Weekend Review: Sustainable Wardrobe

Sustainable Wardrobe / Sophie Benson
London: White Lion Books, c2023.
160 p.

This was a lovely find, a book about sustainable wardrobe building which approaches the subject in a variety of ways. The author, Sophie Benson, is a freelance journalist working in the area of sustainability in fashion, beauty, culture and so forth -- so this book is an interesting mix of mending & upcycling projects, blended with information about global fashion issues, waste colonialism, greenwashing, collective action and more. It really works! 

The focus is on informing readers on sustainable fashion topics, including interviews with people involved in the fashion world in some way, from factory workers to fashion psychologists. It covers a lot of basics that many sewists may know, like the production cycle of a t-shirt, but will also provide new angles on many similar things. I think someone who buys all their clothes but is interested in starting on a more sustainable path would find this one a great resource. There are minimal projects in it, and some of them are ideas for events like clothing swaps, so if what you want is a book just on mending/upcycling techniques, you could try one of the many other books out there focused more on the practical matters of mending. 

This was inspiring, though, and well worth reading. The book is laid out nicely, with lots of photos, and feels well organized and accessible. I liked her writing style; it is clear and concise, bringing up many important topics in a tone that is not at all condescending. It feels like she is assuming the best intent in all of her readers. No judgement, and she opens the book talking about her own path toward sustainability and shares many of the mistakes and habits she started with. 

There is enough here to intrigue a reader new to the ideas of sustainability, from the basics of replacing a button to dyeing with natural dyes. And it feels inviting, and encouraging. I really enjoyed it! 

You can find more of Sophie Benson's journalism on these topics at her website, as well. 

Weekend Review: Reclaimed Textiles

 

Reclaimed Textiles / Kim Thittichai
London: Batsford, c2014.
128 p.

I'm always interested in upcycling and using unexpected materials in my textile art. So I thought I'd check out this book for some new ideas! It's broken up into chapters on Inspiration, Textiles, Paper, Packaging, Plastics & Mixed Media. Then there is a follow up on some of the featured artists, links and bibliography, etc at the end. 

It's a Batsford book, so it's really beautifully done. Those fuzzy Batsford covers always get me! And there are many glossy photos of lots of projects and ideas inside. 

Somehow I didn't really click with this one, however. The projects felt too random and junky for my preferred style. I do find that British artists seem to like a looser, rougher, or messier aesthetic overall, which doesn't always mesh with my personal tastes. There were still some really interesting ideas, though, especially in the plastics section, that I could use in a different way than the artists featured here did, and still get that upcycled ethos in. There was one artist in particular, Mary Grey, who used plastics to make a water scene, and it was very effective. 

I was most drawn to the reused textiles; there were vintage embroidered dresser cloths and tablecloths that were stitched into to create new messages and artwork on top of the original stitching, and I thought the juxtaposition worked well to emphasize the concepts. And of course upcycling fabric scraps is familiar and something I feel comfortable doing, so those projects felt more approachable. 

This book was well done, in that it delivered what it set out to do. It's put together with variety and lots of colour and imagery, so if you are interested in this topic you might also want to take a look. There may be something in it that will inspire you. 

Weekend Review: Sew Chinelo

Sew Chinelo / Chinelo Bally
Collins & Brown, c2021.
176 p.

I am a big fan of the Great British Sewing Bee, and Chinelo was one of my favourite contestants. I read the first book she put out after her appearance, Freehand Fashion, and so really wanted to check out this one as well. 

Unfortunately, this one wasn't really a book for me. The focus here is partially upcycling (the subtitle references Sustainable Style after all). And I do love upcycling, but the projects in this book don't appeal to me personally. There are lots of wrap dress/skirt, wide off-the-shoulder collars, strapless maxis, and kids clothes. None of those are my style at all. So, while this isn't a book for me, it could definitely be one for other readers. 

Aside from my personal aesthetic, there is a lot to admire about this book. If this kind of refashioning and youthful style is your thing, then you'll love it. It provides a variety of projects, so you could make a whole outfit or two. There are 11 adult projects, and 3 children's. They combine Chinelo's Freehand cutting style with the previously mentioned upcycling projects. And there is quite a good section on techniques - from bias binding tips to seam finishes, zips and hems, there are step-by-step illustrated instructions included. Plus a great section of taking measurements, which includes photographs to make the spots to measure very clear to new sewists. 

The one project that really intrigued me was the maxi dress, but mostly for the bodice. Chinelo uses a pair of men's suit trousers, takes them apart and uses them for the fabric of the bodice, which is a basic sleeveless scoop neck, princess seam bodice. It works quite well & if there was enough fabric to add some cap sleeves this is one I might try myself, although I'd change the skirt. She also finishes the book with a one-shoulder jumpsuit, and while there is no way I'd ever make that, it is finished with a huge floral corsage, in the same suiting fabric, on one shoulder. That was eye-catching and the instructions make it seem really easy -- would love to make one for other uses! 

So, not the best book for my style, but interesting nonetheless, and it might just appeal to you. Worth checking out. 

 

MeMadeMay 2023

 

I wasn't really thinking about joining MeMadeMay this year. I already have tons of me-mades, and wear something I've made myself just about every day. But then I saw some pledges out there that inspired me. 

