We hear from the sewing community about ways we can be more sustainable in our sewing practice. We discuss favourite scrap-busters, eco-friendly options for fabric and yarns, and organizations and initiatives making a difference in our community.
We’re going to Quebec! Come chat about clothes at the Love to Sew Montreal Meet-up!
- Location: La Fontaine Park, Montreal (Exact location in the park will be announced in the Facebook Event Group and on Instagram on the day)
- Date: Saturday, June 9th, 2018
- Time: 12:00–17:00 EDT
We are hoping for good weather so that we can set up near the water, have a picnic, and hang out for the afternoon.
Come when you please, bring your own snacks and beverages, and wear your handmades (if you want) so we can feel them up!
Email hello@lovetosewpodcast.com if you have any questions!
Suggestions from the community to use those Fabric Scraps!
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Make hair ties and scrunchies for yourself or kids using scraps of knit fabrics
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Use scraps as wrapping paper. This is especially popular when giving gifts to other sewists!
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Create rags or washable napkins
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Make a Scrap Quilt! Carolyn Friedlander has the adorable Shirts Quilt Pattern that will let you use a ton of different fabric scraps
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Make pet quilts for charity (and to keep our furry friends comfy.) Check out TQPM Small Kennel Quilt Team to find out more information and join the team!
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Make bias tape for your next project
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Use it for inseam pockets or pocket lining to add an extra secret print or splash or colour!
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Donate your cotton scraps to local quilting clubs
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Make P.J.s for kids!
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Shauni from The Magnificent Thread has a new sustainable sewing challenge, #sewingleftovers
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Great Patterns for Scrap-busters:
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#mnkarri dress by Megan Nielsen
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Check out Helen’s Indie, Darling roundup about colour blocking to use up those scraps!
- Check out Clothing Care Co. for excellent advice on how to extend the life of your beloved makes!
- Make mending chic with Japanese Boro!
Source: www.heddels.com
- Use Michelle’s amazing Stash Shrinker tool to make sure your purchases stay true to your consumption needs. Best of all, it doesn’t need you to inventory your stash or start a complete fabric buying ban!!
- Learn your textile standards:
- PureWash yarn from Tanis Fiber Arts
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Topsy Farms in Ontario is producing a beautiful natural wool
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Learn more about the environmental impact of Rayon and Bamboo textile production in this article by The Good Trade and the sustainable alternatives such as Tencel by Lenzing
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Help prevent polyester micro-fibres from entering the water system by using a Cora Ball in your laundry
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Get involved with the global Boomerang Bags community!
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Our Social Fabric is a textile recycling initiative in Vancouver that we LOVE!
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New Yorkers can recycle their fabric scraps with FABSCRAP
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Coming soon! Frade – The Fibre Trade
- Overdressed: The Shockingly High Cost of Cheap Fashion by Elizabeth L. Cline
- Still No Brakes on Fast Fashion by Elizabeth L. Cline
- Made in Sri Lanka looks to uncover the human cost behind mass-production.
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First, thank you so much for you wonderful podcast! None of my friends sew and I’m sure they get tired of hearing me go on and on about my sewing obsession. It’s great to listen to both of you go on and on about sewing instead!
I am the director and a teacher at a small preschool and I’m surprised that no one has suggested donating fabric scraps to teachers and preschools. There is a wonderful book called Lucy’s Picture by Nicola Moon in which Lucy creates a picture for her blind grandfather using her teacher’s scrap box. I use that book to introduce our scraps and we even have special scissors that are only for fabric! (I’ll have to add the caveat that no teacher wants bags and bags of tiny little scraps but a few of your more interesting scraps would be welcome!)
Thanks again, Pam
Hi Pamela, thanks for your excellent suggestion!
Another great book on sustainable fashion is Wardrobe Crisis by Clare Press, she also does a podcast of the same name which is fab with some really interesting guests. Also the podcast is Conscious Chatter by Kestrel Jenkins, It’s been going for 118 episodes so there’s so much amazing info there. I’ve learnt so much from these and I’m no where near caught up on them!
Hi Thanks for the podcast. I am late to the game and still to catching up. I wanted the Megan who commented on this post to know about ” lunarrogueshop ” on Instagram. ( https://www.instagram.com/lunarrogueshop/ ) They make under garments and dye with natural dyes. They are located in Nova Scotia (like Mega) you might see them at a local craft show or on etsy.
It’s never too late! Thank you so much for sharing ❤️