Mending, Darning, and Patching – Oh My!

Name: Mending, Darning, and Patching – Oh My!
Start: 2026-03-31T17:30:00-04:00
End: 2026-03-31T19:30:00-04:00
Location: 3 Rodney French Blvd, New Bedford, MA 02744-2601, United States

Schedule

Tue Mar 31 2026 at 05:30 pm to 07:30 pm

UTC-04:00

Location

3 Rodney French Blvd, New Bedford, MA 02744-2601, United States | New Bedford, MA

Join us for the first workshop in the Fix It Forward series, where beginners and experienced DIY enthusiasts alike can learn practical repair skills—from clothing mending and bicycle repair to fabric dyeing, knife care, jewelry repair, and Japanese sashiko techniques.
Event Details
📅 March 31
⏰ 5:30–7:30 p.m.
📍 Howland Green Branch Library, 3 Rodney French Blvd., New Bedford
Limited parking is available behind the library off S. 1st Street.
👥 Open to New Bedford and Dartmouth residents
In Mending, Darning, and Patching – Oh My!, local artists Claudia De Sousa-Baptista of Bushwood Tailors Opportunity Shop and Elaine Alder and Beatrice Alder of Alder & Alder will guide participants through the art of slow stitching (also known as visible mending). Learn how to replace buttons, repair zippers, and darn wool socks and sweaters. Attendees are encouraged to bring an item in need of repair.
Sewing & Fabric Arts Swap
A swap of sewing and fabric arts supplies will take place during the event. Donations may be dropped off in advance at the Howland Green, Wilks, Lawler, and Main Library branches beginning March 23, or brought directly to the event. Examples of swap items include yarn, thread, fabric, buttons, embroidery floss, crochet/knitting tools, and sewing tools.
All community members—whether or not they bring items to swap—are welcome to browse the available materials and take home supplies for future projects or repairs. Swap participants are welcome to take part in the workshop, but participation is not required.
Giveaway
To support continued repair at home, five sewing kits will be randomly given away to workshop participants, courtesy of the Greater New Bedford Regional Refuse Management District.
Information about additional workshops can be found at https://gnbrrmdistrict.org/repair-workshops/.
This workshop series is offered in partnership with the Greater New Bedford Regional Refuse Management District, New Bedford Free Public Library and the City of New Bedford’s Department of Community Services.
The workshop series is supported in part by the Art is Everywhere! grant funded by the City of New Bedford through its Arts, Culture & Tourism Fund, and is facilitated by New Bedford Creative at the New Bedford Economic Development Council.