Sometimes it’s just the simplicity of sitting with others, together in spirit and endeavor, that makes life feel right.
This quote is from The Wedding Dress Sewing Circle, by Jennifer Ryan, the first book on my reading list this summer (thank you Mary Beth!). It's about a group of women who gathered in England during World War II to mend and repair clothing for themselves and for the “cause”. When one of the main characters, Grace, wants to mend her mother’s wedding dress for her own wedding, everyone lends a hand to fix moth holes and add some scarce lace from another dress, to allow Grace to wear the white dress on her wedding day. They finish the dress, but Grace doesn’t go through with it (thank goodness the guy is a bore), but the idea comes to Grace to share the dress with someone else who is engaged. The idea of sharing wedding dresses blossoms into a wedding dress clothing swap, to allow brides to have a white dress when white silk, or any fabric really, is being used to make parachutes and other necessities of the war effort in England.
Our own Sewing Circle started last year, when a friend in the Second Serve Resale community inquired about mending and repair, and whether I knew of people who like to get together and sew. I put some feelers out to the Second Serve community and several people were game. I planned on doing the group at the Second Serve workspace in Pawtucket and then, with interest growing, I realized it would be too small. My church said we could meet there, and a few emails later the Sewing Circle was a real group, meeting every couple weeks at Central Congregational Church.
At the first meeting everyone went around the room and said their name and their interests, and almost every person mentioned their mother or another family connection to sewing. Some people wanted to practice what they had learned a long time ago, and others like myself wanted to learn how to use a sewing machine, like my mother did. We discussed ideas for projects, and came up with different ways to mend, upcycle and repair- think holey cashmere sweaters into mittens, and scrap fabric into drawstring storage bags.
Drawstring storage bags made from fabric scraps.
About every other session we had a tutorial on a project, but people also just did their own thing- brought clothes that needed to be hemmed or mended, finished a quilting project, or darned some socks. I always brought Second Serve donations that needed some TLC, and they were always fixed by the end of the session, one way or another!
A vintage dress I hemmed kind of by myself, after the Sewing Circle (Wendy in particular) set it all up for me.
A visible mending project for a beloved sweater!
Upcycling damaged clothing into a new purpose, and mending garments so they can be worn again is a great result from these gatherings. But what I found to be equally important is the community that is formed when people gather together, whatever the purpose. One of our regular attendees told me how glad she was just to meet some new people. She had become more of a homebody since Covid shuttered all of us, just reading and doing projects at home. Sewing Circle got her out with people and suddenly she has a bunch of new friends. I love this. I love the joy that human interaction can bring.
Sometimes it’s just the simplicity of sitting with others, together in spirit and endeavor, that makes life feel right.
Sewing Circle is a place to upcycle and repurpose and mend. It is also a place to hang out and talk to real people, in person! Come for whatever reason you like. All are welcome!
The next Sewing Circle is Saturday September 6, from 10am-12pm at Central Congregational Church, 296 Angell Street in Providence, RI. Join us!!!
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