favorite sustainable resources / “local” / traceable fabric and yarn origins / traceable garment origins / reference books, films, videos

This is where my eyes glaze over.

My favorite sustainable resource is Alabama Chanin. It's the only one I actually know about first-hand, and I know it by accident -- because it's a big part of who they are, and because they told me -- not because I looked it up.

• Sustainable
• Local
• Traceable
• Origins

Of course I care, but I don't always have the time or inclination to do the research, find a comparable alternative that meets all the "requirements."

We could be talking about food.

Sometimes I have the time and budget to shop, compare, and prepare a wonderful meal with locally grown, pastured, grass-fed whatever, and sometimes a Big Mac will do.

Sometimes I have the time and budget to shop, compare, and sew or knit a beautiful garment with organic cotton or wool, and sometimes a trip to Target will do.

I have become much more aware of all of this in recent years and I know that I'm better. I haven't had a Big Mac in years. And I'm much more particular about what I buy at Target (in all departments).

Because of the many Slow Fashion October conversations, my awareness continues to grow and I will continue to learn. I'm interested. Karen has a great round-up post today with lots of links that I am making my way through.

* * * * *

But here's the bottom line for me and what I love about making things.

Junah is wearing a Wonderful Wallaby that I originally knit for my nephew Mack in 2007 and that was also worn by Addison. It certainly has enough "life" for many more! Nothing beats quality materials (Mission Falls 1824 Cotton... I miss you!) and love!

See you Sunday for NaBloPoMo kick off! Are you ready??

Marjorie, my mother, on her wedding day -- June 26, 1958

Alison, my daughter, on her wedding day, June 15, 2013

* * * * *

heirlooms / second-hand / mending / caring for things / laundering for longevity / design for longevity

Somehow, against all odds, my mother's wedding dress survived 55 years (far longer than the marriage, which only lasted 12) to be worn again by my daughter when she got married a little over two years ago.

My Aunt Carol was maid of honor and her dress was the same as Mom's with the exception of the sash, which was light blue instead of white.

The veil did not survive to be worn again, nor did those lovely gauntlets (or my aunt's dress)!

The dress was never "preserved" or even particularly cared for over the years. My sisters and I used it for dress up, as did my daughters; and I had it displayed (collecting dust) on a wicker dress form in my bedroom for several years.

It was in dire need of cleaning, as well as some repairs! It was just about three years ago that I put out a call to friends for a recommendation on cleaning and altering, and we ended up at Art Imig's in Sheboygan. Mom came along on that trip, and maybe the second; after that she was too sick or tired or stressed out from radiation and/or chemo.

The first step was to clean it, which was wonderfully accomplished by soaking it in OxiClean.

Then we discussed alterations. My mother had previously done some night-before-the-wedding sleeve alterations of her own -- removing a bit of gathering on the sleeve cap so it wasn't puffy anymore but instead laid flat. That alteration also inhibited range of motion, so the entire sleeve area was a big stress point and very much in need of repair. There were some other small tears in the skirt that need to be repaired, as well, but nothing too serious.

The tailor was able to "steal" small bits of fabric from here and there to repair and reinforce the sleeves, and she replaced all the stays and the crinoline. The satin sash and bow had to be re-used because there was absolutely no new "white" satin that matched!

My mom had received some good news about her response to treatment just the day before the wedding, hence the "thumbs up!"

I think nearly all the topics have been covered with just this dress! The dress is hanging (covered) in my work room. We had talked about some repurposing options, but have decided to keep it... there are others in Ali's generation that may still wish to use it, and maybe even in the next. It would be nice if it was still an option for them, anyway.

At first glance, this week's theme for Slow Fashion October seemed like a no-brainer. Haha. Yeah.

proudest accomplishment / most loved item / most frequently worn item / thing you saved up for / investment pieces / thing you worked a long time on / oldest thing that’s still in rotation

 

Proudest accomplishment(s): Girl's Dress, St. Brigid, Williamsro, Fibonacci, Parcheesi, Polka-Dot, Hootie, Catamount

Girl's Dress, pattern from Woman's World magazine; ca. 1983, using the most inexpensive yarn I could find at the variety store. (What's "gauge"?) It never fit anyone, but I learned more from it than almost anything else I ever knit! It was my "REVELATION" project!

Alice Starmore's St. Brigid; knit Sept. 2004-Feb. 2005;
at West Kilbride, North Ayrshire, Scotland, 2011.

It was my "Rhinebeck Sweater" in 2005.

I don't actually wear it much anymore and have thoughts of turning it into something else.

