Does your pair of jeans have holes or are elbows of denim jacket worn out? In this workshop, you will learn how to repair and embellish garment using needle, thread and fabric scraps. You will use Japanese technique Sashiko. Bring your worn-out clothing item. If you want to participate but don’t have worn denim? No problem: the kit you receive during the workshop includes a piece of denim fabric. You will go home with your repaired garment and a new skill.

Embroidery is an ancient craft technique in which you use needle and thread to create beautiful patterns, texts or images on fabric. It is a creative and personal way to decorate textiles, from clothing to interior items. MerkWaardig is an embroidery association in the Netherlands, with over a thousand members sharing their love for hand embroidery. Whether it concerns traditional merklappen or modern techniques such as visible mending, embroidery is very much alive! During the festival, the association demonstrates techniques such as rijgen, mazen and stoppen. These are practical skills to give clothing a new life. Where holes used to be made invisible, repairs are now decorative, colorful and unique. This way, old textiles are given a second life, with a nod to the past and a look towards the future.

Nan van der Storm is an authority in field of embroidery. She has written several books, including the Grote Stoppenboek and her most recent book Spelen met Steken. She has years of experience teaching inspiring workshops. Her passion for old techniques in new form is contagious; after one workshop, you will want to learn even more!