Zoe, the founder of MMM, stresses that this isn't a photo challenge, or a making challenge -- it's supposed to be a chance to examine your wardrobe and sewing habits and figure out what's working, and help you create more sustainably. 

So my pledge, inspired by a number of people on IG, is to:

• Mend the items in my mending pile, which only keeps growing
• Wear as many different me-mades as possible this month so that I can evaluate what I like wearing, and figure out how to alter or refashion the things that I'm not wearing. 
• Evaluate my fabric stash to see if there are items there that I won't likely be using in future, and find new homes for those pieces. 

I think this pledge fits in with my focus in recent months, and I feel comfortable with it. If I do share some daily outfit photos on IG, it will be the ones that I have time for, and the ones that I find I really love wearing. And of course I'll keep watching the hashtag because it's great fun to see what everyone else is wearing this month!

Weekend Review: Fashion Manifesto

 

Fashion Manifesto / Sofia Hedstrom
trans. from the Swedish by Sarah Snavely
NY: Skyhorse, 2013, c2011
184 p.

August is Women in Translation Month, and to celebrate here I'll be reviewing fashion titles this month that were originally published in a non-English form. (for lots of fiction in translation, you can also check out my book blog, The Indextrious Reader, during August, too).

I'm starting with this book from my local library. I've looked through a few times over the years, but realized I've never shared it here. It's very much on trend right now, despite being published almost a decade ago. The author, a fashion journalist, decided to set herself a one year shopping ban challenge, after realizing her purchases were taking over her life and her closet, and that she had clothes stored not only in her own apartment, but her parents' home and even in an ex-boyfriend's parent's place. She was super strict about it, not buying anything new at all for a full year, not even shoes or undies. 

She started her challenge on August 1 so the story of her year of no buying is right on track for this week! The book is fascinating; she's a fashion writer so her style is very engaging and lively. The book is laid out very well, with an intro by Vivienne Westwood, well-known for her motto of "Buy Less, Choose Well". There is an intro of how Hedstrom decided on this project, and then a month by month timeline of her experience -- temptations, alterations, her feelings about the challenge and so on. It was interesting to see the initial 'withdrawal' period followed by more confidence about her existing wardrobe and finally the feeling that her shopping addiction was under control. Creativity came to forefront as she put together new combos of outfits, used things in different ways, learned some mending and dyeing techniques, and borrowed from and swapped with friends. 

Her own story is the main focus here, but she also interviewed other people about their sustainable (or 'style-savvy') shopping habits. The middle of the book is the actual Manifesto, laid out like a cool poster that you can copy and sign and post for your own purposes. And the second half of the book is projects with a variety of people she's interviewed, showing how they maintain and refashion their own wardrobes. It's fascinating, ranging from regular clothing to accessories like shoes and hair stuff, including jewellery. There's a nice mix of young and old, men and women, and some diversity though mostly people on the thinner side.

The projects are great as concepts even if the more edgy, punky ones aren't my style at all. But there are ideas for quilting and mending as well as fishnet jeans or leggings made from sock cuffs. It's interesting to see someone who is travelling around to the high pressure fashion weeks, where it is expected that you'll be dressed in the latest, who is able to redo her existing clothes and not stand out as an oddball. She mentions how not giving in to the temptations for all the latest things helped her sense of self as well as her wallet. Overall, this is probably familiar to you if you've paid attention to the "shop less" sustainable movement of the past decade, but this book is well done and fun to read. I enjoyed it and you might too!

Weekend Review: Fashion Forward

 

Fashion Forward: Striving for Sustainable Style / Raina Delisle
Victoria, BC: Orcabooks, c2022.
52 p.

This children's book is a colourful and positive introduction to the idea of sustainable fashion for middle schoolers. It's short but covers a lot of ground. 

It has four sections: Dressed to Impress, Fashion's Footprint, Taking Action on Fashion, and Be a Fashion Hero. Each of these sections cover the realities of fast fashion, the peer pressure of trends, environmental and human rights issues with fast fashion, alternatives to buying new and lots of it, history of shopping and production, and more. The book finishes up with some encouraging information on ethical fashion and how to participate in various movements to increase sustainability in the fashion realm. There's even a final page with a few other reading suggestions and lots of websites to check out. 

I think the author has done a good job of covering these complex subjects in short bites appropriate to the age of the targeted readers. The tone is positive and encouraging, and there are lots of suggestions on how to improve on the problems she brings up. The photos are also plentiful, colourful, and feature a diverse range of people. 

As an introduction to these topics, which many younger readers are already talking about, this is a great addition to a library collection alongside other books on fashion and on the climate crisis. I'd definitely suggest it to any younger reader who is a budding fashionista or is involved with a "green" group through their school or community. It's informative but not overly depressing, which is important - we can only change things when there's still some hope there. 

Weekend Review: Sew Sustainably by Wendy Ward

 

How to Sew Sustainably / Wendy Ward
London : CICO Books, 2021.
160 p.

Carrying on from last week's book list of reading on sustainable sewing, here's a must read if you're interested in this topic! Wendy Ward has written a handful of other sewing books, all well done, and runs a pattern company as well (MIY Collection). She really has a specific style, and it's clearly on show in this book.

