Enhanced Q&A
A big, huge thanks to Next Gen Green for featuring reCreated! I'm honored to have been part of the blog. Visit Next Gen Green here: http://nextgengreen.blogspot.com/2012/02/eco-seamtress-upcycles-materials-to.html?m=1
Below is the full interview. I hope you have reading it! Q&A 1. Name. 2. What is eco-sewing? 3. How long have you been doing eco-sewing? 4. What type of materials do you use? 5 What is your inspiration? 6. Why is using eco materials important? 7. What is your goal with the eco-sewing? 8. Do you have a website or facebook page for your work? 1. Christine Maloney, Eco-Seamstress. Please don't call me an eco-sewer. Eww. 2. Eco-sewing is the art and practice of mindfully choosing vintage or second-hand fabrics that can be upcycled and upsewed into new, hip, green items for everyday use and artistic appreciation. 3. I've been eco-sewing for nearly twenty years. The first project I intentionally eco-sewed was a Halloween costume I made for my infant daughter - a black cat outfit and a skullcap with pointy ears made from an outdated cotton dress I'd had since high school. She's now 17 and I'm almost (oh, you thought I was going to tell you how old I am - ha ha, nope!). Since then, I've made many of my kids' Halloween costumes from upcycled materials, and have branched into quilting, home decor, ornaments, kitchen textiles, tote bags, baby items, doll clothing, re-usable snack baggies and plushies. 4. Mostly, I use fabric that I've purchased at thrift stores and yard sales, and that I receive as hand-me-downs from my supportive family and friends. I love natural fabrics because they feel so wonderful (linen and wool are my favorites) and I can compost the scraps. Occasionally, I will purchase new fabric from the clearance section of the fabric store to mix-n-match with my at-home stash. For my quilting projects, the batting I use is glue- and resin-free and is made with USA-grown cotton. 5. My kids are my biggest inspiration. I want to feel that I'm doing my best to leave them a cleaner planet and giving them skills to be stewards of the Earth in their daily choices. I hope I'm setting an example that fulfilling one's dreams and being eco-conscious are compatible. 6. There are so many reasons that using eco-materials is important. Americans' over-consumption has set the precedent for developing countries, and we need to show the world that Earth-friendly re-use is hip (not just necessary). Also, what better way to give objects a second-life. Lastly (and my favorite reason), vintage fabrics are beautiful. Their color palette, patina and texture are sumptuous. 7. My goal with eco-sewing is multifaceted. It cost-effectively fulfills my need to be creative. It adheres to the "seven generations" rule of the Native Americans. It subversively teaches my kids to be mindful of their choices (subversive education rocks!). And, it shows others that eco-friendly choices can be intrinsicly rewarding. 8. My still-under-construction website is recreated.weebly.com and my FB page is called ReCreated. I aspire to have an Etsy shop and a blog, so look for these in the near future. |