A skirt made from shirts... a dress made from table cloths... a cardigan made from two jerseys... and luxurious nightgown from a sentimental souvenir... a coat made for walking Canada's cold streets in in the 1980's, now re-tailored for city life in Dunedin for winter 2019.

These are some of the projects we worked on at the top of Dunedin Public Library last month during ID Fashion Week.

Desi and I were joined by four attendees with a wide range of background sewing experience, all keen for ideas on how to re-imagine items which had been stashed away (in several cases for years).

Treasured items made from silk, cashmere, organic linen and denim (from days before Lycra and polyester were added).  Items that were hand-made by them decades ago, or by family members, or 'the tiny gentleman who worked in a cupboard-sized workshop just off the street in Bangkok' ...

These are common themes we experience with Upcycling: items where the provenance is personal, the fabric of a quality that seems undervalued in the current form, or simply the desire to make something more practical for our contemporary taste and lifestyle.

It is hugely rewarding to take inspiration for what something already is, and consider what form it could be to become more than what it was - more practical, more appreciated, more beautiful, and much more personal.

In our Mend & Make Awesome workshops, we see this on a small scale. People repairing or altering items to improve them. Upcycling however, is a much bigger (and often trickier) enterprise, involving many hours work, and often facing challenges when the previous shape resists your efforts and you have to think again. It's easy to become disheartened and stuck, and end up with grand plans put indefinitely on hold.

This is where having some outside advice is so valuable. Having another person to bounce ideas with, suggest alternatives techniques, or to make the tea!

This workshop was a delight on all levels, and we hope to organise more in the near future!

Her latest research project aims to investigate current textile practitioners utilizing clothing upcycling as a component of their practice. It will shed light on issues such as:
 

• What motivates people to upcycle, and how does their upcycling relates to the wider fashion industry?

 

• What methods of upcycling they use?

 

• Why upcycling clothing important is important to these individuals?

 

• And how economics feature in their practice (i.e. working conditions, arrangement of business/practice, having time, economic sustainability)?

From her own experience, Kirsten believes practitioners may upcycle for a variety of interrelated reasons such as enriching their and others lives, DIY, sustainability, affordability, beauty, politics, aesthetics, experimentation, and self-differentiation.

As part of the study, Kirsten will be organising a public forum, where participants in the study will share with the wider community, their inspiration and creations. The role of upcycling within the wider context of the fashion industry will also be highlighted in this forum to be held on Wednesday 24th April, coinciding with international Fashion Revolution Day. This forum is open the public, and will be a fascinating insight into this increasingly popular practice. For more information about the seminar, please email Kirsten: kocki817@student.otago.ac.nz

We are each looking forward to taking part in this fantastic research, and seeing how it will highlight the value of repurposing clothing, not only personally, but in understanding and enriching our ever changing culture of fashion.

In November (2018) we were excited to see that the DCC and Dunedin Dream Brokerage (formerly known as Urban Dream Brokerage) were promoting Te Ao Tūroa - Dunedin’s Environment Strategy by inviting applicants for  'Environment Envoy' projects.

 At Stitch Kitchen, we're always cooking up ideas for ways to inspire people to look at things in new, creative ways - especially when those ways lead us as a community towards healthier, happier, more resilient and sustainable future.

One project we've had on the back burner for a wee while was to help address an issue we're very much aware of, but which no one seems to know how to solve, and so the whole issue is ignored:

Dunedin waste management review reports that Dunedin’s textile waste to landfill has doubled in the last year, with over 4 thousand tons of textiles added to our green island landfill.  

As well as putting pressure on landfill capacity and speeding the need for additional land to be converted from natural landscape or productive purposes to industrial waste storage. Textile waste also contributes significantly to Dunedin’s carbon footprint, as slowly degrading synthetic and natural fibres contribute 8% of all greenhouse gas emissions from our current landfill, which will continue long after the landfill has been decommissioned.

This textile waste comes from a range of sources; from commercial industry and manufacturing (yes, we still do have some textile companies here!), and from 'households' (i.e. us).  While commercial waste in being reduced, thanks to waste minimization practices, the concerning thing is that household waste that is climbing, with traditional 'recycling' options being reduced. 

As we keep buying cheap, low quality garments, it's no surprise that they do not last multiple wears let alone multiple owners, and many of the garments given to op shops are not good enough quality to go anywhere but the skip... to be buried in Green Island.

