Category Archives: repurpose

Sew 271 – My tribute to Teena

Former ABC executive producer Teena Girdis came into my life six years ago and now she is gone. Although we didn’t spend a lot of time together, it always felt good to be in her beautiful, calm, capable company whenever our circles overlapped.

Teena and I had things in common – we each have three children, a sense of social justice, and we both had a brush with breast cancer. We came together for Rural Press Club events and relevant news stories from the rural and health sectors.

I knew things were not sounding so good for Teena this year because we talked several times and she cancelled a planned meeting in April due to medical complications. I thought of her often, hoping to catch up when her health improved, only to learn that opportunity will never come. I will miss you my friend. Thank you for the buttons you bought me in New York, I will put them to good use before this Sew it Again year is out. View the ABC 730 tribute to Teena Continue reading →

Sew 269 – Eske upcycles old treasure

There are certain clothes, memories and treasure that money can never buy. This look created by Canberra teenager Eske, is one of those – it being the refashion of an old T-shirt (not just any old T-shirt) to create something totally unique.

The blue cotton shirt began life as a uniform worn by those privileged to be part of the Main Press Centre at the Sydney 2000 Olympics. It was well-worn by Eske’s Dad, Tim Gavel OAM – an ABC Sports commentator extraordinaire and community philanthropist. It had a good run in Tim’s wardrobe, until it developed a hole in the back and stains under the arms – as happens with active wear! Continue reading →

Sew 266 – Adding sparkle to black

The future is not a destination, it is a journey made up of small steps. We need courage to design our future with purpose and deliberation, to be the change we want to see.

I’m in Canberra and reflecting on these words articulated by Federal Member for Indi Cathy McGowan in a Charters Towers speech last week at the QRRRWN conference. Cathy referred to visionary garden designer Capability Brown who created landscape legacies in the United Kingdom with instructions for 200 years into the future. Cathy challenged us to project ourselves into the future, to get involved, put up our hands for leadership and influence outcomes. Continue reading →

Sew 263 – Kitchen creativity

In a previous life, Helen Hill was a paper artist turning fibres found from nature into works of art. Now her creativity is directed to developing a new organic fruit crop Achacha in tropical north Queensland.

It was great to have the opportunity to spend time with Helen and Bruce at their plantation and hear the story of their transition into food growing from professional careers, and their desire to farm using organic techniques.

The plantation is just south of Townsville and my friend Fiona Lake spent a few hours today chatting, checking out the property, cattle and wetlands. The fruit matures in December but there were plenty of flowers, baby fruit and bees active in the trees – so a good crop is forecast. Continue reading →

Sew 262 – A transformational journey

It is not on my bucket list. I don’t hanker to be in the Birdcage at the running of the Melbourne Cup which stops the nation every November. It brings together horseflesh and fashion in spectacular, luxurious style, but seems somewhat elitist and wasteful to me.

Yet I didn’t look a gift horse in the mouth when the opportunity emerged to hold a roving replica of the Cup doing a whistle-stop tour around the nation to drum up excitement for the big race. ABC Open’s Michael Bromage and I swapped cameras – he took this photo of me, and I took a photo of him, complete with the white glove. Thanks Michael, thanks to Melbourne Cup organisers and thanks to the gorgeous QRRRWN ladies for creating carnival atmosphere! Continue reading →

Sew 261 – Wear your own sparkle

Your sparkle is your uniqueness. Wear your sparkle and be the best version of yourself you can be said Julie Cross, one of the many inspirational speakers at Queensland Rural Regional and Remote Women’s Network conference in Charters Towers.

We make our own footprints in life. If we place more importance on the opinions of others than our own, we give away our power.

So inspiring to be part the QRRRWN network full of women doing amazing things – including four fellows from the Australian Rural Leadership Foundation. Georgie Somerset, below left, the outgoing QRRRWN president. Cathy McGowan MP, Catherine Marriott (wearing a Textile Beat history skirt) and Jane Milburn. Continue reading →

Sew 260 – Student models doily skirt

Upcycling today at the Queensland Rural Regional and Remote Women’s Network conference at Charters Towers with great women and girls from All Souls & St Gabriels School.

So grateful to have an opportunity to demonstrate creative ways to reuse existing clothing at the Women of the Worlde conference – and talk about how our modern clothing habits have led to increasing consumption of textiles, two-thirds of which are synthetic fibres derived from petroleum.

The world is smothering in cheap synthetic clothing, with UK figures indicate nearly one-third of clothing ends up in landfill. This waste has sparked my creative Sew it Again journey that integrates professional expertise with a desire for sustainability and well-being – woven with threads of childhood, thrift, empowerment and a love of nature. Continue reading →

Sew 258 – Creativity in Charters Towers

It is my pleasure this week to be in Charters Towers where the regional council is working to nurture and develop an artist culture and build a creative economy.

I was invited to present a Purposeful Passion workshop as the first of a series of Regional Arts Development Fund workshops to help foster emerging and existing artisans by providing tools, information and connections.

On the way to the Towers, it was fun to stop at the mighty Burdekin River just east of the city – where my friend, pioneering bush photographer Fiona Lake, agreed to model Sew 258, a denim bag upcycled from a girl’s denim skirt. Thanks for the lift Fiona! Making the bag was just a matter of sewing the bottom of the skirt together, then using denim leg offcuts (from earlier project) to create a strap that is sewn either side. Continue reading →

Sew 255 – Crochet rug to shawl

One-third of my laptop screen went on holidays a fortnight ago and it has been downhill ever since. Not worth fixing screen says computer man. Son Casey called on to help select new laptop (MacBook Air) and the tortuous process of getting files, systems and programs in sync.

Meantime the old-old laptop previously pensioned-off due to hot flushes that may, or may not, have resulted from being dropped on its head (off a bus rack while travelling) has acquitted itself well and got me through until today when, magically, the new laptop became fully operational. THANKS CASEY and here’s wishing this laptop a long and happy life.

Another bit of excitement this week was a visit from image consultant Rita Noon, whom I wrote about a few weeks ago in Sew 231. After purchasing Rita’s e-book Get Dressed Not Stressed, I decided it was worth going the whole hog and arranged for a body proportion analysis based on actual measurements (no disguising the chocolate-biscuit habit!). Continue reading →

Sew 251 – Shorts to knitting-bag

Here’s another upcycle by my friend Cazza – batik shorts that she has turned into a bag for knitting needles and yarn. All that needed to be done was to hand-stitch the leg openings shut at the bottom, remove the waist tie and hand-stitch it at either side to become a strap.

Upcycled and vintage are key themes at Woolloongabba Antique Centre where everything old is treasured by various dealers and shop owners. It’s been open for a few years, having been set up by Sarah Jane Walsh who, according to the website, was inspired watching her mum sew dance costumes from old material and having a large extended family produced an abundance of ‘hand me downs’ and many occasions to ‘Dress up’ when she was growing up in country New South Wales.

I’ve been wanting to visit the centre for ages and had a perfect reason to spend time there today with my friend Keelen Mailman while we were in the neighbourhood to have her Toyota serviced. Plenty of vintage clothing and a great 50s style cafe for refreshments. Not much sewing done today – but it has been great catching up with Keelen who is in town chatting about for book The Power of Bones at Brisbane Writers Festival.