Sewing Classes

One-on-one volunteers have been teaching eight weekly basic sewing classes for refugees four times each year since 2010. Students have come from Bhutan, Nepal, Burma/Myanmar, Afghanistan, Syria, Sudan, Somalia, Congo, South Africa, Kenya and Iraq. In each class they sew a household or clothing item. At each final class, our more than 125 graduates have received donated sewing machines, fabric and supplies. To visit a class, volunteer or make a donation of a portable sewing machine, fabric, notions or money, call Jennifer Crittenden at 315-633-2817.

Getting to know the machine
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Thursday sewing classes resumed in the fall of 2022. We have four beginners and four experienced seamstresses who want to learn American techniques. Every student has her own teacher and we all help one another and have such fun. If you would like to join us, visit class at 501 Park Street on Syracuse’s north side between 12:15 and 2:30.

Afghani refugees continue to request sewing machines; please spread the word to friends, churches, and internet groups. At the end of the eight-week sessions, each student will receive a donated sewing machine, supplies, and fabric. We need portable working machines that do straight stitch and zig-zag (other stitches are fine, but not necessary), and money to purchase other necessary supplies.

In the ten years that this program has operated, we have averaged expenses of about $600 per year. Our most expensive purchases are for scissors, elastic, fiberfil, and other small items for the 32 students that we teach each year. The Northside Learning Center charges us no rent for their sunny basement space where we hold classes and the large closet where we keep the sewing machines (that are owned by InterFaith Works) and all the supplies and fabrics. We have been blessed with occasional donations that have kept us solvent. But our balance is about $500, so if you know of a church or other organization that would be able to donate to this program, we would be very grateful.

Thank you, everyone, for your continued support,
Jennifer Roberts Crittenden

Click here for an article in the Post Standard in February, 2012, about our work with these refugee women (scroll to the middle).