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Introduction
Introduction
15:47 minute video explains both philosophical and practical ways in which sewing can be an act of rebellion in our increasingly crazy world.
Benefits of Sewing
Benefits of Sewing
Avoiding Fast Fashion
Avoiding Fast Fashion
The fashion industry is the second largest user of water, and produces roughly 10% of global CO2 emissions.
The fashion industry uses a shocking amount of resources, and generally pays extremely low wages to people working in sometimes very unsafe conditions. As the industry engages in a "race to the bottom" in terms of low prices and ever-decreasing quality, it produces an increasing amount of waste and pollution, while customers are increasingly unhappy with our ill-fitting clothes.
By avoiding the fast fashion industry and making our own clothing or buying from skilled tailors, we can ensure not only better fit, but that we can feel good about our clothing on a multitude of levels.
For anyone with an uneven body, or features that are particularly large or small, being able to make your own custom clothing can be an absolutel game-changer in terms of being able to feel well-dressed and confident in your clothing. Extra large breasts don't have to create gaps between buttons, and you can use darts so that you can suit baggy clothing to perfectly fit your curves.
Reduce Over-Consumption of Materials & Energy
Reduce Over-Consumption of Materials & Energy
Reduce > Reuse > Recycle! We can reduce the number of pieces of clothing we need throughout our lifetimes by wearing sturdy pieces that help us feel confident.
Reduce - Instead of endlessly searching for new clothes, we can reduce our clothes to our favorites and most functional items.
Reuse - We can reuse by sharing hand-me-downs, buying second hand, and re-wearing clothing instead of endlessly looking for novel items that we only wear a handful of times at best.
Recycle - Textiles can give us endless opportunities to upcycle, recycle or downcycle.
What's The Difference?
What's The Difference?
Upcycle - this means taking materials from a low-quality item, to create something of better quality. For example taking apart poorly made fast fashion clothes where the seems immediately started to fall apart, and sewing a new items with sturdy seems that would have cost a lot more than the original item did.
Recycle - this means taking an item of a certain level of quality or usability, then turning it into something of equal usability or quality. For example taking an old dress shirt, and turning it into a blows, child's dress, or a favorite throw pillow cover.
Downcycle - involves taking something of decent quality and turning it into something of lesser quality. Certain textiles, especially those of unknown or mixed composition, and those with particularly short or brittle fibers may not be appropriate for recycling into new fabrics. Unwanted fibers are often downcycled into insulation for buildings, or stuffing. If you have a sewing space, you might want to keep a bag for thread and fabric scraps, as these can be used for stuffing toys or larger pieces might be useful as a cheap alternative for backings or insulation in future projects.
Repairing Clothing, Furniture, Toys, Et.c
Repairing Clothing, Furniture, Toys, Et.c
Financial
Financial
Making clothes that you can wear for significantly longer than fast fashion clothes will last, can help counter the up-front costs of buying slightly more expensive materials to create with. You can also reduce your initial costs by purchasing second-hand clothing, bedding, or other fabric sources commonly found at resale shops.
Equality & Dignity
Equality & Dignity
Being able to wear comfortable clothes that fit not only your unique body, but your lifestyle and needs can be life changing.
Pocket Inequality = Gender Inequality
Pocket Inequality = Gender Inequality
6:07 minute video talks about the history of pockets including pocket bans on women's clothing and what modern designers are doing to fight back against pocket inequality.
Artistic Expression
Artistic Expression
You might just want to play around with the materials you have collected, or maybe you have a message or inspiration you want to share with the world.
7:24 minute video "Simple cuts aren't just easier to sew—they're a powerful way to let your textile art shine. In this video, I share how minimal shapes like rectangle tees and straight-cut dresses become perfect canvases for embroidery, dyeing, applique, and more. Whether you're making your own clothes or just looking for inspiration, I hope this encourages you to create with more intention and less fuss."
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