Cornelia Tuttle Hamilton's Williamsro, 2006 Knitting Olympics (US Cable Team)

Fib. What's a woman to do with leftovers -- 7 different colors of the same yarn?

My "Rhinebeck Sweater," 2006.

Hootie - Concert T turned Corset, Alabama Chanin style

Most loved item: It's like picking a most loved child... but I'm going to say Parcheesi.

 Janine Bajus' Parcheesi; Apr-Nov 2010, knit with everything;
I use it both as a blanket and as a shawl/wrap

Most frequently worn item: Polka-dot (I love that shirt).

 Two-Week Tee Transformation

Thing you are saving up for: An Alabama Chanin Workshop - learning is good.

Investment pieces: Almost all of the items marked "Eileen Fisher." A fair number of them have been acquired second-hand for a relative pittance, bringing the average price of the pieces I own quite reasonable.

Thing you worked a long time on: Catamount? St. Brigid? Parcheesi?

Catamount, an Alabama Chanin A-line Tunic Dress

Oldest thing that's still in rotation: I think it's probably the autumnal Vogue cover sweater that my sister Sharon knit in the early 1990s. It's huge and dense and I wear it more as a jacket in the fall. (A decent photo of that is on my list of things to do.)

* * * * *

Timehop tells me that two years ago today is when I first fell into the Alabama Chanin rabbit hole, having finally been lured in by an adorable onesie and blanket kit... as luck would have it, just a couple of months before I'd become a grandmother!

Have a great weekend y'all!

Ten on Tuesday:  10 Things I Did On the Weekend

1. Slept In. I had an early morning message from Ali on Saturday: No market! She is busy forwards and backwards and combined with a few other things happening in her world, it just wasn't going to happen. So I went back to bed! I didn't really sleep much more, but it sure felt cozy under the covers.

2. Watched the sun rise.

3. Cleaned out the garage. Overtaken by art displays and indigo dyeing apparatus, my car hasn't seen the inside of the garage since spring! I hate to mention it, but snow is on the way! We still have to move the indigo vat before there's room for the car (maybe tomorrow).

4. Did some thinning/cleaning out at Mom's. I decided to be productive with my "extra" time on Saturday. There's still plenty of extraneous stuff at Mom's that she loved and tended, but to which my stepdad doesn't really have an attachment. The Royals, for one thing. Have a thing for The Royals? Mom did! I thought I'd give it a couple of hours... five hours later... (so.much.stuff).

5. Marveled at some of the things I found. A few tugs at the heart.

6. Watched Junah for a while. (Impossible to photograph that boy lately!) He's wearing his Great Uncle Mike's sweater, which I found in a drawer at Mom's. I had possession of it for a while when my girls were little, and I'm pretty sure that Annie had same when my nephews were younger. It's probably a size 5-6 (the sleeves are rolled twice in these photos). The tag is gone, so I have no idea of manufacturer, origin, or content. It's almost 50 years old, though, so most likely U.S.-made and not likely wool. Heh. The buttons were nabbed from one of my dad's old Air Force uniforms. #slowfashionoctober #handmedowns

7. Watched the sun set.

8. Watched the sun rise again. Kate, Ali and I were on the road by 7 a.m. on Sunday morning, bound for Reedsville, WI...

9. We went to Fermentation Fest! Ali & I took a class: Kombucha 101 presented by Vanessa + Alla, founders of NessAlla Kombucha in Madison. We both bought starter kits; everything is there: a 1-gallon jar, oolong tea, organic sugar, a (genius) laminated recipe/instruction card, a cotton square & rubber band to tightly cover, and a SCOBY! Kombucha will be happening!

Fermentation Fest, an initiative of The Wormfarm Institute, is FAB! It's been on my radar for a year or two. My sister Karen went last year and took a class or two; this year, I think she took four or five! In fact, she was so busy that we didn't even have a chance to meet up. (We'll see each other again soon!) This was my first year and that was my only class... definitely not the last.

10. Farm/Art DTour. Katie took in part of the tour while Ali & I were in class, and we drove through the rest afterwards. Incredible. Obviously, one of my favorite installations was Monday is Wash Day by Brenda Baker. I wish I'd taken more/better photos of that. AMAZED!

Listen: Slow Fashion Shows Consumers What It's Made Of  on NPR

handmade / living with less / quality over quantity / capsule wardrobe / indie fashion / small-batch makers / sustainability

Handmade: Since knitting has been my main "making" activity over the past couple of decades, and because I'm rather selfish with my limited knitting time, I have a few sweaters and a pretty good number of shawls among my handmades. I've knit a reasonable amount of tiny things, too, for my nephews and my grandchildren. I've been given a few pairs of handknit socks, but can't think of any other articles of clothing in my wardrobe made by another's hand.