So this particular title is about using up all the smaller bits of fabric we all have left after sewing, as well as trying to reduce those leftovers through low waste cutting. There are no pattern sheets in this book; everything is done via measurement, like many zero waste patterns out there. And this book isn't limited to clothing ideas, either -- there are directions for art pieces too and accessories like bags and scarves too.

The cover image is a good example of the chapter on piecing; how to put together scraps into another appealing garment. (One that I really like here, shown on the back cover above -- lengthening a dress by inserting a strip of pieced fabric in coordinating colours. So cool!) This is definitely a great idea if this aesthetic matches yours. Some people will love it, others won't find it jumps on to their to-do list. There are a couple of designs for new or larger pieces of fabric, including a huge batwing style tunic/dress and a dropped crotch pair of pants. Like we're talking knee level or lower crotch. So it's definitely cool and unique, but not something I myself might make. But reading through the concepts does start to make you think a bit more about the fabrics you have and how to use them. 

I liked the idea of including fabric scrap art projects -- some were wall art, some notecards or pieces to applique to a garment. There were a couple of techniques shown, and this might be a way readers could experiment with scraps to see if they like the process and results. I think this kind of freeform scrap use is rather fun! 

As in all of her books there is a good strong section on basic techniques. If someone who doesn't really sew much or is just learning picks up this book, they'll have enough to get started right away. And there is also a section at the end of the book on refashioning and "aftercare" -- mending and caring for garments. 

Well planned out, great photographs, unusual projects -- if you like this scrappy, edgy aesthetic, you'll like this one. Even if you don't there are some interesting ideas and techniques shared, so I am glad I read it even if most of the projects are not for me personally. I think it would really appeal to a certain kind of sewist though -- if you know someone who likes to experiment and freeform their sewing and is also concerned with sustainability, this might be a hit. 

Weekend Review: An Anti "Black Friday" Book List!

I just read an intriguing article over at Book Riot, all about setting yourself your own Mini Reading Intensive. Basically creating a self-made syllabus on a subject you're intensely interested in. Author Laura Sackton had some good tips, like making sure the authors you are reading have varied perspectives, and reading across genres, from non-fiction to memoir/biography to fiction, poetry, and articles. Also, she suggests not overdoing it and expecting yourself to read multiple books a month, rather to set a reasonable goal and spread it out. I like this concept -- and we all know that textiles are a subject that I, and probably most of you reading this, are especially concerned with.

So no specific book to review today -- in dubious honour of it being the Black Friday weekend, I thought instead I'd share a book list or two with you instead. The terrible rate of fast fashion increases over this weekend, causing more and more waste than ever. I follow Fashion Revolution, and they have a special focus on the effects of Black Friday on their blog & socials. They shared a great list of books to read if you want to find out more about how fast fashion affects us all. This is a great resource if the fashion industry is an area you'd like to set a Mini Reading Intensive for. 

I've read and reviewed just a few of these titles so far -- Loved Clothes Last, The Conscious Closet, and Wardrobe Crisis. Now many of these others are in my sights. I've also read a couple of others that would fit into this theme, like Dress With Sense (a really good one!) 

If you are thinking about sustainability more in the area of home sewing and your own practices, there are some great titles out there on mending, refashioning, upcycling and so on, that can inspire. Here are a few I've reviewed in the past: 

The Refashion Handbook by Beth Huntington

Mend by Kate Sekules

Wear, Repair, Repurpose by Lucy Fulop

Joyful Mending by Noriko Misumi

Generation T by Megan Nicolay

Mend It, Wear It, Love It by Zoe Edwards 

Visible Mending by Jenny Wilding Cardon

Mending Matters by Katrina Rodabaugh

Or you might want to approach something like this by choosing an area of sewing to focus on, like doing a deep dive into the history of textiles and techniques (Threads of Life, The Subversive Stitch) or investigating a particular natural fabric - history of, how to sew it, best projects for it, where to source it sustainably etc. 

Is this kind of Mini Reading Intensive something you do naturally? I like to read by mood and interest, so do kind of follow this type of thematic reading, but I like the idea of setting a syllabus so that the perspectives I'm reading are varied and cover a lot of ground. Sounds like a great plan for 2022! I might be pondering something now...

Weekend Review: Loved Clothes Last

 

Loved Clothes Last / Orsola de Castro
Dublin: Penguin Life, c2021
263 p.

I was really interested in checking out this book when I first heard of it, as the author is a known name in the fashion world, being a founder of Fashion Revolution, an organization that is doing a lot of good in the push for more transparent and equitable fashion across the world. 

It's a collection of essays on a variety of topics to do with reducing one's dependence on fast fashion as it currently exists. This could be a strength, but unfortunately it felt quite disjointed to me, and aimed at a bunch of different audiences. Anyone interested in this topic will already know most of the information in this book, which has fast fashion facts, ideas for mending and fixing minor problems with one's clothes (definitely basic knowledge for sewists), overdyeing, explaining garment care tags, and some social history/history of fabrics. You can probably tell from this list that the topics are jumbled up, and the book design doesn't help with clarity either -- the print is often small, there are lots of sketches and images -- the layout feels like a zine to me in some ways. It's a little frenetic. 

