Spring Swap and community connections March 25 2023

Here are a few of the photos from the Midtown Toronto clothing swap March 25.  

A truly joyful day- many volunteers helped it run smoothly and allowed us to have a maker space and repair advice area as well as a fantastic, well attended clothing swap, despite the torrential rain. We met many people who believe in a circular caring sustainable community.

Plenty of people shopped the free swap (we did have a donation jar by the entrance if people wanted to contribute - we collected about $100 and used the donations to buy volunteers lunch) and *new* the maker space, with fabric, yarn and other supplies for makers to access. When we started these swaps, this was part of the goal, to connect makers to share supplies. 

WiP artists worked with a number of people, sharing repair and sewing knowledge, we planned future workshops/work parties, kids played with sewing machines and made bags and their own toys, and hosted a new art friend @lorabertolo and her coiled baskets. People came in completely soaked, stayed for hours, and kept working and shopping and visiting through a power outage. 

Volunteers worked together and kept the space tidy. Clothing donations came in and were part of the swap immediately. And we had a helpful hardworking crew from set up to teardown. 

Our co-host Glebe Road United Church and the Reverend Cynthia supplied access to space and tables, advertised, and gave us storage.  We have been storing our best of swap starter/surplus textiles in a friend's shed, but she (Amy) is leaving the neighbourhood.  The church has given us access to an unused shed on their property from now on, a fabulous solution.​