Refresh your Wardrobe

Spring is in the air (well we had a couple of sunny days this week which gave me a lift!) It's a perfect time of year to go through your wardrobe and drawers and pull out those clothes you haven't been wearing. There are a multitude of reasons why items remain in the back of the cupboard or at the bottom of heap. In my experience here are as few: I was attracted to the fabric but in reality the shape of the garment doesn't suit my body, a zip needs replacing, a friend has given me some hand-me-ups which are too big for me. I could go on with other reasons but I'd like to give you the space to reflect on your own neglected items!

I have become addicted to repairing and revamping my wardrobe! It's a really fun and resourceful way of feeling like you've got new clothes without spending loads of money. Here is a dress I picked up in one of Traid's brilliant £2 sales (these take place a few times a year) As you can see it's a nice pink gingham shirt dress but it's a bit of a boring, frumpy shape.

 

 

This is one of the techniques I share in my 'Introduction to garment alterations' and 'Refresh your Wardrobe' classes. How to adjust an over sized top or dress through the use of elasticated channels.

 

 

Decide where you'd like to adjust the garment. This shirt dress had a buttoned opening so it was easy to access the inside without having to unpick a side seam. Pin on a cotton tape, wide enough to accommodate elastic ( I used 1" wide ) Machine stitch on each outer edge, creating a channel. thread elastic through the channel, leave on the roll or as a length until you have pulled and gather to the desired reduction. Stitch the beginning and end of the elastic down inside the channel.

 

 

And there you go! A more flattering, fitted item! Adding multiple elasticated channels will give a ruched effect. Make sure you measure the space between each channel, so it looks nice and even. A subtle, easy way of reducing volume!

 

Brother & Sister time

It is now 1 year (doesn't time fly when you're having fun?) that I have been working with Brother. I approached Brother to support my new 'Imaginerium' craft space with sewing machines. I wanted to build on my existing workshop programme and be able to offer sewing machine based classes. I've used and enjoyed using Brother's industrial machines most of my making career and being aware of Brother's environmental and ethical policies, for me they were the sewing machine manufactuer of choice!

Earlier this year I took a trip to Manchester to visit Brother sewing UK's head office. My sister also lives in Manchester, so it was a perfect combined visit!
As well as setting me up with a classroom of machines, Brother has made me an 'Authorised Dealer' of their domestic sewing, overlock, embroirdery and quilting machines. If people are considering buying a sewing machine, I now offer that service, along with the aftercare and support that an independant shop like mine can offer. (another reason to buy local!) 

I'm discovering that Brother's marketing strap line "At your side" certinly holds true. Brother lays on regular training sessions and 'dealer days'. Here I am with Gill Rogers, a very talented needlewoman and so knoweledgable about the workings, features and benefits of the range of Brother machines. I found the training incredibly useful. Although I am an experienced stitcher, understanding the capabilities of some of Brother's computerised machines (especially from the NV955 model upwards) has been a learning curve, but a fun, inspring one!

Some of you may have been along to one of the Fabrications & Brother FREE sewing days. The idea of the day is to offer an opportunity to test drive the sewing machines, create something while you try, meet Rachel Espin from Brother, who joins me on the day "At my side" offering support and advise. The days have been proving really popular, over the year we have welcomed 100's of new and experienced stitchers alike!
The next open day is on Thursday 4th April, 12.30 - 8pm. TO BOOK your FREE 1HR SLOT. Hope you can make it!

Fixing the Future

I'm enjoying the start of 2013, moving in the slow lane for a change, which is giving me much needed time for reflection, making improvements and fixing things!

I discovered an interesting invention after reading a great blog post by Rosie Martin of DIY couture. The post was all about useful DIY Christmas gift ideas for people who like to make things (and a relevant guide for all year around!)  

 

'Sugru' designed and manufactured on my doorstep in Hackney! Presented a bit like puncture repair kits, this curious colourful rubbery putty is rolled, squeezed and prepared in the hand, before moulding it on to a broken area on an object (or as an add on such as a personalised hand grip) You need to work quite quickly as the putty transforms and becomes solid when it is released from it's foil packs and comes into contact with the air and then you leave it to cure for 24 hours. I love their strap line "The future needs fixing" !

This is how I've been using 'Sugru'. I bought these second hand chairs for my Imaginerium craft space. I realised after a year of heavy usage the concrete floor (which is painted) was taking a battering as the bottom of some of the chair legs were missing their rubber end caps. Having found it difficult to source new rubber end caps, I decided to experiment with 'Sugru', which amazingly can grip onto a range of materials - metal, plastic etc.
I'm quite taken with the Mondrian colour effect too!

What do you think? Good product to stock in the shop?

New Year's Revolutions!

Revolution = A dramatic and wide reaching change in conditions, attitudes or operation (Oxford Dictionary)

It’s the start of a new year again, many of us will have made resolutions, usually to give something up like smoking! Or to loose something like some weight! Or to do more of something like spending quality time with family and friends. How about directing that positive energy into making the world a better and fairer place for everyone?  Quite a tall order you may think - where would you begin?

