The place where I live

I should have written posts at stages of making the dress for the Weaving Narratives Project but was too busy getting it finished ready for exhibitions!

The cotton sateen fabric from Offset Warehouse was dip-dyed in recognition of the dye-works at the end of the site, then discharge dyed to replicate the factory wall at the end of my garden (shown behind the dress drying on the line!)

Then it was screen-printed with a design based on Commer cars chassis from their catalogues.
The top layer of cotton voile was printed with a plan of the current residential estate.
























It can still be seen in Flitwick library October 13th - 15th along with a wealth of other textile art inspired by Bedfordshire Archives

Weaving Narratives

I am taking part in Weaving Narratives, a textile-based community art project celebrating the history of Bedfordshire's towns, in conjunction with Bedfordshire Archives.  I am hoping to design clothing with fabric designs that reference the history of the place where I live, for more on this see the blog post I wrote for the project.

The wall at the end of my garden is the remains of factories previously on the site which I will use for my colour palette.






Then I think I will use chassis patterns from the vehicles built here to form a stripe pattern.










I had a play at some samples during a recent workshop with Clive Barnett at Art Van Go. He showed us how to create layers of pattern using mono-printing and screen-printing techniques and Procion dyes thickened with Manutex. Great fun - but not all the techniques will translate to larger pieces of fabric!

Fair Trade Fortnight - Day 14 pm

I couldn't end the week without wearing one of my own makes - which also gives me a chance to talk about fair trade and ethical fabric.
So this evening's church youth event gave me a chance to wear a Wild Angel's clerical shirt in pink organic cotton from Offset Warehouse, with my Monkee Genes and the same wonderful boots as this morning. Offset was set up with the realisation that being ethical in the world of fashion is hard work and so they aim to source socially and environmentally responsible fabrics and haberdashery.

Final degree show - Inspired by Luton

The items in the cover photo on Wild Angels Facebook page were all made with Offset fabrics - dark red ahimsa (peace) silk and bamboo silk which I hand dyed and printed. And I went to a great garden party they hosted too - see blog from September 2013.


Greenfibres is also an interesting company; the dark red skirt is lined in red poplin that came from them, and I have other undyed fabric waiting to be used and made up. I have also bought organic sewing thread from them too. Their aim is to offer beautiful and useful textile products that are kind to the environment and to our health and well-being - and their range includes clothing and bed linen as well as fabric and knitting yarn.

Another source I have used frequently is Fair Trade Fabric - but more for garments made for others and for sale - I don't think I have anything made for me (yet?) in their fabric but they have recently introduced some wonderful prints ... could I risk the orange and pink circles print for trousers alongside this shirt, or would that be too much? Fair Trade fabric source cotton fabrics that help to improve the lives of poor and marginalised producers, from those who grow the cotton to those who due and weave it. They have a lovely range of colours in plains, stripes, checks and recently a range of fun prints.

Then one I discovered on the net recently, with gorgeous knitting yarn (though I haven't yet succumbed to buying any!) is Yarn Yarn which sells eco-friendly and recycled yarns handmade by women's co-operatives in India. They have a fascinating range of ribbon yarns and silk waste yarns, banana yarn ... and even spun newspaper!

Fair Trade Fortnight - Day 14 am

Not entirely fair trade today as I cannot vouch for the provenance of their fabrics, but my shirt is made by Sizanani, a sewing training project in Pinetown, Durban, South Africa which equips people with the pattern-cutting, designing and sewing skills for sustainable employment. This features appliqué in local traditional designs and  is worn with a Traidcraft linen skirt and my wonderful new Terra Plana boots.

Stylised guinea fowl and Ndebele patterns on the back of my shirt

One advantage of doing the internet research to write these blogs has been finding pairs of shoes; so both Sundays have been the first outing for a new pair! It is not easy finding shoes in Size 2, I generally hate shoe-shopping, and rely on the very helpful cobbler in Luton market to keep mine going. So to find pairs at sale prices in my size is remarkable ... and I am enjoying it!

