We Made This

We Made This (WMT) began in 2009 with a small group of women and a few sewing machines, born of a vision to create a safe, welcoming space for refugee women new to the Denver area. 

Today, we remain true to our values of kinship, social justice, and empowerment, and continue to be committed to our mission to nurture creativity through community. 

WMT has since developed into a comprehensive program that sewing skills while providing participants a safe and supportive space to strengthen communication abilities, form social connections, and practice overcoming language and cultural barriers.

The hand-sewn items made by the program are sold at local stores, markets, and craft fairs. Profits from these items help support our curriculum and provide supplemental income for our refugee artisans.

Our Curriculum

We Made This (WMT) was founded in 2009 by ECDC African Community Center of Denver (ACC), a non-profit refugee resettlement agency that helps refugees from all over the world rebuild safe, sustainable lives in Colorado. Our program was created to build psychosocial skills in refugee and immigrant women who experienced additional challenges with integration in our community. 

We offer 12-week classes divided into Introductory, Intermediate, and Artisan sewing levels. Classes consist of hands-on sewing instruction, therapeutic art activities, community field trips, and group discussions. 

Sewing Instruction

Participants learn how to use a home sewing machine and practice making various designs and product types as their sewing skills improve. Graduates of the beginner classes receive a free sewing machine to take home at the end of the program.

Therapeutic Arts: Various therapeutic art activities are incorporate into classes to provide mental health benefits for participants.

Field Trips: Classes visit local attractions and public spaces to help introduce participants to new activities, communities, and places in Denver.

Tea Time: During this designated social and learning time, participants can create deeper social connections, practice English conversation skills, and discuss topics relating to integration or American culture.

Our Impact

Refugee and immigrant women graduate from the program with:

1. Increased confidence
2. Improved sewing ability
3. Stronger social bonds
4. Greater communication skills
5. Arts-based strategies to help process trauma
6. More knowledge of activities and communities in Denver
7. Opportunities for supplemental income

Products:

We Made This products are sold at local stores, markets, and craft fairs. Profits from the sales of our products help support our curriculum and provide supplemental income for our refugee artisans.

Our incredible team handmakes every product in our Colorado studio. As a result, slight variations in design may occur. Please embrace the unique imperfections that make your piece one of a kind!

We Made This showcases the cultural diversity of our community through the use of a variety of imported fabrics, including African wax prints, batiks, woven Burmese fabrics, Thai cotton prints, South American woven textiles, indigo fabric, and mudcloth.  This adds to the uniqueness of our products and contributes to the story of integration we hope to show through our designs. 

You can find WMT products available in-store at: 

Ruby’s Market (South Pearl Street in Denver)

The Shop at the Gardens (Denver Botanic Gardens on York Street)

We also sell products at seasonal markets and craft fairs. Follow us on Facebook or Instagram to find out where we’ll be next!