Thursday 2 August 2007

the fourth r

Reduce, re-use, recycle - I try to do all of these things. But where does reproduce fit in with all of this? Having a child has made me reflect on how much I use - how much electricity, how much water, how much petrol. In 15 years time when I tell baby bear that in 2007 we used to shower once a day what will her reaction be?

"Only once a day?" or "Once a day?! You mean every single day?"

I fear that it will be the latter (but given that she will then be a teenager it is more likely to be "Yeah, so?"). For all the chatter on the radio about climate change and what to do about the Murray-Darling basin, there are people out there doing something about their consumption. I am very inspired by the collaborative Wardrobe Refashion blog and have signed up for a two-month pledge for both baby bear and I:
I pledge that I shall abstain from the purchase of "new" manufactured items of clothing,
for the period of two months. I pledge that I shall refashion, renovate, recycle
pre-loved items for myself with my own hands in fabric, yarn or other medium
for the term of my contract. I pledge that I will share the love
and post a photo of my refashioned, renovated, recycled, crafted or created
item of clothing on the Wardrobe Refashion blog,
so that others may share the joy that thriftiness brings!


I love to op shop and have done since my early teens. There was a lull there before baby bear came along but now that I am home with a bit more time on my hands I have gotten right back into it, for the whole family.

























These are some items that I have bought at the op shop in the past couple of months. The cardigan on the left is a wool/acrylic/polyamide mix and I am planning to use the sleeves to make some pants for baby bear as per this tutorial. From the back and fronts I would like to try and fashion a simple dress. I don't usually go for synthetics but I loved the pattern and colours in this cardigan and it will wash and wear well. The top on the right is again something where the fabric caught my eye - it was one of those moments when I feverishly reached out and grabbed the hanger tightly lest someone else get their hands on it in an otherwise empty op shop. Unfortunately, it doesn't actually fit me but I think that with some shirring I could turn the lower part into a dress for baby bear using the ties as straps, then perhaps a pair of matching bloomers using the fabric from the bodice and sleeves. That will require a pattern and some patience but I'm game.

There will be much more on this blog about op shopping, and hopefully about some of the crafty things that I get up to with my finds. Perhaps I could even inspire you to join in at Wardrobe Refashion?

3 comments:

Anonymous said...

you perfectly describe that moment when ones spies a "gem" and hopes no one else has seen it!

62cherry said...

i loooove the green fabric, can't wait to see what you come up with

Full of Heart said...

Just as I get anxious when you spot that perfect item and have to grab it quickly, I sometimes get anxious when someone is in the same row that i'm in searching in! I think have this fear that they'll find the one great thing in that row, and they'll have taken my chance at finding it because they're on the other side!! Yes, I'm quite paranoid. Thankfully I have quite different taste than most other people thrifting!