Meet the Maker - Bella Lane

I am delighted to present highly skilled and beautiful lady Bella Lane for my next 'Meet the Maker' series of blog posts. Bella is a master Peruvian embroiderer and also Royal School of Needlework trained.

My path crossed with Bella at the Knitting & Stitching show where we were both teaching. I was very happy when she agreed to start offering her hand embroidery classes at Fabrications about a year ago. Her 2 forthcoming embroidery classes take place on Saturday May 13th - " Learn hand embroidery applique & stitch an Arpilleras of Peru " & "Learn hand embroidery & stitch an Andean rose ". A unique treat for beginners and existing embroidery enthusiasts as these mini master classes focus on Peruvian embroidery techniques, culture and history.

Tell me and the readers a little about yourself and what drew you to focus on embroidery?

My journey in embroidery started 40 years ago in the heart of the rain forest of Peru and it has been an incredible journey to reach this stage were I’m available to deeply understand the art of hand embroidery and the art of using it to express and inspire others by stitching, embroidering for professional use, fun, therapy, healing or just experimenting. I have been in the professional embroidery world for 10 years now and have worked with so many people and companies through commissions here in London which was a great springboard for pushing and extending the traditional professional training I had received for full three years. As well I have been teaching all kinds of embroidery workshops, for individuals groups her in UK and abroad, and still do this whenever I can. Stitching two pieces of cloth or stitching a single button really stops the busy world around us and really can connect us with our ancestors who at some point of their lives also stitched the same things without thinking that needles, threads and cloth will be with us forever, generation by generation.  Technology will move fast but we always will depend on the needle and threads, these items never will die as we do. This is what draws me in to the world of hand embroidery. When I'm working with needle and threads, my mind is transported to another place, a place that can be beautiful, peaceful, intense and challenging and my love for needlework and embroidery has helped me to produce magnificent pieces of embroidery, many of them were recognised with Awards.

 

You are a master Peruvian Embroiderer and also adept in English embroidery! How do the techniques compare?

Needle and thread is the common connection between English and Peruvian embroidery, I love both of them. In Europe we work with the finest threads, cloth and tools; in Peru we work with what we have. Peruvians love very bright colours, in England we like more subtle colours.  These choices are affected by our culture, history, weather, and so many other factors, even our language.  As we are in Great Britain, Peruvians are very proud of our ancient cultures. The rich textile heritage that the ancient peoples of Peru have bequeathed to us gives us so much to learn and enjoy, not just in embroidery but for all art forms. Those attributes are an invaluable contribution that Peru has to offer, not only for their own people but for everyone who is interested in textiles and art. I consider myself so fortunate to belong to both places. These days I am a British and Peruvian citizen. Always I'm delighted when people in Peru ask me teach them English embroidery techniques, and when I'm in UK I am very happy teaching Peruvain embroidery.  It is such a valuable asset to have these two cultures at once.

 

What is an 'Arpilleras of Peru’ ? 

 Arpilleras in Peru is the modern approach to textiles embellished with recycled or unwanted fabrics, stitched with bright coloured threads. In other words, it is a form of Peruvian applique. The creation of Apilleras started in 1974 in Chile, a year after Augusto Pinochet came to power.  During this time friends, brothers, husbands and other members of the family disappeared, and were never found again. The wives and dependents of the ‘disappeared’ were left in poverty, so they started to stitch poignant Arpilleras pieces in memory of their loved ones and as a silent protest against Pinochet’s government. These pieces were so beautiful and evocative that they soon became very popular, and visitors began to collect them; soon after they started to export the work to all America and Europe.  Our next class with Arpilleras will be a 'beginner Arpillera project'. Participants will learn technical stitches, design composition and execution of their own Arpillera creation. It is a great opportunity to join us and start an amazing personal journey of creating scenes from Peru or your own locale with cloth and threads with the concept of using pieces of recycled and upcycled textiles. After completion students can apply the same techniqus to their own small or large projects at home.  

 

What is the significance of the 'Andean rose’ ?  How did it come into being and how are they used?

Andean people love flowers and wild life. They stitch all year around their own costumes, and items for sale with floral and animal designs with bright colours for the Andean Festivities. Flower designs are the principal theme of the ladies' skirts and blouses called “Polleras”.

