Our fortnightly Sewing Bees at The Hub kicked off the New Year working on the Network Heaven school bag project, and we have already made over 100 drawstring school bags bound for Sri Lanka later in the year.
It is always a thrill to see the children wearing the dresses and holding the school bags we have sewn, or clutching the Barbie dolls for which we have made culturally appropriate outfits.
We have donated approximately 15 very large bags of fabric and haberdashery that were unsuitable for our current projects, and these will soon be heading to the Solomon Islands. Emanuel, the sole organiser, is a regular visitor to Peninsula Seniors Toy Repair Group and sends a container of goods to the Solomon Islands approximately every three weeks.
The containers include beds, bedding, furniture, clothing, first aid and medical supplies, with transportation costs covered by Island communities in Australia. We are very pleased to share our resources with the residents of the Solomon Islands.
Boomerang Bags Kimbriki were once again present at The Fixery, the first event for 2026, held at Cromer Community Centre. It is the go-to event for having your favourite items repaired by skilled volunteers who try to fix anything that can be carried in and free of charge.
Our contribution is to repair items that can be sewn, either by machine or by hand, including split seams, rips, drooping hems, elasticated waists and torn bags. (We do not shorten hems, take in seams or replace zips. These are classified as alterations. Please take these to a local dressmaker.)
Repair slots are 30 minutes each and can be booked via the Northern Beaches Council website.
The Fixery is operated by The Sydney Library of Things and generously supported by Northern Beaches Council. It was recently featured in a Channel Nine News report.
The garden outside our studio is being transformed into a wildlife-friendly environment, encouraged by sightings of Blue Banded Bees, a baby Water Dragon and our resident skink, Lady Lizzy. Pots have been sourced from the Kimbriki Buy Back Centre, while seedlings, potting mix and cuttings have been generously donated by Elizabeth, who volunteers to run the Sustainability Group at Wheeler Heights Public School.
With the production of two worm farms now set up to process organic waste from The Hub groups, we are hoping to create a habitat that supports our local wildlife. It also gives visitors another reason to enjoy spending time at The Hub.
