About me
My name is Tom van Deijnen and I’m a self-taught textiles practitioner, based in Brighton, UK. I work mostly with wool, and enjoy creating and repairing knitted objects. I like to do things that take forever, as it allows me to gain a deep understanding of material qualities and the traditional techniques I use for making and mending contemporary objects. I’m interested in both sustainability and the rich textile history around wool in the United Kingdom, and as a result I’d like to explore the boundaries of when the life of a woollen garment (and by extension any object) starts and ends. By exploring the motivations I favour not the new and perfect but the old and imperfect, as that allows me to highlight the relationship between garment and wearer. My interest in using traditional techniques for creating and repairing (woollen) textiles means that creating and mending textiles are in constant conversation with each other.
Get In Touch
You can contact me on tomofholland@gmail.com.
About The Visible Mending Programme
The Visible Mending Programme seeks to highlight that the art and craftsmanship of clothes repair is particularly relevant in a world where more and more people voice their dissatisfaction with fashion’s throwaway culture. By exploring the story behind garment and repair, the Programme reinforces the relationship between the wearer and garment, leading to people wearing their existing clothes for longer, with the beautiful darn worn as a badge of honour. By writing this blog, running darning workshops and taking repair work commissions I provide mending inspiration, skills and services to people and hopefully persuade them that shop-bought clothes deserve care and attention too, just like a precious hand-knit.
Copyright
Please note: unless otherwise stated, the photographs you find on this blog are my property, please ask my permission before redistributing or reproducing them.
Brighton Repair Café
I volunteer at the Brighton Repair Café. We meet every last Saturday of the month and help you repair your stuff, ranging from garment repairs to small electrical goods, bicycles, and more. To find up-to-date information about venue and date of the next Repair Café, please check their blog here.
Making
Bespoke Tom of Holland products are available at The New Craftsmen, London.
Knitting Patterns
Tom of da Peathill fitted men’s Cardigan
Sample Knitting
Lady’s Evening Jumper for A Stitch In Time 2, by Susan Crawford
Diamond Stole for Coronation Knits, by Susan Crawford
George Walton Gloves for Penelope Hemingway
Past Exhibitions, Talks and Events
21-22 January, Merci Concept Store, Paris, France. I was invited to Merci in Paris to repair clothes that people brought along, or have choosen from a pile of vintage clothes, as part of their exhibition “Imparfait” (link in French only.)
24, 25 September, 2016, Burberry Makers House, London. I was invited by The New Craftsmen and Burberry to take part in Makers House, as part of Burberry’s September Collection presentation. The September collection was in part inspired by craft and making, and Makers House celebrated this by inviting a number of makers to show their skills to the public in an enchanting pop-up shop.
20, 21 May, 2016 Brighton festival, Brighton. I took part in At Home, A 21st Century Salon, which included BOY STITCHERS: “Until quite recently in human history, a lady’s needlework was a sign of being a good and virtuous woman. BOY STITCHERS reverses this stereotypical image and shines light on a new breed of male stitchers, exploring the work of Trevor Pitt, Stewart Easton, Luke Deverall and Tom of Holland who together talk about and demonstrate their artistic approaches to working with textiles.” A review on Total Theatre can be found here.
11 March, 2016, Cultures of Repair Past and Present, Constance Howard Gallery, Goldsmiths, University of London. Cultures of Repair Past and Present, is a free one-day workshop to accompany the exhibition A Remedy for Rents: Darning Samplers and Other Needlework from the Whitelands College Collection. Through morning presentations and an afternoon of ‘hands-on’ darning led by Tom of Holland, the workshop will explore the mending, maintenance, reuse and recycling of textiles from historical, design, fashion, art and craft perspectives. Throughout, the emphasis will be on interaction and the exchange of ideas and practices between audience and speakers.
18-19 September 2015, Pitt Rivers Museum. I ran two darning master classes as part of the Pitt Rivers ‘Preserving What Is Valued’ new display case and museum trail.
26-28 August 2015, In the Loop 4, University of Glasgow, Glasgow. I presented a case study on a Visible Mending Commission from the Knitting & Crochet Guild. More information on In the Loop 4 can be found here.