“Andean Rose” is the given name of a full day or 3 hours master class embroidery workshop. This workshop and this floral Rose design ‘kit' is the principal design for mastering and learning the art of some Peruvian Andean Embroidery techniques. After class participants can finish their pieces at home and apply and incorporate the techniques in their own work.

Thank You Bella! I am looking forward to your next workshops at Fabrications and hope dear reader you can also join! To book your place, Contact Fabrications, Hackney, East London

 

Happy Newvember!

I am really excited to be involved with so many resourceful events and initiatives this month helping us to make the most of what we already have, be less wasteful and prolong or breathe new life into our belongings (and mindsets!) I hope you can join Fabrications at one of the following events! 

Hackney Fixers proudly presents 'The BIG Fix' 

Hackney's first festival of fixing! At St Mark's Church, Dalston, Saturday 21st November, 11am - 4pm

There is an impressive line up of experienced fixers to help you and teach you how to repair all kinds of items: electrical goods, electronics, clothing, chairs, bikes and more! Start getting ready with your stuff! 

Fabrications: Bring along an item of clothing to refresh. Learn patching, darning, sewing and alterations.

The Restart Project: Their fixers work with you to repair your gardgets (including mobile phones, laptops, printers, kitchen appliances and more!)

Hackney Bike Workshop: Fix your bicycle. Safety check, tyre check & pump up. Brake & gear adjustment & lubrication.

The School of Stuff: Chair repair surgery. Get sdvice and learn techniques for fixing your chair.

Traid: Protect your winter wardrobe, make a natural origami moth deterrent 

Eco Active: Make useful wallets, bags & beads from recycled materials.

Sugru: Demos and ideas on ways to use this amazing 'mouldable glue' or '21st Century duck tape!' which has become a globable fixing phenomenum - manufactured in Hackney!

Sustainable Hackney and Hackney Council's recycling team will also be on hand to provide information on recycling, waste prevention and re use.

 

 The Upcycling Academy is back! This time we will be at the Christmas Bust 'Craftacular' 

at York Hall, Bethnal Green, Sunday 22nd November, 11am - 5pm

'Craftacular' is one of London's largest and finest indie maker events. 'The Upcycling Academy' is an educational model created by Barley Massey (Fabrications) in conjunction with Traid, War on Want and The Craftivist Collectrive. Our aim is to start conversations and feel inspired to adjust our actions through hands on learning into textile waste, creative upcycling and better fashion industry practises.
 

Create a sweater bobble hat with Traid – 12-2pm – £5 – book here
Customise a Christmas jumper with Fabrications – 2-4pm – FREE* (bring your own jumper or Traid will have some to prchase before the workshop)
Fuse activism with craft and write a secret scroll with Craftivist Collective – 3- 5pm – FREE

Up next is TRAID's  #SecondHandFirst week which celebrates the power of second-hand to change the world by keeping the resources we already have in use for longer. It was launched by TRAID in 2014 and their key aim is to increase the number of people committing to wearing and sourcing more of their clothes (and other resources) second-hand, rather than new. The week will be packed full of events and actions, both in the UK and across the globe, to connect you to the huge environmental and social benefits of second-hand. Join Fabrications for our special #SecondHandFirst 'Darn it! Patch it! PARTY  at Fabrications,  Thursday 26th November, 6.30 - 9pm

Want to 'Refresh your Wardrobe' and unlock it's value? This is a regular class at Fabrications, because we love to pass on clothing care & repair techniques and inspiration all year round! Check out our CALENDAR for up and coming workshops and events! 

Meet the Maker - It's David A Mumford!

I've not posted up a 'Meet the Maker' interview in a while, so thought it time I did so! This month's featured maker is David A Mumford, who I have known for many years but have had the privilege of working directly with at Fabrications over the last year both selling a selection of his upcycled fashion accessories and developing a range of sewing classes with him. Formerly one of the designers at Junky Styling, well known for their pioneering and creative approach to garment reinventions.

David has 2 classes coming up at Fabrications:

'Introduction to using a sewing machine & upcycling" on Sunday 21st June and 'Transform a man's shirt into a summer bomber jacket" on Sunday 26th July.

