Fiber Organics Blog

New modern prints by Swanky Swell

Mon, 23 Aug 2010 18:12:00 GMT

We're delighted to feature a new series of prints in the shop: versatile, modern designs by Nina Jizhar of Swanky Swell. Aren't these gorgeous?

They are printed on an upholstery-weight organic cotton/hemp blend, and are for sale in the shop as fat quarters. The color palettes are so cheerful and inspiring! There are so many things you can do with this size and weight of fabric, for example ...

We have a limited quantity, so grab yours before they are gone!

Art by the Yard: Women Design Mid-Century Britain

Sat, 03 Jul 2010 01:15:00 GMT

The Textile Museum in Washington DC has launched a new exhibit called Art by the Yard: Women Design Mid-Century Britain, now through Sept. 12 2010. The exhibit looks at post-war textile design in Great Britain, focusing on Lucienne Day (1917- 2010), Jacqueline Groag (1903-1985) and Marian Mahler (1911-1983). A tour through the exhibit would be a great way to learn more about the origins of mid-century modern. Many of their bold, abstract designs are still very popular.

From the exhibition description:

Incorporating dramatic saturated colors and bold motifs inspired by artists like Alexander Calder and Joan Miró, these young designers transformed the market by inspiring elegant yet affordable product lines that brought the world of contemporary art into everyone’s homes.

Wallpaper magazine reviewed the exhibit and put together a slideshow with a number of images from the collection, Lucienne Day in particular:

For those who don't live near DC or can't attend, the Textile Museum is selling copies of the exhibition catalog for only $25.

Dwell on Design this weekend

Thu, 24 Jun 2010 17:13:00 GMT

Dwell Magazine is hosting their annual Dwell on Design conference this weekend in Los Angeles. I won't be able to attend this year, but there are plenty of ideas and inspiration on their website for armchair attendees like me.

Here are a few of my favorites:

1. Top of the list, of course, is the Reclaimed Space house, with interiors designed by ecofabulous. The 400 sq ft house is constructed almost entirely of salvaged wood and fixtures. Furnishings include organic and recycled upholstery. Looks like a Mod Green Pod print on the armchair. Click the image for a video tour.

2. Tile patterns by Heath Ceramics. Collaborating with Dwell, this new line of ceramic tile is both modern and timeless.

3. Tenugui cloths from Keiko Shinomoto, co-owner of Tortoise and Tortoise General Store:

4. Dwell on Design will host an exhibit called Faces of Freedom by the RugMark Foundation. This exhibit aims to raise awareness about child labor in the South Asia rug-making industry. RugMark sponsors the "GoodWeave" child-labor-free certification program, which rescues and educates thousands of child laborers.

Hemp yarn is ideal for summer knitting

Tue, 27 Apr 2010 16:14:00 GMT

I've been eagerly awaiting the new crop of spring/summer knitting magazines and emails promoting new patterns for warmer weather. Lacy, airy designs are perfect for knitting with hemp!

AllHemp6 by Hemp for Knitting is a 6-ply yarn that's, well, all hemp. It's a great substitute for linen, which tends to be more expensive. Both are bast fibers so the knitting will be similar. Like linen, hemp has a beautiful drape, and it softens with each washing.

Hempathy by Elsebeth Lavold is also a great choice for light-weight knits. It's a slightly lighter yarn, also DK, and comes in some very lovely colors. White beach is my favorite, as it combines two similar colors of off-white, plied together to create a unique look.

For a sampling of patterns created specifically for Hempathy, Elsebeth Lavold's book Enchanted Garden is a great place to start. The designs are timeless and feminine, and each incorporates a lacework or textural technique that is sure to keep it interesting.

Happy summer knitting!

Knitting pattern books have arrived!

Tue, 23 Feb 2010 19:33:00 GMT

I'm a total pattern addict – there, I admitted it! – so I could barely contain myself when this first box of pattern books arrived. I found a quiet corner and took the time to look through each book, letting the inspiration flood over me. Even better than a fabulous yarn is a fabulous designer's patterns AND a pile of yarn – I always feel like I have a personal coach helping me create something that fits me well and expresses my own style.

I'm afraid my knitting queue just got a lot longer ...

