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 125 – An upcycled upcycle

Uncertainty is an essential element of creativity, which in turn comes from mindful attention to your craft of choice. My craft is resewing existing clothing.

Harvard psychologist Ellen Langer says our current culture leads us to try to reduce and minimise uncertainty, leading to mindless rigid behaviour governed by rules and routines.

On the other hand, if we exploit the power of uncertainty we learn that things can become more than we previously thought possible. Mindfulness makes us sensitive to context, perspective, and changing situations.

Sew it Again is a response to changing circumstances around the way we dress. As clothing becomes cheaper, plentiful and designed with built-in obsolescence – an extraordinary amount of clothing waste has been accumulating around the world. Continue reading →

Sew 124 – Upcycled in Coolah

Very excited to have my first Upcycled exhibition now hanging in Pandora Gallery at Coolah in New South Wales as a celebration of natural fibres and (re)fashion from today until May 16.

Upcycled is an interactive exhibition about the history, origins and uses of natural fibres which explores creative ways to refashion existing clothing for a second life.

Our consumer society is using textiles at an unprecedented rate, with thousands of tonnes of waste clothing dumped in landfill or shipped to third-world countries every year.

Thanks to my ARLP leadership colleague Ele Cook and gallery coordinator Jennie Stephens, I’ve been able to mount this exhibition to showcase some of my repurposed reject garments 365-day Sew it Again creations to raise awareness of the ethical, social and environmental issues of textile waste. Continue reading →

Sew 123 – Sew it UP

I’ve traversed two states in two days, leaving Mt Tabor near Augathella yesterday morning and now at Coolah in southern New South Wales, travelling through grazing, grain and cotton country.

Part of that 15-hour journey was with Georgie Somerset, but since went separate ways at Miles yesterday afternoon, I’ve had plenty of reflection time ahead of my first exhibition Upcycling at Pandora Gallery tomorrow.

Australian country singer Tania Kernaghan was a special guest at the launch of Keelen Mailman’s book The Power of Bones at the magical sacred site of Lost City on Mt Tabor on Friday. Keelen meets everyone with an open heart, and because Tania also has a beautiful heart she says Keelen’s book “will touch your heart in so many ways”. Here’s a happy photo of us under the bough shed with me, left, Tania, Keelen and her sister Cissy, and Georgie.

Because I’m travelling, Sew 123 is by necessity a simple one. It’s an upcycle of an upcycled jumper which I purchased in Canberra. The vintage brown wool cardigan had vintage yo-yo flowers attached and I was pleased to find it on my last visit to the capital and support another upcycler’s efforts. After some wearing, the shoulder seam needed a mend and a small hole needed darning. Clothing never stays perfect forever, so simple skills like using a needle and thread to mend a hole is a basic life skill.

Sew 122 – Leading with heart

The Power of Bones is the incredible story of Keelen Mailman’s life journey to date and it was a privilege to be on country at Mt Tabor for the book launch at sunset last night. Mt Tabor is a long way from the coast and about two hours from Augathella in western Queensland, but Georgie Somerset and I made the trek because we are so proud of Keelen as a fellow of the Australian Rural Leadership Program.

Keelen and I were Spiritual Travellers in the Kimberley and it was from her I learned about leading from the heart and trusting your instincts.

As the first Aboriginal women to run a cattle station in Australia, Keelen has shown incredible courage and love for her Bidjara ancestors, culture and country. I will write more on this tomorrow. Continue reading →

Sew 121 – Natural, authentic people

Very quick post today while my friend Georgie Somerset and I are stopped in Roma within phone range. Of course we made time for a quick visit to Ace Drapers, an amazing treasure trove of fabric, craft and cookware. The shop does’t look special on the outside, but it stocks many things you can’t buy in the city.

On the way up to Georgie’s place at Durong last night, we were carrying a precious cargo of Anzac biscuits donated to Danielle Crismani as #bakedrelief from caring Brisbane people wanting to send #lovetothewest for drought-affected farmers. Here’s the photo of Georgie handing over treasure to Margie Lee-Madigan. Continue reading →

Sew 120 – Passing it on

The internet means sharing and connecting through social media is a great way to source and receive information about happenings in the wider world.

Technology has transformed since my first professional job, as an ABC rural reporter back when we used manual typewriters, nagra reel-to-reel recorders, and telex machines. Eek, that’s ages ago!

With age comes knowledge and experience though, and that’s why I enjoy being part of the QUT Career Mentor Scheme to pass-on some of my hard won lessons to help kick-start another’s work-life journey.

Reflecting on what you enjoy doing, what your core values are, what you feel passionate about and how that align with your skills and qualifications sounds simple – yet it can take a lifetime to get them singing in tune. Continue reading →

Sew 119 – Upcycling is endless

The theory of ‘buy once, buy well’ definitely makes a valid case for having fewer garments of better quality in your wardrobe. Yet most of us are attracted to the constant stimulation of variety and change, so it is easy to understand why cheaper fast fashion options are popular.

Upcycling existing clothing is a way of enabling a near endless array of unique choice and difference, at little financial and environmental cost. Certainly there is a time cost – that is offset with satisfaction of mindful creativity and empowerment from originality.

I love this Sunday Mail quote from fashion authority and author Marion von Adlerstein: “I don’t think great style belongs exclusively to fashion people or arty types; anyone can tap into it with a bit of thought. It’s about creating the best version of yourself you can be.” In other words, give it your best shot. Continue reading →

Sew 118 – Thrift the new black

Some people look at you sideways when you declare you’re an op-shopper while others understand the sense of discovery, salvage, revival, thrift and pleasure it represents.

There are many reasons why people throw out clothing including de-cluttering a bulging wardrobe, boredom, dated style, gain/loss of weight, doesn’t work with body shape, owner has moved on, it needs mending or they may want to help a charity.

But in a recent 1 Million Women post about the pros and cons of donating clothing to charity, Bronte Hogarth wrote: “It might feel like you’ve lifted a weight of your shoulders in cleaning out your closet and donating your clothes to charity, but everyone should be aware that your clothes don’t automatically end up in an op shop or in the hands of someone in need, if at all. The model at Lifeline, for example, shows that one third of clothes donated are considered good enough to go back into the stores to be sold, one third is packed up to be exported, and the remaining third is either cut up and sold as cleaning cloths or disposed of. This model is reflective of clothing collection charities worldwide.” Continue reading →

Sew 117 – Upcycle with length

It is shocking – horrifying even – that there is such a surfeit of clothing in the world that barely worn stuff is being tossed for lack of the right look, shape, size, pattern or fit.

We are encouraged to buy more stuff at every turn, without mindful consideration of a longer-term perspective for ourselves and the planet.

This year I’m pausing to reflect and sort all the stuff I’ve accumulated – my stuff of choice being found natural fibre clothing from opshops.

Over the past three years of op-shopping, I’ve accumulated enough to see out my lifetime. I don’t harbour any guilt from it because I’ve had a sense of rescuing it for a good cause. That cause is the Sew it Again project, upcycling every day this year to demonstrate how simple home sewing skills can extend the life of existing clothing by adapting to suit one’s needs. Continue reading →