Category Archives: refashion

Sew 66 – Old shorts to skirt

Upcycling male ambassador Phil sent his too-big old shorts my way and I recreated them as a shabby-chic skirt.

Reinventing old stuff for a new life and engaging others in creatively discovering ways to reuse existing clothing is my purpose this year with the Sew it Again campaign.

This campaign brings together all that I know and believe in from my upbringing living simply on a sheep farm in New Zealand, through agricultural science study, work as a rural reporter and advocate, then postgraduate study in eco-leadership and wellbeing.

It was wonderful to share stories and a meal with gorgeous Julia Shapley when she visited the studio yesterday. Julia’s on her way to becoming a ‘glamorous hippy’ as she follows her heart on a creative journey that involves many new and exciting projects – at least one of which involves design, fabric and sewing. It feels good to connect with friends who share similar values and also believe that anything is possible when you engage with universal intelligence.

In this photo, Julia is wearing a dress of her own making – simple yet glamorous – and reading a favourite book of mine, The Sustainable Fashion Handbook by Sandy Black. Continue reading →

Sew 65 – Signature jumper-skirt

This quick upcycle was a too-busy knit top turned into a jumper-skirt teamed with op shop top and wool jumper.

It was fun to be at Parliament House yesterday networking with rural colleagues and parliamentarians including Premier Campbell Newman for the 2014 RIRDC Rural Women’s Award.

Congratulations to winner Lauren Hewitt from Brisbane and runner-up Rhonda Sorensen from Malanda. Lauren works for farm group AgForce Queensland and is interested in improving farm profitability – a message which resonates because without profitable farms, there is no food and fibre.

My lovely 2010 Queensland counterpart Sharyn Garrett travelled from Amby in south west Queensland and it was great to see her, pictured right with (me) Jane Milburn and Rod Kelly from Westpac Agribusiness a long-term sponsor of the award along with Fairfax Agricultural Media and the Queensland Government.

I was also inspired yesterday to have Brisbane Visual Arts Community president Lena Tisdall and Jola Szymczyk visit my studio to discuss an upcoming talk on upcycling and global textile consumption. Jola is president of Australian Textile Surface Design Association, Queensland and the driver behind Greater Springfield Creative Hub based on the recognised link between creativity and health. Continue reading →

Sew 64 – A little upsize

There’s nothing worse than a too-tight jacket, so create a little more space by adding extender ribbon loops near the top buttonhole and use a scarf to fasten and cover the space.

This jacket now fits my current shape and is suitably dressy for Parliament House and today’s announcement of the 2014 Queensland RIRDC Rural Women’s Award.

I’m proud to be part of the alumni for this Rural Industries Research and Development Corporation program, as 2010 Queensland runner-up, and enjoy opportunities to catch up with women and men doing great things in the sector.

Even though I live in the city, I feel connected to the bush because of my rural heritage, education and advocacy work. In fact we all have connection to rural because that is where our food and fibre comes from – and we need to be increasingly aware of that. Continue reading →

Sew 63 – Camouflage for stain

Two orange knit garments were melded into a dress to camouflage an unfortunate stain on an otherwise beautiful wool top.

When a hole appears, a button falls off, seam pops or stain appears – what do you do? Turn to expert, toss them out, or DIY? If you have simple home-sewing skills, you are empowered to apply them creatively to solve small defects in otherwise perfectly good clothing.

With my Sew it Again campaign this year I’m working my way through wardrobes full of natural-fibre clothing accumulated from various sources over time, demonstrating creative ways of upcycling and reviving them for a second life.

I’ve run a number of different campaigns in my time, and it was interesting to be described as an ‘avid sewer and sustainable fashion advocate’ by Laura Stead-Churchill in Bmag.com. 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 60 – Fun brand discovery

This quirky Moschino jacket was a Sydney op shop find which is versatile for dressing up or down.

As I researched the colourful Italian brand for this post, I realised this is a pre-2008 garment being Moschino Jeans (1986-2008) which is now known as Love Moschino.

