Mending: A Sewing Survival Intensive is an immersive, hands-on sewing and repair intensive focused on low-tech, hand-based mending practices rooted in Appalachian and working-class traditions. In an era of climate instability, supply chain fragility, and disposable consumer culture, this workshop treats sewing not as a hobby, but as a survival skill—one that strengthens personal resilience, reduces dependence on industrial systems, and reconnects participants to material knowledge passed down through generations.

Participants will learn foundational hand-sewing techniques for extending the life of everyday garments and gear—without the use of machines or electricity. Skills taught will include visible and invisible mending, structural patching, basic darning, seam reinforcement, and strengthening high-stress areas on clothing and functional items such as bags, coats, tents, and workwear. Emphasis will be placed on adaptability, repair triage, and making do with limited materials.

The workshop is intentionally low-waste and accessible to a wide range of experience levels, from beginners to experienced sewists seeking to deepen their repair skills. Participants are encouraged to bring one to two personal items in need of repair; additional materials and tools will be provided on site to ensure everyone can fully participate.

This gathering is designed as a small-group learning experience, allowing for individualized guidance, shared problem-solving, and a collective atmosphere of care, knowledge-sharing, and resilience.

workshop Leader

Rebecca L. Tolley is a Tennessee-based textile repair practitioner, educator, and fiber artist whose work centers on hand skills, material reuse, and survival through repair. Grounded in Appalachian traditions of thrift, care, and making-do, she teaches sewing and mending as essential low-tech practices for reducing reliance on industrial systems and cultivating everyday resilience.

Tolley’s teaching integrates practical skill-building with cultural history, emphasizing repair as both a material practice and a form of quiet resistance. Her work spans community workshops, academic settings, and artist-led education focused on sustainability, repair ethics, and embodied knowledge.

Topics Covered

…introduction of hand sewing materials & techniques

…Foundational stitches for strength & durability …structural patching & reinforcement

…visible vs invisible mending techniques …darning basics for worn areas

…repair triage, choosing the correct technique for the job

…adaption techniques for outdoor gear & workwear

…closing discussion on repair as a resilience practice