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City Lit Mental Wealth Festival: connect to your clothing, restore and repair

Learn and practise the Japanese mending techniques of Boro and Sashiko to repair your clothes. Learning these skills encourages sustainability and allows us to consider the transformations possible with what we have.
This session is part of the 2026 Mental Wealth Festival hosted by City Lit and Partners.

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Learning modes and locations may be different depending on the course start date. Please check the location of your chosen course and read our guide to learning modes and locations to help you choose the right course for you.

  • Start Date: 08 Oct 2026
    End Date: 08 Oct 2026
    Thu (Daytime): 14:00 - 16:30
    Online
    Location: Online
    Duration: 1 session
    Course Code: EVMWFVB019
    Tutors:  Lara Hailey
    Full fee £10.00 Senior fee £10.00 Concession £10.00
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Any questions? visualarts@citylit.ac.uk or call 020 3880 2415

Please note: We offer a wide variety of financial support to make courses affordable. Just visit our online Help Centre for more information on a range of topics including fees, online learning and FAQs.

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248490
Full fee £10.00 Senior fee £10.00 Concession £10.00
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What is the course about?

This course will introduce you to the concept of visual mending using the traditional Japanese techniques of Boro and Sashiko. You will learn and use these techniques to repair a piece of your own clothing, making sure that the mend becomes a focal point on your garment.

What will we cover?

- We will discuss the concept of ‘make do and mend’ and the benefits it has in a world that is dominated by fast fashion.
- We will practice slow stitch techniques and discuss how they can help us to be more reflective and mindful.
- We will look at examples from around the world of how different cultures have recycled and repurposed cloth to breathe new life into something that’s old and worn out.

What will I achieve?
By the end of this course you should be able to...

- Demonstrate different hand stitches that can be used for mending.
- Decide what fabrics to choose for specific mending projects.
- Feel confident mending a piece of your own clothing using the Japanese techniques of Boro and Sashiko.

What level is the course and do I need any particular skills?

All levels are welcome.

How will I be taught, and will there be any work outside the class?

This course taught online using Zoom with live technical demonstrations, Q&A, group discussions, with practical activities.You will need:
- You will need a space to work on your garment.
- A computer or laptop. Ideally with a fully updated google Chrome browser.
- Using headphones with microphones will block out all room noise in sessions.
- If you are using a tablet or mobile device you will need a microphone, and optionally a camera.
- You will require a good broadband connection as mobile data 3G/4G or a mobile dongle will not provide sufficient Bandwidth for live sessions.

Are there any other costs? Is there anything I need to bring?

- A garment that you want to repair.
- Selection of fabric scraps
- Selection of stranded embroidery cotton
- Needles, pins and embroidery scissors.
- A computer or laptop will be needed, not a tablet. A fully updated google chrome browser works best for zoom live sessions.
You will require a good broadband connection as mobile data 3G/4G or a mobile dongle will not provide sufficient bandwidth at times when teaching
- Please use headphones with microphones during our sessions as this will block out all room noise.

When I've finished, what course can I do next?

City Lit runs a wide range of courses in textiles where you can work further with techniques you learn on this course such as Japanese mending techniques, embroidery and weaving. Please browse the website for upcoming courses.
General information and advice on courses is available from the Student Centre and Library from Monday to Friday 10:30 -12:00 then 15:00 - 17:00

This workshop is part of the 2026 Mental Wealth Festival hosted by City Lit and partners. The Mental Wealth Festival is a week of events which celebrate and promote activities, projects, ideas and tools which restore, support and enhance positive mental health. The Festival aims to highlight the way mental health issues impact on so many aspects of daily life, and how the arts, politics, culture, faith and the media can support our ‘mental wealth’. We bring together professionals and key stakeholders to discuss mental health issues, providing a forum for informative, challenging and inspiring discussions and workshops exploring mental health issues. For more information visit our Mental Wealth Festival Don’t forget to follow us on social media and we’d love to see your Mental Wealth Festival photos so please tag us using #MentalWealth2026

Lara Hailey

Lara Hailey is a textile artist and educator. Lara studied at Goldsmiths college and has taught at a number of London colleges, galleries and museums. She has exhibited her work throughout the UK and been involved in curating and facilitating community art projects.

Please note: We reserve the right to change our tutors from those advertised. This happens rarely, but if it does, we are unable to refund fees due to this. Our tutors may have different teaching styles; however we guarantee a consistent quality of teaching in all our courses.