Established by Franco Moschino and continued after his death by Rossella Jardini and now Jeremy Scott, the brand is noted for its ‘waist of money’ belts and garbage-bag dresses which gently prod fashion’s conscience. Continue reading →

Sew 59 – A striking silk suit

This striking green silk was a short collarless jacket and long skirt, upcycled by cropping skirt and attaching offcut as a double collar.

Upcycling is a way of valuing natural fibres as precious resources and this year I’m demonstrating simple ways this can be achieved by resewing at home with my Sew it Again project.

I’m enjoying reading London journalist and environmentalist Lucy Siegle’s book To die for: is fashion wearing out the world – an authoritative and entertaining read.

As Siegle says, silkworms die so their silk cocoons can become fabric (1500 little critters for each metre of silk) – which is why it’s doubly worthwhile refashioning silk garments for a second/third life until they’re worn out.

On March 30, Siegle will be in Australia as part of the All about Women festival and speaking at Sydney Opera House on the topic Is fashion wearing out the world? Continue reading →

Sew 58 – A suit of sorts

A long blue linen jacket is updated by shortening and adding the top part of a jumper as collar, with the jumper bottom becoming skirt.

Making simple changes that transform existing garments into something fresh is creative upcycling as I’m doing every day this year with my Sew it Again campaign.

My purpose is to empower individuals to reimagine and recreate their own wardrobe collection by resewing at home.

Home sewing is a lost art overtaken by cheap fast fashion, just as fast food did with home cooking. In recent years we’ve rediscovered home cooking and food production as nourishing and pleasurable activities. My aim is to see home sewing revalued as a life skill, in the same way as home cooking.

This message found a receptive audience at the Carindale Community Forum last night, which included LNP Member for Chatsworth Steve Minnikin as well as Labor’s Paul Keene and the Greens’ David Nelson.

It was great fun engaging with mindful Brisbane people interested in where clothing comes from and rethinking the way we dress and live in this fast-paced world. They were also interested to hear about Fashion Revolution Day on April 24.

Thanks to the fabulous Gen Robey for taking this photo with her co-convenor and good sport Glenn Millar demonstrating one of six skirt-to-dress garment surgery conversions performed this month with Sew it Again. I found the men just as interested, so I’m thinking of ways to include them in some future upcycling projects.

This skirt-to-dress garment surgery will be the theme for a workshop this Sunday at Jewel West’s home. If you are interested in hosting a workshop, please get in touch via email or mobile – Jane Milburn contacts here. Continue reading →

Sew 57 – Upcycling goes on forever

This history skirt made from oddments a few years ago is further upcycled with a t-shirt to become a dress that works with matching woolly jumper, which has button feature patching a hole.

In addition to sewing every day for the 365-day Sew it Again campaign to demonstrate creative ways of reusing existing clothing, I’ve been weaving together my story about upcycling natural fibres.

Tonight I’m thrilled to have the opportunity to tell it for the first time at Carindale Community Forum at the Pacific Golf Club on Brisbane’s southside, at which all are welcome.

As there is rising interest in home cooking and food growing for health and wellbeing, there is a pressing need to rethink our approach to textiles and fashion. My model includes empowering individuals to reimagine and recreate their wardrobe collection by resewing at home. Continue reading →

Sew 56 – Fashion Revolution coming

This was a knit fit for refashion. You know those long jumpers that were fashionable in the ‘90s? This was one of them that I chopped and changed into a skirt and scarf.

The story of your clothes – where they come from, who made them and what from – suddenly became relevant all over the world after fashion’s footprint was set alight by the devastating Rana Plaza fire in which 1129 people died on 24 April last year.

This year on April 24, Fashion Revolution Day will remember those workers lost for the sake of fast fashion at cheap price.

A Choice magazine article on ethical fashion, Australians spend $2288 on clothing and footwear this year – but it’s almost impossible to discover the clothing supply chain of its origins. Continue reading →