Love this teeshirt so soft but it has a grease spot & I can't get rid of it. Made my stencil, & started sewing. I have her books & taking the class on Craftsy.
In deze blogpost lees je hoe je de Alabama Chanin techniek kunt toepassen bij het upcyclen.
Lovely Alabama Chanin Poncho~ I've just completed stitching the most beautiful Alabama Chanin poncho, ballet over natural 100% organic cotton jersey, in the Magdalena pattern. I promised Rhonda Fargnoli, the Education Director at Makers' Mercantile in Kent, Washington, that I would sew and Fed Ex this poncho ASAP to add to her display for our upcoming one-day workshop, Hand Stitching and Embellishing The Alabama Chanin Way on June 4th. Shown with short side worn forward. Rhonda, I am having difficulty parting with this garment! A tiny tug of war is going on, and its a bit of a struggle taping up the box and sending this gem off to you. I know, I know, a promise is a promise, and this pretty shall soon be speeding its way up to your awaiting hands. I'm just so delighted with the beauty, drape, and shape of the poncho. I can't wait for our class, and to share this delight with fellow sewers in the making and wearing of such a lovely garment. Stitched and mid way through cutting, negative reverse applique. A more detailed shot. It took around 20-25 hours to complete this poncho. Even the back side is pretty. This is before washing. Notice how the edges aren't curled up yet. After one washing the edges begin to curl. For more information on this class and many others, please contact Rhonda at Makers' Mercantile, 253.220.9951 or [email protected]. .
Well all the stitching is done now I have to cut out all the centers. This is a difficult pattern but well worth it. I hope to have it complete by Thanksgiving. I'm going to do some beading on this one too.
Lovely Alabama Chanin Poncho~ I've just completed stitching the most beautiful Alabama Chanin poncho, ballet over natural 100% organic cotton jersey, in the Magdalena pattern. I promised Rhonda Fargnoli, the Education Director at Makers' Mercantile in Kent, Washington, that I would sew and Fed Ex this poncho ASAP to add to her display for our upcoming one-day workshop, Hand Stitching and Embellishing The Alabama Chanin Way on June 4th. Shown with short side worn forward. Rhonda, I am having difficulty parting with this garment! A tiny tug of war is going on, and its a bit of a struggle taping up the box and sending this gem off to you. I know, I know, a promise is a promise, and this pretty shall soon be speeding its way up to your awaiting hands. I'm just so delighted with the beauty, drape, and shape of the poncho. I can't wait for our class, and to share this delight with fellow sewers in the making and wearing of such a lovely garment. Stitched and mid way through cutting, negative reverse applique. A more detailed shot. It took around 20-25 hours to complete this poncho. Even the back side is pretty. This is before washing. Notice how the edges aren't curled up yet. After one washing the edges begin to curl. For more information on this class and many others, please contact Rhonda at Makers' Mercantile, 253.220.9951 or [email protected]. .
A place for all my crafty things
Recently I reviewed the great new book by Natalie Chanin, Alabama Studio Style, which got…
Another very enjoyable project inspired by Natalie Chanin of Alabama Chanin. I have used a total of 10 thrifted t-shirts to construct this jacket - 5 cream / tan shirts and 5 brown shirts. I used the Angie's Fall Stencil from Alabama Chanin to paint the design with fabric paints. Embroidery and reverse applique. Knots exposed on the exterior. The handstitching is done with various shades of brown embroidery floss. This jacket is my design - no pattern used. 3/4 length sleeves and "swing" style body. This was mainly stitched at various baseball fields. My youngest son plays Middle School baseball, Travel baseball, and Little League baseball. Needless to say, I am "sitting" at baseball fields for many, many, many, long hours. As a matter of fact, yesterday, I was at a complex from 11:00 a.m. - 9:15 p.m. Long, hot day, but the boys are having a blast participating in a sport they love! (smile!~!)
A place for all my crafty things
Alabama Chanin creates an amazing array of beautiful products with stencils through a focus on slow design and sustainability.
