Tag Archives: #dresswithconscience

Sew 25 – Back to front makeover

Jazz up a shirtmaker linen dress by turning it back to front, cutting off collar, adding scarf and resewing collar in reverse.

This upcycle marks day 25 of my Sew it Again campaign in which I am on a journey that aligns my values, personal and professional background, skills, instinctive creativity, love of nature and interest in pioneering new opportunities.

It springs from study last year with the Australian Rural Leadership Program in which I identified as a post-conventional leader working at individualist and strategist levels.

According to Rooke and Torbert in Harvard Business Review April 2005, strategists typically have socially conscious business ideas that are carried out in a highly collaborative manner. They seek to weave together idealist visions with pragmatic, timely initiatives and principled actions. Rooke and Torbert’s leadership model outlines a step-wise, logical evolution in leadership capacity built through experience and self-awareness.

Another insight I gained from study was I am an INFP. And thanks to my Twitter friend Lisa Claessen, I was inspired to read via this website that INFP-character traits defined as:

Introverted: composed, self-reliant, reserved and thoughtful
Intuitive: creative, imaginative, idealistic and innovative
Feeling: empathetic, sensitive, ethical and authentic
Perceiving: flexible, accepting, tolerant and open-minded

Truity says INFPs are imaginative idealists, guided by their own core values and beliefs. They see potential for a better future, and pursue truth and meaning with their own individual flair.

Individualistic and non-judgmental, INFPs enjoy spending time exploring their own ideas and values are creative and often artistic; they enjoy finding new outlets for self-expression.

INFPs value authenticity and want to be original and individual in what they do. They are often concerned with a search for meaning and truth within themselves. Following tradition holds little appeal for the INFP; they prefer to do their own exploration of values and ideas, and decide for themselves what seems right. INFPs are often offbeat and unconventional, but they feel no desire to conform. The INFP would rather be true to themselves than try to fit in with the crowd.

The INFP may react strongly if they feel their own values are being violated, and they want an open, supportive exchange of ideas.

INFPs engage themselves in a lifelong quest for meaning and authenticity. They often have a special affection for the arts, especially the avant garde, as they love experiencing new concepts in self-expression. (Find your type here.)

Well that explains it! For all of the above reasons, I’m spending 2014 on a values-based creative quest to demonstrate a different way of dressing that is sustainable, unique and rewarding.

This shirtmaker dress has intrinsic value for its lovely linen and shell buttons, but the style was dated. I cut off the collar, added a scarf to the neckline leaving the loose ends to tie in a knot at the buttoned back of the dress (which had been the front). I then sewed the collar on the front of the dress (which had been the back). In reality, the dress can be worn either way around – so it now has a second and third life!

Sew 18 – Silk skirt now dress

I love recreating cast-offs into something fresh, as I did by turning this beautiful but unworn long silk skirt from an op shop into a comfy and cool shift dress.

For everyone, clothing is essential. As well-known Australian designer and champion of natural fibres Liz Davenport said in Management Today September 2013, ‘you can get to an event without a car and without breakfast … but not without clothes’.

Clothing choices impact on our well-being, self-esteem and self-image, but there is a bigger picture to consider as we become mindful about where clothes come from and their true cost.

In Sustainable Fashion and Textiles, Kate Fletcher has written a definitive text on this subject in which she says the reuse of textile products ‘as is’ brings significant environmental savings. The energy used to collect, sort and resell second-hand garments is between 10 and 20 times less than that needed to make a new item. Continue reading →

Sew 17 – Old-new not new-new

This cotton dress once was sleeveless and long now is short with peplum and sleeves following a hand-sew modification.

It was a $2 purchase from the op shop sale I wrote about in this post – op shop sales being just as frequent as sales in the thousands of dress shops and department stores pushing newer, brighter, seemingly ever-cheaper clothing.

In her book Overdressed: The shockingly high cost of cheap fashion, New York-based writer Elizabeth L. Cline said that for many consumers, part of the appeal of cheap fashion is that it allows them to get rid of their purchases when newer, more with-it items come along.

