From March to April 2025, ten St. Louis Park middle school students in grades 6 and 7 participated in Club Mend, an 8-week after-school program focused on clothing repair and creative upcycling. Over the weeks, students built a variety of skills starting with basics like threading a needle, tying knots, and learning running and whip stitches. They practiced visible mending, replaced buttons, and created pocket mending kits.

The program also covered important topics such as fast fashion, the benefits of reuse and repair, and repurposing old T-shirts, turning them into T-shirt tote bags. Students explored creative reuse by painting on reclaimed denim and making patches through iron-on, hand sewing, and machine sewing techniques. 

Students got to learn more advanced skills included darning (both freehand and using a speedloom), with dedicated practice sessions. In celebration of Earth Day, students tried English paper piecing to create fabric flowers. The program wrapped up with upcycling button-up shirts into gift bags. 

Funded by Hennepin County’s Green Partners grant, Club Mend allowed Reuse Minnesota the opportunity to teach younger generations essential mending skills, while inspiring them to think creatively about repairing and upcycling textiles.