Memory Circle - Darning | A Mending Workshop with Hadley Clark

MEMORY CIRCLE - Darning

Through guiding many years of mending and sewing courses I have come to believe that these circles are first a space to remember. We have been lead into forced forgetting to allow us to keep mindlessly consuming. So, while you may have never held a sewing needle in your hand I believe there is a piece of you that knows how to work with this tool to create acts of care and I would like to sit next to you to remember. I invite you to come and sit on the floor, bring something soft in need of repair and stitch in a circle together.

This workshop focuses on a technique called "darning," a fabric mending process that involves re-weaving a portion of fabric by-hand. Add new life to a beloved garment by darning tears, weak patches, stains and more. You may elect to make your darned repairs invisible, or embrace re-imaging your garment with an intentionally visible repair.

In this class you will practice surface darning first on scrap woven fabric, and then use the second part of class to apply what you’ve learned to your own garment.

Bring a garment to practice on! The larger the hole the longer it will take to complete. I would recommend to have an item with a hole no bigger than a quarter to start.

This class welcomes beginners to advanced sewists - all it requires is a willingness to learn something new!

Types of garments suitable for this type of darning:

- Medium-weight woven shirts, pants, etc.

- Jeans Socks Sweaters T-shirts, Shorts

If you have any questions about a specific item please reach out - hadleyanneclark@gmail.com

Participants will be provided with a selection of embroidery floss, one hand sewing needle. You are also welcome to bring your own supplies like specific embroidery floss colors, embroidery hoop, thimbles, etc.

* Please come to connect, slow down, bring a friend, make a new one.

What Sewing Can Do for Your Health:

STRESS RELIEF: Sewing encourages mindfulness and reduces stress and anxiety. The meditative action of sewing encourages positivity and feelings of relaxation. Concentration on one particular task allows a person to become immersed—leaving other worries behind—and to experience a true sense of peace.

HAPPINESS: Physical activity stimulates the release of dopamine, norepinephrine, and serotonin. These three

chemicals play an important role in the regulation of your mood.

BRAIN GROWTH: Creative activities such as sewing promote new connections between neurons in the brain, effectively combating mental deterioration.

About the Artist | Hadley Clark

With a background in fine art (University of Kansas, BFA 2001) as well as high-end fashion design and garment construction (The New School | Parsons Paris 2010), Kansas City-based Artist Hadley Clark maintains a fine art studio practice as well as an eponymous fashion label. Clark’s work includes handmade wearable coverings as well as wall and floor-based sculptural pieces, all of which draw from her belief in the importance of material reuse and natural dyeing processes. In addition to her independent studio work, Clark leads regular community-based workshops relating to her own studio interests on subjects as varied as sewing basics, methods of mending, 3-Dimensional construction, and collaging with reused textiles.  She is currently a resident at Studios Inc.

www.hadleyclark.com