How about this for an amazing statistic – China’s annual consumption of tissues is about 4.4 million tons. This has led to an Eco-Handkerchief event around the use of handkerchiefs over tissues as part of an eco-business trade mission to China from Australia to promote sustainable and environmentally friendly products to a ‘green-hungry’ Chinese market.
So many things that were once considered old-fashioned and traditional are returning to the fore because we recognise them as ‘eco-friendly’, sustainable and practical ways of living.
It was affirming to be among creative women for the sixth birthday celebration and opening of BrisStyle HQ at 24 Macquarie St at Newstead last night and chat with others who value handmade and traditional craft skills.
The mindfulness of exploring and rediscovering the creativity which resides within us all is something to celebrate. Great to meet Julie Hillier from the Ministry of Handmade and Queen Bee Pineapple at the #brisstyle photo booth, below.
Meanwhile, Sew it Again 143 is a creative way to turn op-shop found trousers into a swish skirt. The lyocell fabric in the trousers is regenerated cellulose fibre made from bleached wood pulp. Obviously resources and energy have gone into creating them in the first place, and upcycling is an easy way to revive them for a second life as a skirt.
I cut the legs off, opened them out as well as the crutch of the trousers using sharp scissors to remove the seams. I don’t expend energy unpicking the seams and instead prefer to insert a small triangle of fabric (centre front and back) if the design of the trousers is such that the opened-out legs don’t overlap sufficiently to form the skirt front and back. Straighten the hemline and trim it to preferred length. I’ve added a frill on the bottom which is cut from one of the trouser legs using a spiral pattern and zigzagged in place on the top edge, and zigzagged to prevent any fraying on the bottom edge. Steph looks great in the skirt and the pink wool opshop-found top, which is unchanged.