Perhaps if you have started following Fashion Revolution and you don't know much about the issues with the fashion industry, and you don't sew so the idea of caring for your cheap clothes is new to you, this book could be an eye-opener. It might appeal to a younger crowd who isn't already focused on these areas or those who don't automatically fix everything anyhow. 

It's a real shame that this book feels very quickly pulled together, with some factual errors as well (some of these are noted in the reviews on Goodreads). I thought the sewing instruction bits were the strongest, but de Castro doesn't really sew -- these sections were put together by her daughter Elisalex of ByHandLondon. Which may explain why they are knowledgeable! 

I was disappointed because I really love the Fashion Revolution site and all that they do. I like to participate in Fashion Revolution Week and draw attention to the need for fair wages and treatment for garment workers and more environmental responsibility. So I won't write off the organization simply because this book isn't all I hoped it would be. But I'd recommend following the website and its activities over this book if you are interested in these subjects. Assuming that most of my readers are sewists and already aware of issues with fast fashion, you can skip this book without missing much. If you are interested in finding out a little more about the content, though, definitely check out this very thorough review with highlights, by reader Katrina Sark on Goodreads. 

Weekend Review: Mend by Kate Sekules

 

Mend! / Kate Sekules
NY: Penguin, c2020
227 p.

I'm delighted to be sharing this book this week -- it's a new book on the mending trend, one that I really enjoyed! It's so colourful and funky to look at, and is a solid read both on the history and meaning of mending, and on some how-tos as well. 

The author is one of those women I envy, who seem to have limitless energy and gumption, and end up doing tons of different things. Kate Sekules is/has been a journalist and writer, a professional boxer, online clothing shop owner, PhD candidate in material culture, mending educator and more. She is cool, thoughtful and thorough in this book. 

The first half of the book is a look at mending over the ages. As we all know, fast fashion is a recent invention. Before that, textiles and clothing were valuable and sometimes scarce. Mending was just what you did. She shares textile history from prehistory to current day in a pithy way, with some intriguing stories that I hadn't heard before, like Otzi the Iceman, who was discovered mummified in the Tyrolean Alps; he's over 5000 years old and was wearing tattered pants made from a patchwork of animal skins. She talks about the professional menders in existence from Ancient Greece right up to mid-20th century England, specialists who could repair items to keep them in service and looking new. 

There is a section in the middle about some of the current day menders and stitchers who are leading this field and encouraging people to embellish and repair their clothing, as well as use these techniques in a political way, to focus on sustainability and such. This is a great chapter, and while I have already heard of many of the people highlighted, there were also some new finds to research further! I loved seeing the varied approaches and focus areas of each person; they take a slightly different tack in each case, and show that there is room for everyone interested in this topic. 

And then most of the second half of the book gets down to practicalities. How do you mend -- whether it's patches, darning, visible mends, embroidery, upcycling or even needle felting, there are instructions, lots of photos to follow step by step and a lot of encouragement. She's clear that creativity and trying things out are the perfect approach, it's not a strict follow-these-rules kind of book. I love some of the down and dirty fixes, like sticking a pocket on top of a hole or stain if it's a pocket friendly location. So quick! And she talks about where to harvest mending materials from, ie: an old blouse that isn't repairable any more can be cut up into patches or reinforcements for underpatches. It's very frugal and resourceful, and I found it inspiring. Also, at the end of this section there is a massive chart of the kinds of items you might want to mend, the kind of damage, the appropriate materials and the appropriate techniques that might work best for that type of fabric or garment. Massive -- it's four pages long! Plus there's an adorable "periodical table" of mends too. 

I liked the approach of this one. It's not just another book on mending your jeans with sashiko inspired stitching. In fact she hardly mentions jeans. I loved the combination of history, social consciousness, and hands-on instruction. Plus she's a great writer and knows her topic inside out. Add in the plethora of bright, clear photos, and it's a real hit. Recommended. 

If you want to see some of the inside of this book, go to the publisher's page and click the "look inside" button. It brings up a window to scroll through that gives you a good idea of what the book is like. 

Weekend Review: Fibershed

 

Fibershed
Rebecca Burgess & Courtney White
White River Junction, VT: Chelsea Green Publishing, c2019
281 p.

I picked up this book at my library and read it over one day. It was fascinating! Written by the founder of the Fibershed movement, it explains what a Fibershed is, and how it works, explaining along the way about sustainable agriculture, the false promise of synthetic fibres, and how a regional system of production helps fight fast fashion, climate change and precarious industries. 

So what is a Fibershed? It's a place-based textile system, as she says in the introduction:

Similar to a local watershed or a foodshed, a fibershed is focused on the source of the raw material, the transparency with which it is converted into clothing, and the connectivity among all parts, from soil to skin and back to soil... It is place-based textile sovereignty, which aims to include rather than exclude all the people, plants, animals, and cultural practices that compose and define a specific geography.

She introduces us to her own background, and the organization itself. She talks about natural dyeing, and her journey to farming her own indigo as well as other natural dyers in the area (really fascinating!) There are also featured farmers who raise specific breeds of sheep that are best for the microclimate their farm is in;  and a cotton farmer, Sally Fox, who breeds and grows naturally coloured cotton -- did you know that cotton grows in colours other than white? I didn't! 

