SewGreen News, August 13, 2008 www.sew-green.org CONTENTS ~ Kids' and Teens' Classes Last Week of August ~ Coming this Fall ~ Green Aprons at Textile Arts Show ~ Be a Sewing Mentor ~ Make a Bag for SewGreen ~ Fabric Sale Everyday at Tuff Soul ~ Free Materials Offered to Organizations ~ Thanks for the Donations!
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ SEWING & REUSE CLASSES For Middle School Kids Monday-Tuesday-Wednesday, August 25, 26, and 27. 8:30 am to noon *OR* 1 to 4:30 pm. Three sessions for middle-school-aged boys and girls to learn reuse and hand-sewing skills, how to use a sewing machine, and what it means to be a sustainable shopper and reuser of materials. Projects include making a drawstring tote bag from a favorite old t-shirt, sewing a reusable shopping bag, creating a patchwork self portrait, and plenty of opportunities for the kids to create and share reuse projects they invent themselves. We'll watch "The Story of Stuff," an interesting and kid-friendly video about the global consequences of overconsumption, and the students will help produce a take-home booklet of their own ideas for a more sustainable daily life. The classes will take place in the SewGreen classroom at the Women's Community Building, 100 W Seneca Street, Ithaca. The cost for the three-part series -- with a choice of the morning or afternoon series -- is $85, which includes all materials. Contact Wendy, [EMAIL PROTECTED], 607-277-7611, for information and to pre-r egister. BACK-TO-SCHOOL SEWING For High School Students Thursday and Friday, August 28 and 29. 9 am to 4:15 pm, with a 45-minute lunch break at midday. Two full days of sewing and refashioning for high-school-aged boys and girls. The theme will be creative reuse leading to a more sustainable wardrobe and DIY one-of-a-kind fashions Students will learn or develop machine sewing skills, and harness the power of refashioning for a new back-to-school look. Guest designers will show how they are making new fashions from existing materials, and class participants will brainstorm ways to both shop and sew green. The two-day class will take place in the SewGreen classroom at the Women's Community Building, 100 W Seneca Street, Ithaca. The cost is $95, which includes all materials. Contact Wendy, [EMAIL PROTECTED], 607-277-7611, for information and to pre-register. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ***COMING THIS FALL*** SEWING MACHINE SALE: On Saturday, September 20, 11 am to 2 pm, at the Women's Community Building, SewGreen will hold a sale of classic sewing machines at affordable prices. Many makes and models, from vintage to newer machines, all cleaned, oiled, and ready to sew! HUGE FABRIC SALE: On Saturday, October 18, 11 am to 3 pm, SewGreen's annual "big sale" of a wide selection of fabric, yarn, sewing notions, and needlecraft supplies will take place at the Women's Community Building. SEWING MACHINE REPAIR COURSE: Nationally-known sewing machine repair teacher, Ray White, will offer a three-day basic and a three-day advanced class in the Ithaca area, the first week in November. The classes are open to all, and several sponsored slots are being kept open for community youth or adults who may not have an opportunity to otherwise receive this training. Contact SewGreen, which is hosting the training, for more information. HOLIDAY RECRAFT FAIR: On Saturday, December 13, 10 am to 4 pm, at the Women's Community Building, Ithaca's first-ever ReCraft Fair will offer beautiful, original holiday gifts that have minimal environmental impact. All items will be made locally from materials already in existence. Vendors, artists, and makers of gifts, apparel, home furnishings etc. that are verifiably created in our region from all reused materials and that involve no toxic processes are invited to apply for a booth at the Fair. For more information and an application form, contact Wendy [EMAIL PROTECTED], 607-277-7611. SEWING CLASSES & REUSE WORKSHOPS: We're developing our list of Fall classes, open sews, and reuse events now. What would you like to see offered? Want to teach or present a workshop? Let us know: [EMAIL PROTECTED] ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ GREEN APRONS! The annual Ithaca Textile Arts Guild show at the Upstairs Gallery, 2nd floor of the DeWitt Mall in downtown Ithaca, includes an exhibit of aprons made from scraps and reused materials. Aprons are "in" again, and are a staple of a sustainable wardrobe. The show, which opened August 5, continues 11 am to 3 pm, through this Saturday, August 16. