What’s it all about?
Do you have a favourite item of clothing that you’ve worn to an inch of its life but can’t bear to part with because its become like a second skin? Don’t despair – with a bit of “visible mending” we can make it strong again and even better looking!
Drawing on the Japanese tradition of mending known as boro (a term used to describe garments that have been patched many times) which utilises a simple decorative stitching method called sashiko, we will repair, reinforce and enhance your garment’s threadbare spots, holes and rips. Rather than trying to conceal the wear and tear that is the mark of a much loved piece of clothing, we make a feature of our mending by highlighting and embellishing these signs of age.
What will we cover?
This class is suitable for both beginners and more experienced sewers. After some needle and thread basics, we will learn the sashiko running stitch technique and a number of different ways to apply patches. Then we will get creative, sprucing up our world weary clothes with beautiful patching!
Pins, darning needles, sashiko thread (a thick strong cotton thread), scissors, a range of patches and some worn and torn fabrics will be provided along with handout notes showing stitches, tips and further references. Bring garments (particularly denim ones) that have rips or holes that need repairing and some interesting fabric scraps for patches. If you have some embroidery floss or thick thread in your stash bring that too.
Who will be teaching?
Gaye Naismith (aka Gaye Abandon) is a lifelong sewer (machine and hand), a sometimes seamstress, a textile upcycler and a sewing teacher. She subscribes to Vivienne Westwood’s mantra on sustainable dressing: “Buy Less, Choose Well, Make it Last”.