Zero Waste

I had the opportunity to visit the Kent State Museum of Fashion which had an intriguing exhibit on Sustainable Fashion:  Exploring the Paradox.




What is the paradox?  The fashion industry produces clothes which we consume, wash, wear out and discard.  Perhaps we consume more than we need or wear simply to update our "fashion."  There can be a great deal of waste and impact on the environment throughout this process.

The exhibit explores several aspects of sustainability including:

• fabrics
• printing and dying
• manufacturing/processing
• recycling/upcycling fabric
• fair trade

There is also an interesting display on the purchasing, washing and wearing habits of students.

I was struck by two dresses created by Australian Designer Holly McQuillan (shown in the video above.)  She created two fabric panels with the words "War" and "Peace".  She then used a technique of zero waste to turn the panels into drapey dresses.  You can see other examples of zero waste on this post.

I have certainly been aware of upcycling.  I have enjoyed creating items from coffee sacks, such as these aprons.

I recently made a purse from an old wool coat that was too worn to donate.

My current fascination is converting old dresses into aprons.

I pride myself that some of my creations are using other people's "waste" to create a functional item.  For example, my T Shirt Quilts are using something that might be thrown away or sitting in a closet and turning it into a comfortable throw.

However, my process creates scraps and I've become a bit obsessed about not throwing them away.  I take some of the cotton fabric and make headbands.

My daughter takes some of my cutting room scraps and uses them to create items for her shop.

From the T shirt scraps I have made yarn, knit it into rugs and woven rugs with my kids.  But soon our hands only have time to create so much.  What to do then?  I have grouped my cutting room trash into batches and listed them on Etsy.  I price them very minimally or at shipping alone and group them by types of fabrics.  Every one of those listings has sold.

I have also tried to establish relationships with creatives who need a particular fabric on a regular basis.  I recently sent 16 pounds of T Shirt bottoms and some fleece to HandiWorkinGirls who create a number of items from them.

So I may not be creating with zero waste, but I am trying to minimize the waste in my own manufacturing.  What are some of the ways to manage your waste?

• upcycle waste into something new
• sell your scraps on Etsy, Craigslist, Ebay
• donate supplies to thrift shops, senior centers, schools
• donate to the American Sewing Guild, who then sell it and donate profits to charities
• donate to numerous charitable organizations, a few of which are discussed here

What about you?  How do you minimize and/or manage your waste?

Thoughts on Life - Chardon High School Shooting

I have to share my thoughts on the shooting yesterday.  I was riveted to the news as it was unfolding.  You could feel the fear of the students experiencing the horror, the anxious waiting for parents, the overwhelming chills of grief and sadness at the reports that a victim had died.

Chardon, Ohio.   That was the "country" to me, a city girl.  A community growing in population in recent years as families moved out to its quiet environs.  But an old town rooted in its town square.  A lovely old-fashioned square filled with shops and restaurants, including a lovely knit shop.

It's where my husband went to high school - Chardon High.

It's where I went to high school - no, not Chardon High School, but a parochial high school - and yes, I came all the way from Cleveland to attend.

It's where my in-laws live.

It's where my father is buried.

So, although not directly in my backyard, all of us in Northeast Ohio are feeling the pain of our neighboring town.

When we hug our kids goodbye and blow them kisses on the bus, we don't think it might be the last time we see them.  Kids deserve to learn in a safe environment.  How can they learn otherwise?  Just several months ago there were consistent bomb threats at an area school causing the school to close for a week.  They eventually caught the kids who were sending the threats.  A couple weeks ago, a teacher was in the hall between classes and a girl was being beaten in a classroom.

What is the cause?  What is going on?  What caused this kid to bring a gun to school?

Do you blame

- parents and family environment?
- guns?
- tv and video games?
- culture of death?
- mental illness?
- bullying?
- lack of discipline?
- the breakdown of civility?
- drugs?
- abandonment?

I don't think I can name one cause.  There are already reports of the arrest history of both of the shooter's parents.  And I don't necessarily blame parents.  I know many wonderful parents whose kids have made stupid decisions and made mistakes.

But I do feel a child needs the crazy love that a parent can give.  That unconditional love that blossoms the first moment you hold that baby.

I feel kids need parents to be examples in how to behave.

I believe parents need to check on their kids.  I am on the brink of having four teens in the house. OK, I guess my oldest isn't a teen anymore....but I have learned a few things during the teen years.  Kids, especially teens, need limits.  I believe they crave limits.  It is a fine line between allowing them to learn to make decisions and protecting them.  So you need to let go a bit, let them make decisions, perhaps fall.  But letting them fall doesn't mean hosting drinking parties.  It doesn't mean turning a blind eye to where they are going and what they are doing.  It means calling the parents of the party they are attending.  It means saying no to a sleepover if you don't feel right about it.  It means having consequences if family rules are broken.  Sometimes it means doing whatever it takes - just to keep them alive. I think the current commercials running on tv about the parent drug "Denial" is very powerful.

