Eva Hesse at Oberlin: Visible Mending Transfers

Eva Hesse’s time at Oberlin shaped her approach to materiality, process, and imperfection—values that align beautifully with the art of visible mending. This booklet offers a collection of mending transfer patterns inspired by her early drawings and experimental forms. By layering texture and repetition, these transfers invite stitchers to engage with repair as an act of transformation, much like Hesse did in her sculptural work. Printed on water-soluble stabilizer for easy application, these designs honor her raw, process-driven approach to art.

Each transfer cut-out is 4.25" by 5.5".

How to Use Your Visible Mending Transfers

Prep Your Fabric: Make sure your fabric is clean and dry before starting.

Choose Your Design: Pick one of the four designs from the set.

Apply the Transfer: Place the transfer design with the printed side facing the fabric. Gently press to activate the adhesive.

Stitch: Use a needle and thread to stitch along the design, following the printed lines. Feel free to add your own flair or skip areas you don't like.

Rinse and Reveal: Once your stitching is complete, rinse the fabric to remove the stabilizer. Your design will stay in place, and the stabilizer will wash away!

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Eva Hesse (1936–1970) was a groundbreaking German-American artist known for her innovative work in sculpture, drawing, and painting. A key figure in the post-minimalist movement, she experimented with unconventional materials like latex, fiberglass, and rope, pushing the boundaries of form and texture. Her work explored themes of imperfection, process, and the tension between fragility and strength, making her one of the most influential artists of the 20th century. Hesse studied at Yale and briefly worked at Oberlin, a period that shaped her artistic voice before her career was tragically cut short by illness at age 34. Despite her short life, her legacy endures, inspiring generations of artists with her fearless exploration of materiality and abstraction.

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These mending patterns are a love letter to the artists who move us—not replicas, but stitches inspired by their spirit. We believe their genius extends far beyond the canvas, into the way we see, create, and repair the world around us. While our designs are original interpretations, they wouldn’t exist without the brilliance of Eva Hesse and her enduring influence.