YMCA stitches skills and community with sewing workshops

Fashion and creativity through needle and thread kept a dozen sewing enthusiasts in a fabric frenzy last year at the YMCA of Greater Halifax/Dartmouth. And it was all financially supported by two Halifax area community health boards.

The beginners sewing workshop helped people learn basic sewing skills while also building friendships, confidence and creativity. 

It wasn’t just about sewing, said Madhulika Handoo, the YMCA’s active living coordinator. It involved having a shared space for conversations, storytelling and a place of supportive refuge.

The YMCA’s centre for immigrant programs saw great value in using the arts to build community. The Cobequid Community Health Board and Halifax Community Health Board each pitched in with $3,500 to help fund the cost of sewing machines, fabric and other supplies.

Community health board wellness funds support non-profit groups working to improve health in their communities. Among other things, grants go toward programs that promote food security, housing, transportation and social participation. The goal is to reduce risks of poor health outcomes in Nova Scotia communities. 

With winter approaching and outdoor activities becoming less feasible, sewing was a perfect fit, Handoo said.

“Many of our clients connected over sewing; some came in with experience, while others were simply curious to learn,” she explained. “Initially, it was mostly our senior group who had some sewing knowledge, but families - couples and their children - were also eager to explore it."

Given the expense and availability of sewing machines, Handoo was eager to make them available for personal projects and not just lessons. To help more people get involved, the YMCA started a Saturday drop-in sewing day where anyone could come in, use the equipment and work on their own ideas.

"Our clients were looking for artistic expression. While we offer English language programs, computer classes and citizenship courses, they also needed a creative outlet,” Handoo said. “Sewing arrived at just the right time and it gave them a space to think, create and make something meaningful."

The YMCA’s clientele includes older adults and adult families who participate in regular activities and trips, she added, “and they told us they wanted to try sewing.”

The sewing program idea also aligns with improving their communication skills.

What are participants making? Pillowcases, phone covers and even baby dresses have been created since the program started.

"They've crafted handbags, side bags, and even decorative storage boxes,” Handoo added, items “perfect for organizing cosmetics or personal belongings."

For some, however, sewing sparked an interest in pursuing the craft professionally, with aspirations to start their own businesses.

“Since most of our clients are immigrants,” Handoo pointed out, they face their own challenges.

“While our job is to help them settle in,” she explained, “we're always looking for fun and creative ways to integrate them into society and give them opportunities to explore Halifax and Nova Scotia.

"On a more personal level, we want to help build their confidence, especially for those whose first language isn't English. To foster connections, we organize outings and introduce programs like sewing, which serves as both a creative and technical skill-building space, while also helping newcomers form friendships."

Handoo takes great joy in seeing participants take away a meaningful conversation, valuable sewing technique or a sense of accomplishment, all while learning a life skill in the process. They get to take home a personalized sample book showing the items they made.

At some point in the future Handoo is hoping the YMCA will capture the participants’ journey through a storytelling project in an audio or video format.

Photo of participants enjoying creativity through sewing.