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From left, Val Shepherd, Sue Spenceley and Meri Armstrong took a table to sell fabric bolts as a fundraiser for Warkworth Foodlink.
Matakana Hall was full of colour and pattern last month, when hundreds of different pieces of fabric, textile, wool and sewing accessories were brought together for the first community Fabric Rescue event.
Dozens of people and organisations donated unwanted offcuts of fabric for craft, dressmaking and furnishing, with tables piled high with every shade and style of material imaginable. Everything from scraps and trimmings up to full bolts of fabric were available in exchange for a koha, or donation, while stalls sold a range of upcycled fabric items, from funky lampshades to bags made from animal feed sacks.
Mahurangi Wastebusters supported the event, diverting fabric from the Lawrie Road and Rustybrook Road recycling centres to be sold and sponsoring hall fees.
Organiser Sue Monk said the event had been something of an experiment, so she was delighted with the result.
“We felt that there would be a lot of spare fabric in the district that people didn’t want to throw away and clearly there was,” she said. “And people were so appreciative to get new fabric for a very small amount.”
Crowds of bargain hunters ranged from students and home sewers to a professional upholsterer.
Around $1800 was raised, which will be used to organise community events such as sewing bees, craft and upcycling workshops and sewing machine maintenance classes.
“We want to know what people are interested in doing,” Sue said. “And we’re hoping to have another fabric rescue event before Christmas, so please don’t throw away any unwanted fabric, but save it in a box and know that in time we’ll be putting out a call.”
Info: Fabric Rescue on Facebook or email fabricrescuemk@gmail.com
