If you’ve wandered down Electric Ave. lately, you might’ve noticed a little caravan at the end of the lane and with it, a girl by the name of Sarah, who I like to call, ‘Sarah, the Sewer of All Things’.
Sarah is originally from Thames and until recently, was running The Sewing Lounge on K Road in Auckland. When she closed her doors, she set her sights on spreading the sewing love beyond the big smoke. Through the magic of the Internet, she crowd-funded enough money to buy a caravan and a solar panel, and set out to do just that.
Cecil the Caravan is packed full of sewing projects big and small. It also has all of the tools and resources needed to provide a full fledge sewing experience. Including the sewing machines which are fully powered by her trusty solar panel.
Sarah’s mission is to reduce the waste going into the landfill. She does this by inspiring others to think about the possibilities through sewing, and to challenge the status quo.
As she has travelled the North Island, she has implored a since of ‘Space Activation’, by working with the local business owners.
Through a successful email chain, Sarah was connected with the locals in Raglan, and provided a space at the end of Electric Ave. When I came across her, she was sewing a boat motor cover out of an old kite from the kite shop.
“It’s about finding out who your neighbours are and how you can add value to each other,” she said. “How can you collaborate and support one another?”
Sarah is keen on her visitors fixing up old pieces of clothing that might need a few stitches, rather than tossing them in the bin.
Her favourite part? When someone has a go on one of the machines for the first time, and how excited they are from learning a new skill. Sarah offers help along the way, but by the end of the short lesson, you’ll know how to mend your pants all by yourself.
So grab your overly loved pieces from the closet and head down to Electric Ave. this weekend, Sarah will teach you how to stitch them up. Sarah and Cecil the Caravan will be there through Easter weekend.
Next week she’ll be teaching a class for new mum’s on Tuesday 29 March, (sign-up via Facebook). Wednesday 30 March you can catch her at Xtreme Zero Waste where people will be able to repair their Kahu’s Nest finds on the spot. Thursday, she’ll be taking a well-deserved day off to surf and Friday 1 April she’ll be at Raglan Area School, teaching the kids how to make Eco Warrior Patches (sign-up required).
For more information visit Sarah at one of the above locations or find her on Facebook at facebook.com/sewloveNZ.
Karamea Puriri
