Dunedin crafting enthusiasts will have the chance to clear out their cupboards and hunt for treasures at an upcoming charity fabric sale.

Fabric-A-Brac Dunedin will bring together the recycling and dressmaking communities on August 15 for a day of haberdashery and thrifting at the Port Chalmers Town Hall.

The event is a fundraiser for the Otago Community Hospice. The two previous sales raised more than $8000 for the charity.

Fabric-A-Brac Dunedin organiser Amanda Tonks said three years ago she retired and was at “kind of a bit of a loose end”.

She had always liked fashion and dressmaking, and so when a previous organiser stepped down before the first planned event in 2024 she offered to run it.

“I took the reins … Now we are into our third year and we kind of know some of the ropes and perfect stuff as we go,” Mrs Tonks said.

Volunteer committee members including Ngaire Patterson, Rhonda Bamford, Merridee Watson and Rosemary Tarbotton are helping Mrs Tonks organise the event.

About 24 stallholders will offer not only recycled fabrics but also dressmaking patterns, knitting needles, yarn or old costume jewellery that could be used to make new pieces or broken apart for beading.

Mrs Tarbotton said the only caveat for stallholders was items should not be finished clothing.

“It can’t be made … it has got to be the ingredients to make things,” Mrs Tarbotton said.

“So you can’t sell clothes, but you can sell the fabric to make clothes.”

The home stitching community was growing and included some “lovely people”.

“We were just talking about a young woman who came and she picked up a lovely piece of fabric to make a dress to wear at a wedding.

“We had this lovely young couple, a guy and a girl.

“He was learning how to sew and so they were buying fabric together to make hoodies and sweatshirts and they were quite excited,” Mrs Tarbotton said.

“People get really excited about it because it’s cheap.

“You can buy a nice length of fabric for a good price and it’s for a good cause.”

Mrs Tonks said the sale attracted all kinds of makers and hobbyists.

“It’s the thrill of the rummage.

“And the thrill of a bargain, because it can be an expensive hobby,” Mrs Tonks said.

There will be tea, coffee, slices, scones and sandwiches to buy and a range of raffles including firewood, a supermarket voucher and a high quality iron.

People are encouraged to bring cash and bags to take away their purchases.

Donations of good quality fabric, wool, patterns or buttons can be dropped off at the Otago Community Hospice shops in Dunedin or Mosgiel.

 

Fabric-A-Brac Dunedin:

Fabric-a-brac hosts community sewing markets nationwide to fund local hospice care, raising nearly $300,000 since starting in 2009.

The Dunedin event will be on Saturday, August 15, from 10am-1pm, Port Chalmers Hall. Free entry, koha for Otago Community Hospice appreciated.

 

sam.henderson@thestar.co.nz