Hey, a new chronicle on the handmade? Eh yes ! Behind this knowledge lies 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 in three locations in Montreal where, whether it’s sewing a t-shirt or learning to weld, shaping a lamp or even patching up a piece of clothing, people like you get to work. by themselves.
Welcome to this new space where you will find, every second and fourth Saturday of the month, ideas and advice on what we can do with our hands to shape, repair and beautify the world around us, whatever the material: wood, fabric, electronics, glass, metal… Nothing that can be made should scare you!
Repairing your belongings, is it possible?
Photo provided by Les Affûtés, François Mathieu
The jersey that we cherish the most tears. Grandma’s ancestral kettle no longer boils. The wheel of his bicycle is no longer turning. When small misfortunes happen, we would all like to have the skills to repair our broken objects.
Unfortunately, most of us have never learned how to fix things. Faced with the damage, we feel helpless. And then, the objects are less and less made to be maintained and repaired; rather bought quickly and thrown away quickly. Most often, we click to easily obtain a replacement object.
But what immense pride when you manage to repair an object yourself! What a joy to make a garment that we loved so much last! And getting there is easier than you think.
It only takes a few reflexes. Here are three that will take you a few minutes or hours of effort and that will allow you to feel a boundless pride in having brought your objects back to life. Try it, you’ll let us know!
Photo provided by Les Affûtés, François Mathieu
It is possible to take repair courses.
3 reflexes to adopt
1. Agree to go against the current by devoting the time it takes to the repair before going to buy a substitute.
2. Agree to pass for a beginner by learning to manufacture and repair in one of our workshops or with an experienced person.
3. Agree to ask for help from a neighbor or on an online group, such as the Facebook group “Touski S’Répare”.