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Libraries are sacred, public spaces that are typically quiet. But, every other Tuesday at Milwaukee’s Washington Park Library, you’ll hear the hum of a sewing machine and conversations about seams.
It’s a recurring event they call “Mind Your Mending” — a place where anyone can get simple clothing fixes done for free. On this particular day, Samantha Wison brought pants and a bag.
“Yeah, the seams are pulling out, and I am not very savvy at putting stuff together,” Wilson explained to Washington Park resident Carol Lee Hopkins, who helped launch the clinic. Before she dove into this particular fix, Hopkins asked, “So is this stitched to the outside here?”
“However you want to do it will work for me, because whatever you do is going to be better than me having it rip off so I trust whatever you think is good,” Wilson replied. She later explained, “I don’t know how to hand sew anymore. It’s a lost art, at least for me. I know that it’s relatively simple for somebody, so I’m delighted to have this as an option.”
Hopkins has been doing so since January, volunteering her time for small things like patching holes, stitching and repairing the occasional zipper.
“I make a lot of things for myself and my family,” Hopkins said. “But I like helping people, and I think it’s really important right now with this crazy, difficult world we’re living in where there’s a lot of meanness. I can do something kind.”
Hopkins has been retired for five years and has more than a half-century of sewing under her belt. To some, she’s an introduction to a shrinking world. To others, she brings memories and sparks of creativity.
“So a man saw my sewing machine, he heard it going, and he came up to me and said it reminded him of his mother’s sewing at home,” Hopkins said. “He wanted to know what I was doing and said, ‘I have two buttons that need to be sewn onto this coat.’ That was my first job.”
Carrie Schuessler brought in a dress she needed ready for a wedding in just a few days. While she does have sewing experience, she often has questions. So she asked Hopkins for help removing the extra padding in the dress instead of attempting to do so herself.
“My mom can hem, and she definitely put us in sewing classes when we were in third or fourth grade,” Schuessler explained. “My sisters and I made quilts. But I did not keep it up enough.”
Hopkins spotted a seam she could work with but admitted it “won’t look great” on the inside once she’s done. Schuessler gave her the go-ahead “as long as it’s fine on the outside.” Hopkins laid out her plan, saying, “I’ll just get out my seam ripper and take out a few inches.”
Watching Hopkins at work, it’s hard to believe she struggled when she first learned to sew in middle school. By college, it became her craft. She encourages more people to learn the skill and has enjoyed watching the younger DIY generation learn to sew and knit online.
Schuessler is usually one of those people and noted that when she does try to sew, it’s a good feeling. “I actually found that while I was attempting to hem another dress, it’s very overwhelming at first,” she said. “But there is something satisfying about trying to do it myself.”
Eventually, Hopkins was able to remove the padding and get the dress ready for the wedding. Schuessler offered her thanks, noting that she was “dreading an entire day being uncomfortable in this dress.” In return, Hopkins had one request.
“Can I take a picture of you just holding up your dress? Just for me. I like to keep a record of what I’m doing here.”
If a fix in exchange for a photo sounds like a fair deal to you, you can find the next “Mind Your Mending” clothes repair clinic by visiting the Milwaukee Public Library’s event page.