This is all very gloomy grey and serious!

How can we create a positive, empowering way to engage the community in discussion and demonstrate how textile waste can not only be reduced, but used to enrich our lives?

We have an idea... and the Environment Envoy selection committee think it's a goodie too!

....


(That's right, I'm going to keep you hanging out for the details! But thanks to the DCC and Dunedin Dream Brokerage, we will certainly be letting you know the where, what and when very soon :) )

Nothing quite like warm weather and breathing space to help us set good intentions, and seek inspiration to help us pull these 'feel goods' into the rest of our year.

I'll thrilled to see my instagram feed filling up with friends and family who are finding ways to reduce their waste, and have fun with DIY alternatives to everything from shopping bags to laundry detergent.  It seems the 'DIY in our DNA' is not limited to building decks and retaining walls :). We are waking up to the idea that the more we can know how to DO for ourselves, the less we need to BUY, which in turn frees up more of the time we so value for doing the things we love.

I'm feeling quite chuffed with myself for having spent the last few weeks of last year planning and preparing for classes and studio sessions, complete with learning about a new way to make things easier for booking sewing classes!

One of my goals this year was to improve my admin systems (rarely a favourite way to spend my work hours), and I'm grateful that now with Eventbrite, all the class information is consistent and I don't have to worry about missing registrations or accidentally over-booking classes! (Plus it gives people the option to pay online, saving the usual scramble to the ATM on the first night.)

Evidently, I'm not the only one getting proactive about reaching goals this new year; my classes for learning to sew are booking out right through to May!  The longer classes for helping people schedule regular sewing time each week are also filling quickly.

Last year I helped with many tote bags, produce bags, cutlery totes, and peg bags. I'm excited to see what new sewing projects will be popular this year!

A short time ago, Fi and I spoke with Lynn Freeman about fashion, waste, and the revival of sewing and mending.

Our conversation was aired on 3rd January 2019, and you can listen again via the Radio NZ podcast.

We have the great privilege in Dunedin to meet and work with many amazing artists and textile practitioners.  We met Kirsten Kosh, graduate of the Dunedin School of Art, leading up to our UNSTITCHED pop up in 2017. She has wonderful skills with wire work and jewellery, and lead a fantastic workshop of weaving wire pendants in a workshop that was completely booked out.

Recently she has been studying eco dyeing, using traditional techniques for printing fabrics with flowers, herbs and other found items, including rusty nails!

Kirsten has agreed to share her knowledge in workshop for us. Kirsten will bring in examples of her eco-dyed garments to help participants understand the technique and see the possibilities for their pieces.

"We will assess the dye properties of different fibres and weaves, and work in pairs using dye materials, mordants and ways of folding and binding our fabric to produce different effects."

We held our first official AGM  on Monday 20th August, 2018. A fantastic opportunity to review the highlights of the last 3 years since we were established as a not-for-profit trust.

Our Chair, Fi Clements, shared about our UNSTITCHED events, in association with Fashion Revolution; our community fashion shows held as part of the Vogel Street Party; our Bags For Good project; the many community workshops we have and continue to run; and the Swap Shop for minimising textile waste.

We had many people to thank, including Alison Milne (my mum), Marion and Alister Maxwell, for all their work helping to get various donations of fabric scraps and pieces into order for the Swap Shop ; and the many helpers  who have helped to sew bags and make the Bags For Good project possible.

You can read the full Chair's Report here, and the full Minutes of the AGM here.

Thank you to everyone who has been involved as we've grown over the past 3 years!! 

125 years ago, women of New Zealand used all their available resources - their time, energy, voice, feet, and embroidery skills, to win a major victory towards equality; the right under the law of our land to vote.

This was not a victory to end all battles on social, economic, racial, and gender inequality, but it was a momentous beginning.

Today the skills used by our inspiring predecessors are still alive and well, and provide inspiration for many to find their own way to express their views and add their voice to the cry for justice in our world.

Both, really, and why not?  :)

Our creative pennant making workshop, kindly hosted by Dunedin Public Library, will give us the opportunity to meet other like-minded crafty people and share skills and ideas around how we can make life in our community... city... country... world that much better.

We hop you will be able to join us:

Monday 1st October 2018, 1-4pm in the Dunningham Suite on the top floor of Dunedin Public Library.

Koha of $5 covers materials and tuition.

Email us for more information. For bookings, email the library.