She sites astonishing textile consumption figures when clothing is combined with sheets and towels. Every year, Americans throw away 12.7 million tons, or 68 pounds of textiles per person, according to the Environmental Protection Agency, which also estimates that 1.6 million tons of this waste could be recycled or reused.

You might think this clothing churn is not bad for the environment because some of it can be reused, but Elizabeth says a tremendous amount of clothing is in fact not getting recycled but getting trashed, and the environmental impact of making clothes is being entirely overlooked.

There’s a large disconnect between expanding wardrobes and the additional demands for fossil fuels, energy and water – and the resulting impact on our environment and climate.

As an agricultural scientist and journalist, it is from the perspective of reducing and reusing natural resources that I’m undertaking this Sew it Again campaign to demonstrate simple ways we can upcycle natural-fibre clothing from our own and others’ wardrobes.

Today’s watermelon pink cotton dress was adapted with hand-sewing done while chatting and watching TV. I trimmed the bottom from the long skirt to make it knee length then used the hem off-cut as a peplum around the waist and to create sleeves. It took a little time, but was not difficult and the rhythm of the needlework was relaxing and satisfying. It reconnected me to skills I learned from previous generations of my family, when home-sewing was as natural a part of everyday life as home-cooking. I have an aversion to ironing and find that giving cotton good shake after washing and smoothing the crinkles by hand is enough to avoid the need for it.

Sew 15 – Silk au natural

Silk has a natural glow which draws my eye and this beautiful Anthea Crawford raw silk suit shines with integrity after a hand wash, no iron, and a few tweaks to update it.

As you many know, silk is produced from the chrysalis of silkworms. In her book Sustainable Fashion and Textiles: Design Journeys, Kate Fletcher says most commercially produced silk is cultivated and involves feeding the worms a controlled diet of mulberry leaves under special conditions.

The fibres are extracted by steaming to kill moth chrysalis (because if the moth is left to emerge the silk filament is damaged) and then washed in hot water to degum the silk. Sounds a bit grim – and all the more reason to treasure and reuse garments, and just wash and hang rather than dryclean and/or iron.

This book by Kate Fletcher was the first I read during postgraduate study last year which informed my journey to inspire upcycling natural fibre clothing for pleasure, reward and sustainability.

Its eight chapters provide innovative ways of thinking about fabrics and garments based on sustainability values and a broad, interconnected view of design that I will return to many times during this 365-day eco-clothing project.

Kate’s book includes actions and ideas, using practical skills and creative thinking to innovate, ways of working or visions compatible with sustainability – all drawn together into a holistic, multi-layered way that is roots-based, nature-inspired and an interconnected vision for the future.

Each of us can make a difference through small changes in the way we dress and the clothing we wear. Why buy new-new when you can make old-new?

I wondered whether I should remove the Anthea Crawford label from this suit and decided not to. The garment retains all the integrity of the original design, fabric and shell buttons – and I’ve just made a few small adaptations to give it a second life. I removed the shoulder pads, cropped the sleeves and the chunky waistband. I also trimmed the skirt length, and added this as a collar by sewing to the inside neckline, using a few tucks to make it fit, and then letting it drape over itself.

Sew 13 – Linen has longevity

Linen is one of my favourite natural fibres and a linen knit is a rare thing. Linen is made from the flax plant, not grown commercially in Australia, and arguably the world’s oldest fibre.

It is cool to wear, becomes softer with age and you can tell something is linen from the way it crinkles after washing. I never iron it because I love the crushed look of 100% linen.

Flax is grown in Europe and apparently world demand for flax peaked in 2005 at 709,000 tons and suffered demand destruction of 123,000 tons in 2006. It recovered to 705,000 tons in 2009 and declined again in 2010 to 682,000 tons. FAO textile consumption survey 2013

This garment was a long top but the sleeves were too tight relative to the body of the garment so I cropped them off and just used zigzag stitch to secure the raw edge.