Fair Trade Fortnight - Day 13

Today has been a 'blobbing around at home' day, so I have worn People Tree jumper and leggings, cosy Greenfibres socks with Soul of Africa boots, topped with a charity-shop find: an Edwardian silk slip worn as a dress. Not fair trade - but surely sustainable when it must have lasted over 100 years!














Some of the construction is clearly machine sewn, but I wonder if it was taken in as the tiny french seams at the sides are clearly sewn by hand - machines don't do running stitch! I think the edgings might be hand sewn too as it looks like blanket stitch, so may be the other embroidery is too - it is just exquisite. Beautiful to wear against the skin in summer, and so pretty worn this way in winter too, as it's a shame to hide it away for more than half the year!

Fair Trade Fortnight - Day 12

A lovely sunny day today which made me get out the fun People Tree tunic t-shirt designed for the Olympics but with wider messages.

















This is worn with Monkee Genes and Conker bar sandals, but wasn't suitable for work in the evening.

Home after work!

The lovely Terra Plana shoes just had to feature somewhere this fortnight so I chose to wear them with a 'little black dress' from People Tree with a Nomads cardigan, and a 'statement' pendant of fused glass, wire and beads made by Sarah Campbell and available from the gallery at Art Van Go.

Fair Trade Fortnight - Day 11

A different company to include today: Along with People Tree black leggings and overskirt, Elvis and Kresse belt, Soul of Africa boots and an asymmetric necklace in just the right colours, I am wearing a waistcoat by Aarong, This ethical brand began in 1978 as a means to empower rural artisans to rise above poverty. Today it supports over 65,000 artisans and has 15 retail stores across Bangladesh.

Close-up of embroidery

The lovely hand embroidery is a piece of Nakshi Kantha, a traditional rural craft. While each kantha (the word for a light quilt, originally made from sewing together layers of used and worn fabric such as saris) has designs that are unique to its maker's imagination, usually there is a basic traditional pattern. Common motifs include lotus, sun, moon, tree of life, fish and animals such as elephants, tigers or peacocks.

Aarong have some beautiful embroidered silk saris on their website - but it doesn't look as though they ship as far as here, sadly, as the prices look incredibly reasonable to UK eyes.

Fair Trade Fortnight - Day 10

A Nomads flowered tunic top, which I am wearing with People Tree charcoal trousers, but struggling with a suitable position and the auto-timer on the camera!

I did start the day in my Vivobarefoot Soul of Africa kudu leather desert boots (from Day 1), but then it rained heavily so I switched to the Patagonia boots (from day 2) but they didn't manage to keep the rain out either! So having dried my feet and socks out I am now sitting in my ancient indoor red Soul of Africa 'ugg-type' boots. The sole really needs re-stitiching on one of them, but I love them anyway! So comfy.












Soul of Africa believes in 'Aid through Trade' and has helped 10,000 African orphans since its launch in 2003. Their products are available through both Vivobarefoot and Clarkes, thought the former start at a smaller size (highly relevant for me!).

Fair Trade Fortnight - Day 9

Hair colour and cut today - it needed it! And wearing People Tree black leggings and red tunic t-shirt, with my beloved red Conker bar sandals.

I can't really do it for work, but like also wearing with this outfit the only Vivienne Westwood I am likely to be able to afford - this was a long t-shirt which she designed for People Tree to fundraise for the preservation of forests in Bangladesh. I wear it on climate-change marches (if it's warm enough - the last one needed more layers on top!)


















The necklace and ear-rings are recycled paper beads by Wild Angels - other colours available.

Fair Trade Fortnight - Day 8

Teaching today so required to be smart. Another Skunkfunk skirt with lovely asymmetric stitched panel, worn with a People Tree polo-neck jumper and Terra Plana shoes. I can't remember where the necklace came from but the ear-rings are hand made using Tibetan beads, purchased from a craft stall while visiting friends in Australia in January.