Living with Less: I am a KonMari believer! I have done some magical tidying, and there is still quite a bit to do. As important as the tidying/clean-out, I've found that I am acquiring less than ever. Recreational shopping is a thing of the past!

Quality over quantity: Preaching to the choir. I learned this at an early age. As a single mother of five and a full-time nursing student who received assistance and food stamps, my mother still bought quality clothing for herself and for us. We had fewer pieces of clothing than most of our peers, and my sisters and I had more than one fight (per week) over underwear and socks, but it was good quality clothing and it lasted -- often to be shared and/or handed down, but just as often to be loved and worn to tatters.

Capsule wardrobe: I have briefly thought about making an effort at this. Truthfully, though, my closet/clothing storage space is so tiny that it naturally keeps the size of my wardrobe small and manageable.

Indie fashion/Small-batch makers: I guess most of my forays into indie fashion have been supporting indie pattern makers. My budget just doesn't allow for clothing made by anyone's hands but my own!

Sustainability: This is where my eyes always begin to glaze over. Whether we're talking food, yarn, clothing, or whatever. I know it's important and one of the big reasons why #slowfashionoctober is even a thing. I try to buy responsibly, reasonably, with an awareness of origin... whaa, whaa, whaa. I try not to feel guilty/bad about not being MORE aware/caring/passionate/responsible. I'm in with those who do what they can.

Tuesday:

• My favorite handmade (and also mended) shirt, sewn in and inspired by the Alabama Chanin  style, and made from a men's thrifted overstock/new 4X t-shirt.
• A Talbots cardigan, which I've had for a few years, purchased at a thrift store.
• The Eileen Fisher organic cotton cropped pants that became such a part of my uniform over the past few months that I bought a second pair; I am seeking styling tips to keep wearing them in cooler weather.
• My beloved and years-old Wolky sandals that were just picked up from the shoe/leather repair shop, having had new leather insoles cut and applied for $25.

I'm off to a tardy start in Karen Templer's "Slow Fashion October"... but it's a start!

First let’s introduce ourselves: Where are you at with all this / What first got you interested in Slow Fashion / What are your skills / What do you hope to get out of Slow Fashion October / What are your personal goals for the month / Do you have a special project you plan to tackle this month?

The most important people in my life are family and almost all of them -- to some degree -- are/were also makers.

• Textiles, fiber and reed
• Rocks, gems and metal
• Wood, clay, and glass
• Paper, graphite and paint
• Seeds, dirt and water

Resulting goods (and motivation) range from utilitarian to decorative, executed by novice makers to highly skilled artists... but there's always been making and doing.

My mother taught me to knit when I was six. I knit on and off in high school and as a young adult in the world (I found knitting needles, yarn, and a slightly challenging pattern to be a great antidote to loneliness), but it's been in the last 15 years or so that I became a truly avid knitter. Thankfully, about 10 years ago, knitting blogs were a Really Big Thing and I became part of that community where people actually thought about knitting and thoughtfully wrote about knitting, yarn, tools, technique (and life), and I learned so much.

Dresses sewn by Mom (including her own).

Though my mother was an excellent sewist, she was also a very busy single mother & student, and I didn't learn to sew (more than a button) until I took Home Ec. in high school! My stepmother actually owned a fabric & craft store when she met my dad, and I made a couple of skirts under her tutelage -- but mostly I knit angora hats and made macrame plant hangers for her to sell at the store; she gave me the sturdy used Husqvarna sewing machine that I've used for the past 35-40 years.

I've written a little about sewing and fashion -- and slow fashion -- and quality last April. I am not a crusader, but I am aware and quietly help to make others aware.

Mostly, I just do. I make and do because that's what I've always done -- it's one of the ways I know I'm alive! The day I stop making and doing, I'll be dead.

I became interested in/aware of slow fashion when I began learning about Natalie Chanin and her company, Alabama Chanin in 2012. One of the things I admire about Alabama Chanin is the open source concept. Because as much as I'd like to own, wear, and love a $4,000 handmade dress, it is just never going to happen; but there are resources and tools available for me to make one myself.

Or something.

Anyway, I'm participating in Slow Fashion October because I love seeing what others are doing. Just as I learned so much about knitting from the knit-blog community, I am inspired and in awe of what's happening in the larger "maker" community. And I will learn things.

I actually have a couple of goals for the month. One of them is to mend an already mended tunic. Shown above is a visible (embellished!) repair made a few months ago near the hem. Now, there are two small holes in the tummy region. I do not want to give up this garment just yet!! So I need to figure out a way... and am open to suggestions!