AlsoPatch Pockets! We are trying to alternate between specific projects and more broadly applicable techniques of repair and textile techniques and technologies, with some fun things thrown in. So this was a specific skill with, as always, broader implications. We had a big discussion about lack of pockets on women's clothes tied into restricting mobility...

This workshop was lead by one of our more experienced fashion designers and also one of our youngest artists, Gabrie Mills. You can see label Futuristic Ruins on her instagram site @futuristicruins

Main takeaway? Iron! measure! measure again! cut and iron and iron some more.  Really really. Also, harvest pockets from clothes and sweaters, or try a doily as a pocket!  And make sure your pocket is big enough to fit your phone...

We had great new participants, Kate and Olive, and everyone messed up at some point but I came out with a pocket on my skirt and could go for a walk backpack free and still bring keys and phone so mission accomplished.

CHECK out the video from the workshop below.

So back when we were doing the "Do it Together" Workshops - a very different time: in person workshops in the physically cold but warm to the soul space known as the Moss Park Market- one of the regular participants was this good human pictured above, Cairine. You can see unmasked photos of the workshops in previous blogs, like this one.

Cairine dove into making things full tilt, creating sachets ( a workshop lead by the series founder, Building Root's farmer and visionary, Kate Hamilton (you can read her blog here) and denim bags and all the things.  And this Spring, once it reopened, she began volunteering in a very different time and place, the Building Roots community garden at Ashbridges estate. Also filled with warm humans, but in a hot space, needing masks... so she made masks. and then these great cooling neck ties. So we met up at the farm and brought her some more material from our stash and took some video (these are stills) and will make it into a thing but for now there are these.

Humans are awesome. And sometimes good things breed more good things. We love our partnership with Building Roots and all the humans we have met through it. More to come.