Tag Archives: linen

Sew 246 – Reusing what already exists

The coming to consciousness about what we wear on our bodies is being driven along by many factors – including popular culture icons engaging their profile and influence for greater good.

Pharrell Williams, of ‘Happy’ fame, is one such musician involved in a fashion initiative that is turning plastic and ocean waste into desirable clothing under the G-Star RAW for the Oceans collection launching this month. Read more in this 1 Million Women article by Bronte Hogarth.

Another popular musician Will.i.am is stepping out too, in sharply tailored suits made by Coca-Cola funded reuse initiative Ekocycle with fabric created from recycled plastic bottles, as reported by Ecouterre magazine and in the video below. Continue reading →

Sew 193 – Sky-blue linen + wool

Put natural-fibre clothing on a natural beauty in a Queensland beach setting and it is hard to go wrong!

This upcycle involved an op-shop linen shirt and wool jumper-skirt found separately but now a perfectly matched sky blue. The short-sleeved wool jumper was diced up – the turtle-neck saved for another project, the sleeves turned into flared cuffs for the linen shirt, and the body of the jumper trimmed to be a skirt with narrow elastic waistband. The ribbed hem of the jumper is effective as the skirt hem.

The linen shirt remains largely intact (although shoulder pads and velcro removed) with its sailor collar, front zip and pockets. The change was with the sleeves, which were cropped to below the elbow then the wool sleeve off-cut added for a flared effect. The scarf is another op shop find and the hat belongs to Lilly B, the gorgeous model photographed on the beach at Alexandra Headland. Continue reading →

Sew 179 – Versatile linen cape

Linen is an ancient fibre made from flax which lasts a long time and is sustainable because its production does not usually involve a lot of water and chemical use. I love the crushed look linen gets after washing and wear it that way without ironing as a badge of honour – saving effort and energy.

The upcycled part of Sew 179 is the strip of linen fabric with frayed edges which I cut into two wraps a while back. One remains as a wrap, as worn below when I visited to Heli Lounge Bar to enjoy KL’s landmarks. The other strip I’ve turned into a versatile cape, secured in its many incarnations by fabric-covered safety pins. Continue reading →

Sew 177 – History in the making

Here’s the lovely and productive Bev in the History Skirt she made at our Biloela REfashion workshop which is still delivering dividends, including #upcycle number 177 of 365 in the Sew it Again year.

Although I have a few more days left to enjoy in Kuala Lumpur, I’m already planning for my next workshop Creative Chop and Change on July 12 which is being hosted by the Queensland branch of the Australian Textile Artists and Surface Designers Association – you can book here if you are interested in being mindfully creative with rejects from your wardrobe. Continue reading →

Sew 126 – Linen suit gets update

Setting up the Upcycled exhibition at Pandora Gallery in Coolah has helped consolidate the purpose and messaging around my 365-day Sew it Again campaign. Once people think about how our relationship with clothing has changed over the years, they understand why we need to adjust our behaviour to reduce textile waste.

Because country people live close to nature and are naturally resourceful, they’re really receptive to the upcycling concept. We workshopped the Upcycled values for a sign on the gallery wall and keeping adding more – they include being mindful, thrifty, ethical, resourceful, sustainable, creative, original, zero waste, eco-friendly. Continue reading →

Sew 90 – Renovating your wardrobe

This casual linen suit made ages ago is refreshed by shortening the jacket and covering up the buttons. We renovate houses, why not our wardrobes? One way to do that is to sew it again.

Our clothes encapsulate our body. What we chose to wear is extremely personal – we want to look right, feel sharp, mirror trends and/or make a statement about who we are.

In the same way we may make informed food choices to nurture our health and wellbeing, we can make informed clothing choices which are good for ourselves and the planet.

Over-consumption of the wrong sorts of food is feeding obesity problems in most first-world countries – and that’s exacerbated by the many labour-saving devices we have on hand. Spending time growing a few herbs and cooking meals from scratch makes for a healthful, meaningful life.

By all accounts, the world is drowning in excess clothing and marketers are constantly pushing us to buy more new stuff through sales catalogues, inducements and prestige pedalling. Continue reading →

Sew 67 – Dressed to frill

This was a long shift dress to which I added rows of salvaged silk and repositioned the hem as a collar.

On this International Women’s Day it’s troubling to read the statistics of women still living in difficult circumstances and disempowered, enslaved or subjugated.

Oxfam International says women perform 66% of the work, produce 50% of the food, but earn only 10% of the income & own 1% of the property.

The Women’s Agenda highlights these statistics along with the stunning Oscar speech of 12 Years a Slave actress Lupita Nyong’o in which she said: “it doesn’t escape me for a moment that so much joy in my life is due to so much pain in someone else’s”.

As I reuse existing clothing I’m valuing the hard work that has gone before and rejecting exploitation exposed by the Rana Plaza fire that has sparked a Fashion Revolution. Continue reading →

Sew 62 – Unleashing upcycling creativity

This linen combo springs from jumper and jacket uplifted by creating jumper scarf with jumper bottom becoming skirt.

It is fun, resourceful and economical to magic something fresh from existing clothing that’s in the reject pile – and I love sharing ideas and skills to help others find their inner creative.

A key learning from postgraduate study last year that applies at any stage of life is seeking the skills/asking for help from those with the knowledge to move you forward.

Some people say they don’t have a creative bone in their body or can’t sew. I believe that’s a self-limiting approach inadvertently sown (excuse the pun) by a parent, teacher, partner or ‘friend’ somewhere in the past. Continue reading →

Sew 51 – Jeans to rara skirt

Linen jeans becomes rara skirt by chopping below zip, extending skirt and adding frill made from off-cuts.

Reusing and resewing from existing clothing is an easy way to upgrade/revive/extend your wardrobe and I’m on a mission to do that for better or worse for 365 days this year.

Why? One reason is the ecological impacts of constant consumption. Society’s endless chase of new clothing consumes resources at the production end (water, energy, nutrients and/or petroleum) and results in pollution at the disposal end (dumps, leaching and/or methane). Continue reading →

Sew 49 – Renovation by resewing

Two so-so garments of matching colours merge to be a brighter whole, with silk top sliced and diced to embellish linen dress.

This Sew it Again task I’ve set myself is a labour-of-love resewing a garment a day during 2014 to demonstrate a different way of dressing and I find inspiration everywhere.

“One of the best skills a girl can learn is to sew.” As I read these words last night, my heart sang.

Social activist and blogger Mary Dickinson said this in U on Sunday’s Inside my Wardrobe column: “I have been sewing since I was 10 so now I can buy something, if necessary, that is too big and take it in or chop the sleeves off and change it. I think one of the best skills a girl can learn is to sew.” Continue reading →