Dear readers,

We are very busy this week getting ready for the First Annual Women’s Clothing Swap.  We are partnering with the Portsmouth Public Library for this great event.

How does it work?

1. Drop off donations

2. Grab a Goodwill reusable bag

3. Swap!

Easy! Bring a bag of gently used, clean women’s clothing and leave with a bag of new-to-you items.

In the spirit of giving, we encourage participants to give more than they get. Remaining clothing and accessories will be donated to Goodwill.  And remember, the selection depends on you!  Bring in your old vintage dresses, t-shirts, suits, skirts, hats, scarves, coats, jewelry, accessories – swap it out for something new and donate to Goodwill!  The swap promises to be a fun, upbeat event, with music and lots of fashion decisions to be made.

And!  It’s all a part of the Portsmouth Sustainability Fair, so once you are done swapping, head next door to enjoy the festivities!

I am excited to announce that Goodwill and the Portsmouth Public Library are co-hosting a free screening of Handmade Nation, the hit documentary by Faythe Levine, on the rise of DIY art, craft, and design.

According to the press release, “Faythe Levine traveled 19,000 miles to document what has emerged as a marriage between historical technique, punk culture, and the D.I.Y. ethos. For HANDMADE NATION  she and Cortney Heimerl have selected 24 makers and 5 essayists who work within different media and have different methodologies to provide a microcosm of the crafting community. Participants in this community share ideas and encouragement through websites, blogs, boutiques, galleries, and craft fairs. Together they have forged a new economy and lifestyle based on creativity, determination, and networking.”

The screening is scheduled for Saturday, December 5, at 2 pm at the Portsmouth Public Library.  There will also be a curated display of local crafts and vintage and new art/craft/design books from the library collection.  Many thanks to Paige Maxim and Julie Bailey who have loaned us some of their crafts and art for display.

Stay for the after party and enjoy coffee and delicious cupcakes donated by Ceres Bakery in Portsmouth.  The Button Factory is also hosting their open studios this weekend, so get ready to get your craft on in Portsmouth that weekend!

Questions?  Please email me at or Jennifer Moore at the Portsmouth Public Library.

We had a great time last week refashioning Goodwill finds into new, fashionable clothing!  Goodwill partnered with the Portsmouth Public library to offer a series of teen refashion classes.  We held our first class last Tuesday and it was a huge hit – everyone got to go home with a newly made creation.  A big thank you to Jennifer at Recover Girl and everyone involved who helped make this a great success!

Do you want Goodwill to host a similar event in your community?  Please leave a comment and let us know!

Assessing our projects…hmmm…

The refashioning begins!

An old fleece jacket is now a stylish wrap!

A bulky orange sweater is transformed into a casual wrap!

An old purple sweater becomes a new summer cardigan!

Buttons jazz up this plain white t-shirt

Pajama pants turned into a cardigan!

Hello readers!  We have an exciting announcement! Goodwill has partnered with the Portsmouth Public Library to offer teens a thrifty way to express their creativity – they will learn how to alter second-hand garments into trendy new pieces!

There is a  series of four classes being offered at the library this summer that will teach teens a new skill set that will allow them to look at old objects in a new way.  Teens may turn a sweater into a hat, a t-shirt into a cardigan, or make other creations.

The library suggests that teens pre-register to hold their place AND so they can pick up a gift certificate to Goodwill to pick out an article of clothing to refashion.  You can find all the detail on the Library’s website – make sure you sign up early!

The workshops are scheduled as follows:

Tuesday, July 21 2-4 p.m.

Thursday, July 23 2-4 p.m.

Tuesday, August 4, 6-8 p.m.

Thursday, August 6, 6-8 p.m.

Woo-hoo!