I particularly love Elsebeth Lavold's Tilia, knit in Hempathy:

And Jane Ellison's Andean-inspired coat:

I'm a huge fan of small knitted creatures, especially strange ones, so I can't decide which I like better, Hugs or Larry the Llama:

These are just the first set of pattern books to join the shop. In the near future we'll have more patterns for knitting and sewing. Suggest a favorite in the comments!

Dangerous Japanese bookstore in SF

Fri, 05 Feb 2010 19:01:00 GMT

This place should come with a warning label. Caution! Leave your wallet at home!

I finally made it over to Kinokuniya in San Francisco. Oh my, what a crafty-book-lover's paradise! I won't say how much I spent, but suffice it to say I spent a good 2 hours salivating in the design and sewing sections.

They have such an incredible selection of Japanese sewing books and magazines:

And if that's not bad enough, an entire bookshelf of Bunka books, Pochee, etc:

For the eco-minded gift giver, and entire shelf of furoshiki cloths and pattern books:

It's officially time to learn some Japanese, at least enough to decipher the patterns.

And I would love to know what this magazine is really about.

New pattern for napkins, using printed hemp fabric

Sat, 30 Jan 2010 01:20:00 GMT

Here's a sweet, simple pattern for a set of napkins. It's a great gift idea, and a good way to practice a new technique. This pattern uses frayed edges and a zig-zag stitch detail. Use it as a jumping-off point to create your own design!

Ingredients:

one yard of hemp muslin and
one square of hand-printed hemp (this one is Grass by repeat studio).

1. Wash, dry and iron the fabric flat first -- before cutting! -- to account for any possible shrinkage.

2. Assume the napkin will be 20 inches square, not including hems. Cut a piece of the muslin to 20 inches by 16 inches. Cut the printed fabric to 20 inches by 5 1/2 inches.

3. Sew the printed piece to the plain piece along the long side, wrong sides together. Use a 3/4 inch or wider seam to allow room for fraying / distressing the edge.

4. Iron the seam open, so the "wrong" edges are on top of the napkin. Sew a straight line 1/4 inch from the each edge of the open seam. Then switch to a wide zig-zag stitch, and sew one long row of zigzag stitches in between the straight lines. The zig-zag seam will straddle the touching edges of the two fabrics.

5. Depending on your fabric, you can distress the edges a bit by pulling out threads. The hemp I used was more fray-resistant so I ended up pinking the edges of the open seam. You could also make small cuts into it every 1/2 inch or so. As long as the distressing looks intentional, it will be cool. Experiment and find what works.

6. Hem all 4 sides with a rolled 1/2 inch or smaller hem. Not the funnest part, I know, but it's a good chance to practice mitered corners!

7. Repeat 3 times.

Hemp skirt with raw edges

Wed, 16 Dec 2009 18:14:00 GMT

I'm even more in love with the finished product than I was with the pattern. This is a Vogue skirt (V8296) made in lovely berry-colored hemp/soy linen. It's cut on the bias to show off the lovely drape of this fabric. My favorite part: the raw edges of the fabric, lapped rather than seamed, which will fray and soften over time.

Here's a closeup of the raw edges detail:

I first fell in love with this design technique when I saw an evening gown made by Lanvin, sewn with gently fraying edges in a very sheer organza. Needless to say, the $1200 price tag wasn't in my budget, so I decided to make my own interpretation.

I found this article about frayed edges on Pattern Review, and was inspired to go for it. Threads magazine also featured raw edges in a 2006 article An Exposé on Deconstructed Seams.

The technique is not hard at all ... in some ways it's easier than finishing seams the traditional way. The trick is to make sure the raw edges don't have any jagged edges showing scissor marks from cutting out the fabric. You don't want the frayed edges to look messy or accidental. It reminds me of being a teenager in the 80's – we liked to mess up our hair, but only in a very specific way. Just having messed up hair wasn't cool, it had to be messed up with a lot of gel!

To finish, I trimmed the edges to be fairly straight (but still organic), then encouraged the fraying in a few places with a seam ripper. It will be interesting to see how the fraying changes with wear and time (I'll post an updated photo to show progress).

