Mending as an Act of Rebellion

During this open workshop, we were treated to an inspirational, full-on day of needle & threading it with Kate Sekules, influential mending historian, author and creator of the sites Visible Mending and Refashioner, in the beautiful galleries of the RISD Museum.

We were encouraged to make our mends bold and eye-catching, supporting Kate’s theory that “stitching is a radical act”. and were offered plenty of examples from her personal collection for inspiration.

She also believes that we should wear our mended clothing with pride as it is a symbol of resistance to the modern-day, throw away culture in which we live, and therefore offers a much-needed alternative point of view. Hear, hear, Kate!