NEW BEDFORD – A new hands-on workshop series is calling on New Bedford and Dartmouth residents to repair, reuse, and reimagine everyday items—helping households save money, reduce waste, and build practical skills. The Greater New Bedford Regional Refuse Management District, in partnership with the New Bedford Free Public Library and the City of New Bedford Department of Community Services, today announced Fix It Forward: A Workshop Series on Repairing and Reusing. All workshops are free and open to the public.
Beginners and experienced DIY enthusiasts can learn the arts of clothing mending, bicycle repair, fabric dyeing, sharpening and caring for knives, making jewelry from tableware, repairing jewelry and eyeglasses, and Japanese mending techniques (sashiko).
“Every repair keeps useful materials in use and out of the trash,” said Marissa Perez-Dormitzer, Waste Reduction Manager at the Greater New Bedford Regional Refuse Management District. “Fix It Forward is about practical skills, creativity, and community—small actions that add up to big impact.”
Mending, Darning, and Patching – Oh My!
The Fix It Forward series launches with its first workshop, “Mending, Darning, and Patching – Oh My!”, on March 31, from 5:30-7:30 p.m. at the Howland Green Branch Library, 3 Rodney French Blvd., New Bedford. Limited parking is available in a parking lot behind the library off S. 1st Street. Led by local artists Claudia De Sousa-Baptista of Bushwood Tailors Opportunity Shop and Elaine Alder and Beatrice Alder of Alder & Alder, participants can explore the techniques of slow stitching (also called visible mending) while learning how to replace buttons, repair zippers, and darn woolen socks and sweaters. Participants are encouraged to bring an item to repair.
“We love that a neighbor can drop by with a sweater to darn and leave with the skills—and the materials—to keep it in use for years,” said Olivia Melo, MLIS, Library Director, New Bedford Free Public Library.
The event will include a sewing and fabric arts swap. Items for donation may be dropped off ahead of time at Howland Green, Wilks, Lawler, and Main Library branches starting March 23. Swap items can also be brought on the day of the event. Examples of swap items include yarn, crochet and knitting tools, thread, buttons, fabric, embroidery floss, and sewing tools. On March 31, residents can visit the Howland Green Branch Library, 5:30-7:30 p.m., to browse all the sewing and fabric arts supplies and take home something new for their projects or repairs. Individuals without items to swap are still welcome to browse and select materials. Swap participants are welcome to take part in the workshop, but participation is not required.
To encourage continued repair at home, five sewing kits will be randomly given away to workshop participants, courtesy of the Greater New Bedford Regional Refuse Management District.
A Bicycle Fixed by You
The next session, “A Bicycle Fixed by You,” will be held on May 9, from 10:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. at the Howland Green Branch Library, where participants can learn how to troubleshoot common bike issues. The workshop will be led by Bill Trimble of Youth Opportunities Unlimited. Community members are encouraged to bring their broken bikes to the May workshop and get back on the road with confidence. The workshop will be limited to 12 participants; sign up will be required.
The workshop series is supported in part by the Art is Everywhere! grant funded by the City of New Bedford through its Arts, Culture & Tourism Fund, and is facilitated by New Bedford Creative at the New Bedford Economic Development Council.
For more information, contact:
- Marissa Perez-Dormitzer, Waste Reduction Manager, Greater New Bedford Regional Refuse Management District — Marissa@gnbrrmdistrict.org, (508) 979-1493
- Mali Lim, City of New Bedford Department of Community Services — mali.lim@newbedford-ma.gov
Follow for updates on additional workshops:
- New Bedford Recycling — Facebook, Instagram, Nextdoor
- Dartmouth Recycling — Facebook, Nextdoor