10 places to find fabrics for upcycling
Lovely Alabama Chanin Poncho~ I've just completed stitching the most beautiful Alabama Chanin poncho, ballet over natural 100% organic cotton jersey, in the Magdalena pattern. I promised Rhonda Fargnoli, the Education Director at Makers' Mercantile in Kent, Washington, that I would sew and Fed Ex this poncho ASAP to add to her display for our upcoming one-day workshop, Hand Stitching and Embellishing The Alabama Chanin Way on June 4th. Shown with short side worn forward. Rhonda, I am having difficulty parting with this garment! A tiny tug of war is going on, and its a bit of a struggle taping up the box and sending this gem off to you. I know, I know, a promise is a promise, and this pretty shall soon be speeding its way up to your awaiting hands. I'm just so delighted with the beauty, drape, and shape of the poncho. I can't wait for our class, and to share this delight with fellow sewers in the making and wearing of such a lovely garment. Stitched and mid way through cutting, negative reverse applique. A more detailed shot. It took around 20-25 hours to complete this poncho. Even the back side is pretty. This is before washing. Notice how the edges aren't curled up yet. After one washing the edges begin to curl. For more information on this class and many others, please contact Rhonda at Makers' Mercantile, 253.220.9951 or [email protected]. .
Embroidery: Threads and Stories from Alabama Chanin and The School of Making recounts Natalie's journey and the origins of Alabama Chanin. A deeply personal and reflective work, Natalie’s sixth book explores her design ethos and creative process through stories that shaped her life, career, and organization. It also serves as an empowering guide for all who love design and handcraft.
I finished this project just before we set off for Summer travels and I am just delighted now that autumn is approaching to have it ready and waiting for the cooler days ahead. I’m a little bit in catch up mode with journal postings so you may have seen this on instagram a few weeks ago, but I wante
getting dressed this morning, i realized that i had never taken photos of this skirt that i finished in may, in tokyo. this is the second alabama chanin skirt i have made and i love it just as much as the first. this one i stenciled myself with only one minor paint disaster, which thankfully is not so noticeable after stitching and washing. also, i love this stencil. i can't wait to try some of the variations on it in the new book.
Natalie Chanin took her passion for sewing to being a fashion designer focused on sustainability, providing fair wages and embracing slow stitching.
Four ways to apply the Alabama Chanin techniques for mending and upcycling clothes.
Years ago I made this skirt (you can read more about it here , scroll down to the end of the post). I've always loved the way the painted and cut burgundy fabric reminds me of velvet. Tucked away in the back of my mind was the idea to make a dress using the negative reverse applique technique in burgundy and apple to mimic this look. This summer I stenciled a number of projects, including my new Alabama Chanin Factory dress. You can read more about the stenciling process here. It's the perfect Christmas dress. The princess seams are very pretty. I'm keeping the embellishment simple, as I'd like to rotate this dress into my year-round wardrobe and not keep it exclusively for the holidays. I was tempted to apply the reverse applique technique to make for a warmer garment, but I stayed true to my idea that negative reverse applique would have more cut edges, thus achieving the look I was after. I used the rosebud stitch to apply the binding. The smaller, more delicate stitch compliments the larger scale new leaves stencil. My options were stitching with burgundy or red thread. I chose the burgundy thread to keep the garment more tone on tone. I added a French knot in red at each rosebud for a little pop. I'm indecisive whether I'll keep this extra pop or not. This photo really shows the detail, but when you look at the dress overall it's not as noticeable. I'll leave it for now, but may pick it out after the holidays. Here is the final dress, just in the Saint Nick of time!
Explore *amisha*'s 3568 photos on Flickr!
Elbow-length bolero I made to top a matching sleeveless dress. This is the "June's Spring" stencil from Natalie Chanin's Alabama Studio ...
