"A challenged world is an alert world. Individually, we're all responsible for our own thoughts and actions - all day, every day.  We can all choose to challenge and call out gender bias and inequality. We can all choose to seek out and celebrate women's achievements. Collectively, we can all help create an inclusive world."

"From challenge comes change, so let's all choose to challenge."  The IWD website invites everyone to share a photo with your hand up high to show you are in.  More details on their website.

It's a bit unclear about how IWD began but it's rooted in fighting oppression and inequality and possibly the garment industry.   One of my favorite quotes is from history.com-

"Brooklyn, writer Charlotte Perkins Gilman (of “The Yellow Wall-paper” fame) told the congregation of the Parkside Church: “It is true that a woman’s duty is centered in her home and motherhood…[but] home should mean the whole country, and not be confined to three or four rooms or a city or a state.”  This rings so true this year with the inauguration Of VP Kamala Harris.

I loved Emily Stochl's Pre-Loved Podcast: International Ladies' Garment Workers' Union. It's such an interesting slice of history and the campaign to get consumers to "look for the union label" needs to be reinvented into "shop small and indie".  

We're celebrating IWD by the makeover of one of our favorite and nourishing cremes.  Meet "Everyone creme"- made for everyone and designed to be used everywhere.  Formerly our #resist creme the new label celebrates moving forward, taking care of ourselves so we can take care of others and our planet.

We hope you take some time to celebrate all the accomplishments from the past, look towards the future ready to face challenges and of course taking care of yourself. 

Mending isn't just repairing tears and holes.  Stains can create a challenge and instead of donating or throwing away a garment- fix it with an applique patch.  It will add personality and is an answer to fast fashion.

Read more

We all have sweaters with holes in them.  Instead of throwing them up turn them into wearable art using the simple buttonhole stitch to mend and strengthen any holes or tears.  We take you step by step through the buttonhole stitch as well as how to use it for mending. Happy mending!!!!

Read more

Welcome to mending.  This week we are looking at the basics and starting your very first mend.  Learn how to choose a spot to mend, cutting a patch, as well as the simple but definitely not basic running stitch.  Have fun and happy stitching!!!!

Read more

There are so many reasons to get into mending but the best part is turning clothes that fit and flatter into pieces you will treasure and love.  Once you add a bit of your personality and love to a garment it will become much loved and worn often.  

Let's get started with tools.

I often put off a project or activity I know I’d enjoy because I lack the tools.  We've put together a list of tools for beginning menders that's designed to help you over this hurdle.

The first and most important tool you need is a positive can-do attitude.  When you are a beginner in anything it can be very intimating to see examples of projects completed by experts.  Social media has amplified this.  You are mending clothes that you love and clothes that fit and flatter.  You are adding a bit of your personality to a garment.  You are adding a layer of story and memory.  Embrace any imperfections.  Don't worry about crooked cutting or uneven stitches- it's all part of the beauty.

Our first mends are going to be denim.  We all have a pair of jeans that could use a patch and hopefully a pair of jeans that can be turned into patches.  If you don’t have jeans for patch making- look around for a piece of sturdy cotton.  Gather the jeans together along with a sharp hand sewing needle, some embroidery thread, scissors, a ruler or tape measure.  Another tool I would add to the beginning mending kit is a sweater comb.  This is such an easy and fun way to refresh sweaters.  I keep my tools in a sweet bag so whenever I want to mend I only have to find the bag not all the tools.

 

Of course, once you get started with mending you’re going to love it and there are tools for every job.  But- you don’t have to spend a lot of money to get started, in face, one principal behind mending is to make do and be creative. 

Beginning to Mend Tool List-

• fabric for a patch
• sharp hand sewing needle
• a few pins
• scissors
• embroidery thread
• marker or pencil 

Now you are ready for the running stitch.