BM: Tell me a little about your design background?

DAM: Since I was a teenager I have had a passion for making clothes. It all began from not being able to afford to buy the clothes that I wanted to wear, and being able to express my own individual identity. I highjacked my Mothers sewing machine and started altering garments that I purchased at jumble sales and charity shops. This has led to a career in fashion that spans four decades.

BM: What are your favourite textiles to upcycle and why?

DAM: I enjoy upcycling all materials/garments as its always a challenge to find the best way of re-creating them, bringing them up to date and giving them a new lease of life. Men's suits and shirts are great, because they have lots of pockets and fastenings that you can re use.

BM: How do you find upcycling differs to traditional methods of garment making?

DAM: Upcycling differs because you are working with materials that already have a 3D form, and to a certain extent less restricted by the rules of traditional garment construction, enabling you to find your own methods of making and designing by experimentation. 

BM: What are you working on at the moment?

DAM: I am currently designing and producing a ready to wear collection of upcycled clothing under my new label D.A.M I also accept private bespoke commissions.  I frequently run a series of workshops in schools, colleges, as well as Fabrications to share my knowledge and expertise in Upcycling. This, promotes creativity and extends the life expectancy of already manufactured clothing.

BM: Having worked within the fashion industry for over 20 yrs, do you think upcycling offers a creative solution to reducing the environmental and social impacts of 'fast' fashion?

You can keep recycling/upcycling pieces of clothing over and over again. Well loved garments can always become something new and fresh. With a little imagination, you can create something inspiring and beautiful that you or any one else would never want to part with and send off to a landfill.

Yarn Shop Day! Come see us! Saturday 2nd May!

Following the success of last year’s event, Fabrications is pleased to announce that we will be participating in the national ‘Love Your Yarn Shop’ campaign, initiated by Let's Knit Magazine which aims to raise the profile of the value that bricks and mortar yarn stores bring to the local community. Part of the campaign includes ‘Yarn Shop Day’ taking place on Saturday 2^nd May.

On ‘Yarn Shop Day’, Fabrications will be hosting a ‘Close-Knit Community Knit-Tea Party’ open to all ages (from 7+) and all levels of crafter from 1:30-5:30pm. 

Flowers, leaves, and garlands will make up the creations for the day, which can be knitted or crocheted in detail with small needles and hooks or large on their unique MACRO knitting needles and French knitting wheels. All of the items created will be added to a flourishing knitted trellis installation on Fabrications shop front, so that everyone can admire them! 

Special Goody Bags are set to be available for the first 25 customers of the day to start off the event. Everything will be provided, from the materials to the food, with Fabrications lovely teachers on hand to help, so all you need to bring is you! Everyone is welcome to this free event, but space is limited, so be sure to book your spot NOW!. 

Participating in this exciting day is just the beginning of the celebration to mark Fabrications 15th birthday! 

It's Traid's #Secondhandfirst week!

I was invited to guest write on Traid’s blog this week, so thought I'd post up a copy with a few more pictures on my own blog as well! This week Traid has initiated the first hopefully of many  #Secondhandfirst week, jam packed with interesting activities encouraging us to take the #Secondhandfirst Pledge. It is a great great initiative which also highlights the ways we buy our clothes and a reminder of all the environmental and social problems in the textile and garment supply chain. We all have the capacity to affect these problems in positive ways as conscious consumers and citizens.

The volume of textile and clothing waste in the UK is quite staggering (Source WRAP: 350,000 tonnes of used clothing goes to landfill every year. 30% of our unwanted clothes goes to landfill. 60% of UK households have unwanted clothes & textiles at home) We are throwing away or just hoarding valuable resources!!

In the ‘Hierarchy of waste’; reduce and reuse are at the top of the pyramid. For me this way of thinking and being is very easy. I was brought up on a diet of second hand being careful. Hand me downs (or hand me ups!) was the norm without any shame or stigmas that today’s youngsters seem to feel. As a teenager (and continues to be so!) sourcing clothes from charity shops was fun, a great source of individuality, re styling possibilities and affordable! I still take advantage of Traid’s famous £2 sales!! As I enter my mid years I also appreciate the emotional durability of second hand, especially items from older relatives which hold memories, stories and history. Many vintage clothes were made to last too.

