Isewlation Inspiration Club
Isewlation Inspiration Club
We want to keep you feeling creative whilst we are all stuck in our homes, so we are going to be outlining a theme every Tuesday morning, they will be suitable for adults and children, open to all abilities and you should be able do it with any resources you have in your house. (If you don't have any resources we might be able to help,
get in touch.)
It doesn't have to be sewing, you can use anything you can find in the house.
Just email us a picture of what you've made to join in, closing time every week will be Sunday evening.
Theme 10: Here Comes The Summer Sewing
Anything with an animal theme!
Whether you're using animal print fabrics, making your own cuddly animal mascot or costume. Take a walk on the wild side this week!
Here are entries from Adele with her birdy top and Alex with her lovely leopard print top fresh off the sewing machine.
Theme 9: Walk On The Wild Side
Anything with an animal theme!
Whether you're using animal print fabrics, making your own cuddly animal mascot or costume. Take a walk on the wild side this week!
Here are entries from Adele with her birdy top and Alex with her lovely leopard print top fresh off the sewing machine.
Theme 8: Funky Face Covers
We've seen some inventive ideas for face coverings, from recycling socks, to cleverly tied scarves. Share with us your ideas!
Make it out of fancy fabric - (we've been making some out of our donated liberty print fabrics). Or add a funny face or catchy slogan? Make the people who pass you by by giggle!
Here are Bonnie's cool face coverings!
Theme 7: Mee Made May
If you follow any keen sewers over on Instagram (or maybe you are one) you may have noticed that throughout May there's a proliferation of sewing selfies, and that's because it's Me Made May! But, the challenge isn't just about showing off on instagram, the originator So Zo says "It's a challenge in which you wear your me-mades more often and more thoughtfully to learn some useful lessons about yourself, your style, your body and your creativity ..."
We love that sentiment and there's nothing we find more exciting that seeing you wear your clothes we've helped you to sew. We'd love for you to show us yourselves home wearing and loving life in your Mee-made clothes!
We will be sharing some images from our archives on Instagram this week. But, please do send some up to date images of you using your me mades in real life!
Theme 6: If you like it then you should put a pom pom on it!
Go on, try to tell me anything, anything in the world that wouldn't be improved with a pom pom on it?!
Just me? I think pom poms have special powers, These happy little balls of fluff seem to be able to brighten up any day. We want to see anything and everything you can make that is or includes pom poms!
Giant pom poms, small pom poms, Make yourself a pom pom mascot, add pom pom trim an outfit, pom pom jewellery, make a pom pom and take the funniest photo you can with it!
If you're not sure how to make a pom pom follow us on social media we'll be adding some pom pom videos this week!
Shake Your Pom Pom, Shake Your Pom Pom!
Theme 5: Visible Mending
This week's theme is visible mending! In Japan there is a beautiful concept referred to as Wabi Sabi.
Which roughly translates as understated elegance and finding beauty in that which is imperfect, impermanent, and incomplete.
Strangely fitting right now, don't you think? Life is far from perfect, but, let's cherish what we have and the small things we are able to do and embrace the perfectly imperfect.
(It's great! If your stitches are all wonky just tell people it's part of an ancient Japanese philosophy!)
The theme is also in honour of the launch of this fab book we were sent a preview copy of Wear, Repair, Repurpose: A Maker's Guide to Mending and Upcycling Clothes by Lily Fulop, If you fancy a read yourself we've got a special discount for you of 25% + free shipping. Just use the code WN703 when checking out!
A great insight cherishing your clothes for longer and ways to repair them.
Remember it doesn't have to be sewing - one of my fave mending tools at home is Sugru. This is my budget version of the art of kintsugi; where cracked pottery is filled with gold dusted lacquer, highlighting the fault not hiding it, showing of the age and patina of wear! (Can you see my red Sugru line?)
Mending Mayhem
Some more of Jaime's mending adventures!
Theme 4: Dress in Protest : Fashion Revolution Week
Fashion Revolution Week
takes place every year around the anniversary of the Rana Plaza factory collapse, which killed 1138 people and injured many more on 24th April 2013. During this week, as consumers we are encouraged to ask brands #whomademyclothes and take a closer look at what we and brands can do to make the fashion system safe and fair.
Even though we are stuck at home, it's just as important that we bring awareness to these issues. The current pandemic
is having a huge impact on the people who make our clothes, from brands cancelling orders, workers being laid off with little or no pay, to workers being forced to work in busy distribution warehouses where social distancing is not possible.