Picky eco-shoppers are no fun

Fri, 13 Nov 2009 21:43:00 GMT

Shopping is no fun anymore.

Last weekend I paid a visit to a new discount chain department store in town, to pick up some can't-make-it-myself staples (tights and sunglasses, to be exact).

While I was there I browsed around a bit, and was surprised and impressed by their new sweater styles. Many of the designs reminded me of my favorite modern knitting pattern designers -- there were boxy 40's-inspired cardigans, patterns incorporating horizontal and vertical ribbing sections, and lots of Anthropologie-esque shapes.

I stood in the aisle, admiring a little brown short-sleeved sweater. The thought crossed my mind that if I just bought it, right here, right now, it would save me many hours of knitting the other cute brown sweater at the bottom of my Ravelry queue. Plus, it was (like everything these days) 30% off. A new sweater, finished even, for only 30 bucks!

But I just couldn't enjoy it enough to take one home with me. Why?

I'm becoming impossibly snobbish about materials. Every one of those sweaters was acrylic, for one thing. When you've held and worn a sweater made of real yarn, created by your own hands, you can't help but notice the difference. Even though my eyes were saying "cute!", my hands were saying "yick".

The other problem is the price. A sweater for $30? Even though it's machine-made, with sewn side seams and not-that-great finishing, somebody still worked on this for a while (actually, the way most garment factories are run, each person works on only one part -- sewing on the pockets, for example -- all day long). If the store can sell it for $30, that probably means they paid $15 or $20, and after subtracting distributors, freight, etc, the factory probably got a few bucks. So what about the person who sewed it? I just don't feel good about saving money on that kind of thing anymore.

I'm no Rockefeller, and I do like to watch my budget. But cheap clothing makes me feel like I'm getting away with something. Kind of like skipping out on a restaurant bill. It's becoming a real problem. I'm no fun to shop with anymore!

Unless you come with me to shop for yarn, fabric or patterns. (Or a stroll through Barney's.) Now we're talking!

"Organic" as a design aesthetic

Thu, 22 Oct 2009 23:02:00 GMT

When you think "organic" in the context of clothing or home accessories, does a particular image come to mind? What does that object look like, and feel like? How colorful is it? How embellished?

I find it very interesting to observe that as awareness of organic materials grows, and we find more organics on the consumer market, a certain sense of "organicness" in design is developing in parallel.

Design-wise, "organic" appears to mean:

muted colors (inspired by natural dye colors, even though plant dyes are not always used on organic materials). Cream rather than white; little use of black; earth-tones rather than jewel tones.
- West Elm organic bedding
- Crate & Barrel organic towels

modern, understated motifs (stylized bamboo leaves are a big hit, as are hand-drawn flowers, blades of grass, and any sort of open linework)
- Bed, Bath & Beyond crib bedding

in prints, palettes are often restricted to just a few colors

Japanese-inspired elements (which I suppose is part of the style favoring "Zen" simplicity)
- Gingko leaf sheets from the Company Store

Certainly some of this is obvious, and understandable: many organic textiles use natural basecloths, hence the cream color; plant-based dyes are emulated, if not actually used; and nature-oriented motifs are a good match to a product that aims to raise awareness about organic materials. (Not to mention it's still hard to find organic fabrics that aren't beige!)

However, don't we limit ourselves if we follow this aesthetic too closely? If consumers only see earth-toned clothing or bamboo-themed sheets, aren't we making "organic" into a style as well as a material? If we stay too close to this "eco-aesthetic", couldn't it prevent organics from making the jump into mainstream culture?

Perhaps there's a twinge of insecurity in this: in order to sell something as "organic", we have to make it look organic too -- otherwise it won't differentiate on the shelf from the conventional items on either side of it, and won't justify the higher price.

Understandable, but limiting.

So let's go out there and make hot-pink, sequin-strewn T-shirts that just happen to be made of hemp or organic cotton. Because the fiber is good for us, and good for the planet, and the design is whatever it needs to be... working with the materials, but not determined by them.

