Visible Mending

About this course

The workshop introduces standard and reverse patching, strengthening stitches, darning, basic needleweaving and repair methods for knitwear. Participants can develop a set of technique samples, repair a garment or use the methods to create decorative textile art. Teaching combines demonstrations with a presentation on artists who explore repair creatively. The course also considers how holes, frayed surfaces and visible repairs can communicate ideas about textiles, broken systems and emotional healing.

What you'll learn

• Apply standard and reverse patching techniques
• Use strengthening stitches to reinforce damaged textiles
• Practise darning and basic needleweaving
• Adapt repair methods for knitwear
• Explore visible repair as a decorative or expressive textile approach

Is this course right for you?

The course is suitable for all abilities and is aimed at people interested in learning basic textile repair for practical or artistic purposes. Participants can experiment with samples or work on an item requiring repair, with demonstrations providing the main teaching format.

• Suitable for learners at all ability levels
• Allows work on either practice samples or a garment requiring repair
• Covers both functional repairs and expressive textile work

Before you go

• Bring a small garment or household textile to mend, or medium-weight fabric for practice.
• Bring hand-sewing needles, including a darning or blunt tapestry needle.
• Bring darning thread or soft embroidery thread, scissors, pins and fabric for patching.
• An embroidery frame and darning mushroom are also listed as required equipment.