Skirt detail, stitched pattern

Fair Trade Fortnight - Day 7

Navy fair trade clerical shirt from Butler & Butler, navy linen skirt and turquoise fish ear-rings from Traidcraft, and my new, very comfortable, Vivobarefoot navy and turquoise shoes. A real bargain in the sale, even if people were surprised to see me in flat shoes!

But let's talk about knickers! I have been wearing ethical ones all week - but haven't mentioned them since Day 1 when I introduced you to my new find of Kerala Crafts. All the profits from their sale of fair trade knickers (and colourful men's boxers) are ploughed back into supporting projects for rescued girls and marginalised women.
Today's are a pair by Peau Ethique which only just come second place (to Pants to Poverty) in the Ethical Consumer guide to underwear. Based in France (so their own website is in French) they make bras, nightwear and knickers as well as pants for men too. They can be purchased in England from By Nature, who also stock men's and women's items available from German company Living Crafts. All of those I have purchased from these three manufacturers are made of far better quality cotton jersey than the current standard from the 'usual go-to high street supplier'. The most recent purchase from Living Crafts does have a loopy edge to the elastic that I think might catch, but a previous pair is lasting extremely well. Keep an eye open for sales from suppliers, which makes the purchase price more reasonable. Natural Collection also stock underwear by Braintree, but I cannot comment on that having never tried it.
The really beautiful knicker manufacturers sadly folded last year having not been able to sustain the business. 'Who Made Your Pants' was based in Southampton and provided training and jobs for refugee and asylum seeking women, utilising waste from the high-end lingerie industry. You can still read about them online (see for example this Oxfam blog), and ended by donating their remaining pants to women incarcerated in Yarlswood detention centre. The founder, Becky, is still keen to find a way to make this work - fair trade has got to work in ways that are not only about people in lower income countries manufacturing (however well paid and safely) for rich people elsewhere.

Fair Trade Fortnight - Day 6

I attended the first session of a series of workshops in Bedford Archives today as part of a Textile Arts project entitled 'Weaving Narratives'. We had been warned it might not be warm so I was searching out thick clothing and realised I knitted this jumper with handspan wool from Botswana. This was a newly set up project for local income generation when I was there in the 1980s. Here it is worn with a pair of bamboo Monkee Genes and my comfortable blue Conker buckle shoes (looks like they don't make this style any more).
There is debate about the ethics of bamboo fibre - it grows fast, but does require energy and chemicals to produce - it is a 'regenerated cellulose fibre', which basically means the plant is chemically mushed down and then extruded to create the fibre. However the plant grows fast and doesn't require the pesticide use or water supplies of cotton and the fibre does hold colour and shape well - these jeans haven't worn on the knees .... yet! Bamboo Clothing are in favour, Patagonia are not.

Fair Trade Fortnight - Day 5

Back to the plum Monkee Genes cords today, with a white Bishopston shirt, red Nomads cardigan lined with print fabric, red Conker bar sandals, red Elvis and Kresse belt from recycled fire-hose, ear-rings from Covent Garden and an angel necklace from UKUnicorns.

Bishopston Trading Company closed down after 28years of working with the village of K V Kuppam in South India creating employment in weaving and sewing. However by then all of the workers children and been educated and many gone on to higher education, no longer wanting work in weaving or tailoring, Coupled with that we ethical purchasers in the UK were buying less. Fair Trade Fabric sold Bishopston cloth by the metre but fortunately have managed to find alternative suppliers so we sewers still have that ethical source of lovely cotton fabric in wonderful colours.

Conker Shoes website says: Conker Shoes has always been a small friendly business with a strong ethos of fair trade. Each pair of shoes is individually made especially for you.
While they may look pricey (they were about half this price when I bought mine) they really do last 'forever'. They will resole and repair - but mine have not needed it yet.

Fair Trade Fortnight - Day 4

Today's warm fleecy sweater dress is by People Tree (these days they seem to be calling it a 'loopback  dress', with the same Patagonia boots as before. The websites states that "People Tree is a different kind of fashion business. We give customers an alternative to fast fashion. Slow Fashion means standing up against exploitation, family separation, slum cities and pollution – all the things that make fast fashion so successful."

