"Mend to revive" is an invitation to re-love what you already have.
Nothing lasts forever. Everything will eventually wear, fade, or break. Rather than replacing, we can choose to repair, care, and continue the story.
Repair is more than a practical skill. It is a way of living, and a tradition worth passing on.
TSUGI-HAGI
PROJECT
What is “Tsugi-Hagi” ?
Tsugi-Hagi (継ぎはぎ) is the Japanese practice of patching and mending worn textiles.
Rather than hiding signs of wear, it celebrates them as part of an object's story. Each repair becomes a visible reminder of care, time, and continued use.
Visible mending reveals what is usually hidden — traces of use, memory, and relationship. Rather than being erased, these marks become part of the object’s ongoing story.
A torn fabric or worn garment can hold signs of attachment, repetition, and lived experience. Through repair, value begins to emerge not from perfection, but from continuation.
Repair is not always about restoring something to its original state, but about extending its life through attention and care.
Historically, repeatedly repaired textiles such as BORO (襤褸) were often born out of necessity. In rural communities in Japan, worn clothing and household textiles were patched, layered, and repaired again and again rather than discarded. Many of these textiles were made and used by farming and fishing communities, particularly in the colder regions of Japan.
Over time, BORO came to be appreciated not only for its resourcefulness, but also for the histories, traces of use, and accumulated care embedded within each textile.
Visible mending carries a similar shift in perception: what is worn or damaged does not need to be hidden in order to remain meaningful. The repair itself can become part of the story.
I connect with people through workshops.
Rather than repairing things for you—or simply selling the things I make—, I hope to share the skills and ideas that help you repair them yourself.
Mending is an invitation to re-love what already exists.
Mending is more than a technique. It is an essential life skill worth passing on from one generation to the next.
Every stitch tells a story.
Every repair creates another reason to keep wearing what you already love.
Workshops
I offer seasonal Tsugi-Hagi workshops in Victoria, BC.
Follow along on Instagram or subscribe to my newsletter for upcoming dates, events, and new workshops.
