Visible Mending is a wonderful way to practice hand-stitching and simultaneously participate in Slow Fashion. Simple stitches transform torn or distressed garments, homewares, and other textiles through thoughtful, beautiful repairs. Author and artist, Katrina Rodabaugh, will lead participants through her four mending techniques, applying basic design elements to repair, and how to add value to clothes through hand-stitching. She’ll also lead a discussion of traditional cross-cultural mending techniques like Japanese boro and sashiko; American quilting; European darning; and Indian kantha and their contemporary applications in Visible Mending and Slow Fashion. She’ll share thoughts on “mendfulness” or applying mindfulness to fashion and the creative opportunity in repair.

This workshop will lead participants through a design project that uses Sashiko stitches to make an improvised stitching sampler before turning to personal garments to repair. Each student will receive an individual consultation on how best to mend the garment they brought to class. Students will leave the workshop with a stitching sampler, mended garment in-progress, Sashiko thread and needles, a printed informational booklet, and various resources to continue beyond the classroom. Basic sewing and stitching skills are required, though beginners are welcome.

Materials: Sashiko thread, sashiko needles, sampler fabric, and printed pamphlets are included in the cost of the workshop; tools will be provided to share onsite. Please bring your own garment or textile to mend and a patch of similar fabric—denim jeans should be mended with denim scraps, linen pants with a linen patch, etc. Katrina will have limited denim patches, but please bring your own patch to best match your garment. Optional: If readily available, please bring your own fabric scissors, ruler, thimble, and straight or safety pins, though these materials will be available to share.

Click here to sign up on our Eventbrite page.