Care and repair is an important part of making our old clothes go further and re connecting with the joy in fixing and looking after items. Tired old clothes gives us an opportunity for re styling an item giving that buzz of wearing something completely different and you had a hand in making it happen! I have observed a skill shortage and lack of confidence in being able to do this. Back in the day these skills would have been passed on through the family or taught in school. This has motivated me to run regular classes in learning to sew and refreshing your wardrobe through simple alterations, mending, darning & embellishing and these classes are popular which is heartening!

Upcycling adds value through creativity and design. Items too damaged for re use present an opportunity for transformation. A few years ago I iinitiated ‘The Upcycling Academy’ to give young people the opportunity to experience a ‘Productive Line’ to re imagine a different approach to fashion, to create rather than consume. Partnering with Traid, War on Want & the Craftivist Collective, we each added ‘Values’ along the line.

Taking inspiration from ‘Cradle to Cradle’ thinking, imagine a garment circulating through many owners in its lifetime? (Truthfully many garments never reach their full potential in relation to resources, energy used to make and distribute the item)

I love the recent trend for Clothes Swapping or its older sister ‘Swishing’. Jo of Mrs Bears Clothes Swap tells me that that she has regulars who use her swaps to ‘rotate their wardrobe’ – brilliant!

Wonderfully TV programmes such as ‘The great British sewing Bee’ which added an upcycling / alteration challenge to the second series and ‘This old Thing’ (the vintage clothes show) have inspired the nation to look at old clothes and lost textile skills with a fresh passion. Even Coronation Street discussed the possibility of an ‘upcycled wedding’! It’s all good!

So now over to you dear reader! Get involved and feel inspired! There are a range of fun activities taking place during #Secondhandfirst week.

My next Fabrications craft club on Thursday 20^th November is a #Secondhandfirst themed evening with a clothes swap upstairs in the shop and revamp / mending session downstairs in the workshop. More information and Booking info.

P.S: All the featured projects in this post use clothing sourced from Traid!

Upcycling Inspiration - 5 ways to reinterpret a classic man's shirt

 

 Starting simple! Re shape and give it the feminine touch by adding darts and some embroidered patches, purchase pre made patches or make your own with 'free motion embroidery'. Check out my

'Introduction to garment Alterations' & 'Refresh your Wardrobe' classes!

The button openings on a shirt make them an ideal choice for simple cushion covers, as you don't have to insert a zip or create an overlap. Simple flatten out the shirt and cut a square through front and back of the shirt the size you want your cushion to be and stitch together. Take a step further and applique, decorate the plain side before assembly. You can learn how to make one and build your confidence on using a sewing machine in these classes!

'Provisional Driving' - introduction to using a sewing machine & 'Creative Making on the sewing machine'

 

Little bit more challenging but easy when you know how! Use 4 sleeves to make a lovely little summer skirt or 'Shkirt'! Simple cut along underarm seam to create 4 flat panels. Stitch together each panel from shoulder to cuff (check your waist measurement to determine seam allowance) Insert a zip into one of the seams. The cuffs give the skirt a natural waistband! Learn how to make one and improve your machine sewing skills on my....'Making the most of a sewing machine' (zips, buttonholes, binding & free motion embroidery) & 'Make your own stylish skirt from a shirt'

  Wonderfully, I am now working with the talented David Mumford at Fabrications, a very creative and skilled fashion designer and maker. David began designing and making clothes in the early 80's. He has run his own labels 'Nocturn' and 'Combination' as well as many years in the commercial fashion industry. Most recently (2004 - 2013) he was one of the designers of the pioneering upcycling clothing brand 'Junky Styling'. This year he set up his own brand D.A.M specialising in upcycled pieces (and on sale in Fabrications shop!)

David will be offering an Upcycling workshop in June on how to reinterpret a classic man's shirt into a unique garment. He will present a range of designs which workshop participants can choose from to create (suitable for men and women)  The designs will have no patterns and will be created using a step by step formula and assisted by David. Ranging from some items that have no cutting involved, through to basic cutting and machining. The techniques used will involve origami type folding, draping and the construction of different size square and rectangular pieces that fit together to become the fabric for the finished design.

