NEW!! Classes for both primary and secondary school-age students!
In the April school holidays, we catered for primary school-aged students on Monday 14 April and high school-aged teens on Wednesday 16 April the Wednesday class, regardless of whether they were beginner or more experienced sewers.
The event was organised by members of the church who find joy in sewing and are concerned about fabric waste. They wish to share their knowledge of sewing with others, to enable fabrics to be reused, repurposed and recycled.
There was a minimum of one instructor between two participants, and one sewing machine for each child. Every instructor held a current NSW Working with Children’s Check.
Workshop #1
Primary School Children on Monday made a patchwork library bag.
Patchwork Library Bag
Participants created either a 9-panel or a simpler 4-panel patchwork bag. Attendees had practice sewing straight lines on a larger panel that formed the back of the bag.
Workshop #2
High School Children on Wednesday had a choice of one project from the following projects:
- Travel Roll (beginners)
- Tote bag (more experienced) or
- PJ’s (more experienced); see below for details or
- Bucket hat (a bit more experienced)
Option #1 – Travel Roll
Participants created a travel roll to store phone, charger and cables. It can also be used to carry makeup, brushes or be handy to hold cutlery when camping. This project was for the novice sewer or for those wanting to build their confidence in using a machine and understanding a basic pattern.
Option #2 – Tote bag
Participants created a reversible tote bag with pockets. This workshop was for sewers with more experience or who have attended one of our previous sewing workshops.
Option #3 – Summer pyjamas
Participants created pyjama shorts and, if time allowed, a pyjama top.
Option #4 – Bucket Hat
This project required a bit of skill to make the hat look good.
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How we reported our first event in July 2024, which was followed up by another 2 days in the Sept/Oct school holidays:
During the winter school holidays something exciting went down at Engadine Uniting Church, bringing together the enthusiasm of youth and the experience of older folk.
On Thursday 11 and Friday 12 July creative young folk took part in our very first School Holiday Sewing Workshop. The workshop was part of the Clothing the Loop1 series of events designed to reuse or repurpose surplus fabrics, saving them from landfill.
Each day was a 3-hour workshop with a different group of teenagers aiming to create their own travel rolls that can transport phones, chargers, cables or makeup so those items remain undamaged.
The sessions started with each teen receiving a little pack of information, scrap fabric and a Freddo Frog on arrival and picking out their favourite fabrics as they arrived. Once everyone had arrived and made their fabric selection time stopped for an Acknowledgment of Country and recognition to our First Nations Peoples. The novice sewers were taken through the anatomy of a sewing machine and how to keep themselves safe while using one before they buddied up with a volunteer sewing mentor and started practising how to use their allotted sewing machine before they started sewing their actual travel roll.
Before long the room was abuzz with the whirr and clatter of sewing machines, interspersed with the quiet noise that comes with teens utterly focused on sewing and encouraging murmurs from their mentor buddies.
The teens told us they came to the workshop because they thought it would be a fun experience. At the end of the 3 hours (scheduled for 2.5 hrs!!!) they left with a completed article, a great sense of accomplishment, new skills, a fun morning and their appreciation at having experienced, caring sewers to guide and teach.
As well as learning how to use a machine, sew in straight lines, oversewing with zig zag stitch to stop fabric fraying and a treasure trove of hot sewing tips from the volunteer instructors, the teens were informed of the negative environmental impacts of fabric waste and Australia’s position as number one country for the highest per capita fashion purchases2. They were encouraged to continue learning sewing skills so they can proactively reduce their fashion purchasing and to reuse and repurpose clothes they no longer want to wear.
We were privileged and grateful that most of the resources for this workshop were provided without cost, allowing us to make this workshop affordable for parents and carers.
- the sewing machines were on loan from church members from Engadine Uniting and St John Bosco Catholic churches
- the fabrics and habadashery were all donated
- the morning teas were (mostly) supplied by donations from church members and Book Club members.
- the sewing instructors all volunteered their time to share their joy in sewing with others. We could not have put on this event without the generosity of time and spirit from Judy, Melanie, Tahlia, Robyn, Sarah, Margaret and Loraine.
But what did the teens say about the event?
‘(I most enjoyed) Sewing straight perfectly and seeing the final product.’
‘Thank you so much for an amazing time. I loved working with my buddy.
’
‘Feeling happy with an excellent instructor.’
AND from one mum ‘I have never seen my two boys so quiet or focused on one task for so long.’
All the newly graduated sewers said they would recommend the workshop to their friends and that they would love to come back again themselves, providing a wishlist of what to make: ‘bucket hat, blanket, shirt, shirt, clothes to wear, totebags, makeup bags’
It seems that everyone had as much fun as we did so it looks like we’ll do this again next school holidays!
If you or your child has an interest in sewing and would like to either attend a sewing event or volunteer as a helper or if you have any items you would like to donate to our sewing events, please email office@engadineuniting.church.
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