Letter to the Editor from The Learning Quest's Exec. Director

Connect, Borrow, Repair, Create, Repeat 

By Belén Quellet,

Repairing together becomes a metaphor for maintaining and strengthening the social fabric, much like the collective effort that built the country over 250 years: caring for shared resources, relying on one another's expertise and learning from one another. 

Very much like quilt making, the Little City comes together in all shapes and forms to silently promote mending, repair and lending as a more sustainable way of life. It is also a value exercised every day, and one that attracts people to move to Falls Church, literally.

From Businesses such as the Toy Nest, a Toy Lending Library, Bedo’s leatherwork, to initiatives such as the Teddy Bear Fix It Clinic, the Repair Cafe or groups such as the Mending Circle, the city comes together, trusting it can do better.

There is no doubt that engaged residents are helping advance the City’s long-term vision for 2040, particularly in the area of environmental sustainability. This commitment was evident when the City issued its first declaration in support of International Repair Day last October. The spectrum from raising awareness to taking action, in the form of active, impactful engagement, spans from educating self/others, fostering empathy, advocating for rights, implementing inclusive policies, and providing direct, tangible support. Full circle. The beauty of building a caring ecosystem is happening right here, in Falls Church. 

The Mending Circle is an informal weekly group, a place to gather to mend clothing and other textiles we love and are not yet ready to dispose of.  This is a non-instructional, self-guided gathering, but more than that, it is a space where people of all sorts come together and sit comfortably in a quiet space and just talk and listen to each other without screens. It is also a space to facilitate mutual aid, where knowledge sharing flows freely, as well as supplies and tools. 

Similarly, the Falls Church Fiber Artists get together to knit and crochet, but even better, to create. This informal weekly group that started three years ago with four people already has hundreds on its mailing list and a regular attendance of about 25, with a maximum of 30 on certain occasions, with a new person joining almost every week. They produce something useful, in a room filled with laughter and companionship, with an active knowledge exchange, despite not being a teaching group. All the good that it brings comes with an added component that no foot of yarn is discarded as it is transformed into squares, quilts, blankets, critters, buttons, and earrings, with some of the products donated to charity. 

So whether it is pop-up events such as the Community Share Fair in “buy nothing” style and organized last May by Falls Church Forward, or the first pop-up event, Scrap to Stamp! designed and executed by Cassie Herman, Recreation Specialist for the Recreation and Parks division of the city, there are many opportunities to take action. In her words, much has been said, written, printed and debated about the environmental impacts of the fashion industry. Fast fashion relies heavily on non-renewable resources, is very energy-intensive, and contributes to pollution. Many clothing items are made with fibers containing microplastics that can take hundreds of years to break down. The goal of the “Scrap to Stamp” event is to help people think about the lifecycle of clothing and introduce creative alternatives to throwing old clothes away. During the event, participants will bring old clothing or fabric scraps and cut out square patches featuring their favorite patterns or prints. These pieces will then be attached to a white fabric backing to create decorative stamps that can be traded with others, used as patches, or displayed as small pieces of fabric art. 

Ultimately, the event is meant to raise awareness about an environmental issue many people don’t often think about, while giving the Falls Church community a fun and creative activity to enjoy together.

Local businesses are also a part of this weft. TINT - A Modern Makerspace, caters to all manner of textile and fiber arts. Knitting, Quilting, Sewing, Spinning, and Weaving are just the tip of the crafty iceberg. A very much needed place to spark creativity, which is at the core of doing things differently. Kelly Schnapp, the owner of Entangled, identified a “yarn emergency”. The name comes from the realization that “we are all entangled, and whether we like it or not, our actions all impact each other, and we should be working together.” So the shop has built a bridge, one that diverse people cross, to stitch, of course, but also to meet. 

Bedo's Leatherworks, Inc. was founded by Bedros Doudaklian in 1977. Mr. "Bedo," a nickname given by his customers, worked long hours to provide for his family and to achieve his desired dreams. Later in the years, he trained his youngest son, Steve, on the ins and outs of the trade. Mr. Bedo passed away in 1991, leaving his son with the legacy he had built.

Steve also had a prominent vision as to how he could expand the business. In addition to doing shoe repairs, he added leather/suede garment repairs, custom-made leather goods, luggage and leather repairs, even if your dog chewed your shoes. Bedo's has been serving the City of Falls Church and worldwide, as people ship their loved items in search of its renowned expertise. Bedo’s will turn 50 next year, and has a trophy cabinet of business recognition, including a plaque by YouTube for passing 100,000 subscribers. 

We can not leave out Brown’s Hardware, which we all miss. Established in 1883, it literally helped build and repair the city when Falls Church was just a village. It was taking care of the community in more ways than one, as it had the only phone line to the only doctor in the area. While we have lost that business, the city is carrying on the legacy of the virtuous cycle: Connect, Borrow, Repair, Create, Repeat. It just takes a village to build a sustainable community. 

The Toy Nest, a toy lending library, is a testament to it. Celebrating their sixth anniversary on March 30, it has approached 115,000 completed toy loans. The values at the heart of their operation, as explained by owner Lisa  Bourven, go beyond the business itself as it collaborates with the Mary Riley Styles Library to offer toy borrowing incentives to preschoolers for their summer reading program, and their annual Toys for Treats Halloween candy buyback redirects candy to city trash and maintenance workers while introducing kids to the toy library concept. While the Toy Nest has been recognized by the local business community, it is the families and the children who benefit the most from this early exposure to a place where kids can play and explore to their hearts' content. Where they can take home whatever they want and bring it back when they are done. The three igniting questions that brought a unique perspective to Falls Church were: Who says we have to own every toy our kids want to play with? What if we could explore and check out "new" toys just like we check out books from the library? Why can't kids of all income levels have access to high-quality toys?

The third Teddy Bear Fix It Clinic took place on March 14 at Mary Riley’s Library. A “hospital” was set up in the conference room where children brought in their stuffies for much-needed tender loving care. Whether it was a toddler bringing his teddy with a “bubu,” or a teenager explaining what his stuffed toy needed, the “triage” process was guided by students from Meridian, who had the support of volunteer instructors. It was all hands on the mend. An opportunity to save more than just a stuffed toy from a landfill. It showcased repair as a value that can last a lifetime, as a father of a young child brought his beloved stuffed lion of 47 years for a “hip replacement.” It was a beautiful thing to see how it turned into a get-together and bridged generations through hands-on knowledge sharing. 

The Library has also hosted an edition of Repair Cafe Fairfax, a movement that has gathered neighbors and experts for more than 15 years. It is a free community event where skilled volunteers help residents fix broken household items, such as electronics, appliances, clothing, and bicycles, to reduce waste and prevent items from entering landfills. Its first edition was a huge hit. 

As you can see, it is a work in progress, but one that is already doing meaningful work. Every mended seam, shared knowledge and tool, borrowed toy, repaired shoe or bag, and stitched square adds another thread to the fabric of this community.

Belén Quellet is Executive Director of The Learning Quest at 200 N. Maple Ave. in the City of Falls Church. The Learning Quest's objectives are to: 1) Develop new and innovative approaches and tools to foster learner-centered education through research and program implementation;" 2) "Expand opportunities for learners to conduct effective and impactful community outreach activities as part of their learning experience;" and, 3) "Foster the growth and availability of resources and guidelines, aiming to boost enthusiasm for STEM."