Yarn Shop Day

Fabrications is proud to be a part of the 'Love your yarn shop' campaign. Initiated by Let's Knit and their sister magazine 'Let's get Crafting' the aim of the National campaign is to raise the profile of  bricks and mortar yarn stores, encouraging Crafter's to support their local yarn store and celebrate the value we offer beyond just selling wool! including personalised advice, ideas, expert recommendations, classes, socials, SOS (save our stitches!) and much more!

The campaign culminates with 'Yarn Shop Day' on Saturday 3rd May, when customers and local yarn stores all around the UK will join forces to spin a yarn and share their yarny love. Different shops will be hosting free workshops, promotions and inviting in knitting & crochet 'Ambassadors'.

How will Fabrications be celebrating Yarn Shop Day?

We will have an open house, offering free taster workshops in MACRO knitting, continental knitting and projects advice / SOS in our beautiful and welcoming Imaginerium craftspace. In conjunction with Stylecraft we are also offering Goody Bags - cotton bags containing yarns, haberdashery, knitting patterns to the first 40 Yarn Shop Day customers! Look out for our special window display too, which is going to spill out into the street!

Which Ambassadors will be with us on the day?

- Fabrications own Barley Massey will be sharing tips on MACRO knitting and making your own upcycled yarns
- Jill Bulgan, a regular adviser at our fortnightly Craft Club and teaches the 'progressing your knitting skills' classes will be available to offer some help with your projects and knitting dilemmas.
- Luise Roberts, author of numerous knitting and crochet books including 'First Knits' published by Collins & Brown (and on sale in our shop!) who informs me she loves to demo continental knitting as her party trick and is generously providing a free pattern of her Marilyn Monroe finger puppet for the goody bags!

Do I need to book?

Although it is free and drop in style, we'd be grateful if you could book in so we can accommodate you and ensure we have brewed enough tea and cake and prepared enough materials (for example you can make a MACRO knitted scarf) You can do this HERE!

Meet the Maker- it s Rosie Martin of DIY Couture!

I'm enjoying the opportunity to carry out mini interviews with the different makers I am fortunate to be able to work with at Fabrications. In this post I present the wonderful Rosie Martin.

I first met Rosie approx 4 years ago, when she visited the shop to show me her self published 'DIY Couture' garment instruction books. I was really impressed with her well illustrated, clear cut, step by step guides to making your own stylish clothes, without the complications of highly technical patterns. Wow! Really empowering for new stitchers, I thought. I instantly wanted to stock the books and have Rosie teaching her approach at Fabrications.

So subsequently, students have enjoyed learning how to make their own capes, trousers, scater skirts, waistcoats with Rosie s gentle guidance and this month she will be showing how to make a very simple gathered dress (suitable for beginners) or 'Grecian' dress for those of you that have seen Rosie's bumper DIY Couture book, published by Lawrence King (and on sale at Fabrications, of course!)

Barley : What inspired you to first start creating your DIY Couture instruction garment making books?

Rosie : I was a gung ho clothing maker as a teenager and experimented in making clothes without really using sewing patterns. I went through years of trial and error until I started to make clothing that looked socially acceptable – even pleasant – and when people started to comment positively on my clothing my reaction was to preach about the joys of sewing. I often found people were afraid of sewing, thinking it was out of their grasp, and I really wanted people to see that making clothes was in fact an accessible activity, not something you needed a degree to do. That’s how my picture based instructions were born.

Barley : Do you have a favorite garment or item you enjoy making?

Rosie : I love a good colourful bomber jacket and I do own a few too many homemade versions. I’ve designed a really simple jacket without set-in sleeves (instructions in my Laurence Kong book!) so it’s actually quite a fast project, meaning great satisfaction can be reached without too much toil!

Barley : What is your best and worst fabric to stitch with and why?

