Hey, a new chronicle of the handmade? Uh yes! Behind this knowledge is Michael Schwartz, founder of Les Affûtés. Les Affûtés is a very simple idea: allow everyone to become autonomous in manual skills. We offer hundreds of workshops across three Montreal locations where people just like you get to work, whether it’s sewing a t-shirt or learning to weld, shaping a lamp or even making a piece of clothing mend
Welcome to this new section where every second and fourth Saturday of the month you will find ideas and advice on what we can do with our hands to shape, repair and beautify the world around us, whatever the material: wood , Cloth, Electronics , Glass, Metal… Nothing that can be crafted should scare you!
Repair your stuff, is that possible?
Photo provided by Les Affûtés, François Mathieu
The jersey we value the most tears. Grandma’s traditional kettle no longer boils. The wheel of his bicycle no longer turns. When small mishaps happen, we would all like to have the ability to fix our broken items.
Unfortunately, most of us have never learned how to fix things. We feel helpless in the face of the damage. And then the objects are less and less made to be maintained and repaired; rather quickly bought and quickly thrown away. Most of the time we click to simply get a replacement item.
But what immense pride when you manage to repair an object yourself! What a joy to create a garment that we have loved so much of late! And getting there is easier than you think.
It just takes a few reflexes. Here are three that will take you a few minutes or hours and make you boundlessly proud of having brought your objects back to life. Try it, you will let us know!
Photo provided by Les Affûtés, François Mathieu
It is possible to take repair courses.
3 reflexes to take over
1. Agree to go against the grain by taking the time to repair before buying a replacement.
2. Go through as a beginner by learning how to make and repair in one of our workshops or with an experienced person.
3. Agree to ask a neighbor or an online group like the Touski S’Répare Facebook group for help.