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I'm a rather free-form creator. Exact perfection is not my forte. Most of the time when I hand stitch a garment I leave the end of my thread, the "tails", free to wag around on the back side of the fabric, or even let them become a design element on the front of the garment for the whole world to see. The feel or visual aspect of tiny knots and threads usually do not bother me in the slightest. There are a few scenarios where I do like to keep things tidy and hide the tail of the end of the thread, for example, around the neckline or armpit area, or if it's a particularly precious garment and I want the backside to be as perfect as possible. If you have wanted to tidy up your sewing and would like to know how I do it, here is a tutorial on how to hide your tails at the starting and ending points of your stitching. The easiest way to hide the tail is to feed your threaded and knotted needle between the two layers of fabric, bring your needle up at your starting point, and stitch as usual. This oftentimes is not an option, for example, if you're working in an area of your piece where you cannot split the two layers of fabric. If that's the case, here is another way to hide your tails. 1: Make a knot (one that you will cut away later). 2: Place this knot on the top side of your fabric, 1/2 inch away from your stenciled line. (Note: If you're doing reverse applique you'll want your tail to be lying outside of your stenciled area: If you are doing negative reverse applique you'll want your tail to be lying underneath your stenciled area.) 3: Run your thread through (between) your two layers of fabric, and come out with your needle and thread approximately at your stencil line on the back side of your fabric. 4: Tie another knot. Now you have a knot on the top side, your 1/2 inch tail of thread between your two layers of cloth, and a knot on the back side (with the thread and needle), ready to begin sewing. 5: Bring your needle up to the right side of your fabric and begin to sew as usual. 6: Once you finish your stenciled piece, knot off and run your needle through (between) your two layers of fabric. Come out about 1/2 inch away from your stenciled area if you are doing reverse applique or come out about 1/2 inch inside your stenciled area if you are doing negative reverse applique. Cut your thread. 7: Turn your fabric over to the right side, and cut away your original knot. When doing the reverse applique, be very careful to thread your tail away from where your stencil, the paint is so the tail will not show when you cut away your stenciled area. You don't want this to happen. See the little tail hanging out at the top of the photo? If you are doing the negative reverse applique technique, you will run your thread below the painted, stenciled area, as this will not be cut away and will hide that tail. I hope this helps you keep your tails hidden and your work tidy!
When I use my hands to create it is the act of creation that speaks to me. I love the process. Yes, the finished product is nice (usually) and I like using and wearing what I make, but it is...
Sharing projects inspired by Alabama Stitch Book.
Lovely Alabama Chanin Poncho~ I've just completed stitching the most beautiful Alabama Chanin poncho, ballet over natural 100% organic cotton jersey, in the Magdalena pattern. I promised Rhonda Fargnoli, the Education Director at Makers' Mercantile in Kent, Washington, that I would sew and Fed Ex this poncho ASAP to add to her display for our upcoming one-day workshop, Hand Stitching and Embellishing The Alabama Chanin Way on June 4th. Shown with short side worn forward. Rhonda, I am having difficulty parting with this garment! A tiny tug of war is going on, and its a bit of a struggle taping up the box and sending this gem off to you. I know, I know, a promise is a promise, and this pretty shall soon be speeding its way up to your awaiting hands. I'm just so delighted with the beauty, drape, and shape of the poncho. I can't wait for our class, and to share this delight with fellow sewers in the making and wearing of such a lovely garment. Stitched and mid way through cutting, negative reverse applique. A more detailed shot. It took around 20-25 hours to complete this poncho. Even the back side is pretty. This is before washing. Notice how the edges aren't curled up yet. After one washing the edges begin to curl. For more information on this class and many others, please contact Rhonda at Makers' Mercantile, 253.220.9951 or [email protected]. .