My scarf today is hand-painted silk by local artist, Hilary Anderson, while the ear-rings come from My Fair World, and are also hand-crafted. Part of buying ethically is to support artists and the craft skills which add value and a unique quality to items.

Fair Trade Fortnight - Day 3

Today's outfit comprises a lovely jersey tunic dress from Nomads. A version in a different colourway is still available in the sale! This is worn with a blue Nomads drape cardigan and cream Terra Plana Shoes. Jewellery items are local crafts.
The shoes state inside: "This shoe is made from natural and recycled materials". Terra Plana do not seem to have a website of their own any more, though I believe there is a shop in London. I have found various items for sale on the internet - but often from sites I wouldn't use! A dilemma - does one buy ethical items from an unethical source?
My friend Barb bought me the dress for Christmas - she knows my taste well! I had seen this and wondered, but wasn't sure I could justify it! While I love fashion, and buying clothes, I am aware we need to consume less for the good of the planet and its people. However, on the other hand. our purchasing does keep people employed. Somehow we need to work out an optimum balance of buying the right things at the right frequency - and there are so many factors to consider. Fair Trade Fortnight is a time to become more aware of the issues and take stock of what we can do to enable decent employment, a fair share of the earth's resources for everyone and the survival of the planet.

Fair Trade Fortnight - Day 2

Today's focus is a Skunkfunk skirt, worn with a Namaste pink blouse, a Nomads black longline cardigan and Patagonia boots.  Jewellery is via My Fair World again today as well.
I was very fortunate to get the boots in a sale - less call for size 2 maybe! Mostly an outdoor-wear brand, Patagonia's mission statement is Build the best product, cause no unnecessary harm, use business to inspire and implement solutions to the environmental crisis. Rather than claiming to BE a responsible brand they describe themselves as  BECOMING one, realising it is an ongoing journey.
I first came across Skunkfunk when I purchased a dress in Shimto the dress agency in St Albans (see blog post 5/8/13) and was delighted to find out about their ethics when researching the company. They hold GOTS certification and have a strong commitment to sustainability as part of their corporate responsibility. Primarily based in Spain, I am even more delighted to have found a few of their interesting pieces available from time to time in England.

Fair Trade Fortnight - Day 1

Yoday's outfit includes plum cord skinny jeans from my favourite Monkee Genes and a floral cotton overtop from Nomads.
The boots are from Vivobarefoot's 'Soul of Africa' range which helps to create employment in Ethiopia - and they go down to my size of 2.5! Just checking out the website for the address, I have had to order a pair of blue loafers in the sale!
Necklace and earrings are from Traidcraft, a number of years ago, but they still have pretty things.
The handwoven bag, dyed with natural vegetable dyestuffs, was purchased in 2010 when I visited a project in Pokhara, Nepal. You can see a video about the Women's Skills Development Project but I am concerned as to whether they have subsequently survived the earthquake. Their own website does not seem to be accessible, but there are reviews on trip advisor late last year.
Knickers are from my most recent exciting discovery Kerala Crafts, found online when my suitcase took a longer holiday and I needed to deal with a  distant shortage of underwear!
Don't mention the socks - I realise not having those in fair trade versions is a gap in my wardrobe - but the ones I have will last a good while yet, so better for sustainability to make them last than replace them!

Fair Clothes for Fair Trade Fortnight?

Inspired last year by Knickers Model's Own who spent all year wearing pre-loved garments from Cancer Research shops, I wondered if I could wear fair trade, ethical, or sustainable clothing every day during Fair Trade Fortnight this year. So to kick things off on the eve of the fortnight, the photo depicts part of the reason.
T-shirt from War on Want - a movement of people committed to global justice
Jeans from Monkey Genes who guarantee that everyone involved in their garments has been paid a decent living wage
Ear-rings purchased in Durban from a project that supports people living with HIV
(and knickers from 'Life's not Fair but my knickers are' - sadly no longer in business)