I extended the length to become a dress using linen fabric which I gathered up and then doubled over before stitching to the bottom of the top. I knotted the sleeve off-cuts to a strip of linen fabric to form a scarf, which is doubled over and draped around the neckline as a collar.

Sew 11 – Beyond money and power

I’m an agricultural scientist by training and my first professional job was as ABC rural reporter working in radio and television in Victoria and Queensland.

Now I’m on a 365-day journey with the Sew it Again project to inspire creative upcycling of natural fibre clothing and revive home-sewing as a life-skill akin to cooking.

In between these endeavours, as a communications consultant I’ve run issues-based campaigns such as the 612 ABC Swap It Challenge for health groups, Save the Aussie Banana for growers and water fluoridation for dentists.

Sew it Again is a campaign of my own making which emerged during leadership studies last year that changed my thinking about what really matters – and it isn’t money or power. I’m interested in values-based leadership mindful of Earth’s finite resources, so I’m now following my heart on a journey of creativity, empowerment, thrift, sustainability, ecological health and wellbeing.

My thinking aligns with that of Huffington Post editor-in-chief Arianna Huffington’s Third Metric campaign which is “redefining success beyond money and power to include well-being, wisdom, wonder, compassion and giving”.

Huffington said: “We’ll be opening up the conversation around all the ways our current definition of success is failing us, and putting the spotlight on the tremendous shift happening across the country—and across the world—as women and men seek a new definition of success that’s more sustainable and more humane.”

Sew it Again bridges memories of childhood, professional expertise, agribusiness networks and a love of nature with a desire to raise awareness about our escalating rate of textile consumption which is rising at three times the rate of population growth. FAO textile consumption survey 2013

Today’s offering is an old linen dress I’ve had for years but wasn’t wearing. I gathered fallen bark on my morning’s walk and gave it a colour change, along with a piece of silk which I then hand-stitched around the neckline to add interest.

Sew 9 – Eco-fashion new values

A dress length that flatters your shape is a very individual thing. Below knee is unflattering for me, which is why I cropped the bottom off this dress and turned it into a collar.

There are some amazing ideas in Eco Fashion, a book by Sass Brown which chronicles sustainability leaders and their creations, and says one of the strongest trends in fashion is the expression of ecological, social and community consciousness.

But the forward by Geoffrey B Small who first recycled menswear in a Paris collection in 1996, pulls no punches: “Fast fashion, planned obsolescence, ignorance and waste rule.” Continue reading →

Sew 7 – Jumpers make fab skirts

I do love cotton jumpers but they can become saggy baggy with age, which makes them perfect to be converted into a skirt for their second life.

Resewing clothes for pleasure, reward and sustainability is a 365-day journey I’m on this year as a way of demonstrating a different way of dressing by reusing and adding-value to natural fibres garments.

Back in 2006, a University of Cambridge study recommended the greatest beneficial change in future sustainability of textiles would occur if we purchased less clothing and kept it for longer.

The Cambridge report, Well dressed?, estimated UK consumers spent about £625 each on clothing in 2004. Increased spending coincided with dropping prices largely due to the rise of ‘fast fashion’ bringing faster turnover of styles than previously.

UK consumers are purchasing and disposing of around 35 kg of clothing and textiles per person each year, of which around 13% is collected for re-use, 13% is incinerated, and the remainder – 26 kg per person – is buried in landfill. I’m still looking for the Australian figures, if anyone can help?

We, as consumers, can drive change through the choices we make and these might include:

Buy second-hand clothing and textiles where possible
Buy fewer more durable garments and textile products
Lease clothes that would otherwise not be worn to the end of their natural life
Wash clothes less often, at lower temperatures and using eco-detergent
After washing, shake and hang your clothes to dry to minimise need for ironing
Extend the life of clothing and textile products through repair – and upcycling!

As Mahatma Ghandi said, be the change you want to see in the world.