Storm blue, twilight, black, navy, slate ~ this color palette spoke to me. I knew it would make a lovely, versatile garment; and I liked the idea of a new, longer skirt. I'm fairly short, so the mid-length skirt pattern from Alabama Chanin was perfect for a warmer, winter skirt in these most delicious colors. Earlier this year I set about making up seven "kits" to keep me stitching through the year and into 2019. You can read more about that here. I used Alabama Chanin 100% organic domestic cotton jersey fabric in storm blue and twilight. The stencil is Daisy. Coats and Clark button craft thread in slate and navy were used for sewing the running stitch and also for construction. I used embroidery floss for embellishing with the satin stitch, feather stitch and accent knots. I felled the outside facing seams open so that I could see more of the twilight color, making it almost like a stripe down the seams. At first I stitched tiny "x's" on the seams. I wasn't happy with the way that was looking, so I went back in and added another stitch to make them look more like snowflakes. It lends a slightly nordic feel to the garment. There are a variety of things going on with this skirt design, so I like the straight lines of the snowflakes and the parallel stitch used to attach the fold-over elastic waistband. Here is my method of attaching foldover elastic to the waistband. Put the elastic very snugly around your waist, add about 3/4", and cut. I've learned over the years to make the elastic more snug than loose. You don't want the elastic flopping over and your skirt constantly slipping down. I then put a pin about 3/4" from one end of the elastic: Fold the elastic in half at the 3/4" pin and put another pin there: Fold it into quarters and put a pin at each quarter. It will look like this. If your seams are equidistant, the pins will match up with each seam. Pin the elastic at each seam, overlapping the ending edge about 3/4". Next, fold the elastic over the raw edge of the waist so the raw edges of the fabric are snugged all the way up into the fold of the elastic. Stretch the elastic to fit the waist, easing each section, and pin. Baste the elastic onto the waistband and remove the pins. If you try to stitch the waistband on without basting and removing the pins, your thread will constantly catch on the pins and make the final stitching really frustrating. (Trust me!) Use a stretch stitch with a single strand of buttoncraft thread to secure the waistband. I used the parallel stitch. You might also try the cretan stitch or the rosebud stitch, among others. Take out your basting thread. I wanted this skirt to be thicker, heavier weight for warmer winter wear, so I used the reverse applique technique instead of negative reverse applique. You can see below, the right-hand side panel is stitched but not cut, and on the left-hand side the elements have been cut. I used a loose satin stitch, the feather stitch, and knots with tails to embellish this skirt. I wish the colors were more true on the screen, but my photos just don't do the rich colorway justice. It's beautiful and will match with so many things in my closet. On the photo above I've placed the seams differently than on the photo below. This skirt is very adaptable, and I know I'll get a lot of wear out of it all seasons of the year. Thanks for joining me here and reading my blog. I'd love to hear from you. If you ever have any questions, please reach out as I enjoy helping when I can.
Storm blue, twilight, black, navy, slate ~ this color palette spoke to me. I knew it would make a lovely, versatile garment; and I liked the idea of a new, longer skirt. I'm fairly short, so the mid-length skirt pattern from Alabama Chanin was perfect for a warmer, winter skirt in these most delicious colors. Earlier this year I set about making up seven "kits" to keep me stitching through the year and into 2019. You can read more about that here. I used Alabama Chanin 100% organic domestic cotton jersey fabric in storm blue and twilight. The stencil is Daisy. Coats and Clark button craft thread in slate and navy were used for sewing the running stitch and also for construction. I used embroidery floss for embellishing with the satin stitch, feather stitch and accent knots. I felled the outside facing seams open so that I could see more of the twilight color, making it almost like a stripe down the seams. At first I stitched tiny "x's" on the seams. I wasn't happy with the way that was looking, so I went back in and added another stitch to make them look more like snowflakes. It lends a slightly nordic feel to the garment. There are a variety of things going on with this skirt design, so I like the straight lines of the snowflakes and the parallel stitch used to attach the fold-over elastic waistband. Here is my method of attaching foldover elastic to the waistband. Put the elastic very snugly around your waist, add about 3/4", and cut. I've learned over the years to make the elastic more snug than loose. You don't want the elastic flopping over and your skirt constantly slipping down. I then put a pin about 3/4" from one end of the elastic: Fold the elastic in half at the 3/4" pin and put another pin there: Fold it into quarters and put a pin at each quarter. It will look like this. If your seams are equidistant, the pins will match up with each seam. Pin the elastic at each seam, overlapping the ending edge about 3/4". Next, fold the elastic over the raw edge of the waist so the raw edges of the fabric are snugged all the way up into the fold of the elastic. Stretch the elastic to fit the waist, easing each section, and pin. Baste the elastic onto the waistband and remove the pins. If you try to stitch the waistband on without basting and removing the pins, your thread will constantly catch on the pins and make the final stitching really frustrating. (Trust me!) Use a stretch stitch with a single strand of buttoncraft thread to secure the waistband. I used the parallel stitch. You might also try the cretan stitch or the rosebud stitch, among others. Take out your basting thread. I wanted this skirt to be thicker, heavier weight for warmer winter wear, so I used the reverse applique technique instead of negative reverse applique. You can see below, the right-hand side panel is stitched but not cut, and on the left-hand side the elements have been cut. I used a loose satin stitch, the feather stitch, and knots with tails to embellish this skirt. I wish the colors were more true on the screen, but my photos just don't do the rich colorway justice. It's beautiful and will match with so many things in my closet. On the photo above I've placed the seams differently than on the photo below. This skirt is very adaptable, and I know I'll get a lot of wear out of it all seasons of the year. Thanks for joining me here and reading my blog. I'd love to hear from you. If you ever have any questions, please reach out as I enjoy helping when I can.