It also requires teaching them coping methods - for these big tragedies, but also the daily problems.  How to deal with gossiping friends, how to deal with a hurtful teacher, how to stand up for a friend who is being bullied.  My kids have encountered these situations and more and it's discussed around the dinner table.

I have to cling to hope that good will triumph.  I see so many instances of teens doing remarkable things!  Really - they are amazing and do so much more than I did as a teen.  I was able to spend some time with a few teens yesterday at our high school sewing club, helping them make T Shirt Memory Pillows and T Shirt quilts.  As we worked, we talked about the events of the day.  Teachers, parents, being there for the kids.

Hope.

Monday Inspiration

'Morning Tea in the Garden' by MaidenJane

With a few of my friends....

Butterfly Stationery - Note ... fionadesigns $20.00	Terrarium Trees - Miniature ... thelittlereddo... $21.00	Cell Phone or Gadget Case - ... SewDarnSimple $9.00	Ring - Felted Wool, Aqua, Li... madeinlowell $12.00
CoLoR CoNnEcTiOn - Upcycled ... TimelessNchic $14.95	Bird Silhouettes 12 1 inch f... PipingHotPaper... $14.00	Ribbon Necklace -Sarah Ribbo... twillypop $32.00	Woodland Moss Pixie Dust Gre... deusprovidebit $24.50
Original Modern Abstract Gre... coolstuffartga... $65.00	20% off sale Prehnite sterli... littlebugjewel... $100.80	Button Ponytail Holders. Sum... PolkaDotSkies $5.00	Farm Animal Wooden Blocks ba... tinygiraffesho... $23.00
Silver Butterfly Ring InDeeDesigns $42.00	Vintage Bowls Plastic Bowls ... VintageEye $16.00	Colored Wine Corks - Green -... TheWoodenBee $9.00	Organic Cotton Face Scrubbie... ThoughtfulGems... $19.50

Treasury tool by Red Row Studio.

New in the Shop - New T Shirt Blanket!

I love the opportunity to work with customers to create what they envision.  I had the opportunity to create two quilts for young woman and her sister.

These are similar to the Stadium Blanket I made for my friend.  However, it uses smaller squares and a polar fleece background.

This is a simple blanket.  It does not have the "frames" of my 12-shirt quilt.  However, it is about the same size.  It is very soft and cuddly since it is made out of all knit fabric!

It's a wonderful throw and could work well as a picnic blanket or stadium blanket!

It is a great way to plow through a collection of high school, college, sorority, dance, and fundraiser shirts!

My customer gave me very nice feedback!  I hope her sister loves it!

Ready to ship:

I have consolidated my 20-shirt quilts into one listing on my website and Etsy with options for square size and backing fabric.

Thoughts on Life - Doubt

Doubt

Like an ugly serpent

It creeps up on you

Quietly

Entangling your mind in its tightening grip

Until it has encompassed all of you

How to break free?

Does doubt creep into your mind?  It does to mine occasionally.  I'm not sure why.  It can be a word, a question, a laugh that triggers it.  Suddenly, I am plagued with doubt.  When getting ready to ship a certain product, I worry:  will the stitches hold? is it really what the customer wants? is the color right?  Why?  Why would I doubt something that I have a lot of experience with?  Am I seeking reassurance?  

Is this rooted in my perfectionism?  Or perhaps my desire to please?

Do I plant a seed of doubt in my kids' minds?  With a word or a laugh? 

Doubt really can be ugly and crippling.  Have you seen the movie "Doubt" with Meryl Streep?  I read the screenplay and really enjoyed the movie.  Not that it is "enjoyable." And it's not simply about the priest/abuse scandal.  It's truly about the concept of doubt.  It's fascinating, really.

Fortunately for me, doubt usually slips away as easily as it creeps in.  I'm sure for others it can circle in and out of their minds as an obsession.

Do you have doubts?  How do you deal with them?

Wednesday Sewing - Cord Minder

For those who have followed this blog a while, you might remember that I have been on a quest for a "Cord Minder."  (Read all about it here!)  To press my T Shirt Quilts properly, I need a lot of room.  My cord is always getting in my way, bending the fabric and being a general nuisance.  After the failure of the other cord minders, my mechanical engineer husband said he would design something for me.

The key to good design is simplicity.  So the spring my husband used is a long piece of elastic.  One end is attached to a very strong magnet which I place on my cabinet.

The other end is clamped onto the cord.

The beauty of this simple design is that I can adjust it!  I can move the magnet and the clamp to adjust to my different needs!

Am I the only one who needs this?  Do traditional quilters have problems with cords?  Perhaps it's just my layout.  Now I need a bigger boards....