During January and February 2015, the MUM+DAD Sweater was on show as part of The Department of Repair at Camberwell Space, Camberwell College, London.
On 8 November 2014, London College of Fashion, I presented a case study on using traditional repair techniques in a 21st Century application for the Knitting History Forum.
On 1 November 2014, A’ the Airts Arts Centre, Sanquhar, Dumfriesshire, I presented a paper on Sanquhar knitwear as part of the Knitting in the Round events organised by the University of Glasgow.
During May 2014, The Curiosity Cabinet of Knitting Stitches were shown as part of Brighton Artists Open Houses. More details here.
On 3 April 2014, I presented a paper at Knitting 1914-2014, organised by the Knitting Reference Library: “From piece work to a modern classic: the development of Sanquhar knitting.”
The Curiosity Cabinet of Knitting Stitches were shown at the Cabinets of Curiosity exhibition at Walford Mill Crafts March 2014.
Darning at Wool House, Somerset House, March 2013. According to Campaign for Wool themselves, one of the highlights of Wool House.
The Curiosity Cabinet of Knitting Stitches – at Prick Your Finger, February 2013. Exploring knitting stitches from the obscure to the well-known, presented as a Curiosity Cabinet of yore.
Tom Says Darn It! paid a special visit the Shipley Art Gallery, Gateshead, September 2012.
Late June 2012, I presented The Visible Mending Programme at Mend*RS, the first mending research symposium in the UK.
In September 2012, I presented a paper on The Curiosity Cabinet of Knitting Stitches at the In The Loop 3 conference in Winchester.
The Reading Gloves – at Prick Your Finger, January 2011. What would it be like if gloves portrayed characters from classic novels?
Mentions on the Interwebz
I got a mention in Sass Brown’s column on the Not Just A Label website, as an illustration how people are moving from throw-away fashion to a more sustainable approach.
My views on alternatives to Black Friday in The Guardian – Sustainable Business section.
A Q&A on the Love Knitting blog about my love for knitting, mending and British rare breeds wool.
I was interviewed for an article in The Guardian on The Rise of Mending as part of their Live Better Challenge.
A Q&A with friend and amazing knitwear designer, Kate Davies about knitting, Foula Wool and the knotted steek.
An interview with John-Paul Flintoff for Fashion Revolution Day on 24 April 2014 on who made my clothes.
A Q&A with Crafty Magazine about knitting and The Curiosity Cabinet of Knitting Stitches.
A Q&A with Campaign for Wool about my mending activities.
I was interviewed by Linda Newington for the Knitting Reference Library blog about knitting.
Heeeee Tom,
How do you do??
Via Google kwam ik op je website terecht.
Wat maak je supertoffe dingen.
Het lijkt me leuk om weer eens ouderwets bij te kletsen.
Greetz from Jeannette
Hello, just wanted to say that I love the idea of the Reading Gloves!
Thank you! Unfortunately The Reading Gloves are somewhat on the backburner at the moment. But I do have ideas floating around my head for some more: Heathcliff and Cathy; and Ariadne and Theseus. We’ll see how this will develop – watch this space!
Dag Tom,
Wil je een artikeltje uit de NRC toesturen. Wat is je e-postadres thuis?
Veel groeten, ook van Kees,
Peter Veer
Hi Tom,
Mutual friends Tony and Mike from Brighton mentioned you to me the other day, and I looked up your fantastic website. I am a theatre designer, and am passing your details on to all my Costume Supervisor friends, as it is always so difficult to find/source original period knitwear for productions, as wool garments are almost invariably the first things to perish with age. Perhaps you might be interested in knitting for the stage, if the opportunity arises? Or you may already have done so – don’t know! Anyhow, feel free to contact me by email below if you like. All best wishes, Tim
Thank you Jane, I really appreciate it.
