Creative mending is a beautiful way of adding unique visible decorative repairs to your clothes. By learning these skills we can repair garments and make our wardrobes last longer. Through creative repairing we can also work towards sustainable practices that have less impact on the environment.

This two-hour workshop led by Madeline Tanoto (Mads Do & Mend) will show you how to mend and re-fashion your woollens using a variety of visible mending techniques! We will be using decorative hand stitching with yarn techniques, experimenting with appliqué, and using some simple blanket stitching to transform an item through repair! As well as giving practical instruction, Madeline explores the different tools and materials you can use to keep trying these creative techniques at home.

All materials will be provided for the workshop but you will need to bring a woollen clothing item from home to mend. Good examples are a wool jumper or cardigan with moth holes, or a scarf that needs a repair or update! Best to avoid bringing socks as they are not suitable for this workshop – however they are perfect for the Darning workshop which Madeline is also running at Bell House on 7th Octobe from 11.00am – 1.00pm.

Some sewing & stitching experience needed for this workshop.

About Madeline Tanoto

Madeline Tanoto is a designer-maker with a twenty year career in fashion, design and teaching across all things textiles.

I am a qualified Mental Health First Aider and combine these skills with my textiles experience to explore the craft of mending within a supportive and inclusive environment.

In 2022 I devised and delivered a series of free mending workshops in Lewisham Shopping centre as part of the Borough of Culture events. I also partner with charities, housing associations, local businesses, and organisations to run mending and sewing sessions for social housing residents as well as the wider local communities in Southwark and Lewisham boroughs.