Mokuba fold-over elastic is made in Japan and commonly used for sewn garments and accessories. Often used in Alabama Chanin patterns, this easy to sew elastic works great in the waists of your hand-made garments. It is 1" wide, 1/2" when folded. Alabama Chanin also offers a lovely range of pattern books such as Studio Sewing + Design and Alabama Studio Style. We cut in 1 yard increments. The amount available refers to how many one yard increments are available. Notions are final sale. Thank you for understanding.
This listing is for video-only access to this workshop. Please note that materials are not included but the FULL workshop (video + curated materials) can be found here. The meditative art of hand-sewing connects us to our stitches as we create an heirloom-quality garment using specialized appliqué and construction techniques. For Natalie Chanin, the designer and instructor behind Alabama Chanin and The School of Making, hand-sewing is a gratifying process with one-of-a-kind results. In this workshop, Natalie shares how to handle the thread with love as we learn her signature stitching methods on American grown and made cotton jersey fabric, hand-stenciled with a custom pattern. This workshop includes: A detailed, digital workshop by Natalie Chanin of The School of Making A live Maker Chat Q&A for our community to join in creative conversation We look forward to sharing this fulfilling and joyful experience with you and cannot wait to see how your hand-stitched appliqué turns out. Be sure to share your creative journey and finished creation with us by tagging @thecraftersbox + @theschoolofmaking in your social posts, and use #thecraftersbox so our community can also see your workshop come to life! Happy making.
The Tools and Techniques developed by Natalie Chanin are a wonderful blend. So much of all this is a delightful ‘twist’ on what I’ve known in my creative past. What intrigued me from the beginning was the stenciling. Years ago, I had Diane Ericson to my retail storefront and I fell in love with her ‘brand’ of surface design. Visits and teaching from Diane, her late mother, Lois Ericson, and Marcy Tilton all profoundly added immensely to my personal repertoire of creative sewing. When packing
Good Morning Everyone! It's great to be back! Hope you had a wonderful 4th of July and that all your summer days have been filled with warmth, happiness, and very sunny days! I've been pretty busy with all those events that can take up one's time during the summer time... family functions, gatherings with friends, and preoccupying restless children; however, I have made time for my favorite occupation... SEWING! So although I was away from the blog for a time I was still working away. My latest project is truly a labor of love. I recently discovered the couture clothing and DIY movement that is Alabama Chanin. If you've never heard of the company it was started by costume designer Natalie Chanin, over ten years ago, based on sustainable principles. From the materials and construction techniques to the employees, all have a fundamental purpose in creating endurance. Ms. Chanin houses her company in a defunct t-shirt factory in Alabama and contracts local quilting artisans who used to work in the t-shirt industry. To create one of her pieces it might take an employee eight weeks to complete because the entire outfit is constructed by hand!!!! Not only does she sell ready made clothing, but she also encourages crafters to make their own clothing based on her designs. Let me tell you, it's a MUCH cheaper alternative than actually buying her clothing when one of her pieces can cost over $5, 000!!!! I don't know about you but I'll take