By Faith Delozier 1/11/24
Re-Loving the Unwanted
Using upcycled materials in my work makes the world an abundant source of interesting possibilities. Everything suddenly becomes more interesting and almost alive with potential. A shower curtain isn't just something to pass over at the thrift store because it could be a bunch of dress-up capes or a backpack. That bright orange plastic netting from my clementines isn't just a nuisance piece of garbage I have to throw away, it's something that has a useful purpose just waiting to be discovered as part of a washable sponge. Nothing is simply what is seems, because everything has the ability to be reinvented, repurposed, re-loved if I just slow down long enough to see everything it could still be. Over the past few years, I have played with a lot of re-purposed materials and I love looking at a rejected shirt or a holey sweater and imagining what it will be in its second life. This re-imagining is actually my favorite part of the creative process of upcycling. Transforming something unwanted, maybe a little boring or drab, something usually considered garbage, finding the beauty or usefulness in these things and making it into something unique and special is a magic I never get tired of. I am always excited to take on the adventure of a new material to play with, but I have also settled into the materials I love creating with and find myself coming back to again and again, whether to create the same product or dream up something fresh.
I love a good button down shirt (especially when its flannel) whether to wear or to upcycle. This is the first material that caught my attention for repurposing, in part because of some inspiration I has cultivated with a mentor for sleeve pants, and also because of the limitless colors and patterns available to play with. From stripes to plaid, flowers and paisley,
and the occasional palm tree or sail boat. While I don't always consider men's fashion to be all that fun, the button down shirt is the one garment that breaks all the rules. Creamsicle oranges, juicy pinks, royal purples, an entire rainbow of stunning color. It's literally my favorite rack at the thrift store.
The baby shirt sleeve pants and children's button down dresses are the first upcycled products on made to sell. I was working with a mentor who had a dream for an upcycled children's brand and we developed these two items together. The idea was perfect to feed my imagination at the time. I was home raising my 2 year old daughter with a second baby on the way. Working out the kinks for the pants template took some time and I loved being able to test out variations on my 2 year old. Even after several years and many other upcycled designs, these two are still my
favorite. Not only are the adorable, but I love the versatility of each which allows for more wearing and less waste. The pants are roomy so fit in the waist as the child grows and makes a super cute crop pant while the button down dress can start as a dress and be
worn as a shirt later. There is literally an entire childhood of outfits in this dress.
Part of creating sustainably for me means also leaving a little waste behind as possible post production. This results in piles of scraps tucked everywhere around my studio because I can't not see potential in every scrap, no matter how small. I like to store scraps by size (approximately), so larger remnants that I could make smaller items from or cut strips for fabric twine, middle sized scraps that I can use for patchwork or when I need small amount of a material (maybe a pocket on a button down dress!), then small scraps that I use in patch working. And we're not done yet because the tiny scraps can be used for filler! Like I said, it all has the potential to be useful for something! However, it can be hard for me to process all the scraps I create (plus I also get scrap donations) so I do have to cull through the lot every once in a while...and it kills me. I've developed a lot of my designs around scrap busting which is how the patchwork pullovers were born. Quilting isn't something I've done much with during my years of sewing, and generally speaking, I have no interests in making quilts or working with finicky patterns, but I really to enjoy piecing together these mini colorful crazy quilts for pullovers. Since I started making these a couple of years ago, they have become my entire personality. Styling them is so fun as they look great so many different ways and through most of the year.
My other favorite scrap buster is making fabric twine. During the winter, I love to get cozy with a movie and a blanket and do handwork, so this is when I make a lot of my twine. It's a relatively simple process of taking long strips of fabric and using a specific twisting technique that creates a gorgeous colorful fabric rope. However, it is definitely how I'm ending up with carpal tunnel in the future. I have lots of ideas for using twine in the future, but so far have really enjoyed making it into small baskets that are perfect for storing small trinkets or using as gift baskets.
Fabric textiles are the most obvious
materials to upcycle, but I have tried to expand my imagination to include other materials that are commonly available but usually end up as garbage. A couple of years ago, I found myself throwing away plastic netting from my clementines on a weekly basis. I started
feeling really guilty about all this plastic waste I was creating and believing that anything can be given a new purpose, I tackled the challenge of finding a way to use this material for something useful. When I thought of making a washable sponge, I really didn't have a
clear idea on how to make something like that. It took a few prototypes
to work out a really usable product that not only reduces waste by using repurposed materials, but also replaces a disposable product with something that can be washed and used again and again. Due the moisture and food particles trapped in sponges, it's actually recommended to replace them everyone 1 to 2 weeks! I love that
instead of replacing my sponges that often, I can wash weekly and reuse for months!
This was not the last time I raided my
kitchen waste for materials though. My attention soon turned to all the plastic cereal bags going into the trash and felt there must be a way to divert some of those too. If you have had babies or spent time with babies, you've probably noticed all the fun different noise and
sensory experiences that baby toys can provide, especially that really satisfying crinkly crunchy sound in a fabric book page or stuffed animal. Cereal bags reminded me of those experiences, so with a good wash and some remnants of various fun textures and colors, I
made puzzle balls, adding some pieces of the bag in the different sections for that oh so amazing ASMR crinkle. Not going to lie, I find this ball very therapeutic to play with.
This is only a brief look into some of my favorite materials and ways I have enjoyed using them. I might have to do a part two down the road. I am currently in my quiet time of year with no market events happening and taking a break from sewing lessons and custom orders, so I have been doing a lot of planning toward new ideas for how I want to continue to play with some of these materials as well as hoping to experiment with some new ones as well. There is always more to imagine, more materials to rescue and new ways to use them. And maybe you will also start to look at the materials in your house with a new perspective! What might you repurpose instead of throw away. Everything has potential to be something new!
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