At The Parade Community Centre Hoylake
Wednesday 25th February 2026
6.30 – 8.30pm
Doors 6pm
Tired of unpredictable repairs that fail after a couple wears or washes? Wondering why your freshly-washed woollens have a lumpy, scrunchy bit where you darned them? Wanting to expand your toolkit of repair techniques for visible and subtle mends?
Join the authors of “Stitch It, Don’t Ditch It: Simple hand-sewn repairs to help you love your clothes for longer” for an interactive talk, covering everything you need to know to successfully tackle repairs for almost any garment by hand. Mary Morton and Jeanna Wigger will guide you through their approach to accomplish a wide range of repairs by considering the two most important factors to a long-lasting mend: choosing materials and repair techniques suitable for each mend.
From building your mending kit to deciding what you want your repair to look like, Mary and Jeanna will describe step-by-step how to confidently take on each mend, including garment and textile terminology, hand sewing stitches that are most suitable to different fabric types, selecting appropriate materials for patching and darning, and deciding what you want your repair to look like. A variety of clothing repair case studies that demonstrate this process in action along with small-but-mighty handsewing tips and tricks will also be shared. Mary and Jeanna will answer your questions and provide consultations for your repairs, so bring a garment you want some planning help with, and they’ll talk you through the process. Copies of the authors’ book “Stitch It, Don’t Ditch It” will be available for purchase and signing at the event.