Here are a few of my favorite designers who do interesting things with organics:

Sewing with the modern woman: nostalgia for creativity

Wed, 07 Oct 2009 21:28:00 GMT

At my local funky used bookstore this weekend, I picked up this awesome $2 find: a "modern" sewing manual from 1932. "Sewing Secrets" introduces all the basics of professional sewing for the modern woman. Sigh ... it makes me nostalgic for a time when creative ability was an expected part of life.

"Our Grandmothers and Victorian Great Aunts hoped that their becoming costumes would appear to be happy accidents, and perhaps they were. The modern woman does not leave the matter to chance, nor does she waste time on sentiment about her stitchery and fine needle work. It is smart and becoming clothes that she wants and smart, well-finished things for the house. If all her reasons for sewing could be boiled down, that and her instinct for creative work would be the essence of them."

This book dates from a time when a woman HAD to sew if she wanted to afford the dresses she saw on the silver screen or in magazines. Sewing was practical: a way to save money AND get the style she wanted.

The booklet is packed with sweet line drawings of all the skills you need to sew your own wardrobe.

Embroidery stitches:

Different finishes for seams:

And the slightly creepier section on "Seven secrets of the professional furrier":

About 30 years ago, with the export of garment production to countries like China, the price of clothing in US and European stores began to drop through the floor. Now you can go shopping every weekend and spend $20 for a pair of jeans. No matter that they don't last through the year because they are made so cheaply; we aren't interested in keeping clothes in our wardrobes like the "modern woman" of 1932. We now live in an age that can afford disposable fashion.

To me, the saddest thing about all of this is summed up in the first paragraph of this booklet: the modern woman sews because of "her instinct for creative work".

In today's world of cheap fashion, we have lost our sense of creative expression. In choosing to shop based on whatever is on sale at the mall, we give up our freedom of choice. We buy what is already picked out for us. So few people today understand the thrill that comes from creating your own piece of clothing. Even a simple pattern is made personal by the choice of fabric, the last-minute whim to add a bit of embellishment, the satisfaction of solid craftsmanship.

As the anonymous writers of the booklet summarize: "It is her awareness of her self and her exact needs that helps her most when she goes forth to choose patterns and buy fabrics." Let us "go forth" with that same awareness!

How perfect do you need your project to be?

Fri, 02 Oct 2009 17:57:00 GMT

Consider for a moment … when you begin a new craft project, what "mind" do you bring to the making of it? Do you strive for perfection (every stitch in place, every seam straight)? Do you follow the pattern as if you’re trying to get an A?

Do you find yourself reading and rereading the instructions, losing the feeling for the big picture amid the details of its execution?

This weekend I found myself stressing about a new sweater I started knitting for myself — worrying if I like the color, whether it will fit me, whether the cables will lie flat, and whether it will turn out how I imagine it, or look like some funky handmade hippie thing.

Then I asked myself, does it really matter? Yes, I spent money on the yarn, and yes, it takes a long time to finish a project so “you might as well do it right”.

The old, familiar argument: do a "good job" or you’re wasting time and money.

But if I was really looking for a perfect fit and good value, wouldn’t I just go out and buy a sweater that I can try on first? The logic doesn’t hold up. I must have another reason for choosing to make a garment myself.

Then I remembered something a friend told me: it’s not what you’re doing that matters in the grand scheme of things, but how you are doing it.

What you’re making isn’t going to be important in 5 or 10 years, but what mind you bring to the project is: were you annoyed/frustrated/seeking perfection, or relaxed/breathing/enjoying the process. Because the process of creating is also a process of learning. What’s the point of investing your time if you just teach yourself aggravation rather than appreciation?

The knitting project is a good metaphor for other life events too. How you approach “it” (a work situation, a relationship issue, home repair, health, whatever) deserves as much consideration as the details of the “it” (and in the long term, this is where the rewards come from).

How to get started sewing

Thu, 01 Oct 2009 20:20:00 GMT

Often when I mention to someone that I know how to sew, they look at me with awe and amazement, as if I've mastered the art of hovering in mid-air. Or they'll sigh wistfully and say "I wish I'd learned", as though they'd missed a train that comes by only once in a lifetime.

I don't know how the craft of sewing acquired such mystery and trepidation, but believe me, it's really not that hard! If you know how to set up the machine and sew a straight seam, there are so many things you can do in such a short time. Add a curved seam, darts, or a zipper to your repertoire, and you're halfway to Project Runway.

