AUBURN, N.Y. (NCC News) — Located in Auburn, N.Y., Sewwhatcny is a store and community space filled with 100% donated fabrics, threads, needles and more and partners with several nonprofits throughout the state.
Sewwhatcny has been opened for three years and is operated by volunteers who hold community events, workshops and classes for anyone interested in learning how to sew, knit, crochet or just meet new people.
The store sets prices a third of what commercial stores offer and aims to sell everything they take in. Vice president and store manager Barbara Klem says that setting affordable prices allows the community to create art and allows them to get all the materials they need.
“So, every single thing in the store is donated, that’s why we really try hard to honor everything that’s given to us and try to sell it,” said Klem.
With workshops for specifically for girl scouts, older and younger people, anyone can attend an event and help the store give back to its local area. Klem said they partner with Auburn and Syracuse organizations, elder care facilities and nonprofits like Meals on Wheels, National Alliance of Mental Illness and Veterans in Prison Crochet Club to name a few.
Store regular Von Thompson Wynn said working with several nonprofits throughout the state has been a true community effort.
“I have learned so much from people here and it’s just, it’s community,” Thompson-Wynn said.
Klem says they had many regulars that sit in on their social events and create clothing for those in the community.
“We have women that come in that want to just knit or crochet,” Klem said. “We give them yarn, they make hats. Everyone one of our elementary schools, all five, have hats and scarves available for every child in the school.”
Store and event regular Peggy Gordon says with the low prices and fully donated materials, she says there is something for everyone.
“There you know first timers, and there’s some that have been crocheting or knitting for 40 years, so you have a whole strand of people, and it’s great,” Gordon said.
By being a fully donated store, they have saved nearly 5,000 lbs. of waste from going to the landfill as of last month.
