Melissa Sarris
Stitching Exchange
Using the tools, techniques and materials of the needle arts as our common language
Summer 2023 Events
Community engagement with kites!
Sew your own kite kits available at Up-Stitch coming soon! Contact me for details
Mending day #3 at Honest Weight Food Coop while you shop: June 25th 11-1:30
Find us at area Farmers Markets to embellish a kite and purchase hand made items.
Troy Farmers Market dates: July 1st and 15th
Washington Park Farmers Market dates: July 29 and August 5th
Kite making and decorating workshop at Honest Weight food coop: August 13th 11-2
Join us for kite flying in Washington Park: Saturday September 17th
What's new in 2023?
Flying with Fabrics! We will create beautiful kites to fly with the public in Washington Park, Albany, NY.
This project, started in 2019, is ongoing. Current parter is Up-Stitch. I also work with the literacy organization RISSE (Refugee and Immigrant Support Services Emmaus.)
Up-Stitch, has continued to help and support our efforts. Most materials we use are provided free of charge by Up-Stitch, including sewing machines and sergers! You can now support Stitching Exchange efforts by purchasing items available from our little store on the Up-Stitch online store. Hand made items are donated by Up-Stitch community members or are made collaboratively with Stitching Exchange participants. 100% of sale proceeds goes directly to Stitching Exchange!
I have created weekly and drop in classes using embroidery and basic sewing to build community, practice English, and foster creative expression.
In 2022 as my volunteer community has grown, we began a "sewing bee" system of going into SE participants homes to get to know them better and work on various sewing projects. We have enjoyed a lot of excellent tea and delicious foods!
What happened in 2022?
Stitching Exchange began an experimental collective called Hand/Work. We used an informal time bank system, an alternative currency system where hours of service take the place of money to build community and help our participants with practical needs.
Watch the Hand/Work info sesion video here:
Listen here to a recent interview to learn more about this project:
Follow us: @stitchnexchange
Look, up in the sky, is it a bird, or a plane? No, it's a flying apron kite!
Market bag made of recycled cottons. Hand embroidery: Bangla "corn" by Taslima, English "corn" by Melissa.
Throw Pillow made of recycled men's shirts. Hand embroidery: English "kinship" by Melissa, Bangla "kinship"by Taslima.