Come join us for a series of swap/repair/art events called the Winter of Care and Repair Club. The name comes from an online challenge issued by textile artist Jeanna Wigger @thepeoplesmending starting in 2020.  Here in Midtown Toronto, we will cohost a series of monthly skill sharing events + community clothing swaps, 5 total from November - March, 2-3 hours each; we hope to see people come back to join us over the winter at one or all events. ​THIS PAGE WILL BE UPDATED WITH DETAILS AS WE CONFIRM PLACES AND DATES! There is a list of planned events below, including some new events in Hamilton (read to the bottom).
Events in this series:
  • COMPLETED: December 5th, 6 to 8 pm Midtown Toronto Sweater Repair and Winter Clothing Swap. Venue: At Origin Coffee 687 Mt. Pleasant Rd. Toronto (https://www.google.com/maps/search/687+Mt.+Pleasant+Rd.+Toronto?entry=gmail&source=g) with needle felt repair demos by artist Allie Davis and other sweater/socks etc. patching and darning repair assistance and advice with WIP artists (details + poster BELOW)
  • Saturday, January 25th, 11-1pm Midtown Toronto Coiling workshop and textile repair/reuse Venue: Northern District Library (Room 200) 40 Orchard View Blvd. Toronto https://maps.app.goo.gl/kwMJfRFDmZQMjovU6 There will be a basket coiling demo lead by artist Lora Bertolo, plus WIP artists and volunteers share skills and inspiration to refresh household linens by patching, upcycling or making rags. We will collect clean, dry linens to use, swap or donate.
  • Saturday, February 8, 11-1 pm Caring for the Past, Present and Future: Flag Bunting for the 150th Anniversary of the Heliconian Club This is a private event, co-hosted by the Heliconian Club in downtown Toronto as part of their Artist in residence program, but in the spirit of the #WOCAR2024 series, members and guests will make reusable flag bunting to help celebrate the upcoming building anniversary in a sustainable way, through communal art-making. The artist in residence this year is WIP artist Tanya Murdoch.
  • Saturday, February 22, 11- pm Midtown Toronto bolster pillow making work party and materials swap Venue: Glebe Road United Church, 20 Glebe Rd. East https://maps.app.goo.gl/odXNAfhkLH6EBb3AA There will be a bolster making workshop lead by Leslie Solomonian with support from other scraps-loving WIP artists.  Leah Sanchez will also lead a movement demo, to show how to use your boosters.  Bring materials, yarn, scraps etc. for a maker exchange/ materials swap, and to stuff your bolsters and pillows.
  • Saturday, March 15 our big annual Spring Clothing Swap at Glebe Road United Church, 20 Glebe Rd. East https://maps.app.goo.gl/odXNAfhkLH6EBb3AA
Events are open to all, we hope to see creative people from the community, making things together and learning from each other.  If you can't come out (or even if you can) let's also share online on instagram with the hash tag #WOCAR2024 #winterofcareandrepair2024 and please tag our account @works.in.progress.to  

​This project is supported by the City of Toronto through Live Green Toronto and the Neighbourhood Climate Action Grants program.
Our first event was Thursday, December 5th, 6 to 8 pm Midtown Toronto Sweater Repair and Winter Clothing Swap.  We learned how to repair sweaters with needle felting with artist Allie Davis PLUS bring shared skills, plus repaired together with patching and darning repair assistance and advice with WIP artists (details + poster BELOW, plus wrap in blog to come)
Venue: At Origin Coffee 687 Mt. Pleasant Rd. Toronto (https://www.google.com/maps/search/687+Mt.+Pleasant+Rd.+Toronto?entry=gmail&source=g) 

This event was FREE, and was both a mini COMMUNITY WINTER CLOTHING SWAP and a REPAIR CIRCLE where we mended clothes together.  Here's the poster:
BONUS: we were too excited to contain this Winter of Care and Repair (works-in-Progress edition) only to Toronto, SO WiP artist Marnie Saskin is volunteering to host some Friday evening repair gatherings in the Churchill Park Clubhouse in the Westdale neighbourhood in Hamilton, ON.  We have not secured funding for these yet so if you can come out, we will be accepting donations, BUT they are free.  You do not need to donate to come.

The first gathering will be Friday January 17 6-830, no registration needed, just come by. Churchill Park Clubhouse
167 Cline Ave N, Hamilton, ON L8S 4C1 ​https://maps.app.goo.gl/srGTd7r556CvLUCh7  Marnie has a pile of tights to repair, feel free to join her or bring your own repair/upcycle project. More info in the poster below.