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Visible Mending with Katrina Rodabaugh
Class Overview
Mending is a wonderful way to practice hand-stitching and sustainability by extending the life of our textiles. Simple stitches transform torn or distressed garments and homewares through thoughtful repairs. Visible mending is a hand stitching technique that combines patches, stitches, and design elements. The class will consider the creative opportunity in mending through careful consideration of materials, design, and stitching techniques. All mending will focus on hand-sewing, particularly woven fabrics. This workshop will lead participants through an overview of basic stitches and patching before turning to a garment that needs mending. Katrina will discuss how best to repair garments considering fabric, thread, utility, beauty, and more. Students will leave the workshop with various resources, a mended garment (in-progress), and a class booklet.
Basic sewing and stitching skills are required. Please note: We will focus on woven fabrics like denim, linen, cotton, silk, hemp, etc. We will not cover mending stretchy fabrics like leggings. We will discuss basic darning on knits like sweaters, socks, hats, etc. though most of the class will focus on mending woven fabrics like denim.
Katrina Rodabaugh
Teacher Bio
Katrina Rodabaugh is an artist, writer, and teacher working across disciplines to explore environmental and social issues through craft techniques. Mostly, she rethinks the relationship between fiber art, sustainability, and fashion. She’s the author of three books including Make Thrift Mend (2021) and Mending Matters (2018). Her work has appeared in the New York Times, Boston Globe, Martha Stewart Living, Selvedge Magazine, Sunset magazine, Taproot magazine, and more. She earned a BA in Environmental Studies and an MFA in Creative Writing though her fiber arts training started in childhood. She teaches, writes, and designs products for her online shop. She lives with her husband, two sons, chickens, cats, honeybees, and many dye plants in the Hudson Valley of NY.
(Photo by Karen Pearson for Make, Thrift, Mend.)
Materials to Bring to Class:
Materials Provided
Noctuidae is a tribute to unseen beauty. It is an ode to the light seekers...those who spend their
time here on earth looking for deeper meaning. Like moths, we too are victims of the world
we have created. While they search for the true light of the moon, we are also searching ...for
the truth. While they find it in the moon, we find it in our unconscious and our intuition.
Ixchel is inspired by the power of the moon and its cycle. This design is my tribute to the power of women and Nature, the phases of the moon and the phases of a woman’s life.
Cladonia is a tribute to the jewelry of the forest. Named after the Lichen species better known as British Soldiers, they are ready to protect while looking sharp. Like the bark of a tree, this sweater is intended to make the wearer feel sheltered as well as adorned with the wisest of beings. Observe carefully...the balance of nature is held in these tiny plant animals. They endure the harshest of environments while absorbing elusive elements, creating nutrients for themselves and releasing their gifts into the air.
