A Stitch in Time – Visible Mending Using Embroidery & Japanese Sashiko Workshop

Learn how to repair clothing using visible mending embroidery and Japanese Sashiko techniques with tutor Margot Reincastle.

Australians throw away an average of 300,000+ tonnes of clothing waste annually, contributing to the degradation of our environment and taking up unnecessary landfill space.

Visible mending techniques like embroidery and Japanese Sashiko, is a fun and innovative way to extend the useable life of clothing, reduce the need and our reliance on the consumption of ‘new’ items, and improve environmental outcomes.

About the Workshop.

Do you have clothing in need of repair?

Join Margot Reincastle at the sustainable reuse enterprise Trashy, Penrith, to learn how to mend clothing using applique creatively. Add your touch to apparel with visible mending techniques that allow you to explore your artistic flair using clothing as a wearable canvas. This workshop is best suited for intermediate to advanced-level sewers.

Where: Trashy Store, 4/92-112 Henry Street, Penrith

When:

• Thursday 1 May 2025 (9.00 am – 11.00 am)
• Monday 19 May 2025 (6.00 pm – 8.00 pm) 

All materials needed for the workshops have been sourced and generously supplied by Trashy, so you only need to bring your enthusiasm!

To ensure participants receive close care and guidance from the workshop tutor throughout the event, place availability is strictly limited to 12 people. Click here to secure your ticket for either the daytime or evening event via Humanitix.

This project is a NSW Environment Protection Authority Waste and Sustainable Materials Strategy initiative, funded from the waste levy. Supported by Penrith City Council.

These image(s) are examples of the topics that will be covered in this workshop. Please note, they are not the tutor's original work.

About the Tutor

Margot's passion for sewing began in childhood when she was a constant companion of needle, thread, fabric, and lace. This early fascination led her to complete three HSC Textiles and Design units, followed by a Diploma of Arts in Fashion Production. She honed her skills as a dressmaker for a local designer before launching her own successful business creating custom bridal and evening wear.

Inspired by textile artist Susan Barker, Margot's involvement with the Nepean Embroiderers Guild has enriched her embroidery journey. This has led to teaching opportunities and a deep appreciation for the resourceful and sustainable nature of her craft. For Margot, sewing is more than a skill; it's a source of joy, connection, and well-being.

About Trashy

Trashy, a start-up, female-owned and operated enterprise based in Penrith, is dedicated to transforming the community’s perception of fashion ‘waste’ by advocating and supporting conscious consumerism and championing the value inherent in remnant and discarded textiles, haberdashery and other creative resources.

Trashy is a social enterprise that purchases most of its offerings from business closures, retired dress/costume makers, seamstresses, and byproducts of the manufacturing of clothes and upholstery. This incentivises businesses and individuals to see the potential value in quality discards that may otherwise end up in landfills. By purchasing this so-called textile and fashion 'waste', Trashy helps keep these valuable resources in circulation, extending their economic value, and helping reduce the demand for new textiles. This helps reduce the impact of textile production and transportation on the environment, aligning with Trashy's commitment to sustainability and supporting the circular economy.

Trashy’s founder, Annette Atalas identifies as a neurodiverse woman, who understands the social challenges of being misidentified, misinterpreted, and misrepresented. This drives her commitment to advocating for, creating, and providing social and employment opportunities for other neurodiverse and disabled individuals, ensuring that creativity and innovation are accessible to all
 
For more information about Trashy visit, www.trashypenrith.com.au.