Here's a few things you can do, but, check out the Fash Rev Website
for more, there are loads of events and resources to look at.
Fashion Question Time
looks like something not to miss Friday at 11am.
Take a photo of an item of clothing with the label showing, send it to the brand on social media tag @fash_rev (or send to us and we can share it for you!) and ask that brand who made my clothes? Can they answer? How transparent is their supply chain?
Don't buy new! Warehouse workers are being forced to work in unsafe conditions as people are buying more whilst they are bored at home. Why not host a fashion show showing off your favourite items you already own and send a pic!
Think up your own campaign to raise awareness of the problems that fashion is causing.
Fix up your clothes that need repairing so you can keep on wearing! Using our clothes for longer can have a huge impact on their carbon foot print. If you double the number of times you wear an item the carbon emmisons are 44% lower over it's lifetime.
Revolutionaries
8 year old Cerys sent us this picture of her label to ask Boden who made her clothes? We were impressed by the effort Boden put in to making their supply chain traceable. They include a number in every item so they can track where each was made, see their response below:
We tried to contact ASOS too but got ignored! But, lets not focus on the negatives.
Some other commendable companies we saw highlighted last week who are working hard to make their supply chains traceable include.
Lucy & Yak
they have their makers sew the entire item from start to finish rather than splitting the production, which, if you're a sewer you'll know is much more satisfying and each tailor sew's their number into the item so you can know exactly who made it! (Samin here made my pink dungarees!) and they use organic fabrics where possible.
We also love The Emperors Old Clothes,
who are based in Brighton, all of their items are made from recycled fabric, they strive to be size inclusive and they custom make designs to fit exactly you, they are zero waste in the factory and they pay all of their Brighton based workers a living wage, and they are really fun to follow on instagram!
Theme 3: No Time Like The Present
This lockdown can be great time to use your making skills to show your loved ones how much you care and make them something special! Maybe you want to make something for someone in your house; your parents for being great teachers, a sibling. Or make something send to someone you are apart from, or save it for when you can see them again.
We'd love to see a gift made for someone special and hear about who and why you've made it.
Jaime will share what she's been making too for her loved ones next week too.
Refashioners
Amelia
Amelia made these matching tops for herself and her cousin, ready for her trip to New Zealand she couldn't go on, and as a surprise she made her new son a romper. She said "When I see them both he will be much too big to wear this. But instead of being sad I will look forward to when I can see them both again and planning what to make for then."
Tilly
(12) made these lovely lavender bags for her Grandma's whilst they can't be with them.
Jaime
Make Mee Jaime made this Jacket for her boyfriends 30th Birthday, she sent it in the post because she couldn't be with him on the day. It It is a Friday Patterns Ilford Jacket
made in heavyweight denim with needlecord accents.
Theme 2: I Can Sew A Rainbow, Sew A Rainbow Too!
You may have seen around the streets and online some lovely rainbows appearing, as a sign of hope, positivity and solidarity at this strange time. We thought it would be nice to encourage you to create your own too! Something you can hang in the window or even wear.
Rainbow Makers
Rosie
I couldn’t meet my friend who asked me to make this for her daughter [...]we can’t meet anyway now, but I’ve been fixing a few issues with this in the meantime and am going to stop it off at her door at long last.
Rosie
I was feeling pretty fed up when I started this. I made up the pattern as I went along. The process of making it certainly lightened my mood! Stuffing is the fabric and filling from an old pillow - perfect for easing my back from gardening and working from home on an comfortable chair.
Valina
Valina layered her fabrics to make a hand sewn Appliqué rainbow.
Theme 1: Rags to Refashioned Riches
We're starting simple, take something from your wardrobe or someone else in your households (with their permission of course!) and jazz it up! you could take it apart and turn it into something else or simply add some print, stitch or anything to it to make it extra special.
No idea to big or too small. Let's see what you've got!
Refashioners
Amelia
My me made top that is one of my faves! Was in my work bag and got a lipstick stain on it (one of my lipstick cases opened without me knowing). I cycle to and from work so always have loads of clothes in there! It stained my top 😫 have been meaning to fix it for ages.
Cerys
Cerys (8) brought one of her mum's old t-shirts (that had a past life as a pirate top) back to life. You cant see on the picture, but it says Alys on the front under the ink.
Julia
Julia and her mum used old socks to make new clothes for her dolls!
Adele
Adele has been embroidering images from her favourite national parks onto her shoes to remind her of her holidays This one is Joshua Tree and the left one is Yosemite, she says it still needs some Redwoods and waterfalls and snow on the distant mountains