Eco Gifts- Hot Water Bottles

That particular time of the year is approaching fast.  People are stressing out about what to buy for each other and end up getting something completely random and unwanted. One thing to take in to consideration is how much we buy around Christmas and how much of it goes pretty much straight to the bin -or the charity shop – best case scenario.

Consider getting something secondhand, remade, upcycled, organic or edible. I have been covering some hot water bottles with old woolen jumpers. You can make these pretty easily yourself or you can buy them in Shaboutique.

Lets consume a little less this Christmas shall we?

 

Jeans Customisation and Repair Service

Have you got a pair of old jeans that you love and are holding on to even though they are in shreds? Why not give them a second life by having them customised and repaired to your own specifications.

This is Brian’s bum. His favourite jeans were falling apart so we added a few patches which gave them a subtle splash of colour.

Want yours done? Get in touch!

Screen Printing and Bleach Dyeing

I have always wanted to have a go at screen printing.  Of course it had to be creepy crawlies.

We developed three different images. Stag beetle, rain beetle and a flying ant.

Before printing I sprayed some of the t-shirts with a bleach+water solution for more depth. Here are the results.

 

Summer Collection

Ethnic Prints and Folky Fabrics.

For the summer I wanted to create a collection that was vibrant and casual but using some more traditional fabrics. The lovely Chloe is my model and the award winning Naomi from Namnam’s did the face painting.

South American Cloth.

This was a table runner that became this easy fit dress.

African Print.

This lovely piece of fabric was used as a curtain by my ex housemate Rebecca. When she moved out I re-purposed it into an A-line dress. Apparently the print is for a women’s vote  campaign.

Baggy Trousers.

This fabric was salvaged from a pair of trousers that I unpicked. I love the vibrant colours of this print.

Indian Embroidery.

This piece of cloth just came to me, like most bits of fabric do. Not sure if it used to be anything in a previous life.  There was just enough to make this cheeky number out of it.

Bed Cover.

This was an Indian cotton bed throw that I cut in half and made two dresses from. Boned for extra support.

 

Hand Embellished Hat and Jacket

Made to Order Luxury Jacket and Hat.

Kim works for the sustainability team at the Council. She wanted me to make her a striking stage outfit. We decided on a blue-purple colour palette.  I think I got a little carried away with the beading. Hours and days later I stopped. She was very pleased with the outcome and had great comments from the crowd. Yay!