Category Archives: hand sew/no sew

Sew 334 – Cotton with sustainable values

Australian cotton industry focus on continual improvement of environmental production and safety measures is the basis of a great Sue Neales yarn For cotton, the big noise is about sustainability in The Australian this weekend.

Sue quotes cotton grower Simon Corish from Goondiwindi saying “consumers worldwide now want to know that the cotton they wear and use has been grown by farmers who do things environmentally well, and the big retailers are responding to that and saying they will only source in the future cotton that has been sustainably produced”.

The Australian industry has made great strides in reducing water use by 40 per cent and chemical use by 95 per cent in recent years – as discussed in an earlier Sew it Again post – and Sue’s story reports industry has now signed on for a five-year improved sustainability plan. “It requires Australia’s cotton growers to track their own – as well as the industry’s – ongoing performance against 45 key criteria linked to water efficiency, reduced chemical use, carbon footprint, biodiversity, farm productivity and work-related safety.” Continue reading →

Sew 315 – Creative second-hand combo

In this era of conspicuous consumption, it is refreshing to come across people from all walks of life who deliberately make thrifty choices and consider secondhand-best whenever possible.

At a check-up with my dentist yesterday, Bruce asked me what I’d been up to since I last visited, I told him about Sew it Again and that the upcycled outfit I was wearing (right) had cost me less than $2. He was completely with the program. Bruce said he loved fossicking through second-hand clothing stores and that his med-student daughter had upcycled his wife’s wedding dress for her Year 12 formal outfit. Fabulous thrifty values, reusing what already exists instead of always buying new! Continue reading →

Sew 304 – Turning skirt into shift

One of my goals this year is to help shift people’s thinking about the way we dress by encouraging creative, individual, empowering, thrifty and sustainable clothing options through refashion.

This is primarily driven by my background in sustainable agriculture and interest in natural fibres – as well as a desire to reduce waste and excess consumption.

When I spoke with ABC Local Radio Brisbane presenter Rebecca Levingston about the Sew it Again project last year, she totally got what it was about and has been following progress through the year. Today is Day 304 and it was great to have an opportunity to catch up with Rebecca on the 612ABC radio drive show for an update on the sustainability or otherwise in the way we now choose and use our clothing. Continue reading →

Sew 284 – Green Heart is fair

It is great to live in a city that invests in a sustainability ethos by hosting the free Green Heart Fair twice every year as a community and sustainability festival, promoting innovative green living in a fun, family-friendly way.

The Green Heart Fair website says “more than 100 of our leading sustainability organisations, community groups, artisans, foodies, green-thumbs, conservationists, businesses and eco experts will be sharing information and knowledge with visitors on how to live more sustainably and offering vital tips to reduce rising cost of living pressures”.

Textile Beat will be there with some Sew it Again garments on display and running a free T-shirts Reworked workshop. Continue reading →

Sew 278 – In the pink

Even though being too matchy matchy is a hazard these days when clashing colours are de rigueur, this magenta look came about because of the pink leather pumps.

I’m in the final quarter of the Sew it Again project and getting ruthless about moving accumulated unworn stuff out the door because my personal end goal is a textile de-clutter. (Good Feng Shui by Debra Jarvis says eliminate clutter ‘only allow items you love, that are useful, and that uplift your energy to remain in your home’.)

Going through shoes yesterday, I hesitated on these pink pumps I bought new a few years ago yet have hardly worn. As I looked around for a reason to save them, I found they worked with some comfortable, casual pink and black garments, which I wore to dinner at our friends Kay and Paul (who are preparing to move to the Czech Republic for two years, but that’s another story). Continue reading →

Sew 277 – Dyeing for a refresh

It is amazing to see how a colour wash can revive a slightly dated floral dress for a fabulous second life.

This floral maxi wrap Laura Ashley dress was passed to me for upcycling by my friend Robyn Sheptooha back in February and now makes perfect beachwear for the gorgeous Steph on Stradbroke Island.

It was originally a cream floral that served Robyn well in its heyday, nearly 20 years ago. There was really nothing wrong with it at all except the cream floral looked a bit dated and Robyn’s style had evolved. Continue reading →

Sew 264 – Buttons carry memories

Are you a hoarder or a thrower? There is always a balance between holding on to materials with memories of the past, and clearing the decks so new things can come into your life.

I have hoarder tendencies. After ‘rescuing’ a lot of natural fibres and found stuff from op shops during the past two years to add to my existing collection, I’m going through a shedding process during this Sew it Again year.

My friend Fiona Lake also has hoarder tendencies – and during the past few days while in her company many treasures have emerged, including her mother’s button stash. I enjoyed sorting the shell buttons into a smaller container to display very special treasure. Then Fiona produced this amazing little babies top, with shell buttons in situ where they would have been used to attach bloomers, which would have been from her grandmother’s era before zips and press studs. Continue reading →

Sew 262 – A transformational journey

It is not on my bucket list. I don’t hanker to be in the Birdcage at the running of the Melbourne Cup which stops the nation every November. It brings together horseflesh and fashion in spectacular, luxurious style, but seems somewhat elitist and wasteful to me.

Yet I didn’t look a gift horse in the mouth when the opportunity emerged to hold a roving replica of the Cup doing a whistle-stop tour around the nation to drum up excitement for the big race. ABC Open’s Michael Bromage and I swapped cameras – he took this photo of me, and I took a photo of him, complete with the white glove. Thanks Michael, thanks to Melbourne Cup organisers and thanks to the gorgeous QRRRWN ladies for creating carnival atmosphere! Continue reading →

Sew 257 – Change T-shirt to suit you

Just a quick post today because I’ve flown north, back to the old stomping ground of Townsville, north Queensland where we lived for many years.

I’m enroute to Charters Towers for the upcoming Queensland Rural, Regional and Remote Women’s Conference, where I’ve been invited to present a Sew it Again Jane workshop on refashion and upcycling. The Women of the Worlde conference from September 16-18 promises to be enjoyable and enriching because there are so many enterprising and inspiring women in the network.

And tomorrow I’ve been invited by Charters Towers Regional Council to present a workshop on turning your creative passion into purpose, which is another exciting opportunity to reiterate ‘start where you are, use what you have, do what you can’. Continue reading →

Sew 256 – Lucy works T-shirt magic

Wow – look what Lucy whipped together from a bunch of reject t-shirts and t-offcuts? I was impressed to see how Lucy selected colours and textures from the pile of bits and pieces. She played with them for a while before heading home with a promise to send through photos of her modelling the refashioned results.

I met Lucy at today’s Whites Hill State College fun day in Camp Hill after being invited by my friend Kerryn to run a T-shirts Reworked workshop. It is always good to chat with locals about how they engage with clothes and most have some concern about the declining quality leading to increasing waste as we adopt what amounts to a disposable clothing culture. Continue reading →