Sew We Work Blog

January 30, 2026

Greeting friends! It has been a crazy two months - lots of sewing and creating for guests at Listening House plus new place for me assisting at the Roseville Ramsey County Library.

Let's get started. I bought a delightful duffel bag pattern and modified it enough so it has only two parts, front and back and using the bag sideways instead of just using the opening at the top. With all the fabric donated a few months ago, i am able to make several duffels for the guests at Listening House. Also, I washed several cat food bags (my husband feeds feral cats, so we have a lot of bags!), the large ones that are 40 pounds and had intended to make tote bags with them. However, in that state between waking up and being fully awake an image came to me to make them into duffels. I made one, super simple with the modified pattern! So excited, now i have a project to keep dog food and cat food bags out of the landfill. The bag material is plastic (which could render them water resistent except for the seams) and because they hold 40 pounds of dry cat or dog food, there are strings of some kind that run through the plastic that increase bag stability. Our guests carry much stuff in their duffels; duffels are highly prized by the homeless for the amout of stuff they carry. In addition, I'm playing with the idea of making a smaller ditty bag to put in the duffel so that the user will have a littler bag to put in little things.

Next, I am participating in a Resilient Roseville project where they will present at the Roseville Library on how to keep textiles out of landfills. My part will be reusing fabrics, harvesting zippers and buttons off garments, finding scraps to make blankets and bags, as well as upcycling their wardrobe. There are lots of ways to keep textiles out of the landfills and I am excited to be part of it. On facebook i found a woman, Melanie Brummer, who founded the Upcycled Cloth Inititave; she is from Johannesburg Gauteng. Wow! Far way from Minnesota!

I'm also returning to teaching. I stopped teaching at one of the libraries - it was becoming too stressful as everyone was in a different place as far as learning sewing and I was running from one person to the next - all with different needs. So, i offered one on one, still free, in my home and they love it! They come for about 90 minutes and learn whatever they want to learn - I'm happy, they are happy! Also, if they need a machine or sewing gear, I provide that for them.

I am returning to a different library, however, Roseville Library on Thursday morning in their sewing circle. Several of my former students are there and I can support their learning experience as well as support the lead seamstress. 

Back to Listening House: Linda and I rearranged our sewing area and are much more organized and the lighting is better. Several guests request sewing and mending as well as either zipper repair or zipper replacement. 

Okay, until next, I pray that you keep warm if you are in winter, and stay dry. Love is where you find it, please look for it, it is everywhere.

November 26, 2025Wow! Where did time go? It seems like last week we were walking the dogs in 50 degree weather here in Minnesota! We were! Autumn has been delightful and I am grateful.

For those of you who follow Listening House in St Paul (logo to the right ---), you will know that hours have changed to only evening. Linda and I shifted our hours to later in the evening - we were sewing and mending from about 1 to 3 or 4 and now, I arrive at Listening House about 4 and leave at 8 - Linda moves it all a little later. Kudos to the Ignatian Noviates and all other volunteers who after sorting clothing donations to give us clothing to repair or mend so they can be given out. If the clothing is too worn we harvest what we can - zippers, buttons, flaps, cuffs, etc. We do our best to rescue as much as we can. We sometimes save denim scraps for patching holes in jeans.

So far we have repaired multiple hoodie and parka zippers, mended parka tears and blankets, and sleeping bags. In addition to parka and hoodie zippers we bought sleeping bag zippers in case we had more requests for sleeping bag repair. In addition a sewing friend of mine gave Sew We Work two mattress pads and we have sheets so we can make blankets - lots of requests for blankets.

Last evening and night and now early morning, winds are howling and we have snow fall; i am concerned for my homeless friends who sleep outside. At the last volunteer meeting we were given information that will help our guests find a bed for the night.

Last Thursday when I was there, i befriended a former Vet - who came up from South Carolina - and of course, I offered up my usual corny joke: "up here for the weather?" I'm sad that I could not hook him up with a bed or warmer clothing. He said he sleeps outside when he has too. Homelessness is a scurge on our society. I'm so sad when i hear stories like that.

On to what I've been sewing for guests at Listening House: thank you for donors I have lots of fleece and have made hats, scarves - am looking for a simple balaclava pattern - have seen a couple - would like to make these for folks. 

When I can I make bags - these days I'm making tote bags - haven't had the fabric to make duffels.

Okay, this is an ask: if anyone would like to join me in sewing for homeless folks - I have sewing machines, fabric, and all the gear needed. Please let me know.

Saturday sewing at First Lutheran are returning in February, second Saturdays and all are invited. This is a very fine group - we have a little brunch, chat, sew, knit, crochet - it is all in community.