When Frederick Buechner said, “Vocation is the place where your deep gladness and the world’s deep hunger meet,” he must have had the ministry of SewGreen@Rochester in mind.
Rev. Georgia Carney spent 30 years working in professional costume design before she became a deacon in The Episcopal Church. In 2015, her seamstress skills and passion to serve led to the founding of SewGreen@Rochester.
SewGreen@Rochester combines together our need for community and the opportunity God has given us to be creative with the desire to reduce landfill waste generated through “fast fashion,” the rapid production, consumption, and disposable nature of low-cost clothing.
Situated on the west side of Rochester, New York in an underserved neighborhood, SewGreen@Rochester brings together people of all walks of life to learn textile arts, share machines and sewing supplies, receive help with mending and other projects, and create a variety of handmade goods from discarded materials.
In fact, SewGreen@Rochester received more than seven tons of donated fabrics, notions, yarns, and sewing machines in 2023 alone, successfully diverting that much textile waste from landfills.
Most textiles take hundreds of years to decompose, and as they break down, they release harmful greenhouse gasses. Their dyes and chemicals can leach into the water and soil, contaminating ecosystems and human health. Equipment like sewing machines include toxic metals and plastics that also pose a significant environmental hazard as they deteriorate. They can also contribute to the growing problem of microplastic pollution.
When textiles and machines are donated back to places like SewGreen@Rochester, they are brought back to life—repaired, refurbished, repurposed, and reborn—into new uses and new products, all at the hands of the next generation who longs to hold onto the textile arts.
Resurrecting the Fiber Arts
SewGreen@Rochester offers many different monthly classes that provide instruction to individuals at every stage of learning, from Sewing 101, which teaches participants how to sew using a machine, to Advanced Hand Embroidery. Other classes offer playful and creative outlets for participants, like Sock Monsters or Sewing a Wizard Cape. Quilters and crocheters learn new skills and sharpen old ones. There’s also a Sew to Give Club that focuses on creating and donating sewing projects to area organizations.
Both part-time staff and volunteers help make sure everyone who comes to SewGreen@Rochester can explore the textile arts. Each class costs just $15, and scholarships are available if needed.
And if you need assistance with a sewing project, you can join the Open Sew for free.
Upcycling Old Fabrics, Yarns, and More
An array of projects at SewGreen. Image Courtesy of SewGreen@Rochester
Throughout the year, SewGreen@Rochester plans Green Friday projects. Their website features videos and instructions for past projects so that others can learn how to make these creative, sustainable gifts, including a button tree, tote bags, pillows, bowl cozies, fleece scarves, ornaments, and more.
The organization takes both monetary donations as well as donations of fabrics, yarn, and sewing machines any day of the week. Each donation keeps the items out of landfills and is tax-deductible. These materials are used in various class projects, resold in their store to support their classes, or used in charitable sewing projects. Consult their website for the kinds of materials they’re able to accept and what they are unable to accept.
Deep Gladness Meets the World’s Deep Needs
Rev. Carney’s passion for textile arts inspired a thriving ministry that meets the needs of Rochester’s west side, providing an opportunity to enrich the community, express creativity, and benefit the planet.
Other people with similar gifts and talents can turn their passion into a place that meets the world’s deep needs.
Passionate gardeners can start community gardens to teach local residents about sustainable farming practices, organic gardening, and permaculture.
Artists can create projects that collect discarded materials and repurpose them into art pieces, sculptures, or other items.
People who have a passion for cooking can organize workshops to show people how to prepare healthy, sustainable meals using locally sourced ingredients.
Storytellers and writers can collect and share the stories of local residents, especially marginalized voices, through open mics, workshops, or anthologies that all explore our diverse history, culture, and personal experiences.
For every passion, there’s a community need that could be met, linking all of us together in a beautiful quilt of interdependence and interconnectedness. How might you use the gifts and talents you’ve been given to bless the “least of these”? Share your ideas with the Root & Vine Instagram community!
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