This word is new to me. I read about Craftivism in Loved Clothes Last, a book by Orsola de Castro. Reworking your clothing is your voice for change. An expression of your awareness and action for better practices and fair trade to benefit our environment.
So consider these ways to keep your well-loved wardrobe in your weekly rotation:
Embrace visible mending
- Sew patches on worn clothes. There are tons of youtube videos to walk you through it. And I am not talking about iron on patches. I mean sewn-on fabric with stitching, visible or discreet. Fabric stores often have stacks (like a small pad) of remnant fabrics for quilting and other projects. Maybe you can find something there. For this Shirt Story shirt, I added a floral fabric patch!
- Mend moth holes in well-loved sweaters. Again, check out the videos on Youtube and keep an eye out for old sewing books at flea markets. If you ever made pot holders as a kid, this process will look familiar! Find yarn the same thickness as your sweater, a bigger needle for your yarn and you are ready to start.
- Boil some vegetables or fruits and naturally overdye your clothes. It’s remarkable how satisfying the transformation can be.
- Change buttons to ones found at flea markets or in the jar from your mother. The one challenge is finding the right size for your buttonholes. I often close holes with an extra stitch to match the button size or use a seam ripper to gently open the buttonhole for the bigger buttons.
Repairing, reworking and restoring are intentional badges of Craftivism. Be proud!
xxsasha