[…] but it is one of those ‘extra’ things I never get ’round to. Encouraged by Tom of Holland I gave it a go, just before we went to Tasmania. In fact, this post is dedicated to Tom and his […]
Hallo Tom uit Holland,
Ik vind het heel leuk om iets te lezen over zichtbare herstellingen. Ik doe dit al jaren met mijn kledij. Een bloemetje borduren of een mini-lapje of gewoon stoppen met een ander kleurtje. Ik beschouw het als een kleine knipoog, een anekdote uit mijn leven die op mijn kleding terecht komt. Net als mensen worden ook kleren beschadigd door het leven. 😉
Ik kwam op jouw site terecht omdat ik een artikel op mijn blog wilde plaatsen over kledij herstellen en deconstruction fashion. Ik zou graag een foto van de herstelde trui met een link naar jouw website in het artikel opnemen. Mag dat?
Nog veel succes met de blog en blijf vooral visible menden.
groetjes,
Sophie
[…] week I got caught up in an online discussion with Tom of Holland, Eirlys (aka Scrapiana) and Amy Twigger Holroyd about the meaning of ‘mending’ and […]
Tom, I really enjoyed meeting you at The Maker Faire in Brighton and have mentioned you in my blog http://www.marysleigh.wordpress.com
There are a couple of images of you and a link to your website so would be happy to hear your comments or things you are doing. I only mention creative/textile topics!
Good luck
Mary Sleigh
Great to see what you were doing at the Maker Faire Brighton. It was all very exciting and have mentioned you in my blog.
Good luck with your exhibition.
Mary sleigh
[…] In the spirit of the Making Do Project, I’ve been investigating beautiful ways to patch and repair my beloved cardigan collection, to increase their lifespan, and, thanks to Crafty Magazine, I discovered Tom of Holland and the Visible Mending Programme. Tom describes the programme on his blog; […]
[…] You can read more about the kind of things Tom teaches and his passions on his blog here […]
[…] In the spirit of the Making Do Project, I’ve been investigating beautiful ways to patch and repair my beloved cardigan collection, to increase their lifespan, and, thanks to Crafty Magazine, I discovered Tom of Holland and the Visible Mending Programme. Tom describes the programme on his blog; […]
I wished I had seen your blog before throwing out my full of holes cardigan, which I loved. Most of the times I wear things to death.Love your work and mission.
[…] only does Tom make his own clothes, but he takes on commissions, runs his own Visible Mending Programme and teaches others how to knit and darn. Being a maker himself, Tom recognises the value and skill […]
Hello Tom:
I just discovered you blog today thanks to Kate Davies’ blog post.
I would love to learn about your darning techniques! You have made darning a beautiful art form!
How can I learn your techniques? Do you have videos or a book?
What is the the “Visible Mending Programme?”
I live in the US, so travelling to England may be several years away!
Thank you!
[…] In the end, I reverse engineered the Walton gloves with the help of designer Tom van Deijnen (tomofholland), and “Corvid”, whose technical knowledge is formidable. As a result, the new edition […]
I think you must highlight the knitting!
[…] week I got caught up in an online discussion with Tom of Holland, Eirlys (aka Scrapiana) and Amy Twigger Holroyd about the meaning of ‘mending’ and […]
[…] About […]
[…] Celia Pym è un’artista specializzata in quello che chiama rammendo visibile (sul visible mending potete consultare anche il sito di Tom of Holland). […]
[…] and darning in a new way – as a very visible ‘mark’ on the cloth. Tom van Deijnen (aka Tom of Holland) is one of those, with his ‘visible mending project’. Anne Wilson is another well-known textile […]
[…] Tom Holland.” https://tomofholland.com/about/, Tom van Deijnen, accessed on November 19, […]
[…] Tom of Holland (zie zijn blog hier) is de trend ingezet van ‘Visible Mending’. Zichtbare reparaties, die laten zien dat […]
Hello,
I’m writing to ask if you would consider traveling to the USA for a visit to teach. I recently followed your residency at Merci in Paris, and would like to do something similar at SHED, located in Healdsburg, California. Look forward to hearing from you.
Thank you.
Please drop me a line on tomofhollandATgmailDOTcom and we can discuss.
[…] to do about it. Then a couple of years ago, I went to a darning workshop at Shetland Wool Week by Tom of Holland and I finally had answers. If you haven’t read any of Tom’s work or about the Visible […]