Erin Lewis-Fitzgerald
Maker + mender in Melbourne, Australia
Coming up
Commissions:
Mending commissions are back! Good things take time; my current wait time is 2-3 months. Details here.What's next
To find out when I'll be mending, teaching or speaking next, sign up to my mailing list for updates.Newsletter subscribers always find out first!
Bright Sparks
In 2014 I founded Bright Sparks, a not-for-profit social enterprise that reused and repaired small appliances to keep them out of landfill, and was the managing director from 2014-2019. Read our story.
Communication specialist
NOTE: I'm not taking new clients at this time.I'm the author and photographer of the book Modern Mending, and shopkeeper, copywriter and photographer at modernmending.com.I have 20 years of journalism experience, most recently as editor of Slow magazine (2017).I'm a communication specialist, producing nice words, photographs, videos, newsletters, social media posts, websites and brochures for corporates and not-for-profits. But my best trick is editing other people's content and making it sparkle.View my CV here and some of my handiwork here:
- Writing + photography: Modern Mending the book
- Copywriting + photography: modernmending.com shop
- Writing: Lessons from Bright Sparks
- Writing: Find your mending mojo
- Writing: Mendfulness, Slow magazine
- Video production: Puppets for Change
Modern Mending
I'm the author of Modern Mending, first published by Affirm Press in February 2020 (second edition released February 2021).Modern Mending German edition Geschickt Geflickt was released March 2021 by Stiebner Verlag.Modern Mending was released May and June 2021 in the UK and USA through Search Press.I've been making and mending clothes since childhood. I'm passionate about mending as a way to make things better than new, and beautiful, colourful repairs that start conversations about our relationship with stuff.Follow me on Instagram @erinlewisfitzgerald to see new work, or browse #RemadeByELF on Instagram for previous examples.
Online shop
I'm the shopkeeper at modernmending.com, a magical mending supply shop with the best selection of mending tools and materials anywhere, and signed copies of my book. You can follow the shop on Instagram @modernmending and on Facebook.Workshops
I love teaching clothes-mending workshops, in person and online. Head this way for workshop news.Commissions
Mending commissions are back! If you're keen for me to mend your clothes and other textiles, you can submit a request here. Good things take time; my current wait time is around 2-3 months.The quickest and cheapest option is to DIY and learn how to mend your clothes with my book Modern Mending. At 272 pages, it's the most comprehensive mending book available today.Search #RemadeByELF on Instagram to see examples of my previous commissions.Community
I volunteer with Darebin Repair Cafe when I can, offering free mending advice and guidance to help you get started. And my Facebook group Modern Mending Club is a great way to crowdsource mending advice and get some mend-spiration.Read about my mending practice
- Modern Mending, my book
- How to fix your stuff: extend the life of your favorite clothes, furniture, and appliances with simple fixes, Vox
- Fixing your clothes is budget and eco-friendly. Here's how to do it, ABC Everyday
- Modern Mending: the book we need right now, The Australian
- Giving clothes a second chance at life, Sunday Star-Times
- Slowing down fast fashion, The Age / Sydney Morning Herald / Brisbane Times
- Not too shabby: what will it take to make secondhand clothes mainstream?, The Guardian
- Shop less, mend more: making more sustainable fashion choices, The Guardian
- The rise of the tinkerers: how DIY activists are making their own way, The Age
- The new share market: introducing the new share and repair movement, RoyalAuto magazine
- Visible Mending, Renew magazine
Workshops
I love teaching mending workshops in person and online.Subscribe to my mailing list to hear about new workshops first.Get in touch if you'd like me to teach a mending workshop for your organisation.
Please note: my time is limited for both teaching and admin, and specific requests with dates and workshop topics in mind are most appreciated.
Talks
I'm an experienced public speaker and love sharing my passion with TV and online viewers, radio and podcast listeners and conference audiences.Get in touch for interview and speaking requests.Watch me on screen
- ABC Everyday video: Fast fixes for fabrics, June 2023
- Creative Mornings Melbourne talk on the theme of 'procrastinate', April 2021
- More Than Words, a behind-the-scenes talk on how I made my book Modern Mending, September 2020
- Compass (ABC TV) episode: Material Gain, May 2020
- Mending time has arrived, interview with Jane Milburn of Textile Beat, May 2020
- Modern Mending, interview with Jen Gale at the Sustainable(ish) Online Festival, May 2020
- I demonstrated a few darning techniques for the Search Press Virtual Art and Craft Spring Festival, May 2021.For your listening pleasure
- Check Your Thread podcast: episodes 39 (part 1) and 40 (part 2)
- ABC Radio, Overnights with Trevor Chappell: October 2021
- ABC Radio National, Blueprint for Living: June 2021 and May 2020
- 3RRR-FM, The Grapevine: January 2021 and March 2020
- PodCraft podcast #3, October 2020
Testimonials
"I am writing to say thank you for the excellent darning and patching workshops: A Darn Good Time and Patching Party with Erin from Modern Mending. The workshops were excellent, they were well-paced, conducted in a friendly and inclusive manner and I learnt new skills and brushed up on some old ones. The SOSU venue is ideal, with plenty of space, great light and all the facilities needed including lunch and coffee spots only a few paces away. I have already started recommending the Modern Mending workshops and the venue generally to friends and will continue to do so. Thank you SOSU and Modern Mending!"
--Karen P, studentClick here for more workshop testimonials from students.
....."A big thank you to Erin for joining our series of online sessions for our community. She was a wealth of knowledge, but what made it so amazing was the method of presentation, full of warmth, passion and lots of humour, really made the topic engaging and achievable for those watching at home. I know I am inspired to get my mend on, and from the community's feedback so are they."
--Melissa Brown, Community Engagement Librarian (Sustainability), Hobsons Bay City Council"A massive THANK YOU for helping make our first Sustainable Fashion Week event a success. The ladies who attended your workshop have got in contact with me to say how much they absolutely loved it and were so excited to learn these new skills. I am personally so into the felting now, I can’t wait to decorate my jumper with all the dots! It was such a great workshop and I wanted to thank you for all your hard work getting it organised. You were so professional, so organised and it has been a pleasure to have you as a part of this event."--Louise Salt, Engagement Officer, Grampians Central Western Waste and Resource Recovery Group
Get in touch!
• Follow me on social media:
• Subscribe to my mailing list here, for shop news, upcoming talks + workshops
• Or use the contact form to say g'day.
NOTE: I am currently drowning in emails
ヘ（。□°）ヘ
and cannot respond to every enquiry, but I do read them all.