“If you think you are too small to make a difference try sleeping in a closed room with a mosquito” - African Proverb

As a designer maker I have held the belief that craft and design has an amazing potential in creating social and environmental change. It was a real inspiration to meet the like minded Sarah Corbett, founder of the Craftivist Collective 3 years ago and I have subsequently been participating in and supporting a number of the Craftivist Collective’s projects in exposing and tackling injustice and poverty through provocative, non-violent action.

As your 2013 resolution, I would love all you fellow crafters to get involved in the Craftivist Collective’s current project #iamapiece in conjunction with Save the Children’s ‘Race against hunger campaign’.

Sarah Corbett says: "Life is like a puzzle, it all seems a mess but when it gets finished it looks brilliant. There are some amazing small-scale successful projects happening all over the world that are tackling hunger and showing that the world doesn’t have to have malnourished children whose potential is stunted. There is no one solution to the problem of injustice but we can all play a part in a movement for change. The G8 coming back to the UK is too big an opportunity to miss so why not have your New Year’s Resolution to be part of eradicating hunger through your love of craft? That would be a pretty cool resolution right?!”

How can you get involved? You can stitch messages onto material jigsaw pieces which will be put together to make a HUGE creative, crafty installation alternative to a petition that Save the Children will show off to our Government, the public and World Leaders showing that hundreds, even thousands of us, want, with world leaders, to be a part of the solution to hunger, not the problem. You can also give a jigsaw piece to your local MP to remind them to be a part of the solution too or at least tell them about the piece you made for the installation. If you have never approached your local MP in this way before Fran Swaine has written a really good post on her Skulls and Ponies blog about how easy and useful it was to approach her local MP Caroline Lucas. You can also host your own ‘stitch-in’ event and get others inspired and involved in the project , sign the Save the Children petition here, and spread the word online through Twitter, Facebook, blogs etc using the hashtag #imapiece. The deadline to receive the jigsaw pieces is 28 February, so let's get stitching!

As with all their projects, the Craftivist Collective have created really excellent tools to help and support you to get involved! Download the jigsaw piece pattern and instructions here, see some of the stitched jigsaw pieces created by fellow crafters here and a collection of Vlogs, posts and online streaming about #imapiece here

“What we think, or what we know, or what we believe is in the end of little consequence; the only consequence is what we do.” John Ruskin

DIY Christmas!

As the festive season is nearly upon us, here at Fabrications HQ, I'm planning a "Re design Christmas Craft Club", taking place every Wednesday, starting this week. Inspired by the book "Why don't you Re-Design Christmas?" published by the organisation Re Design (and featuring some ideas by me and on sale at Fabrications!) the aim of the club is to demostrate different resourceful gift and decoration making ideas which are quick and effective, money saving, recycled and beautiful and we guarantee you will have fun with others while doing it! I've also invited along some eco designer guests - Rebecca Alderman (Girl with Beads) and Annie Sherburne to share their expertise.

 

MORE INFORMATION & BOOKING:

 

Week 1: Upcycled Christmas Decorations. CLICK HERE 

Week 2: Bows, Ties & Bow-Ties. CLICK HERE

Week 3: Personalised Santa Sacks. CLICK HERE

Week 4: Lovely Bubbly Fascinator Party. CLICK HERE

Hackney's Design Award 2012

Fabrications new 'Imaginerium' space is among the shortlist for Hackney's Design awards, alongside other schemes such as The handball arena at the Olympics! Fabrications is the smallest project to be nominated, so we need your help to vote for us for 'The People's Choice' award. I'm posting a little late but still got a couple of days to get your vote in! Voting closes on Monday 5th November.
Please vote by following THIS LINK - Thankyou!

The Upcycling Academy

Once again this year, Fabrications, Traid and War on Want will creatively bring you 'The Upcycling Academy' at the Knitting and Stitching Show (Ali Pali: October 11th - 14th)

The aim of the Upcycling Academy is to present creative,hands on learning experiences which explores textile waste, upcycling and introduces people to better fashion industry practise.

Last year, in the lead up to the show I wrote a blog post entitled 'Adding Value(s) at The Upcycling Acdemy' exploring the word 'Upcycling' and what it means to me. This year Twisted Thread (the show organisers) have also initiated the 'Upcycler of the year' competition. I'm looking forward to seeing the entries, and Traid have offered a 2 week internship and window display space in their Camden store for the winner, which is a fantastic prize for budding upcycled fashion designers.

Although the competition deadline is now closed you can get involved in re working garments provided by Traid for a mere £2 (t-shirts) + £3 (other garments)  live at the show. Rotate around our workshop stations and learn skills and get chopping and changing with me and other Fabrications teachers and Traid's.

WIN TICKETS! to the show by entering Fabrications FACEBOOK COMPETITION. (Scroll down to find the Picture of The Upcycling Academy team) We've got 3 pairs of tickets up for grabs!! DEADLINE: Monday 4th October at Midnight. GOOD LUCK!