It has been affirming to see the Upcycled exhibition receive such a positive reception during the past 12 days on show in Coolah’s Pandora Gallery.

By all accounts, it had a positive social impact and provided an engaging opportunity to bring together new members of the community in a creative and uplifting way.

I could also see people shifting their thinking about clothing and textiles, and being inspired by what can be done with stuff in their wardrobes that they aren’t wearing.

Even local solicitor Michael Baxter (photo below) – in town for a Wills and Power of Attorney talk during National Law Week – engaged in the concept and brought a male perspective when he passed through the gallery and asked the question – do you upcycle men’s things too?”

Although the exhibition did focus mainly on women’s clothing because it featured more than 50 upcycled garments from my Sew it Again project, it also included a circa 1930s Wagga blanket (made by a relative), a modern-day Wagga made from jumper offcuts, a wool display, a textile consumption display and a sewing corner.

From the experience, I learned a lot about how to communicate the sustainability, ethical and upcycling messages, and know it is just the start of something good.

It was a privilege to have the opportunity to work with Pandora Gallery coordinator Jennie Stephens (photograph above) and all the volunteers to showcase and share emerging textile upcycling ideas, which in many ways are a return to country roots when home-sewing and reusing resources were the norm. A couple of comments from the visitor’s book were: ‘exhibition looks wonderful’ ‘people thrilled with exhibition and very enthusiastic’ ‘love the fashion show and concept of upcycling’.

Sew 136 was a big cotton jumper (found in the Anglican Church op shop) turned upside down and refashioned as a skirt. I cut off the bottom of the sleeves, then cut along the shoulder line and across the sleeves, trimming the square edges into curves before neatening with zigzag stitch. I cut the bottom from a pink t-shirt, sewed it directly to the skirt waist and inserted elastic to form a waistband. The striking patterns on the original jumper made for a striking skirt.