fairdare
  • blog
  • Fairdare
  • ethical brands
  • zero-waste
  • zero-waste meals
  • about

indigo + love

10/12/2015

0 Comments

 
Picture
this is the story of a dress.  a year or two ago i saw an image of a dress that i thought i could recreate.  i started with sew liberated's schoolhouse tunic pattern and some ivory brussels washer linen/rayon fabric.  (i've gotten quite a bit of use out of that pattern over the years, and i love the drape of brussels washer for clothing…though i'm not too enamored with the color palette personally.)  with some pattern modifications and a bit of sewing, i ended up with a dress that looked a lot like the picture + i liked it. :)
Picture
this spring i hemmed the dress to just above the knee rather than just below the knee.  i really like wearing my dress in the spring, but i felt like i could get more wear out of it if it wasn't such a light color.  i'd always had in mind that i could dye the dress if i spilled something on it or sat in something.  yup, that's how i think…it alleviates the fear that might keep me from wearing it otherwise.  :)
Picture
​indigo has become one of my favorite colors...not original, i know...but it was what i wanted for this dress.  the jacquard kit wasn't really my first choice, because i don't think it gets the same depth or quite the same color as natural indigo.  after looking around, however, it just felt right for this project considering amount of supplies and price.
Picture
a few other items were gathered in order to make good use of the vat and then i went for it.  this is not the most zero waste endeavor, honestly.  there is a bit of plastic in the packaging...i was not able to find the kit locally, so had to have it mailed...and it's not exactly all natural.  i do feel like it was a good way to get more use out of my simple wardrobe though.
Picture
before
Picture
after
slowly fashioning this dress from concept to pattern tweaking to sewing to altering to dyeing has been spread over a couple of years.  that time has allowed me to get to know this piece of clothing and feel that it is totally "me".  time doesn't always accomplish that, because sometimes the vision doesn't become reality.  i don't honestly feel more attached to this piece of clothing because of the time spent with it... i've become somewhat unattached to material things over the years of simplifying.  what has happened is that i have come to value what i have more...and i want to make what i have work for me…for longer…because i know that material things have an impact on the earth.  that fabric, thread, and dye took resources to make.  the dress is a useful object and one that i feel quite good wearing.  i want to keep it in use for as long as possible, because it displaces the need for more…more resources, more pollution, more production, more transport, more consumption, more waste.  it is a dress.  it is useful.  i like it and will wear it.  there is value in what it is…and what it is not…and that, for me, is something to love. 
more love,
​jane

p.s. there is a whole community of crafters talking about slow fashion this october.  i invite you to take a slow stroll around and be inspired like i am. :)
0 Comments

Your comment will be posted after it is approved.


Leave a Reply.

    Picture
    on a journey toward zero-waste, simplicity, + compassion :: daring to choose fair one choice at a time
    Picture
    Picture


    categories

    All
    Fair Brands
    Fairdare
    Garden
    Made
    Reads
    Simple Budget
    Simple Holidays
    Simple Home
    Simple Wardrobe
    Simply Said
    Sustainable Self
    Wanderings
    Yum
    Zero Waste

    archives

    March 2023
    February 2023
    January 2023
    December 2022
    November 2022
    October 2022
    September 2022
    August 2022
    July 2022
    June 2022
    May 2022
    April 2022
    March 2022
    February 2022
    January 2022
    December 2021
    November 2021
    October 2021
    September 2021
    August 2021
    July 2021
    June 2021
    May 2021
    April 2021
    March 2021
    February 2021
    January 2021
    December 2020
    November 2020
    October 2020
    September 2020
    August 2020
    July 2020
    June 2020
    May 2020
    April 2020
    March 2020
    February 2020
    January 2020
    December 2019
    November 2019
    October 2019
    September 2019
    August 2019
    July 2019
    June 2019
    May 2019
    April 2019
    March 2019
    February 2019
    January 2019
    December 2018
    November 2018
    October 2018
    September 2018
    August 2018
    July 2018
    June 2018
    May 2018
    April 2018
    March 2018
    February 2018
    January 2018
    December 2017
    November 2017
    October 2017
    September 2017
    August 2017
    July 2017
    June 2017
    May 2017
    April 2017
    March 2017
    February 2017
    January 2017
    December 2016
    November 2016
    October 2016
    September 2016
    August 2016
    July 2016
    June 2016
    May 2016
    April 2016
    March 2016
    February 2016
    January 2016
    December 2015
    November 2015
    October 2015
    September 2015
    August 2015
    July 2015
    June 2015
    May 2015
    April 2015
    March 2015
    February 2015
    January 2015
    December 2014
    November 2014
    October 2014
    September 2014
    August 2014
    July 2014

    all images by jane unless otherwise noted. copyright 2023.
    subscribe via email

    RSS Feed

    Follow