Reuse, Recycle, Reimagine! Camp - Summer 2024
This summer at Cut and Sew PHL, our instructor Jhenny Adams ran a new camp that focused on reuse and it was a huge success! We had a great group of students that were excited to learn to sew while considering the environmental impact. Some of them shared ways that they already participate as stewards to the earth such as volunteering in trash pickups or community gardens.
On day one, we talked about ways we can get the maximum use out of our materials. They started by learning different piecing techniques that can join small pieces of fabrics into bigger pieces. Jhenny also showed them how to use heat and bond to fuse fabric together and turn scraps into fabric paintings. The collages turned out wonderful and it was cool to see how they were unique to each student.
Next, they learned about how sewing can save their clothing from the landfill. The students brought in pieces of clothing that weren’t getting used anymore and Jhenny taught them a wide variety of techniques from repairs, mending and fit alterations to completely reconstructing and redesigning a garment to give it new life and get it back in the wear cycle. The most exciting project of the day had to have been when a student made a jacket for their stuffed animal: Señor Pineapple. While it was a little silly, and there were lots of giggles, the student was very serious about getting the fit right and Jhenny helped to offer construction tips to help the student get the perfect outcome for Señor Pineapple’s jacket.
Perhaps the most exciting day of camp was our field trip day to FABSCRAP Philly. We took the students to the FABSCRAP warehouse where they learned about the ways they recycle fabric. Jhenny explained how to tell the difference between fabrics in an environment where things are not marked. Later at the warehouse they gave even more info on how they sort the donations they receive. But the BEST part was, FABSCRAP was having a "pay what you want" sale for sequins, denim, fur, leather, and lace so the students were able to select some fabrics to take back for their projects. Jhenny discussed the nuances to using these types of fabrics and all of the students did a wonderful job incorporating these difficult textiles into their projects!
The last two days of camp, the students were able to take what they learned and make anything they wanted. There were quite a range of projects and they were all excited and focused. One student cranked out a whole new wardrobe for herself using clothing her family members no longer wanted. The pride on her face when her mom picked her up and said “Is that your sister's old shirt?! I can’t believe it!” was so fun to see. She even made herself a summer hat! Another student used the collage technique they learned on day one to redesign some T shirts. Similarly, someone else carefully hand sewed their sequin square they got at FABSCRAP onto a plain T-shirt to give it a whole different look.
At the end of the week, Jhenny asked what their favorite part of camp was and she was touched to hear that while they loved sewing, they loved the new friends they made even more (yes even more than getting to shop for fabric!). We are definitely hoping to run this camp again next summer. We feel so lucky to have had this wonderful group with us and watch their creativity blossom!