Learn to fix the favorite things around the house

What to do about those lucky socks that have a hole? Those pants with a scrap in the knee? The bicycle with a squeaky wheel? Well, the Greater New Bedford Regional Refuse Management District has a solution. Their Fix-it-Forward: A Workshop Series on Repairing and Reusing. 

Their first session is “Mending, Darning, and Patching— O My!” It will be held at the Howland Green Branch Library at 3 Rodney French Boulevard in New Bedford on Tuesday, March 31 from 5:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. 

This session will focus on learning how to fix clothing from experts. Slow stitching holes, darning, fixing buttons and more. 

There will also be a fabric arts swap at the library starting March 23 until the day of the event. People can bring any art supplies to swap, whether it's for sewing, knitting, embroidery or tools for any of these crafts.

Some participants will receive free sewing kits, to encourage continued at home mending. 

The next session will be “A Bicycle Fixed by You.”  It will be held at the Howland Green Branch Library at 3 Rodney French Boulevard in New Bedford on Saturday, May 9 from 10 a.m. to 12 p.m. 

This one is limited to 12 participants, so sign up is required. Participants will learn to trouble-shoot common issues by fixing their own broken bikes. 

For any questions, please contact Marissa Perez-Dormitzer, the Waste Reduction Manager, Greater New Bedford Regional Refuse Management District at Marissa@gnbrrmdistrict.org or over the phone at 508-979-1493. Questions can also be directed to Mali Lim, the City of New Bedford Department of Community Services at mali.lim@newbedford-ma.gov.