Tag Archives: linen

Sew 48 – Have crush on linen

This linen bias-cut skirt turned dress with addition of a bodice made from scraps sewn to an old piece of sheeting.

If you’ve been following Sew it Again, you know I’m on a 365-day journey devising and sharing ways we can take unworn clothes from our wardrobe and resew them for a second life.

Yesterday I attended the Meet and Greet at International House college at The University Of Queensland in my capacity as a director/honorary secretary on the Board of Management and spent time with the fabulous 2014 student leaders.

I was wearing Sew 47 and thrilled by their interest, quick understanding and excitement about the concept of resewing and reusing existing clothing – because as uni students they need to be thrifty and resourceful in the way they dress. Continue reading →

Sew 47 – Refashion your own

I refashioned this op shop shirtmaker by removing sleeves and collar, turning back to front and draping a scarf at neckline.

Another day, another great read – this time Eco chic: The savvy shoppers guide to ethical fashion by Matilda Lee, who in 2007 when it was published in the United Kingdom was editor of the Green Pages of the Ecologist magazine.

Naturally Lee does a fantastic job of canvassing all the issues, and I loved the way she introduced the book with a quote from Coco Chanel: “Fashion is not something that exists in dresses only. Fashion is in the sky, in the street, fashion has to do with ideas, the way we live, what is happening.”

There is so much quality information in Lee’s book about the science behind fibres, fabrics and fashion and the stories behind the clothes we wear. Books like this get me thinking about where I fit in the scheme of things, on my 365-day mission to reposition home-sewing as a life skill akin to home-cooking. Continue reading →

Sew 36 – Quality shines through

This op shop skirt oozed quality so I couldn’t bring myself to chop into it and instead added dress straps cut from the legs of a pair of trousers which I’ve attached using safety pins.

Closer inspection marks the skirt as a Cappopera design made in Italy from a beautiful linen-cotton blend fabric and splendidly stitched. The previous owner must have moved on from this life, this style or this size – but either way it became a natural resource worthy of upcycling.

Finding a plethora of such beautiful garments in op shops started me on this Sew it Again year of resewing existing garments as a demonstration of what we can all do if we rediscover a few simple home-sewing skills.

In her article Exploitation is still in vogue on ABC’s The Drum, eco-entrepreneur and activist Hannah Parris says Australians are enthusiastic garment consumers. Continue reading →

Sew 32 – Ethical dressing

The beautiful buttons on this linen outfit are from my mother-in-law’s collection gathered over her lifetime in Cairns north Queensland and given to me in metal cake tin containers.

Quality, heritage and warmth are interwoven in my journey to revive traditional home-sewing skills and reuse natural resources for pleasure and purpose.

I’m also discovering a global ethical fashion community conscious of where clothes come from, how they are made and their ‘true cost’ to people and the environment.

Beautiful, informed people such as founder of manifeco.com Kate Black who wrote on Huff Post recently:

“Ethical fashion, also known as eco, green or sustainable fashion, can take many forms; it can be items that have been passed down (through family or from thrift and vintage shops), clothes from small-batch or local designers, even big brands are getting in the game with fair-trade certifications and using environmentally preferred fibres like organic cotton or tencel.” Continue reading →

Sew 29 – Earthy and natural

This dress had several makeovers to be what it is today, morphing from long white-collar linen, short no-collar linen, eco-dyed, re eco-dyed, and silk-scarf trimmed.

All sounds a bit time-consuming, but each stage was a quick change and eventually the garment transformed to be number 29 in my 365-day Sew it Again eco-clothing project.

I’ve bought new the few business suits I own, but the rest of my wardrobe comprises garments I’ve made, altered, salvaged from op shops or been given as cast-off from friends.

I know where my clothes come from, know they are ethically sourced and made of natural fibres (including black cashmere coat Toronto op shop and silk dress Gold Coast op shop).

There’s a growing global awareness about where clothing comes from, how it is produced and its impact on ecological health which mirrors the recent coming to consciousness about food sources and impacts on our own and the planet’s health.

Sustainable apparel consultants such as Shannon Whitehead are bringing awareness to these issues. Shannon summarised in a recent post the six things you should know about your clothes:

There are chemicals on your clothes
There are more than 27 million slaves in the world today
Big retailers are a big problem
Our old clothes (and disposable behaviour) are ruining Africa’s economy
It takes decades for your clothing to decompose in a landfill
We’re not helpless

I began researching this subject while doing leadership study last year which led to my Sew it Again project to demonstrate a different way of dressing by resewing garments from our own and others wardrobes to reuse and repurpose resources that already exist.

Today’s offering had languished in the back of my wardrobe because its button-down front was dated but I love linen and can’t throw it out. I cut the dress to knee-length and cropped off the collar with pinking sheers but found the white was dull (and noticed a small hole which I patched). I used onion and passionfruit skins to dye it – then gave it another burst with passionfruit skins because I loved the purple shades. A silk scarf from a friend complemented the colours so I stitched it on as a drape (and hem trim) to distract from the button-down front. Its earthy and natural – and will be included in Reverse Emporium’s Love Up-Cycled exhibition from February 8.

Sew 27 – Resewing brings second life

This favourite linen dress was in need of a makeover so I shortened the length, used the off-cut to make a long ribbon then sewed some to the neckline before replacing elastic.

Reinventing clothing that already exists in our own and others wardrobes is my purpose this year as I demonstrate a different way of dressing by resewing existing resources.

In our modern world, home sewing is in danger of becoming a lost art, having fallen off the radar as fast, cheap fashion replaced the need to do for ourselves – just as fast food did with home-cooking.

In the same way that we have rediscovered home-cooking as a nourishing and pleasurable activity, I believe home-sewing is being rediscovered as a life-skill of value and reward. Continue reading →

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 16 – Composing outfits

This outfit is a compilation of three items gathered separately which I brought together in a wardrobe try-on session.

It is easy to end up with a lot of oddments and separates in the wardrobe, doubly so when you buy op shop as I do. So instead of having a scramble each morning about what goes with what, I have sessions where I bring together all the mishmash stuff and create outfits which then hang together.

Dressing this way, you never see anyone else in the same outfit – as can be problem when you buy the latest fashion trend.

In their book Paris Street Style: A guide to effortless chic, Isabelle Thomas & Frédérique Veysset say we express our idea of who we are by the clothes we wear. It’s an unconscious, unspoken language that we direct at other people.

“You have to find your own look. There’s no need to knock yourself out to stand out; all that’s required is to be aware of who you are. If you are that, you can develop a harmony between your clothes and your personality. It’s not a question of age or money, more of a state of mind and an intention.”

They quote sociologist Patricia Delahaie as follows: Today, in the era of individualism, everyone can live and dress their own way, inventing themselves and the images that suit them best. Everything is possible now … your look reveals quantities of information about you. To what tribe do you belong? What image of yourself do you want to project? Do you wish to join the mass, or do you need to assert that you’re different? Is it your intention to be seen, or would you prefer to stay in the background? Are you eager to express your creativity, do you need to display the sides of yourself that are sporty, asexual or even rigid?

There wasn’t much sewing involved in today’s offering. The linen wrap-around skirt (Turtle Creek) is as found in an op shop. The designer linen top (Carla Zampatti) is also as found in op shop, except for the add neck scarf – a cast-off from my sister which I thought was a perfect lift to bring the outfit together. It is just stitched on the inside of the neckline and can be easily removed if preferred.

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 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 →