Rosie : I actually love sewing with sheer (transparent) fabrics as it presents challenges but is really satisfying. I hate sewing velvet. It has a mind of it’s own and mystical power over the sewing machine. I have recently got into applying interfacing and spray starch to fabric to change its essential properties. This means you can transform an unruly fabric into a fabric that does exactly what you tell it to. Ha! No fabric gets one over on me (apart from velvet!)

Barley : A little birdy told me you've been working behind the seams of  the 'Great British Sewing Bee' TV programme...what did you get up to?

Rosie : Ah yes, I have and it has been a lot of fun! I have the great pleasure of working with sewing guru Claire-Louise Hardy, the sewing producer of the ‘Bee. Amongst other things, I do the technical illustrations on the instructions the contestants follow when they are given the first challenge, so if they look confused you can probably blame me.

Barley : What words of advice can you offer new stitchers, who want to make their own clothes but perhaps are not sure about how to go about it?

Rosie : I’ve got a very hands-on approach so I would say pick something you really want to make and make it! There is an amazing world of sewing-support on the internet, so whenever you get stuck just Google your problem and someone out there will have already posted some advice about it on the internet!

To book your place on Rosie's dress making class on Sunday 30th March, visit Fabrications workshop Calendar

Meet the Maker: Gilda Baron

Over my 15 years of running Fabrications, I have promoted, sold work, collaborated with over 200 talented textile practitioners. In my shop I have explanation cards alongside makers work, giving insight into the maker, their ethos and processes. I thought it would be fun to extend this to my blog.

 

 Image of Gilda courtesy of Colouriciuos

I am delighted to present the talented Gilda Baron, who will teaching 2 textile workshops this month at Fabrications. In 'Don't Bin it, print with it!' Gilda will share fabric printing methods with a twist! In the afternoon you can stay on and learn different hand embroidery techniques and learn how to embellish your printed fabrics created in the morning or other fabrics!

Textile piece by Gilda using printing (from rubbish!) and hand embroidery.

Barley: Where do you draw inspiration for your work?

Gilda: I try and have a sketch book at hand when on holiday, although it is sometimes not easy, as it maybe pouring with rain, freezing cold, or nowhere to stop and get my pencils out.

I only carry a very small notebook mini coloured pencils and a black pen.

  
Barley: Your work is so multi layered, using a number of different textile processes in a piece, do you have a favourite technique?

Gilda: I have developed a unique style of textile art, which bursts out of the frame with life and vitality.  The techniques I use to achieve this include fabric dyeing, batik, hand and machine embroidery, hand made felt and applied pieces. The many layers are what makes my textile art so distinctive and draws the viewer into the scenes

I love all the techniques! 

Barley: You have led a very accomplished and long textile career, can you share some highlights?

Gilda: Life has been good and so many special things and people.

I think the first of the many was convincing everyone that I wanted to go to Shoreditch Technical School, for the Garment Trades when I was only 12 years old and not stay at school and take O levels and do a Commercial course as nice girls did in my youth.

At the other end of my life to be invited to teach at the V&A Museum last year

 

 

Gilda running her 'Don't bin it, print with it! workshop at The Attic, Lines of Pinner

Barley: What can participants expect from your classes you will be offering at Fabrications?

Gilda: Finding throw away items to print with, your rubbish will never look the same to you again. But most of all having fun, while learning.

Another example of Gilda Baron's innovative printed 'Don't bin it' pieces!

  

Gilda Baron has a large exhibition of her work at this Spring's 'Knitting and Stitching Show' in Olympia, 13th - 16th March. Go and meet Gilda and her amazing textile works and then book onto her workshop at Fabrications for a unique learning experience with a special, internationally recognised textile artist.

How thoughts create reality

Albert Einstein said "The world we have created is a product of our thinking. It cannot be changed without changing our thinking"

I decided to stitch Confucius' wise words "A journey of a 1,000 miles starts with a single step". I am using it as a meditative reminder to help me on my personal path of growth!

This year I am thinking about my thinking and how my thoughts can impact on my actions or non actions! In January, Sarah Corbett, founder of Craftivist Collective hosted a thought provoking new year's resolution 'Craftivist footprint' workshop at Fabrications, which encouraged participants to think about their imprint on the world, what it means to be a global citizen and stitch an intention on a pre prepared foot or shoe print.

