Tag: darning

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Darned brooches

Since Hikaru’s Instagram live event I’ve been trying to make my own macaron brooch inspired by the ones in her latest book, Beyond Darning: Creative mending techniques. There are several kinds of project in the book, from patches and soft brooches, and then these round ones, named after those lovely French macarons. Hikaru uses ‘moulds’ and unable to get hold of any I’ve used jam jar lids, which seems to work out okay. Though not nearly as lovely as the examples in the book, I’m rather pleased with my attempt, though the best thing was spending the time making, thinking about all those small decisions, that helps you forget anything else that’s on your mind.
I used an old swatch that I had knitted in linen, and attached it to a square of fabric. Once I had darned it with a square darn, some reverse parrallel honeycomb stitch and French knots, I stretched it over a jar lid with some woollen stuffing. The back will be a circle of card wrapped with some extra linen fabric to be sewn on the back. I haven’t quite got around to this bit yet ☺️

We have a workshop coming up where we’ll be making patches and brooches inspired by the book and teaching the basic darning techniques. The workshop will be on Friday 8 Nov at Trinity Rooms, Stroud. There are a few tickets left. There’s a talk in the evening also part of Stroud Book Festival, with Kate Fletcher and Lynn Setterington talking about their work and their new books.

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Beyond Darning

This Friday, 2 August, we’ll be at Loop in Islington’s Camden Passage, London, at 6.30pm to chat with the author, Hikaru Noguchi, about her fascinating darning journey on a rare trip to the UK and one of the few opportunities to see her in Europe.

As I write this, there are still a few tickets left. It will be a perfect occasion to meet fellow darning enthusiasts, exchange ideas, and gain new inspirations for your own projects.

Then, I’m taking a break, so any orders made from today, 1 August, will be posted on 13 August when I’ll be back 😎 Katy

Hikaru Noguchi at Loop – Meet + Greet
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Book events coming up

We’ve had a busy few weeks with some great book events. It’s been so good to make contact with real people. For the many who couldn’t get tickets to hear Freddie Robins and Celia Pym at Loop, there is a film of the whole thing, so grab a cup of tea and settle in for a listen. If you have any more questions for Celia and Freddie, just drop me a line. There’s lots more planned so sign up to the newsletter and follow on Instagram to be the first to know.

1 December
The authors of When Words are Not Enough: Creative responses to grief, Jane Harris and Jimmy Edmonds, will be in conversation with Sophie Pierce, one of the contributors to the book. Sophie lost her son Felix and talks about how she has managed to carry through cold-water swimming and the letters she writes to him. Dartington Trust Bookshop, Totnes, Devon. 1 Dec, 6pm More information and booking here.

Sophie Pierce Photo: Dan Bolt

2 December
Celia Pym, author of On Mending: Stories of damage and repair, will be online hosted by the lovely Tatter Library in Brooklyn, New York. Discussing individual stories from the book, she will explore mending as small acts of care; mending and the body and why the softening of clothing to take on the shape of its owner can be moving. After the talk Celia and Jordana Martin from Tatter will be in conversation about care and repair in textiles and the body. More information and booking here.

Elizabeth’s Cardigan, mended by Celia Pym
Judith Kleinman at Ink84, North London

4 December
Finding Quiet Strength has been highlighted by Juno Magazine as one of their top picks for Christmas books to gift. It’s such a beautiful hardback object.
Author Judith Kleinman will be at Highbury bookshop Ink84 to give an introduction to Finding Quiet Strength, the philosophy that underpins her new book. Bring your yoga mat to get involved. Sunday 4 Dec, 11am. More information and booking here. Judith will also be hosting a longer residential retreat at Hawkwood College, Stroud, 20–22 January. Something to look forward to. More information and booking here.

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On Mending: a new book by artist Celia Pym

The artist Celia Pym lives explores damage and repair in textiles. Working with garments that belong to individuals as well as items in museum archives, she is exposed to stories of damage, from moth holes to accidents with fire. 

On Mending: Stories of damage and repair is a collection of ten stories of damaged garments – plus a rug and two backpacks, that Pym has mended in the last 15 years. These stories describe the ways in which clothes and cloth become holed, why a damaged sweater or backpack can be emotionally affecting and how mending a garment can unstick a stuck feeling.

‘Mending work builds on what is left behind. It’s not replacing, or remaking, or cutting apart and putting back together, instead it is slow work that makes things better. It conjures an unhurried recovery or change. In textiles, the act of mending wear-and-tear, thinning cloth or accidental damage builds on what already exists, anchoring threads and yarn into the robust healthy fabric and filling in the holes or reinforcing the areas that are weak.’

‘Darning is small acts of care,’ she says, ‘and paying close attention.’

Celia Pym

On Mending is published this November and available to preorder on our website now. Sign up to our newsletter for details of events and giveaways (we won’t bombard you, nor sell your details ☺️).

The contents page, On Mending: Stories of damage and repair