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ BE A SEWING MENTOR Thanks to a grant from the Service League, SewGreen is offering a sewing mentor program, "Sewing Mamas & Papas." The program pairs a responsible adult with a youth, 11 to 18, for one-to-one learning about sewing or refashioning. Kids from all backgrounds are welcome, but the program is especially intended to help youth who have few other opportunities to learn to sew. Youth must be referred by an agency, teacher, or activity leader, and must have transportation to the SewGreen classroom in the Women's Community Building, 100 West Seneca Street, in downtown Ithaca. The time commitment is generally about one hour a week for 6 to 12 weeks. Mentors and mentees are screened and matched through The Learning Web and SewGreen. For more information, contact Wendy Skinner, [EMAIL PROTECTED], or Jana Thibodeau, [EMAIL PROTECTED] ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ MAKE A BAG FOR SEWGREEN SewGreen will have a booth at the Apple Harvest Festival, which will fill the Ithaca Commons the last weekend in September. We'd like to promote an end to "paper of plastic?" by selling affordable, attractive reusable totes and shopping bags made from reused or existing materials, and we invite experienced stitchers to sew one or two or as many bags as you enjoy making. Pre-cut kits and directions for these simple but fashionable bags are available at the SewGreen classroom. Ideas for other styles of reusable bags are always welcome! SewGreen is also making duffle bags for Hospicare families; please ask how you can help with this charitable project. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ FABRIC SALE EVERYDAY Need something inspiring, practical, or pretty for your next sewing project? Check out the selection of new-to-you fabric at Tuff Soul, 516 West State Street, in Ithaca. Tuff Soul is an all-sustainable style store that has partnered with SewGreen to accept fabric donations and provide a resale outlet for all kinds of never-used, clean, folded yardage ranging from silks to quilting scraps. The store is open 11 to 6, Monday through Saturday. Your purchase supports SewGreen and adds no new environmental impact. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ FREE MATERIALS FOR YOUR CHARITY PROJECT, YOUTH ACTIVITY, ETC. SewGreen is happy to donate appropriate materials -- fabric, yarn, sewing supplies -- to any organization that sews for charity, runs youth or senior activities (especially those that emphasize reuse), makes pet beds for animal shelters etc. Drop us a note on your organization's letterhead describing the activity and what kinds of materials you need; or send an e-mail with a website address or other verifying information. SewGreen, P.O. Box 681, Ithaca NY 14851-0681; [EMAIL PROTECTED] ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Thanks for your DONATIONS of fabric, yarn, sewing notions, and sewing machines! YES, PLEASE, we accept clean, folded yardage; yarn by the skein; sewing and needlecraft notions of any vintage; and sewing machines of any vintage. We have to say NO THANKS to patterns, curtains, bed linens, slip covers, polyfill, or clothing -- all of which may be donated to the Salvation Army or other thrift shops. Please, NO unfinished projects, deconstructed clothing, fabric with patterns attached, and nothing with pins in it. HOURS for donation drop-offs are 11am to 6pm, Monday through Saturday, at Tuff Soul, 516 West State Street, Ithaca. Limit for one trip is the equivalent of three garbage bags. If you have more to donate or need help delivering it, contact Wendy, [EMAIL PROTECTED], 607-277-7611 to make other arrangements. ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ To be added or removed from this newsletter distribution list, send an e-mail to Wendy Skinner, SewGreen Coordinator, at [EMAIL PROTECTED] _______________________________________________ For more information about sustainability in the Tompkins County area, please visit: http://www.sustainabletompkins.org/ RSS, archives, subscription & listserv information for: [email protected] http://lists.mutualaid.org/mailman/listinfo/sustainabletompkins free hosting by http://www.mutualaid.org