Sarah provided all the participants with their own mini tool kit including a description of what a 'good global citizen is someone who'.......
*Is aware of the wider world & has a sense of their own role as a world citizen
* Respects and values diversity
* Has an understanding of how the world works economically, politically, socially, environmentally
* Is outraged by social injustice
* Participates in and contributes to the community at a range of levels from local to global
* Is willing to act to make the world a more sustainable place
* Takes responsibility for their actions
(Source: Oxfam 1997)

As well as very interesting discussions on these points as a group, Sarah created a space of 'stitching in silence' so that individually we could really concentrate on our sewing, still our minds to really focus on our intention.

Craftivist Foot print workshop - all full house with Italian TV crew as well!

In February, I enrolled on a short course on the MIND at the New Acropolis. I feel I've discovered a bit of a secret gem (although the association has been residing in Islington for 15 years) New Acropolis is a philosophical association with a cultural and social vocation whose objective is to practise philosophy in the classical tradition, that is not merely intellectual and theoretical philosophy but philosophy for life, for a more humane and fulfilling existence. 

The NA's belief is that the mind is an important key to building a sustainable future. Many of the problems we are facing today as humanity are caused by our own actions. Their school provides a space for awakening a spirit of universal brotherhood/sisterhood through an ethical and moral approach based on the idea that it is by improving ourselves that we can improve the world.

 "We are what we think. All that we are arises with our thoughts. With our thoughts we make the world" (Buddha)

Week 1 we looked at and discussed mindsets, assumptions, perception, mental filters  - VERY INTERESTING!
Week 2 explored concentration and inner awakening. Taking away our conceptions (ideas in our mind) to meet what IS without our filters or judgements coming in. We focused specifically on an art work drawn by Lama Blo-Bzang Don-yod in the 17th Century. The purpose of the drawing is a tool to awaken the path of the soul and to overcome the obstacles and difficulties in conquering our mind through simple daily physical and mental exercises. The New Acropolis have produced a beautiful little book called 'Concentration & Inner Awakening' containing the illustration and how to understand the symbolic elements contained within it.
This week is the final part of the course and will look at how to develop our minds creatively. Imagination and the ability to create what does not yet exist, to cultivate and further our minds.

"The real magic of discovery lies not in seeking new landscapes but in having new eyes" Marcel Provost (1899)

The Upcycling Academy at this year's Knitting and Stitching show

 

 

Last month, I took my 'Upcycling Academy' experience to the Knitting and Stitching show. Now in it's third year the aim of the Upcycling Academy is to raise awareness and 'create change' to the environmental and social impacts of the fashion industry through creative and thought provoking activities which can be delivered at large events or in smaller gatherings. Recently 6th form students at Woodford High school, engaged with the Upcycling Academy team on their induction day. 

 

 

As well as adding value through creativity and design, the Upcycling Academy promotes the value of working collaboratively and collectively. I approached Traid, War on Want and The Craftivist Collective to bring their perspective to the experience and give participants a well rounded picture.
 

 

Here is our 'productive line' of workshops. The spirit of The Upcycling Academy was well captured in pictures this year by Rosie Allt, who kindly offered us her photography skills.

Brother sewing UK supported the 'chop & change' upcycling of clothes area with their easy to use NV10a sewing machines, which worked like a dream in this busy area.

 

 

This was a quiet moment!! A hive of activity and discussions.

 

 

Fabrications recycled rosettes were popular again!

 

Traid's 'Sew Good' workshops appealed to all ages

 

 

Here is the lovely Sarah Corbett, founder of the 'Craftivist Collective' who joined The Upcycling Academy team for the first time this year. She created a hand stitched petition in conjunction with War on Want's 'Love Fashion Hate sweatshops' campaign.

 

Participants were invited to add their hand stitched signature to the petition. Extra fabric was needed by day 2 as the embroidered signatures over spilled the petition.

 

Here I am (Barley Massey) showing people a variety of upcycled textile techniques, including 'MACRO' knitting & french knitting and peg loom weaving,

 

A beautiful atmosphere was created, with all kinds of people coming together to try new skills, share ideas, experiences and talk about the issues the Upcycling Academy provokes.