There is talk about local mills (few and far between), how growing different kinds of fiber crops like flax, hemp or even nettle can work as regenerative agriculture and increase the ability of the soil to sequester carbon -- a very in depth and illuminating chapter that digs into the facts and felt really outside my knowledge and experience. From animal fibres to plant fibres, from the growers to the processors, to dyers, weavers, knitters, and sewists, she moves from the source to the end product and shows how and why it's important.

And then shares a bit about the organization and how it works with other groups interested in the same things, and how this might be replicated (they even have an affiliate system).

It's a great read, illuminating and inspiring. I felt hopeful when I was done, and very intrigued by all the information about local producers in her Fibershed, leading me to wonder about my own region. Fortunately for me, there is an affiliate Fibreshed group in my area, the Upper Canada Fibreshed! 

If this kind of thing interests you, be sure to give this book and their website a look. It's encouraging and brings up a wide range of subjects all connected to a new Textile Economy. 

Sewing for a Cause

I haven't been making much in terms of wardrobe this month -- and that is because I've been very busy doing other kinds of sewing.

This month has brought me two great projects. The first is setting up a local Boomerang Bags group. Boomerang Bags is an organization based in Australia, with the aim of getting people to think about plastic use, textile waste and other issues of sustainability. Anyone can sign up to form a chapter, and they provide a great toolkit when you do sign up, so it's easy to start.

They focus on community created tote bags, made from only upcycled fabrics, that are then given out freely in the community. Many groups do charge a nominal fee or a donation, just to keep themselves going. Boomerang Bags can be found in local shops, libraries, or at craft or community fairs.

Our local Boomerang Bags group had our first informational meetup this month, and so I was busily sewing and cutting to get some samples made for people.

 I was able to cut 7 bags from 2 m. of leftover thrifted quilting fabric (though I'm a handle or two short so will have to cut those from other fabric!) I also used a couple of pillowcases, which are just about the right size on their own! I have two sheets in waiting, too -- you just have to make sure your fabric is sturdy enough for a tote. Curtains, tablecloths, sheets, quilting cotton -- even old clothes -- you can upcycle a lot of different things. Boomerang Bags provides a basic tote pattern, but you're welcome to use any pattern you like, as long as the bags are created by the community group (not pre-bought) and use upcycled fabric. I bought a few fabric labels to start, but our library MakerSpace is creating a stamp for me to use to start stamping our own labels!

It's basic sewing, but fun and it feels great to be forming some community connections this way. A sewing bee will happening in March so I'm going to be busy with these bags again for the next little while.

The next project that I've been spending a lot of time on is an ArtBuild for Amnesty International. I'm really enthused about Craftivism in general, and this seems to be a great fit. I've used some of these elements in our local Amnesty group before (making fabric bird postcards for Write for Rights days) but this is a bigger, coordinated approach.

There is a Day of Action on March 2 in honour of  Berta Cáceres, a Honduran water rights defender who was murdered in 2016. Our local group is making a banner that will be used on March 2 and then passed on to the Honduran groups to use as needed. My role was to get the image of Berta and our slogan prepared from the felt that we had ready. I used an image of Berta and traced it to make what looks like a paint-by-number pattern. Then I scanned it and printed it as a tiled poster (at about 375%) to make what is essentially a pdf pattern.

This resulted in a great image; close up it looks a bit odd but get just a little distance and you see Berta clearly. Next steps are to meet up with Amnesty members and put the banner together with lots of colour and messages. I'm really happy to be able to use my craft skills to help this project. It's a timely reminder that the earth and our environments are more important than money, and some people really do give all for those things.

After these projects are mostly done (at least the majority of my input is done) I'm planning to get back to the two sewing projects I've put aside. On to sewing up an Agnes dress (from Halla Patterns) and then cutting and sewing my floral Khaliah Ali tunic.

I'm so glad that sewing shows up in so many places :)

Weekend Review: Wardrobe Crisis

Wardrobe Crisis / Clare Press

I picked up this book on sale, because of the relevant subject matter, and because I am already familiar with the author through her podcast of the same name. She interviews all sorts of people working in sustainability in fashion and it is fascinating.

This was her first book -- she has another new one that I'll be on the lookout for now, called Rise & Resist which goes more specifically into how people are standing up for better sustainable fashion and what you can do too.

This book is more of a history of the fashion world and how we've got to where we are. Clare Press writes like she talks -- light, breezy, with tangents and asides. I really like the style, but some readers do find it a little harder to follow than they expected. I felt like someone was just sitting down and talking to me and sharing a lot of stuff, and it seemed natural and unpretentious to me.

The chapters cover a range of topics, from the history of couture brands to that of supermarket retail tricks -- from materials and plastics and pesticides, to overproduction and cheap prices -- and how exactly our culture moved from fewer clothes that we took care of, to wear-once crap at places like H&M or in Europe, Primark, just as a couple of examples.

Press touches on a variety of topics and themes and so the narrative does flit around a bit in shorter chapters. I liked it and found it interesting and never dull. It's not just about the fashion industry and all of the environmental issues there, though it does cover that. It's also about the psychology of the consumer and how this brands both manipulate and profit from out of control consumerism. And it's also about history, and people, and possibilities.

