Snipped the ends and melted with a candle so they won’t unravel.

Welcome back to tea duty friend!

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That’s a clever and beautiful mending job!

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You. Are. A. Genius!

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Smart! And I would definitely want to keep that mug around. Its too pretty to be tossed

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the mug is pretty and great mend job!

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Clever idea!

A lot of my favorite mugs became pen holders because the handles broke off!

It actually looks like it was made that way to give you a squishy handle…nice save!

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Genius! Mentally bookmarking for the inevitable sad day. Thanks!

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What a fantastic idea. It looks so cute!

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I like your visible mending.

And I’ve held these handles. They are comfort fit!

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Wonderful! Those colours make me so happy :purple_heart:

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What a gorgeous mug and genius idea to wrap the handle!!

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I love this so much! You took the initiative to fix something that will be usable for many years. Well done you!

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I like that you wrapped the handle. I don’t think I would have come up with that myself.

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Awesome. We should all be doing more mending!

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This is such a beautiful mug, and I loved how you mended it! The colors are a perfect combo, and your wrapping job is so neat and tidy!

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Great way to repair your loved mug!!!

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I bow to you. This is genius!!

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So smart. I wouldn’t want to discard such a nice mug, either, and you mended it with style. Well done.

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I just thunked myself in the head in one of those “why didn’t I think of that?” moments. I have a similar, hand thrown pottery mug that I’ve had since the mid 90’s (yoinks!) that I LOVED and my husband accidentally broke a few years ago, I’ve saved the mug and the broken handle pieces in the recesses of a kitchen cabinet for at least 5 years, probably more. I’m going to have to give this a go! The shoe laces are clever, nice and strong!

Your mug came back to life beautifully, I hope mine can! Thanks for the inspiration!

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Dang, I’m going to have to remember this! I’m always terrified of breaking off my mug handles, but now I think I could handle it should that ever happen. Knock on wood. :crossed_fingers:

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