F F More

Timothy Han
handcrafts all-natural luxury products for the bath body and home. In the home line are soy candles which are a healthier alternative to paraffin based candles.

Remember, scent is molecules that detach from their origin and float up into your nose; where they attach themselves to receptors deep inside your nasal cavity. SO you are not only what you eat but what you breathe as well.

Think about it!

If you want to know more about the cosmetic industries mad science approach do a search on toxic makeup or cosmetics or....
ps: the EU has more stringent cosmetic guides; known carcinogens are banned faster than in USA.
PPS: That is my calling card in his hand, repurposed from my out of date sewing class flyers.

Fashion Future Summit cont.

Elena Garcia ecoCouture:
"Small designers need more support and suitable business models to follow in the aftermath of the financial meltdown of late. We no longer need to look at growth for growth's sake. We need people to appreciate craft and give us back our dignity."
October 28th 2008

Thank you Elena; I believe she speaks for many designers, artisans, artists and thoughtful people that are following their life's work potential and not the marketplace and it's distorted visions. However, we of the aforementioned need the support of the people in order to be economically viable. That is how we will all build the new sustainable model of our species life on this planet.

economic sustainability
social justice
ecological balance

Fashion Future Summit photos

as designed by the students of the London College
of Fashion. It was dark and I tried to adjust levels but it was catch as I
could and yes, I should move around for shot variety. The show was very pro
and a delight with a good soundtrack; we've come a long way from the beige
hemp canvas that started it all. I know, I tried to work with it. There was a shop in Pioneer Square that sold it as yardage and there were maybe 3 weights and maybe a couple whites and blacks.....but the natural color was dominant.

Fashion Future Summit

day2

This morning caught the underground and knew how to navigate the circus of Oxford Circus.
The day started with speakers and then we broke into one of 3 groups. I was in the luxury group.
What is it and how will we design it? How has it been appropriated by the likes
of Gucci and Lois Vuitton who have "democracized" it with a fast fashion business model?
What will be the new vision; olde world craftsmanship, will the full lifecycle of products be considered as well as their impact on the sustainable model (sustainable economics, social justice and ecological balance) will their be smaller companies, resource wise limited production....?

I have met and will connect back with some great people ..... designers, media rousers, professors and other stakeholders.
This is it for now as I need to shuffle my notes and get some concise outcome sentences formed. This has been one of the most exciting sustainable related events I have ever been involved with or even attended as a spectator.
More later, L, deborah

Fashion Future day 1

On Tue, Oct
28, 2008 at 11:46 AM, deborah barnes <faithinart04@yahoo.com>
wrote:

hello SSF,
The Fashion show last night with student designs was amazing with good tunes and gracious hosts. It was an "I need a camcorder" event...I have pics to show when I gte back. Will need to run thru
Photoshop for darkness issues.....We got a bag from Adili with goodies so
will write on it later...too much for now.

Hall of Shame

I've been collecting ads that irk.

I like paper. It started when I was about 8. I would cut people out of the pages of old Sears Christmas catalogs. These were the paper dolls that I would dress in clothes from other pages. With scissors and tape, I could fashion all manner of wearables. That is how I started my designing life.

This penchant for paper and all the graphics, photos, ads, illustrations, and fonts that festoon it, is still with me. I cut or tear out and glue the best bits into old books. Books that are outdated or unloved make great scrappy design notebooks. The fun part is to keep the good stuff, play with color and glue in the new "art." Adding to it with paints or pens is good for the psyche.

Recently the baddy ads started hitting my radar. At first I was looking for eco sane ads but now that 'green" is the new black or something, that isn't fun anymore.

However:

"A closet full of nothing to wear"
"If you think it's nice, Buy it Twice!"
"It's a Mall World"
"Buy More, Save More"
"Buy One Get One Free"

It looks to me that the reduce part of sustainable lifestyles has a way to go. I suggest we put a fine on overproduction, nipping the economies of scale manufacturing rule in it's arse. Singular pricing benefits and creative tools for counterattacking that most pathetic of pastimes, shopping; is a must.

RecyCouture Tee

This short sleeve black tee shirt was a little too big ...but was a nice weight cotton. So it was a perfect candidate for a refashion make-over.

The baroque influenced design was drawn on freezer paper then cut out to make a stencil. This is a great and inexpensive way to create surface designs. Freezer paper has a waxy back that adheres to the fabric when heated and it is a reusable - press it on, paint in the holes, then peel it off.
After the paint dried I added reverse applique bits from an old metallic cloth costume I inherited from a friend of my mothers in Leavenworth.
Then a few black sequins were sewn on.
The sleeve was lengthened with part of a pleated sleeve from a yard sale shirt made in India and a tulle band aid covered the seam. Sometimes stretch variance makes for an unpretty attachment.

London Calling

I've been invited to attend the fashion event of the decade!

Fashioning the Future Summit 2008
October 27th and 28th
The London College of Fashion is hosting this event, inviting key industry informers and decision makers to debate the question: Can fashion bring about a long term lifecycle change to move us towards a more sustainable economy and better lives.

This is an amazing opportunity and I am happy that my work has been noticed. I recently wrote (prior to this invitation!) a caption for a fashionRIP photo ..."follow your truth as it grows" This my friends, is a result of that seekers heart. The abstract heart where the universe connects with the personal energy, where we are but one and part of the whole at the same time....yup I am a believer.

Night Class

This class was just added. It will start October 22 from 6-9; 12 hours at $110. Work on a project of your own choosing with individual instruction. Bring your sewing machine or use one provided by the great people of the NW Senior center.
The sewing machine with the great Fgyptian motif was my grandmother's.

More Classes

I decided to add a class before the holiday season in response to requests (thank you all for your validation!)
This one will start October 21 from noon to 3:00 and as before will be a 12 hour workshop session. The price went up a bit...to $110 but it is still a great deal. Check out Teachstreet for more Info.

Vintage Root recyCouture

Both of these dresses started way back. The top one one started as a chemise from the 20s with problems, holes. The holes were appliqued over which forced design challenges. How to cover holes and balance the overall look without being obvious.

The bottom one was a 1930s dress that was getting fragile, possibly due to the lead in the dye. The top was cut from the bottom and given a tulle hemline. The skirt was adjusted with a stretch band top from recycled pantyhose. Works great now with retrograde charm

Damage Control

This quilt is part of the collection shown on this site awhile ago. The holes and mottling occurred while being folded and stored in plastic bags. The mottling may be evened out with Biz but its a do at your own risk and I am not bothered by it...I am into the imperfect.
However the holes were another matter and skewered with usability. The largest hole was repaired by taking out the entire square block and making a new quilted one to set back in.
The triangle patch was laid on top of the problem and I cut out from under it. The backing and the batting were set in and then I quilted it; having to work with the whole weight of the entire quilt.
I thought I might have a "this is the better approach" but actually both had their plus/minus package.
Other small holes were repaired with fabric from the good bits of the pulled out patch when possible.
RESULTS: I saved someone's hard work and memories, someone's heritage and though I haven't any direct connection to the original quilter back in the 1800's ...I am connected in the larger space and it feels really good!
So just do it...human made reality when it connects to the "ultra real" world is the best!
Email me with questions if any on your own restoration projects.