The shaky, shaky global economy is looming large in the collective consciousness, and I am sure that you, like me, are feeling the pinch a little, or maybe a lot. I am going to say this is a post about green issues, and recycling, and ways to consume less. It is. But it is also a post about knitting, which, other than yoga, is my way to stay sane and centred. Knitting, especially the knitting of simple things, is much like using a rosary or mala – you slide stitches from one needle to the other and think your thoughts, and after a while you aren’t thinking any more, just…being. What a relief!
Now to the green issue, in particular the making of one’s own clothes.
It’s a good idea because:
- You know the item wasn’t mass produced.
- You only have to worry about the ethics of the yarn or fabric production (shorter supply chain, less complicated.)
- You know the person making it (you) lives in enough comfort and safety to make clothes as a hobby. No sweatshops here.
- You value the item more because you worked hard on it, and are therefore less likely to have a throwaway mentality regarding it.
And the recycling of clothes – well, this skirt in the pic below is just an awkward length. OK for conservative Chennai, but at home, whenever I put it on, I feel the proportions are wrong. I feel like a frump unless I wear it with high heels and a tight top.
So I combined knitting, pattern from Twinkle’s Weekend Knits, and that skirt, and voila:
Completely new outfit. Right proportions. Yay!
I knitted this a while ago; I am mostly just knitting toys for children in need right now – that’s what my ‘ Granny Group’ does, and since I only seem to knit when we meet up, that’s what I knit. The toys benefit the charity Seconds to Give, started by some folks in their living rooms and continuing in that way, growing from strength to strength. They are a very inspiring bunch of karma yogis.
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Another great thing about knitting with good yarn is that when you get tired of what you’ve knit, you can just unravel it and knit something new (wind the yarn in loopy hanks, soak it in cool water and let it hang dry to remove the kinks). Recycling AND saving money!
P.S. The dress is adorable and definitely NOT frumpy!
If you don’t mind my saying so, that second photo is truly award winning. Stunningly beautiful! Thanks, also, for the tip on knitting for kids toys. I’ll definitely check that out–as the temperatures will begin to drop here in the northern hemisphere soon, knitting will come back into my life.
Love,
KK
Lovely lovely dress. Yoga teacher and fashion designer! I totally love your 4th point (really all of them), but there was a time when people valued their clothing because of the reason you mention. Right now I am facing buying some new clothing for working outside the home, and I am just turned off by everything I see … I’d rather wear old because it is mine and I like it. Whereas a lot of the fashions today will be gone later … very impersonal look. We’ll see what happens. I need a few new things, but am being creative in my approach! Thanks for this outstanding post. Thanks for link to Seconds to Give to.