I really enjoyed it. And I also enjoy Press' regular podcast on these topics, too, so if you haven't checked that out yet, do! It's the perfect combo, this book and the podcast, and once I get my hands on her newest book I'll let you know how that fits in too. 

Weekend Review: Inconspicuous Consumption

Inconspicuous Consumption / Tatiana Schlossberg

NY: Grand Central, c2019.

277 p.

This book, found in my local library, was a very quick read. It is intended as a primer for people who want to know the unexpected ways our impact is spread across everything we do in our modern lives. Chapters investigate four main topics: technology, fashion, food, and fuel.

It's a short book so it really just skims over the main points of these areas -- but it is deep enough for those who are new to these topics. Schlossberg is good at drawing together the ways in which consumer actions have direct effects in all these areas, and does give a few suggestions on how to mitigate some of these. The main focus is on explanations and info on the situation, however.

Schlossberg is a journalist and as such writes in a direct and accessible way. She has a habit of making personal asides, though, I imagine to make this more 'relatable', but it really irritated me as a reader. The tone was off in comparison to the subject, and I'd rather have the author a little more distant from the essay -- the personal commentary felt self-deprecating in a cutesy way that came across as inauthentic to me.

Aside from that, I was obviously most interested in the Fashion chapter. She does expose many of the issues of fast fashion from making to disposing, textile choice to recycling potential, shipping, wages, and more. I feel that if you have any interest at all in this subject and have read anything else on the topic, you'll already know 95% of what is shared here. But if this is a first glimpse of how fashion plays a role in sustainable living as a whole, and a reader hasn't considered this before, this is a great intro. I think anyone new to this area might be inspired to investigate further after finishing this book.

Weekend Review: Dress [with] Sense: the Practical Guide to a Conscious Closet

Dress [with] Sense: the Practical Guide to a Conscious Closet
Christina Dean, Hannah Lane, Sofia Tarneberg; illus. by Charlotte Trounce
London: Thames & Hudson, c2017.
224 p.

I picked up my own copy of this book recently, after having read it via my library. I wanted to own it, as it is a clearly laid out, practical, and also pretty book about fashion and ways to be more conscious with your closet.

The three women who wrote it started Redress, an NGO that focuses on reducing textile waste in the fashion world. They have an interesting website as well, with lots of info and events that they hold locally to them, in Hong Kong. 

The book is broken up into four sections: 

BUY better & make more responsible choices when shopping

WEAR clothes more creatively

CARE for your clothes -- laundering, mending etc.

DISPOSE of clothes by non-trash means: swapping, up/recycling, donating etc.

The structure is very logical, and the content is useful and inspiring. The way the book is designed encourages quick reading, and hopefully will engage those who won't pick up a huge tome of research based arguments as to why we need to think about the environmental impact of our wardrobes. 

The book is really lovely -- the illustrations are charming, there are single page comments from well-known models, actresses, bloggers and other fashion revolution folks who are into sustainability, and there is a fair bit of useful information I haven't seen everywhere, like how to make your own stain removers that are non-toxic, as just one example. There are also a lot of photos; this feels a bit like a chunky magazine. 

The BUY chapter talks about the impact of fashion, and how to buy more consciously, break bad habits, and take action via options like Fashion Revolution. It encourages you to think differently about buying, like perhaps shopping for a capsule wardrobe instead of impulse buying. 

The WEAR chapter looks at editing your closet, tailoring, mending, diy-ing and refashioning. This article published by Redress goes over the Edit Your Closet steps which are also shared in the book but in a cuter, illustrated way.

The CARE chapter is interesting, because it goes more in-depth into this area than other books I've read so far. Redress even gives local workshops on washing and drying your wardrobe more sustainably. This chapter covers how to understand care labels, suggests hand washing, spot cleaning or airing out clothes rather than washing after every wear. If you do want to wash your clothes, it's key to understand your machine, wash in cooler temperatures, and hang to dry as much as possible. It also talks about mending, storing, hanging clothes properly, finding professionals to mend your clothes and shoes, and so on. There are recipes for refresher spray and stain removal mixes made from natural ingredients, too. I found this chapter really helpful!

The final chapter, DISPOSE, is a tough one since there really is no ideal, magical tech-based solution to the problem of too many clothes. There just needs to be fewer clothes in the first place. But, they do go over ideas to divert clothing from landfill.

These include hosting clothing swaps (with a how-to included), or reselling your clothes in-person or online. There is a section of different charities who accept donated clothes for various purposes, in case you want to direct them somewhere besides just the local Goodwill. 

The book finishes with a section of resources for further study -- suggested books, websites, and organizations to check out. This appendix is small print and four pages long so there is lots to explore.

I enjoyed this book and found it informative, even if it doesn't really talk about home sewing. The chapters on wear and care are most directly useful for sewists, I think; there is a lot there to use when I'm looking at my own handmade wardrobe. From choosing the original materials to caring for them so they last as long as possible, this will add to the sustainability of my own sewn closet. I'd recommend it if you can find a copy. It's a quick read, not text-heavy, but I think it would appeal to readers newly interested in this topic.

Weekend Review: The Conscious Closet

The Conscious Closet / Elizabeth L. Cline

NY: Plume, c2019.

