Make & Mend was developed in 2022 to complement Open Door’s existing environmentally sustainable activities, and was aimed at encouraging a more sustainable use of fashion and home textiles. Read more about it below!
Make & Mend sewing machine servicing
Is your sewing machine well loved but a little weary? Is it time to refresh its inner workings? Treat your machine to a thorough service: cleaning, oiling, adjusting and PAT testing for electrical safety and hear it purring again!
- Cost: £35 of which £5 will be donated to Open Door (no fee if your machine cannot be resurrected)
- Contact Jane on [email protected] to book.
Make & Mend gift vouchers
Give the gift of sewing tuition - gift vouchers of various denominations are available to purchase at www.bookwhen.com/opendoor/vouchers and are valid for 6 months from date of purchase.
Upcoming Make & Mend classes
About Make & Mend
Make & Mend was developed in 2022 to complement Open Door’s existing environmentally sustainable activities, and was aimed at encouraging a more sustainable use of fashion and home textiles.
Made possible by a Dacorum Borough Council Green Community Grant, Make & Mend sees a range of sewing courses and workshops being offered at Open Door. These will equip people with the skills to repair, alter and make their own clothing and home furnishings, thereby extending the life of existing clothing and giving a more sustainable alternative to fast fashion purchases. These classes will be open to everyone in the community with subsidised places available for anyone who needs them. People can bring their own sewing machines to the classes, but the charity Workaid have very generously donated six sewing machines, so that people will be able to learn the skills even if they don’t currently have access to a sewing machine of their own.
Alongside the classes, we will be running a series of ‘Swishing’ clothes swap event, fun and sociable evening events where people can bring items of clothing that they no longer wear, to swap for other people’s clothing, giving them a new lease of life in a new wardrobe!
We know from the success of our Repair Café that our local community in Berkhamsted are keen to reuse and repair rather than replace. This initiative will empower people to make their own repairs and adjustments to clothing and to re-purpose other textiles - saving money, reducing landfill, and reducing emissions by making good use of existing resources rather than buying new.
The initiative will also raise awareness of the issues around fast fashion and textiles, and encourage ongoing behaviour change.
Made possible by a Dacorum Borough Council Green Community Grant, Make & Mend sees a range of sewing courses and workshops being offered at Open Door. These will equip people with the skills to repair, alter and make their own clothing and home furnishings, thereby extending the life of existing clothing and giving a more sustainable alternative to fast fashion purchases. These classes will be open to everyone in the community with subsidised places available for anyone who needs them. People can bring their own sewing machines to the classes, but the charity Workaid have very generously donated six sewing machines, so that people will be able to learn the skills even if they don’t currently have access to a sewing machine of their own.
Alongside the classes, we will be running a series of ‘Swishing’ clothes swap event, fun and sociable evening events where people can bring items of clothing that they no longer wear, to swap for other people’s clothing, giving them a new lease of life in a new wardrobe!
We know from the success of our Repair Café that our local community in Berkhamsted are keen to reuse and repair rather than replace. This initiative will empower people to make their own repairs and adjustments to clothing and to re-purpose other textiles - saving money, reducing landfill, and reducing emissions by making good use of existing resources rather than buying new.
The initiative will also raise awareness of the issues around fast fashion and textiles, and encourage ongoing behaviour change.