Through upcycling, jumpers make great skirts. Crop the sleeves off the jumper and then cut along the shoulders to open out. Add elastic at the waist. To embellish this jumper-skirt, I cut up a complementary cotton skirt. I added the bottom frill to the jumper-skirt and used the top part (of the second skirt) to line the new skirt. Am I making sense? I used the sleeves and an off-cut of the jumper to decorate a polo top, which I livened up by using pinking sheer scissors to crop the sleeves, trim the collar, and shorten.

Sew 4 – A simple summer sew

We are sweltering in Queensland again and seeking ways to keep cool, so this offering is light and breezy – and easy.

Everything I’m making during this Sew it Again year is upcycled – even my display dummy was bought from an op shop. Older things are often better quality, they were made to last. That’s part of their attraction.

I’m going on this journey in 2014 in response to the excessive consumption that is all around us – the push for more, more, more, bigger, brighter, bolder – driven by those with a vested interest.

A new year is a chance to reflect on different ways of being. And it is gratifying to find others doing similar things: people such as the amazingly creative Melbourne-based Pip Lincolne who made A Year of Ethical Fashion pledge for 2014.

Pip’s pledge for 2014 is that when looking for things to wear, she will only:
a) Buy from ethical makers or
b) Buy second-hand or
c) Make it myself or
d) Wear things I already own or
e) Borrow or swap garments with friends

I’m proud to be doing all of the above as I live my values of integrity, creativity, autonomy and purpose.

Today’s upcycle is for my friend Trudy Riesz, who wondered what to do with her many sarongs that are cheap and cheerful reminders of holidays past. They’re still useful for the beach or the pool, but not so useful for everyday dressing unless turned into a dress.

Cut the sarong in half across the middle. Flip one half so there is a fringe on either side, one fringe will be on the back piece and the other on the front piece, but that is barely noticeable when sewn together. Sew the two pieces together about 2/3rds of the way up each side, leaving the rest for your arm holes and a knot at the each shoulder. This sarong had a couple of marks on it, so I sewed buttons over them.

Sew 3 – Who made your clothes?

We are naturally attached to our clothes on a physical, emotional, even spiritual level. We wear them next to our skin, the biggest living organ in our bodies intrinsically linked to health and wellbeing.

How we look and feel in our clothes is important at all stages of life, hence the multi-billion dollar global fashion industry.

But that industry had a watershed moment on April 24 last year, when 1133 people lost their lives in the Rana Plaza fire in Bangladesh. One of many insightful reports is Fashion Victims story by Sarah Ferguson and Mary Ann Jolle on ABC Four Corners

Fashion is coming to consciousness because of people’s growing interest in the ethics of where and how our clothing is made.

A tweet came my way this morning thanks to London slow-fashion consultant Veronica Crespi @rewardrobe, highlighting the launch of the Fashion Revolution Day USA campaign.

“This is part of a global movement to honour the lives lost last April 24th by both asking and answering one simple question Who made your clothes? Let’s revolutionize the fashion industry through curiosity, discovery, and direct action. Wear a piece of clothing #insideout and become a part of this global movement on 04.24.14.”

I’ve been making my own clothes for about two decades (more on that another day) and am now remaking, repurposing, refashioning clothes through a campaign of my own making Sew it Again.

When we consider the bigger picture of where our society is positioned with regard to climate change, constant consumption and excessive use of limited resources, transformational thinking about the sustainable reuse of natural resources is required.

In his book People, planet, profit, Peter Fisk says managing a business with a higher purpose is like committing to a better way of life. Sustainability is like a lifestyle change – to eat more healthily, to keep fit, to explore the world. By adapting your outlook, you see and seize new opportunities.

Fisk says a purpose behind profit is about defining how the business ultimately adds value to society. A purpose is energizing. It gives us cause and focus, and gives people a reason to love us.

I created Sew it Again 3 from an out-dated op shop dress that had a button-down top and long gathered skirt. I cut the top off, lifted up the skirt to make a muumuu that’s cool on hot summer days. I hand-sewed a shell necklace to the front, and sewed the necklace to an offcut of the old bodice at the back to make it the required length. The model is Belinda.