doing it myself any day... After reading Ms. Chanin's book Alabama Studio Sewing + Design: A Guide to Hand-Sewing an Alabama Chanin Wardrobe, I decided to attempt the long fitted dress. Seen in the picture below this is actually an example of how the couture line layers individual pieces to achieve an absolutely sumptuous baroque look. I am taking a less ambitious route but as you can see Alabama is a perfect marriage between sewing clothing and quilting. How could I possibly pass this opportunity up? In order to undertake such a project you must follow several steps and take your time, especially if you wish to do any applique or reverse applique. Step 1: use 100% cotton jersey fabric. Alabama Chanin uses 100% organic cotton jersey that you can purchase from their website. I used Mood Fabrics. Not only did they have a very large selection but their prices are very reasonable. Step 2: use Coats and Clarks Craft & Button hand-sewing thread. It comes in limited colors and although you can get it from Alabama you can also get it at Joanne Fabrics or Michael's for $1.99 per spool. Step 3: gather your stenciling materials. This is where things get tricky! In order to do any applique, reverse applique, or embroidery you have to transfer your design onto your fabric and the only way to really do that is to create a really big stencil. Alabama recommends making the stencil out of pennant felt (which is a stiff somewhat thick felt). I suggest you spend the money and get the felt from Alabama. It's about $17 yd and it will save you the headache of trying to find it elsewhere, which is pretty hard to do. This is the stencil I created... As you can see it is well used! It may not look like it but this stencil is very large. Almost the length of a full length dress. In order to create this I downloaded a free pattern from Alabama (they are available on the website and in the book) and had it printed full size at a printing shop. I used a spay adhesive to attach the pattern to the felt and then I began to cut away using a craft knife. All I'll say is... it takes a minute... Step 4: use fabric paint to transfer the pattern onto fabric. Alabama suggests airbrushing or a squirt bottle. I used Martha Stewart and next time I'm going to use a squirt bottle! Martha is cute but completely impractical. Pictured above is Martha's spray paint kit. It turns any one of her paints into spray paint. Great idea but when the canister runs out there's no way to replace just the canister. You have to buy the whole kit all over again! Absolutely stupid! However, I will say I like her range of colors and will continue to use them with a squirt bottle. You can find Martha Stewart paints at Michael's. here's what the stenciled fabric looks like once it's dry Let the paint set for 24 hours or more then heat set the design with a press cloth soaked in white vinegar. Make sure to use an iron for craft projects only and you may actually have to replace the lining for your ironing board. Vinegar is really coercive! Step 5: layer your fabric and begin to stitch. I'm not going to get into it here but Ms. Chanin has an entire philosophy about sewing from how to thread your needle to how to make your knots! She talks about it in her book or you can go to Creativebug. com and download her instructional video for a small fee. It is worth it! Once you've made your design decisions (applique, beading, embroidery, etc...) here's what it might start to look like. The images above are of the first panel to the four paneled fitted long dress. I'm almost done with the first and I have three more to go. Boy is it a lot of work but I can't tell you how much fun it is!!!! Till next time!