348 p.

This is a great book to start a new year with! Elizabeth L.  Cline is well known for her 2012 book Overdressed, about the effects of fast fashion. It made quite a splash when it was published. And now she's followed it up with The Conscious Closet, which is also about fast fashion but goes further into sustainability issues and activism, reflecting the growth in awareness of these issues.

What does she cover? The book is broken up into six themes.

1. Fast Fashion: The industry & background. Clothes are not garbage!
2. Art of Less: buying less, mimimalism
3. Art of More: thrifting, renting, resale
4. Sustainable Fashion Handbook: big brands, fabrics & chemicals
5. Make it Last: laundry, mending
6. Fashion Revolution: politics, activism

I've tried to give a sense of what is covered in each section. If you follow this topic, some of it will be "old news" to you; I feel like I knew everything that is covered in this book, but I still enjoyed reading it.

For those who aren't as familiar with these topics, and are just starting to get interested in this area, this book gives a great overview into many facets of the bigger picture which readers can then explore further. There is a nice list of resources at the end, so if a reader has a particular interest in one theme they can explore some organizations who are involved in that area or read some recommended books that cover specific topics in more depth. Cline also mentions that she is keeping updated lists of information and resources on her own blog.

I was glad to see some of my own favourite things mentioned -- mending, home sewing, the Fashion Revolution org, among many others. And one thing I thought was unusual about this book (and really useful) was her approach at the beginning recognizing that people are different and have different goals for their wardrobes. She breaks it into three "fashion personality types" -- the Minimalist, the Style Seeker, and the Traditionalists. She then directs various chapters to the needs of these types: the Minimalist will be happiest with less (Ch. 2), the Style Seeker who still wants lots of variety can be more sustainable through new ways of obtaining clothing (Ch. 3) and Traditionalists who are a mix can use ideas from anywhere that suits them. I like the recognition that everyone will have different levels of expectation for their wardrobes.

Overall, a book I would recommend to those wanting to know how to tackle fast fashion both in their own closets and in the wider world.

Quick Sustainable Gifts from your stash!

If you're thinking about making a few little gifts this year, and need something quick because once again you've left everything to the last minute (just me?) there are quite a few fun, free patterns out there that are quick, multipurpose, and don't require any fitting at all.

Perfect for that last minute addition to a gift!

First, you might want to make a beanie from this free pattern made by Workhorse Patterns for the Sewcialists. It's a great use for knit scraps & can be just as cute as you want it to be. It can also be plain and solid coloured for more sedate headgear.

Of course you can easily put together a scarf to match, using my very own tutorial for an infinity scarf, or this one for a longer scarf. You can make it all out of one fabric, or jazz things up by first stitching together your scraps into a patchwork and then making your scarf from the resulting scrappy piece. Fabricland Ontario has a great tutorial for making a patchwork & fringe scarf from luxurious velvet!

Perhaps you want to make some sustainable packaging to gift it all in -- a quick fabric drawstring bag is a perfect option and the size can be cut to accommodate any package you have. You might want to fancy it up a little by adding a contrasting lining and eyelets or even just buttonholes for your drawstring. I usually make mine as simply as BrownThumbMama does in her clear tutorial above.

Costa Tote from Helen's Closet

Or you could add an extra gift by sewing up a simple tote bag to wrap your gift in that can then be reused all year long. Choose a fabric that matches the recipient's favourite colours or a novelty print that reflects their interests. Make it elegant with fancy fabric or cheap and cheerful with offcuts from your sewing. Just make it strong enough to hold things and make sure you secure the handles firmly. There are many options for tote bag patterns -- you can google a bunch! You might want to look at the Costa Tote from Helen's Closet (a free pattern with newsletter signup), or if you really get into bags and love sustainable, community sewing ideas, you can join Boomerang Bags, an international group based in Australia that focuses on making bags from post-consumer fabrics to help reduce single use plastics in your local community.

If you haven't already made these for everyone you know, a cozy gift is a microwaveable neck warmer. I have two at home, and one in my office drawer. They are wonderful when you've got a chill or a stiff neck from too much computer work! Here's one way to make them from SewCanShe that's not only simple, but uses smaller scraps to make a cheerful, colourful scrap-busting gift.

Hope that this will help with any of those last minute ideas you might be looking for!

Weekend Review: The Refashion Handbook

It's the beginning of a new month, and also the beginning of a theme for me here at Following The Thread. This month I'm going to focus on some of the ways that sewists can sew thriftily. I know that sewing can be an expensive hobby, but there are a few things that I do to keep my costs down and help me to sew more affordably.

Today's review is a book that looks at one way to customize your wardrobe quite affordably -- refashioning, or upcycling your own old clothes or ones you've thrifted. This is something I've done for many years but there are always new tricks to learn.

The Refashion Handbook / Beth Huntington
Lafayette CA: Stash Books, c2014.
127 p.

I picked up this book recently, interested in seeing some new tricks I might be able to add to my repertoire. I have enjoyed reading Beth's blog, The Renegade Seamstress, for many years and like her diy approach to sewing. She shares not only wardrobe remakes but quick and scrappy household items there, like reusable teabags or tote bags made from tea towels. There's always something of interest over there!

