This group of Montreal newcomers is building connections and giving back — one stitch at a time

Red, white and green fabrics are strewn about a small room in Montreal's St. James United Church on Ste-Catherine Street, where four Muslim women are seated behind whirring machines, nimbly sewing Christmas gifts and decorations for donation. 

"It's very nice because it's cheerful to give something to another people," said Dina Basiony, a volunteer instructor of the women who are known as the "sewing bees."

"They feel it's made with love," Basiony said.

The donations are just one of the ways this sewing circle at the Montreal City Mission (MCM) is giving back to the community, all the while helping its members learn more about their new home city. 

One of those members is Sonia Jbara, who came to Canada from Syria 12 years ago. She initially joined the group in hopes of learning new stitching techniques and finding creative ways to reuse materials — something she's long done when altering or patching up her children's clothes.

"I [learned] about how to use machines, how to cut, how to [sew] and especially how to recycle fabric," she said, holding a half-sewn stuffed Santa Claus. 

But after a few weekly gatherings, Jbara found the crafting group afforded her much more. 

"It's like my second family here," she said.

The sewing circle, which began in 2019, is part of the MCM's Women Weaving their Dreams project which aims to help newcomer women build language skills, strengthen their self-confidence and foster friendships as well as a sense of belonging. 

"They are [getting] closer to each other and we are aiming to integrate with the community, not only to teach them sewing," said Basiony, a refugee herself, who began teaching the new group of women in January 2020. 

"We make friendships, we make relations, we stay together and sometimes we solve a problem for each other."

Dina Khidr, who moved to Canada from Egypt 14 years ago, says besides building on the crafting skills her mother taught her as a child, her favourite part about the sewing circle has been the ties she's made with the other women. 

"We [are a] very beautiful group, very beautiful friends, not only here in the place but also in [a] group online," she said.

"We help each other not only in this project but in general life."