REGINA — What began as a continuation of a church crafting group has become a grassroots force for good, stitching warmth, dignity and direct financial support into the fabric of the community.
The Caring Crafters, a Regina-based volunteer collective, transform donated yarn, fabric and sewing notions into quilts, winter wear and handmade goods. Some items are given directly to people who need them most, including those who are unhoused, while others are sold to raise money for front-line charities such as the Regina Warming Centre and Carmichael Outreach.
“We use donated materials to create items which we then share directly with those in need in our community, or we sell them and use the funds to support organizations working with those in need,” explained Rev. Christine Burton, the group’s original convenor.
Burton inherited much of the fabric and supplies from the former St. Martin’s Crafters, with the hope that a new generation would carry the work forward. They have and then some.
Today, the Caring Crafters have about a dozen members, ranging from retirees to a 13-year-old student.
While the group is currently all women, Burton emphasized that men are most certainly welcome.
Quilts for safety, toques for survival
Much of the group’s work focuses on warmth.
They have made quilts for Shayil Home and Regina Transition House, along with durable quilts suited for those living on the street. They knit and crochet toques, mitts and scarves, practical essentials in Saskatchewan winters.
“I crocheted about six toques in the last few days myself,” Burton noted. “That goes through a lot of yarn.”
Practicality drives every decision.
“If you’re living on the street, you don’t need a bowl cozy,” Burton said with a smile. “But the size of fabric pieces I may receive will make a bowl cozy, and that will raise money that we can then give to the Warming Centre.”
The result is a circular system of care. Scraps become saleable goods. Goods become funds. Funds support agencies on the front lines.
Nothing goes to waste.
The smallest scraps and loose threads are used to stuff handmade cat beds, which are donated locally. Clean sheets become quilt backings. What the group cannot use is passed on to other community organizations such as Grandmothers 4 Grandmothers.
“It helps those who are in need, it meets a need in us, and it helps the environment,” Burton said. “It keeps things out of the landfill.”
Quiet help, shared decisions
Chairperson June Stanton helps co-ordinate sales, social media and meetings. She prepares weekly minutes and ensures the group operates by consensus.
“There is no one person making all the decisions,” Stanton said. “We all have a voice.”
Each gathering includes a show and tell, where members share completed projects and new ideas. When members head south for the winter, they join meetings by Zoom so they can still participate.
“No one that is out of sight is out of mind,” Stanton added.
Beyond quilts and winter wear, the group also makes children’s clothing, underwear, leggings and mittens for community schools, items often overlooked but urgently needed. They have sewn reusable bags for students to carry donated food home. Some bags have been donated to the Indigenous Christian Fellowship.
“It’s little things like that we do quietly,” Stanton said.
The Caring Crafters are intentional about keeping their impact local.
“The items we get are from local people, for local people,” Stanton explained. While they have supported broader causes, including northern wildfire relief, their focus remains Regina-area organizations.
Small group, mighty impact
The group regularly participates in craft sales throughout the year, including several before Christmas. They will also be at Seedy Saturday on March 7 at Riddell Hall at the University of Regina.
Sales matter, not just for revenue, but for awareness.
“We make the public aware of the items we create, where the material is from, and what we do with the money,” Stanton said. “Networking with others is vital for a small group such as ours.”
And they are looking to grow.
New members do not need sewing experience. There is fabric to sort, pieces to cut, bindings to iron, prices to tag and sales tables to staff. Attendance is flexible.
“We’re looking for people who would like to help or just get out of the house and socialize,” Stanton said. “Many hands make lighter work.”
Burton agrees.
“We will take anyone of goodwill who wants to do good works,” she stated.
Those interested in joining or donating fabric, yarn or clean sheets can contact the group at: caringcraftersyqr@gmail.com
The group meets on the second and fourth Wednesday every month at the Living Spirit Centre (3018 Doan Drive) at 1 p.m. and 7 p.m.
In Regina, hope is being sewn daily. Everyone is invited to help thread the needle.
