We need others to help us learn about the world. This is why our collective is called Works-in-Progress, we know there is always more to learn and ways to be better but the process is the thing. We have been doing a lot of sharing and connecting and learning and teaching this month (still a week to go). We have two workshops this week with two institutional partners, we have more artists working with us in our residency and sharing their skills, and we have some new resources to share, thanks to the hard work and passion of other makers. Very exciting. And the best thing: sharing means less work for individuals, and more opportunities to do what we love.
In this newsletter, we invite you to come see us in one of two workshops, we celebrate artists who have connected with us this past month, give you an update on our residency, a look back at the people we got to play with over the past year and a new repair resource we are sharing for people in Toronto or nearby. Stay warm and ask for help if you need it.
--Tanya Murdoch, Works-in-Progress photo of 6 year old Cairine and Heather making a puppet, 2018
We are excited to see some new and familiar faces and to play with with like minded institutions as we co-hosts TWO workshops online in January. We will be back with the Textile Museum on Wednesday January 26th, and joining a new partner in the workshop series as part of our artist residency at Double Take store. Here are the details for both:
January 26, 4-530 FREE Online workshop with the Textile Museum of Canada as part of their Sustainable Textile Teach-in series, the Fabric Scraps Challenge.
In this workshop, create handsewn badges, patches and pockets and join Works-In-Progress collective members Tanya Murdoch and Marnie Saskin as they tackle the challenge all crafters face – what to do with fabric scraps?
January 29, FREE Online workshop with the the new Double Take Upcycling Studio as part of their upcycling workshop program: Repurposing old sweaters/handwarmer simple sew
One of the challenges facing upcyclers is how to change old clothes into materials, and make the best use of what you have. In this workshop, learn how to deconstruct an old sweater, share ideas of use/projects for this wonderful cozy material, and then together we will do a simple handsewn project, making a handwarmer. No experience needed, simple tools and tech.
Lead by Works-in-progress artist Marnie Saskin, Tanya Murdoch, Leah Sanchez
We did this workshop before with the Textile Museum back in 2020, It ties in well to the upcycled goods you can get at the Double Take store's new upcycling studio launched late last year.
We have just gotten our second sales report from Double Take, and have extended our Artist Residency into February. You can see samples of Works-in-Progress artists in the window of the store at 310 Gerrard St. East, along with our fellow artists @economydrygoods and @lowelllodesignarc and items for sale by members of our collective inside the store.
We were happy to have some new artists join us, including Alex Verkade who made these cute zippered cases from vintage quilts. Artists get 75% of all items sold, the remainder goes to support the Yonge Street Mission and other programs through Double Take.
INTERESTED in playing? Read more on our blog AND reach out if you want to take part. and stop by the store and shop- it is a great thrift store, with dedicated low price items available to up-cyclers and makers (and fancy items as well if you are a vintage affectionado)
All things considered, not bad. 2021 was a year with a LOT of adjusting and reassessing and adapting for our collective as well as the rest of the world, we covered all the highlights and plenty of photos on our latest Blog post.
We are interested in both sharing skills and supporting artists and so we are trying a new experiment. Repair activist, artist and mender Jeanna Wigger in Boise Idaho created a small repair pamphlet to aid new and experienced menders, and we thought people may like to have a copy, so we are going to distribute it here in Canada. Limited copies arrive soon, please reach out to us if you are interested, or contact Jeanna if you are in the States!
Save the date: April 17 2022, Spring Renewal Clothing Swap
It's Winter! But it won't be forever... Think warm thoughts and pack your shorts. We will be organizing all ages clothing swaps in the Spring, and we have a date for one: April 17, in Davisville Village, Toronto, in partnership with Appletree Markets This will be a swap like we did in the Fall with our back-to-school neighbour-to-neighbour clothing swap, but now with adult sizes as well. These are fun, free and very manageable events- IF YOU ARE INTERESTED IN HOSTING YOUR OWN (pandemic safe) SWAP and want some help, please let us know, we can provide admin advice and some material support.
