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#163157 - 10/18/08 11:42 PM Refashionistas
orchid Offline


Registered: 01/21/07
Posts: 3675
Loc: British Columbia, Canada
Now if I can believe there would be a resurgent interest in sewing among the younger generation of women, that would be cool. Looks like need to economize might be an underlying driver, amongst other reasons, like "upcycling" not recycling. A new fashionable twist on transforming a old/cheaper garment into something even more contemporary/fashionable for today:

Refashionistas are sew ahead of the pack
HEIDI SOPINKA

Special to The Globe and Mail

October 18, 2008

At this month's fashion week in Paris - the world's luxe central -Vivienne Westwood had a word of advice for those wringing their hands over the economy. The British designer and former grand dame of punk sent models down the runway in repurposed garments and swathes of unstructured fabric. Some carried cute little hobo bags on sticks. Her message for fashion addicts? Do it yourself.

Just as the design world is seeing a trend to "upcycling" - creating high-end objects out of discards - serious fashion is seeing a back-to-the-bobbin movement. Unlike knitters, who trade delayed gratification for the Zen-like meditation of knit and purl, sewers find pleasure in their rapid and resourceful output.

While the movement is infused with a definite eco-consciousness, there's also the notion that everybody can be a designer, fuelled by shows such as Project Runway.

"There is a certain demographic that have begun to take up sewing - younger women in their 20s to 40s," says Karyn Valinos, owner of The Workroom, a new sew-by-the-hour studio in Toronto's Parkdale district.

Print Edition - Section Front
Enlarge Image

"A lot of people will say, 'My mom and my grandmother sewed. It's something I feel I should know.' "

The sewing industry has taken note. Pfaff, manufacturer of high-end sewing machines, has just unveiled its largest introduction in its 146-year history. Equipped with LED lighting, graphic displays, and free-motion sewing capabilities, these machines can make designers out of dilettantes.

Unlike the sewing circles your grandmother might have stitched in, the new seamsters are also plugged into a world-wide sewing circle - on-line.

"There's no question that Websites such as Burdastyle.com, blogs, chatrooms, Flickr, and YouTube have become a huge part of the craft community," says Valinos.

She admits that before opening The Workroom, she spent a lot of time at her office job surfing sewing blogs. "Part of me wanted to say, 'Yeah that's really cool to know what a girl in Washington made over the weekend,' but I felt that there were people making connections on-line who may never meet each other, and that there should be an off-line community too."

Charlotte Griffin, 25, who works in post-production for television, happened to walk past The Workroom one day and "instantly fell in love. I've always enjoyed sewing, but moved around way too much to own a sewing machine, so it's the perfect place for me." Griffin says. "I really aspire to a life where I am self-sufficient, and sewing plays a huge part in that."

Another Workroom habituée, Lauren Bunton, 26, echoes Griffin's environmental concerns. She's interested in the bricolage aspect of refashioning, trickled down from such uber designers as Belgian Martin Margiela. His line of "garments remodelled by hand" have included a leather jacket made from old footballs, a raincoat fashioned from umbrellas, and a dress of hand-braided silk scarves.

Many "refashionistas" are followers of Australia's Nichola Prested, who created the Wardrobe Refashion pledge (http://www.nikkishell.com): "I pledge that I shall abstain from the purchase of 'new' manufactured items of clothing, for the period of 2 /4 /6 months."

Fellow seamsters are instructed to make or recycle clothing from pre-loved items, which can involve massive surgery or simply refitting or mending (the most eco-friendly fabrics are those that already exist). Thanks to Prested's collaborative blog and Flickr group, more than 1,000 devout worn-agains around the globe have joined the cause.

Rita Gramsch, president and founder of Toronto's Creativ Festival (http://www.creativfestival.ca), whose 21st takes place this weekend, agrees that refashioning is a big part of the sewing surge. This year's show is challenging student designers to use thrift shop clothing and revamp it into something stunning.

"I've taught classes where we take a T-shirt and transform it, or take a men's dress shirt and reform it into a fitted blouse," Valinos says. "It's definitely something people find really exciting. To go to Value Village and get a $2 T-shirt and then make it really cute."

And if you have always been afraid of sewing, Valinos points out that perfect French seams and slavishly following patterns are a thing of the past. With even serious designers favouring frayed edges and obvious stitching, "now people can wear something that looks homemade. There was a time when that wasn't cool.

www.globeandmail.com
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#163168 - 10/19/08 02:23 AM Re: Refashionistas [Re: orchid]
Dancing Dolphin Offline
Member

Registered: 03/06/06
Posts: 2529
Loc: Southern California
Good post, Orchid. I took sewing rather than cooking in high school; you had to take one or the other back then. Even then I didn't want to cook.

I used to sew lots of my clothes, and shirts for my husband, etc. Over the past few years, all I've sewn seems to be curtains and pillows, or other decorative items.

I should check out the patterns again and see what I can do. I guess since I always shop the sales, and never wear designer duds (can't afford them), then sometimes it costs MORE to make an outfit than to buy one on sale. Fabric has gone up quite a bit, especially quality fabric that can be washed and worn and still hold it shape.

But maybe I'll check it out . . . sounds fun if I can find the time.

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#163171 - 10/19/08 04:08 AM Re: Refashionistas [Re: Dancing Dolphin]
orchid Offline


Registered: 01/21/07
Posts: 3675
Loc: British Columbia, Canada
However a little dismaying thing that I'm discovering...is that I'm finding it more difficult to thread a fine needle! Means I might need glasses later /soon.

In high school home ec., alot of gals just put up with cooking. The teachers I had were abit strict, because I think they were more concerned about kitchen safety and getting us girls, to prepare a meal in good time..without yaaking too much or foolin' around with stuff in kitchen. I could never forget the time, where someone's male friend wandered into the kitchen classroom. He lifted a pressure cooker lid by mistake. And the soup ended up on the ceiling..thankfully not on anyone's face. But the teacher was outraged...understandably.

Sewing was something I could take home and plug away at my own speed...and consult my mother for advice.

Even though I barely sew right now, except for alterations on bought clothing, I am grateful for my skills..so that I can assess quality of clothing and fabric in stores and be a far more intelligent consumer on what truly is a good deal vs. ..crap.

True occasionally it can cost more to sew something.

Starting in my late teens and well into my early thirties I did occasionally plunder my mother's collection of new or nearly new clothes she had from 1950's and 1960's. As you know the quality of sewing and construction was often far superior than today for even ordinary daily clothing. I think I managed to "upcycle" several of her dresses that I wore for several years or I cut up the huge skirt part and turned it into a semi-dressy shirt/top. For 10 years in my 20's, I wore my mother's wool black coat that she used to wear in the early 1960's. I wore it until the lining tore. Same for a beautiful cashmere wool suit jacket.

I am more than just the cycling woman who seems not to do housework nor buy gorgeous high heel shoes. laugh
_________________________
http://cyclewriteblog.wordpress.com/ (How cycling leads to other types of adventures, thoughts)
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#163181 - 10/19/08 12:38 PM Re: Refashionistas [Re: orchid]
Dotsie Offline
Founder

Registered: 07/09/08
Posts: 23647
Loc: Maryland
I think the idea of a sewing room is wonderful because the added piece that probably keeps everyone going is community. It's sounds similar to being in a sewing class in high school. Being able to see what others are doing and share what you're attempting makes it much more fun than being home alone with a pattern and fabric. It's also great to be able to troubleshoot with a crowd, leaving one less frustrated than if we were home alone.

Orchid, thanks for sharing.
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