Help turn disposable Shopping Bags into sleeping mats for those experiencing homelessness.

One way we can reuse disposable shopping bags is to cut them up and weave them into sleeping mats to put a barrier between people who have to sleep outside and the cold hard ground.

The Missions & Community Engagement Committee has purchased two looms. It takes hundreds of bags to make one mat.

The loom is set up in the Parlor. Stop by anytime to weave.

There are many ways to help.

• Save your CLEAN, DRY, EMPTY shopping bags. Small tears are OK.
• If you can, flatten and fold them. Bring them to the white collection bin in the donation station (first floor coat room.)
• We are weaving with plarn (plastic yarn) and are looking for folks to cut plarn at home. It’s simple — lay the bags flat, fold them in half and then in half again, and then cut the bottom seam and the top handles off. Students working on a similar project show us how in this video:

Come help make mats! Our next “learn to weave day” is after the 10:30 worship service on Sunday, December 8.

Want to learn more? Reach out to Missions@brecksvilleUMC.com

Learn To Loom

Sunday, April 13 from noon to 2 pm

Have you been looking at all those disposable plastic bags in the bins around the church and thinking “somebody needs to do something about those things!” Here’s your chance!

We’ll be gathering together after church on Palm Sunday to enjoy a light lunch and learn how to weave a sleeping mat out of those bags. There’s something for everyone to help with, from flattening, folding and cutting bags, to stringing them together into a woven masterpiece. These sleeping mats will add a layer of protection and comfort for folks sleeping outside.