Tag Archives: Keri

Sew 241 – Little black dress lives on

Great to have more of my New Zealand family involved in the Sew it Again project, with cousin Keri being the latest to upcycle and wear a Textile Beat refashion as Sew 241.

We went op-shopping in Brisbane during National Op Shop Week, as you do, and Keri found a little black dress of dated style with good potential because of its viscose fabric and pretty neckline.

After washing it, Keri grooved-up the hemline by cutting it into a modern curve and cropped off the puffy sleeves. When teamed with a red top and tights (from my stash) this is ideal work-wear for Keri whose management role within childcare centres straddles the office (add a black jacket) and occasional hands-on involvement. Continue reading →

Sew 240 – Snip and tie shoulder straps

Op shopping is such an adventure and much more fun than shopping for new stuff because you get to make discoveries.

This is a quote from my young New Zealand visitor Olivia after we called into a few op shops during National Op Shop Week, in-between the usual sightseeing and conventional shopping.

What a great insight from a nine-year-old, right, modelling one of her finds. The I Love Aus singlet was perfect, apart from being too long in the shoulders. All we had to do was snip each shoulder on the diagonal and tie a knot to shorten and prevent the shoulders slipping off (see photos below). Olivia then teamed it with op-shop-found shorts to suit her young athletic style. Continue reading →

Sew 239 – Small tuck revives castoff

It was great to have a reason to head to Byron Bay yesterday, playing tour guide around the lighthouse and Wategos for my New Zealand cousin Keri and her offspring Olivia and Liam.

Although I didn’t buy anything, I took the opportunity to chat with Glen Casey who owns the new Patagonia – Byron store and learn about the company’s impressive environmental and social commitment.

The integrity of Patagonia products is reflected right through the company and includes the Common Threads Partnership to encourage recycling and reducing consumption by creating products that last a long time. The partnership is fostering a culture of reduce, reuse, repair, recycle and reimagine to lower our collective environmental impact. A fabulous ethos underpinning a great clothing company. Continue reading →