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Congratulations to Francesca Granata and Sarah Scaturro for last night's panel, The Sustainability Equation: Ethics and Aesthetics in Contemporary Fashion. The room was packed, lined with people standing, and the insights from Julie Gilhart, Senior Vice President and Fashion Director at Barneys New York, Mary Ping of Slow Steady Wins the Race and Caroline Priebe of Uluru were diverse and fascinating. As an unexpected delight, I bumped into Janet Hethorn, one of the editors of Sustainable Fashion: Why Now? It was good to see Tara St James of Study NY again; the blog post on her work is now long, long overdue. Watch this space. My notes from the panel ramble all over the place. Furthermore, at times I was listening too intensely to take any. Both signs of an invigorating conversation, I think. Gilhart spoke about the philosophy at Barneys, and the importance of an emotional connection to clothing over product or brand. From a sustainable design perspective, she made a strong case for good design and embodied value as the most important drivers. I'd agree; we've all seen abominable things made from organic cotton, no? Thankfully it's becoming rarer but for a while there seemed to be a lot of things out there that used sustainability as some kind of apologetic excuse for sloppy design and/or crappy manufacturing. Julie mentioned how the Barneys customer is still slightly suspicious of anything labeled organic; at least in some cases the company no longer promotes garments as such, but rather, as strong statements in design. That's what attracts the customer to the clothes in the first place. Common sense, really. Apparently they are getting increasing requests for 'green' gowns for the red carpet. She recommends Isabel Toledo. Not an obvious choice to some but one that made sense to me. Toledo's work has a lovely timelessness about it, without ever appearing generic or 'classic'. Or maybe it is classic; it's just not a word I particularly like. My personal favourite statement from Gilhart, one that gives me much hope, was a quip on how at Barneys they are constantly saying how there are just "too many collections, too many clothes, too much stuff".Right on. Caroline's notion of wanting to design things that the consumer can eventually pass on to her granddaughter sounds deceivingly simple but think about it. It's a powerful statement. Instead of maybe two, three, even five years' worth of wear, she's suggesting several decades. This stems from her having inherited her grandmother's cashmere cardigans, which she wears herself. She has also reappropriated some of her grandmother's patterns for Uluru. Caroline also talked about the need to integrate sustainability into business models from the outset, something she has done. At Fashioning Now, Rachel Bending of Bird Textile spoke along very similar lines; the audio is available on the FN website. As for the Uluru/Alabama Chanin interaction, Caroline prefers co-operation over collaboration; the former speaks of a sustained activity whilst the latter can suggest something temporary. She also noted how she seems to share everything she knows with anyone that wants to know. This is what I love about the sustainable fashion community; the secrecy and paranoia that seem to afflict the rest of industry are largely absent. As for Mary, I think she should work with me. Why? Towards the end she spoke of having produced some leather t-shirts, and as a result she's ended up with five containers of leather scrap (size of container unclear). "It's such a waste", she said. Yes. Mind you, her team is working on designing something out of the scrap, but leather is one area I haven't delved into in my research. Mary, I'm likely to be in touch. I know I already linked to Slow and Steady Wins the Race above but because the site is such fun, here is the link again. On the whole, listening to both Caroline and Mary was a refreshing delight; reading through mainstream fashion sites it's easy to break out in hives over the banal soundbites from some fashion designers. Onto the exhibition, which I saw over a week ago. It is open until February 20, so make sure you see it if in New York. The beautiful catalog is only $10; get it! The exhibition is beautifully designed, with large text panels supporting each of the three sections. The design is by a team of Graduate Interior Design students from Pratt, led by Professor Jon Otis. The designers are Lexie Averick, Yi-Ting (Elvie) Chang, Laura Clifford, Jenni Hellstern, Amanda Meininger, Megan Niemczyk, Alex Pethtel, Juliette Pousset, Dena Saperstein, Jeehee Son, Jinwooh Song and Jordan Wagenseller. Congratulations; the space was a delight to move through. There are three broad themes under which the designers fall; of course, most relate to all three categories, but such ordering makes the concepts easier to understand. Because I'm lazy, here are the panels for you to read, and some not-great photos; a close friend once said I destroy beautiful things with photography. My photography lecturer over ten years ago echoed those sentiments. Anyway, here you go: Reduce: Uluru with Alabama Chanin: Detail of a recycled cashmere sweater appliqued with organic cotton jersey: Rogan, one of the Loomstate designers: detail of patchwork dress of recycled denim, courtesy of Barneys New York: Rethink Slow and Steady Wins the Race: detail of a shirt: Kelly Cobb's 100-Mile Suit: feelers for some of the yarns and fabrics: Revalue SUNO (detail of dress of vintage kanga): Alabama Chanin: Detail of an organic cotton jersey dress: An organic cotton denim dress, dyed with natural indigo: Finally, an audience member mentioned an 'eco-fashion' show taking place at NYU tonight. More details are here.
so, i’ve been thinking – which obviously worries me right off the bat. since finishing and wearing my first official SWAP garment, the entire idea of my “collection” has sor…
