Community arts gathering
Reduce, Reuse, Upcycle
A community arts gathering focused on sustainable fashion, creative reuse, and hands-on making.
Questions: Awheeler@Queerlective.com
Reduce, Reuse, Upcycle is a community arts gathering focused on sustainable fashion, creative reuse, and hands-on making. Join Queerlective for a day of artist vendors, workshops, and interactive activities that celebrate DIY culture, sustainability, and self-expression.
Throughout the day, you’ll be able to explore work by local artists, take part in creative activities, and connect with others around reuse, repair, and making. Whether you’re coming to shop, learn a new skill, or just spend time in a creative community space, there will be something for you.
This event is part of Queerlective’s ongoing work to host quarterly markets that bring artists and community together through creativity and collaboration.
Schedule
Plan your day
Drop in for the full event or come by for the parts of the day you’re most excited about.
Market opens
Browse artist vendors, explore handmade goods, and settle into a day centered on creative reuse, sustainability, and community connection.
Hands-on activities
Try embroidery, heat press designs, sewing patches, origami stars, charm bracelets, tarot readings, and more.
State of Queer NH release party
Join Queerlective for a special spotlight celebrating the release of State of Queer NH.
Plarn workshop with NRDuval Creation
Learn how to turn reused grocery bags into plastic yarn that can be woven or knit into creative pieces.
Event wraps
Close out the day with community, inspiration, and maybe a few new favorite artists and ideas to bring home with you.
Activities
Make something. Try something. Leave with something new.
Reduce, Reuse, Upcycle isn’t just a market. It’s a hands-on space to experiment, customize, and create using what you already have.
Embroidery + Heat Press Station
Bring a piece of clothing and give it new life. Rose will be staffing our embroidery machine with a number of roughly 3” designs that take about 10 minutes each.
We’ll also have custom DTF designs ready for the heat press. Use one of our leftover totes, or bring your own clothing or fabric item to customize.
We’re still learning the embroidery machine, so maybe don’t bring your most precious piece just yet.
Sewing + Patch Station
Pick up patches from local vendors and attach them right at the event. We’ll have someone at a sewing station to help you add them to your clothing.
2:00 PM — Plarn Workshop
NRDuval Creation will show you how to turn reused grocery bags into plarn, or plastic yarn. This material can be woven or knit into bags, rugs, mats, and other creative pieces.
You’ll also be able to see examples of what plarn can become at NRDuval Creation’s booth.
Origami Star Station
Starlands by Jo will have a station where you can try making your own origami stars.
These are the same pieces used to create 6-foot garlands folded from recycled magazines, turning someone else’s “trash” into something colorful, sustainable, and lovely.
Custom Charm Bracelets
ArachneButterfly will be making custom charm bracelets at his booth, using a mix of handmade charms, needlefelted pieces, beads, and found treasures.
This will be offered one or two people at a time so each person can choose their beads, size the chain, and build something that feels personal.
Tarot Readings
Jezmina Von Thiele (they/she), a writer, educator, performer, podcaster, and fortune teller of mixed Sinti Romani heritage, will be offering tarot readings as part of the event.
Jezmina is co-author of Secrets of Romani Fortune Telling and co-host of the Romanistan podcast.
1:00 PM — State of Queer NH Release
We’ll officially release State of Queer NH at 1 PM. Join us for a moment of celebration, reflection, and connection as we share this project with the community.
Special spotlight
State of Queer NH Release Party
1:00 PM during Reduce, Reuse, Upcycle
Join Queerlective at 1 PM for a special spotlight on the release of State of Queer NH. We’ll gather during the market to celebrate the project, share the resource book with community, and mark the launch together.
Come for the market and stay for the release party. It’s a chance to celebrate queer creativity, connection, and the people and resources helping shape communities across New Hampshire.
Artist lineup
Meet the artists
Browse some of the artists joining us for Reduce, Reuse, Upcycle.
Want to be part of it?
We’re still welcoming people who want to vend, lead an activity, or help make the day happen.
