Louise Bourgeois: Visible Mending Transfers

Louise Bourgeois’ expressive forms and biomorphic shapes capture the tension between vulnerability and strength, transforming personal experience into universal emotion. Her work, rooted in memory, family, and the body, aligns with the ethos of visible mending—where each stitch becomes an act of care, presence, and storytelling. At Approved Textiles, we honor artists like Bourgeois, who found poetry in the intimate, the psychological, and the tactile.

Though known for her monumental spiders, soft sculptures, and abstracted organic forms, Bourgeois was deeply engaged with repetition, texture, and the dialogue between fragility and force. This set translates her language of curves, loops, and skeletal structures into visible mending transfer patterns. Whether you’re reinforcing a well-loved garment or adding bold, expressive detail, these designs invite a tactile, contemplative approach to repair—stitching memory, mischief, and meaning into everyday textiles. Printed on water-soluble stabilizer, they offer a unique way to bring Bourgeois’ restless, resilient spirit into your own work.

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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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 Louise Bourgeois and her enduring influence.