Summary

Join us for this FREE mending class series, sponsored by the District Department of Energy and Environment.

Do you have a favorite pair of jeans that are just a *little* too worn out to wear anymore? Thrift a sweater and then notice that it has a little rip? How about holes in your socks? Stains on a favorite shirt? Or, maybe you just want to save money, reduce your environmental impact, and reject throw-away culture. Then this workshop series is for you!

This class will be taught by Tessa Coberly. Each week will cover a different type of mending, and include a free beginning mending kit for each participant. This ticket is for the second class in the series. To access the other classes, please click on their links below.

Tessa Coberly mends because it allows her to live more sustainably, while weaving more art into her day-to-day. She's always been excited by all things fiber and fabric, and is experienced with crochet, embroidery, quilting, and machine sewing. Whatever she stitches, she’s reminded of and inspired by generations of craftspeople in her own family and around the world who did the same timeless (and often unrecognized) tasks.Tessa started @tess.mends in January 2023 because she ran out of things to fix in her own closet. In addition to the fun of the craft itself, she cherishes the connections that this venture has created with her local neighborhood of Takoma and the DC community at large.

Upcoming Workshops:

Darning/ Reweaving socks and other holes

Patchwork/Fixing rips, tears, and stains

Summary

Darning is suitable for even the most severely Swiss-cheesed knits, such as sweaters and stocks. Expect to learn some useful yarn selection tips, then this practice of weave right onto the garment to make a mend that stands the test of time!

Issues that can be fixed: Holes in socks, sweaters or other knitted materials, places where weaving new material to cover the hole is an appropriate solution to the damage. Wool socks are a classic item to darn.

Issues that cannot be fixed: Completely shattered or destroyed material, anything that is dirty, anything that needs to be fixed with other sewing techniques (some basic mending tutorials here).

We are going to start right on time so that everyone can learn at the same time. Please bring a sweater/sock/other item that needs darning (see this basic tutorial for design intent and other ideas).

Want to start before the workshop? A basic darning technique here and DC Public Library books on mending, including darning, here.

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This event has priority registration for those who live in public housing or are low-income. IF there is space available in the workshop 48 before its scheduled time, we will release additional tickets for those who do not fall into a priority group.

This project was supported through the Donation and Reuse Program with funding provided by the District of Columbia Department of Energy and Environment.