Denver Tool Library

Tonight is our monthly First Friday from 6pm–9pm at the shop, and you should totally come! It’s free and there’s other cool art stuff going on in the area so why not swing on by.

Celebrate First Friday with the DTL community during the Santa Fe Art Walk every month this summer from 6pm–9pm for a night of music, drinks, and creativity. Bring your current project to work on or participate in our "Bring Some, Take Some" supply swap to refresh your materials stash. It’s a great chance for members, volunteers, staff, and ANYONE to hang out, make friends, and craft together.

More info at denvertoollibrary.org/first-fridays

A massive thank you to the 20+ volunteer menders, bike techs, tinkerers, BBQers, checker out/inners, and more who made the Repair Fair happen a few weeks back! 🩵

YOU make extraordinary events like this happen by showing up purely to help strangers fix things, share resources, and pass on skills.

Our volunteers are the heart of the Denver Tool Library, helping with everything from tool repair, shop organizing, spreading the word, and slinging hot dawgs at Repair Fairs. Whether you're a seasoned carpenter or are terrified by power tools, we have a place for you!

Interested in volunteering? Learn more at denvertoollibrary.org/volunteer

Next Skill Share will be Monday, June 8th 6pm - 7:30pm! Be sure to Register for Free before you go. 🐓🌱

Interested in having chickens, starting your own veggie garden, or repairing jewelry? Check out our next skill share on Monday, June 8th at 6pm! Sarah, Tucker, Elana, and Lindsay will be sharing their expertise and good vibes at this grown-up show-and-tell. Free to attend, NA beverages provided!

Register for Free at: denvertoollibrary.org/repair-fair

🤔What’s a Skill Share?

Skill Shares are free community events where anyone is welcome to meet and mingle with fellow members and tool librarians and learn more about what projects they are working on. Each event features a few short presentations from community members sharing their projects, lessons learned, and inspiration, followed by time to chat and connect over N/A beverages. No tool experience required!

Repair Fair Recap! May 17th was SO much fun! Give the photos a scroll and see for yourself. 🛠️

A ton of y'all showed up with your clothes, bicycles, appliances, jewelry, furniture and more. Many thanks to all of you who gave your beloved stuff a second life, and many thanks to our super handy volunteer fixers who kept that beloved stuff out of the landfill.

📊Impact
-61 attendees brought their beloved but broken items.
-24 fixer and support volunteers generously shared their time and skills.
-43 items out of 51 items were fixed and given a second life. That’s an 86% fix rate!
-405kg of stuff was diverted from the landfill.
-Once again, lots of hot dawgs & cookies served!

Thanks to the folks of Farnham Repair Cafe, we are also able to get fun numbers carbon related numbers. Our repairs save the equivalent carbon emissions of:
-14,121 miles of driving
-20,734 miles of flying
-2,125 showers

🤝More Than Just Fixin’ Things

These events are about more than simply fixing stuff - they aim to challenge consumer throwaway culture and encourage resourcefulness and reuse. They help share practical skills and build confidence so our neighbors can take on their own projects. We hope that Repair Fairs show that a community can come together to fix, build, and create the things they need.

🤔What's Next? Get Involved!

Weren’t able to make the event? Still have some broken stuff you don’t want to part with? Want to volunteer to help people fix and build things?
-Keep an eye on our weekly newsletter and social media for the next Repair Fair date
-Become a volunteer at the DTL - there are lots of ways to help, including repair fairs
-Fix your own stuff via a super affordable Tool Library Membership, Classes, and Open Workshop Hours

Thanks so much all - we hope to see you at the next one!❤️

We have a brand new, two-part class! Sewing II: Custom Tops & Patterns w/ Briana. First dates are scheduled for mid-June, so be sure to sign up soon!👚

Ready to start designing and creating your own clothes? Over two separate sessions, this intermediate garment sewing class will cover the complete process of making a custom shirt. This course focuses on the fundamental techniques that serve as the foundation for sewing your entire wardrobe.

✂️In Session 1, you will focus on pattern cutting and fabric preparation.

🧵In Session 2, you will move to the sewing machine for garment construction.

Learning to sew your own clothes is a rewarding skill that allows you to create a better fit and your own unique style. Join this supportive beginner-friendly workshop, expand your handy DIY skillset, and connect with a community of fellow makers!

Sign up at denvertoollibrary.org/sewing-tops-patterns-class

Our next Repair Fair is May 17th 2-6pm and we’d love to see you there with your beautiful broken things! Be sure to register for free before you go. 🛠️

In addition to all the fixin’, Alexandria Jimenez will be giving a live upcycling demo! She’s an artist and entrepreneur who specializes in using secondhand materials, with a focus on textiles, paper goods, and embellishments. She’ll have unique items available for purchase from her secondhand shop, Runner Up .

What’s a Repair Fair?

Repair Fairs are free events where community members can bring broken everyday items, such as toasters, bicycles, pants, and more, for free repairs by local volunteer fixers. These fairs offer a chance to learn valuable repair skills, reduce waste, and connect with your neighbors. No repair experience is required as our volunteers will guide you through fixing the items you bring in (limit one item per person please!).

https://denvertoollibrary.org/repair-fair

Our next Mending Circle will be Monday, June 15th from 6pm - 9pm! Make sure to register for free before you go.

April Mending Circle recap:
🫂20+ attendees
🌟7 volunteers
👕36 pieces of clothing repaired
🎭1 skirt saved in time for a Shakespeare festival the next day

Mending Circles are bi-monthly community events where anyone is welcome to meet and mingle with fellow members while giving their damaged items a second life. Each event has volunteers ready to teach you the necessary techniques and practices so you can repair your items during the event and in the future. We provide the sewing machines and basic supplies, so just bring your items and any specific patches you might want. No sewing experience required!

Want in on the next one? denvertoollibrary.org/mending-circle

Holy smokes, y'all!

We set out to fund 100 memberships this April. We didn't quite hit 100, but 55 of you showed up anyway. With matching, that turned into $6,878, which is enough to fund 46 memberships for community members who applied for financial assistance.🎉

That’s a whole lot of people who can borrow tools, take a class, and use our workshop who couldn’t before.

And if you're like, "oh no wait, I was out returning video tapes and I totally forgot"... OF COURSE we will still accept your donations. The applications keep coming, and every bit helps us say yes to more of them.🫂

The DTL works because people like you show up for it - so thanks to all of y’all who did so for this one.

With love and sawdust,

The DTL Team ❤️

LAST DAY! Bday Fundraiser Update. Thanks to 47 fabulous donors, we’ve raised $6,128. That’s 41 memberships funded!! 🥳

We’re aiming to fund 100 memberships because we’ve already had over 50 financial aid applications since January. We don’t want to turn anyone away from tool access that needs it.

Every gift is 100% matched until midnight tonight, DOUBLING your donation. If you’ve been snoozing a reminder on your phone about joining in all month, this is the moment to go for it ⏰

Let’s rally together and see how many people we can make a difference for in this last day!!

Link to donate: coloradogives.org/organization/DenverToolLibrary