So if you're in the wish-I-could-sew camp, here's how to get started.

First thing, BEFORE buying your own machine and all the stuff that goes with it, take a class! Sewing classes are becoming more popular, and shouldn't be that hard to find. Check your local independent fabric store first. If they don't have classes, try a chain craft store. In person classes are best, but if that just isn't going to work, you could try an online or video-based course. Here are a few:
- Burda Style: Learning How to Sew
- Sewing Tutorials: a tremendous collection of techniques and examples
- Craftster list of sewing tutorials
- YouTube videos for beginning sewing
After you're confident that you know how to thread the needle, use the foot pedal, and sew a straight seam, now you can go shopping. My advice is to start with an inexpensive, used machine. No need to spend hundreds on a complicated machine that can do all sorts of tricks. My machine is a simple, old Kenmore that I got at a sewing & vacuum store for $100, about 10 years ago. It has just a few kinds of stitches, no computer, nothing fancy ... and it does just fine. Locally, try sewing & vac stores, or a fabric store. Emphasize that you want a used good one, not a cheap new one. Craigslist is another good option.
Now that you have the means, you need the materials. My mantra with sewing (as with knitting, cooking, and many other arts) is that quality materials make a big difference. If you're a beginning fabric shopper, you may be drawn to the discount section, and come home with a pile of polyester before you realize it. Remember, the sewing creates the shape, but the fabric creates the texture, the feel on the skin, the flow around the body, etc. Choose wisely, and don't be afraid to ask for guidance.

Note: when you're just getting started, it's a good idea to practice a new pattern first, before cutting and sewing your high-quality fabric. Fabric stores sell inexpensive muslin (thin, undyed cotton fabric) just for this purpose. It's just a few dollars a yard, and well worth it. When you sew a muslin you learn your way through the pattern, so when you sew it the second time with the real thing, you'll be much happier with the result. Here's a great video explanation of how to sew a muslin from CraftStylish.
Finally, get involved! Whether in your community or online, get out there and get in touch with other people who share your enthusiasm about this addictive craft. Here are just a few of the many online crafting & sewing communities you can join.
- Burda Style
- Pattern Review
- Sew What's New
- Craftster
- CRAFTzine community

These communities give you a chance to share questions, notes about your work, and photos of your finished projects. It's so inspiring to see what others are working on -- and pretty soon you'll be out there sharing your own expertise!

Baby blanket drive for Project Night Night

Wed, 30 Sep 2009 23:10:00 GMT

If you're a crafty person living in the Bay Area, my friend Khadija over at Barakah Life is conducting her annual Sew Giving baby blanket drive. Blankets will be given to Project Night Night to distribute to children in homeless shelters.

Please check it out ... they'd love your help!

Good at geometry? Take a look at a zero-waste pattern layout.

Wed, 30 Sep 2009 23:12:00 GMT

Eco-conscious readers already know that the garment industry has a lot of issues when it comes to environmental and social concerns. Aside from the question of which fibers are used and how they are dyed, another BIG problem in the industry is waste.

If you've ever cut out a pattern to sew your own garment, you're familiar with the little scraps that are left over in the process (sometimes they are pretty big). Home sewers have no problem adding scraps to the stash and finding creative uses for them ... but imagine multiplying that pile of scraps by hundreds of thousands, if not millions! Most of those fabrics can't be composted, so it's a huge problem.

Enter the new movement in the fashion design world of 'zero-waste' pattern design. It's quite amazing to imagine that all pieces of a pattern can be fit onto one rectangular piece of fabric with NO waste.

Below is an image from designer Timo Rissanen's blog, discovered via Fashion Incubator: these two articles go in to depth on the subject, so if you're interested I recommend reading both, and their comments.

It's so encouraging that forward-thinking designers are considering not just the final design, but also the impact of the design and what is left behind. I'm sure this adds a new level of challenge to an already difficult art. Impressive!

Maybe pattern companies will catch on and start designing dress patterns with minimal waste as well. Of course, then the quilting scrap pile would suffer (but I'm sure we'll manage).