I really liked this book. The layout and the projects are all clear and user-friendly. Anyone with some sewing experience could easily follow along and use these ideas as starting points for further customization. Those new to sewing who are just starting with refashioning will find this accessible and a great doorway into sewing from scratch, as I'm sure anyone might want to do after getting the bug with these alterations that are more than just re-hemming something.

The book starts with some basic tips for thrift shopping (useful), goes on to cover basic tools and techniques of sewing, then a few extras like how to add/change zippers and create cap sleeves for almost anything (I loved this - so easy and very handy if, like me, you prefer a sleeve on everything).

Then there's a mix of restyling projects, from very simple to a little more complicated. She shows how a simple change like narrowing the body of a t-shirt and shortening the sleeves can totally change the look; or, how to fit a long baggy elastic waist skirt into a short and better fitting full skirt. Then there's my favourite -- taking an ankle length black and white polka dot dress with a big sailor collar and removing the collar and some length and making it into a very modern and chic LBD. There are more unusual ideas like taking the middle out of a dress rather than chopping off the bottom, or adding vintage embroideries to a jean jacket. There are even a couple of accessory tutorials at the end.

This book is made up of a great mix of inspirational projects and solid techniques that could be used by anyone interested in refashioning or updating an outfit. I know it's given me a few ideas already. It's cheery, upbeat and really encouraging. And the projects don't look amateur and unwearable in the after photos, always a plus! Definitely one to check out if you are interested in refashioning or want to create a more customized wardrobe in an affordable and earth-friendly way.

MeMadeMay and Sustainability Thoughts

One of my goals for this MeMadeMay was to look at what I'm wearing and why, and to think about how I can make my wardrobe more sustainable in terms of fabrics bought, patterns made, etc -- how to use the best fabrics I can for my budget and not make clothes I'm not going to wear.

I've found that I do like almost everything I've ever made, and the few things that I haven't wanted to wear this month are now in line for refashioning/reusing or donating. So it has been a useful practice to pay attention to my sewing and clothes wearing habits!

In addition to paying attention to my own habits, I also read and listen to many things in the area of sustainable fashion. Here are some of my recent favourites.

Podcasts: 

Wardrobe Crisis by Clare Press
This podcast by Vogue Australia's sustainability editor is so good! Clare Press interviews a wide range of guests from fashion designers to brands to sustainable makers to the founders of Fashion Revolution, to name just a few. It really expands the understanding of how wide the push for sustainability is getting.

Conscious Chatter
A podcast "where what we wear matters", this one is hosted by a young woman with a background in journalism and international affairs, and focuses on sustainable brands, consumer habits, and wider issues in the field like women's rights, recycling, international conditions in the fashion world and so on.

Trashmagination by Carla Brown
While this isn't focused on the fashion world, it is a series of very short podcasts on recycling, reusing, and remaking things that are often considered to be trash. There are many references to fashion uses of trash, including events like Trashion Weeks.

Dressed  &  Unravel: a Fashion Podcast
Both of these fashion history podcasts are focused on designers, fashion movements and so on, but they've both looked at sustainability issues in some of their episodes. Plus just knowing how different fashion trends have come about sometimes helps to understand the background of massive fashion issues.

Books:

Wardrobe Crisis by Clare Press 
Rise & Resist by Clare Press
Both of these books by the author & presenter of the Wardrobe Crisis podcast follow on with the same themes -- a look at the fashion industry in the first one, and a collection of essays and interviews with changemakers in the second one.

Overdressed: the shockingly high cost of cheap fashion by Elizabeth L. Cline 
This classic looks at fast fashion and our consumer habits and talks about ways to counteract the rapid movement of trends and buying and trashing our clothes.

Websites/Actions:

Fashion Revolution
This is the mother ship for questions of sustainable fashion and the call for transparency. Full of resources of all kinds, and best known for #FashRev week and the #WhoMadeMyClothes initiative.

Craftivist Collective
This movement uses craft and stitching as a protest delivery system; their Mini Fashion Statement project in particular looks at fast fashion and the fashion world overall


Do you have suggestions of titles of books or any podcasts that you love listening to that will help me along my learning journey? Is there a great website that you love that talks about this topic? Do you have any go-to tricks to help make your own sewing more sustainable? Please share!

Me Made May 19: a pledge

I didn't really take part in Me Made May last year; I seem to join in sporadically. I think I will join in this year though, for the 10th annual challenge, with a different kind of pledge than in previous years.

I have tons of memade at this point; I can easily wear a different memade garment every day. That's not a challenge any more. What is a challenge is thinking about my memade wardrobe in the light of sustainability. How much do I need? And is my making done thoughtfully? These questions are more of the kind of challenge I'm thinking about lately.

So my focus this year is to figure out whether I'm wearing and enjoying my already existing wardrobe of memades, what garments/fabrics in my stash are keepers and which to pass on, and to make some decisions about the kinds of fabrics I'll buy in future -- thinking about what things my wardrobe needs and how I can fulfill that in the most sustainable way I can. 

I hope everyone who is participating remembers that according to Zoe's original manifesto, this challenge isn't intended to spark a sewing frenzy in order to wear something different every day or to take daily photos if you don't want to. It's a way to get to know your me made wardrobe better. I hope it will help me do so this year!