Visible Mending 101 Workshop

Learn how to mend and embellish your clothes without a sewing machine



2 hours

Class size 1 to 12 (public classes), 1 to 50
  $40
Join Cactus Revival’s Kate Fenby for a visible mending workshop! Learn how to bring your favourite jeans back to life by patching holes and covering marks, or simply embellishing them to make them one-of-a-kind.
This workshop is perfect for absolute beginners who have never picked up a needle and thread before and are keen to learn basic mending skills. You’ll learn running stitch, whip stitch, and back stitch, and be introduced to sashiko stitching.
No sewing machines are used, so once you’ve got the basics, you can jump right into visibly mending your clothes at home with a needle and thread.
This workshop will teach you how to keep your clothes in rotation for longer, helping to reduce your fashion footprint, and you’ll experience the feel-good feelings that come from hand stitching. The calming and repetitive movements of hand sewing have long been known to reduce stress and promote well-being.
Once you start mending, you won’t look back! There’s great satisfaction that comes from repairing things in your wardrobe. So come along and learn how to mend your clothes!
What you'll get
All materials supplied, plus tea and bikkies (essential for happy stitching).
Knowledge required
Beginner-friendly. This workshop is suitable for ages 14+.
Suitable for

Suitable for adults, and kids (minimum 14 years old).

Adult accompaniment is not required.

Location

Location varies by date; to see details.

  • Mount Martha House Community Centre, 466 Esplanade, Mount Martha VIC
  • Mornington
  • Mornington Community Centre, 466 Esplanade, Mount Martha VIC

Visible Mending 101 Workshop location
Your teacher

Cactus Revival
Cactus Revival

female Women-owned

I launched Cactus Revival, a clothing brand that repairs clothing destined for the bin, and relaunches it back into the market and wardrobes, in 2022, but I can now see that the seeds were sewn (no pun intended!) way back in my childhood.
As a kid I loved making things out of loo rolls, egg cartons, fabric scraps, laddered stockings - anything that was destined for the bin! I had this sense that I was saving these things and giving them another life.
While on maternity leave and loving making loo roll cows and pigs again, I became interested in sewing and started playing around with my Mum's old machine.
On discovering some holes in a pair of my son’s shorts that were otherwise completely fine, and wanting to save them from the bin, I decided to repair them. They were brown, and a treasure map sprang to mind. I darned the holes, appliqued on a red ‘x’, hand stitched a trial to follow around the legs and hidden a gold button in the pocket. My son loved his ‘new’ Treasure Map Shorts, and the idea for Cactus Revival was sparked!
Once I started selling my mended clothing I realised lots of people were interested in learning how to mend themselves. Now I teach people how to repair and patch holes in their jeans, darn or embroider knitted jumpers that have been eaten by moths and decoratively cover marks.
I love seeing how satisfied people are when they've learnt that they can repair and decorate their clothes. Lots of people think they "can't sew" because they weren't taught by their grandmother when they were young, or they're intimidated by sewing machines. People light up when they see what they can achieve with just a needle and thread.
In this digital age, our minds and bodies are crying out for activities that use our hands. Hand stitching is such a mindfull activity and it's been proven to reduce stress. Mending our clothes also helps us to embrace the beauty in the imperfect.
In 2025 I was featured in the UK's number 1 sewing magazine 'Simply Sewing'.
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