Unique Fabrics

There was a survey done of our neighborhood awhile back that found there were little-to-no resources. What we primarily identified was a lack of summer programming, and we suspected this meant kids weren’t getting enough food.

For the past two years, we ran a summer lunch program, but we had no solid location. We began talking with our neighbors, and several people expressed a desire to learn how to sew. As we talked further, we realized that no one around the table knew how to sew, despite this having been a skill that was taught at one point in many homes.

In October, Unique Fabrics had its kick-off, meeting every Wednesday at Amazing Grace Lutheran Church around seven sewing machines. Amazing Grace already had a transformational mental health component within the church, in which residents teach one another viable skills, so adding sewing to the mix was a great fit.

But what is learned is SO much more than the skill of sewing. We come together in a “no judgment zone,” and what is learned through the conversation around the sewing machines is invaluable. This is similar to the cross-generational learning that once was a regular occurrence in our families around the kitchen table.

This speaks to the true meaning of Unique Fabrics being the people rather than simply the cloth with which we work. We’re looking forward to the many connections and further programs we’re hoping to weave together in the coming years.

Support Unique Fabrics' GoFundMe: https://www.gofundme.com/244843292