Did anyone see Stacey Dooley's programme last night? And are you all really happy with having so many clothes

[Helpmepleasenow48]

Because we have caused this....
www.theguardian.com/world/2018/sep/14/techno-fest-in-ship-graveyard-aims-to-revive-vanished-aral-sea

I really want to learn how to sew as I'd love to be able to make myself beautiful clothes in better quality fabrics. I can but dream....

My big sis works in the garment industry - she is currently working on sustainable recycling solutions for all the clothing produced by her company - she says it's her life's work to find a solution. She's toured factories all over the world and doesn't always like what she sees but she says sometimes to make things better you have to dance with the devil!
I was quite surprised by the blogger who decided the best way to deal with the environmental impact of buying excessive amounts of clothes was to go through your wardrobe and throw lots out. Surely she should have just worn what was in her wardrobe!

I did learn to sew a while ago @TheHoundsofLove and have made a few things since. I value them so much more than anything else.

thedevilinablackdress How did you learn?

I don't buy lots of clothes and wear my clothes until they literally fall apart. I do try to buy ethically but it appears the expensive clothes are no better than the likes of primark.

@TheHoundsofLove I went to a class that ran for 6 weeks (1 evening a week). A lot of colleges do them and e.g. dressmakers run them privately too.

The vast majority of the clothes in my wardrobes are second-hand or 'vintage'.

My underwear and socks were all bought from new. 😳

I was appalled at the little snippet I did see.

Tens of thousands of litres to grow enough cotton for one hoodie.

Not for production, just to grow the cotton.

Horrifying.

I watched it while darning a blanket. Have recently taken to darning and mending things around the house - it's very satisfying. Would love to be able to sew my own clothes but my crafting skills would need to move up a notch or two.

Buy a sewing machine, if you can't find a dressmaking class there are thousands of tutorials on you tube. Start off making a cushion cover or tote bag and move on from there.

It is so satisfying to make your own clothes, or even to alter clothes you already own. My mother is in her 70s and has been making her own clothes since her teens. She also make amazing stuff for me and dd. All the significant dresses in my life - proms, parties, my wedding dress- have been made by her.
It is lovely to have something unique to you, rather than the dress everyone else is wearing from Zara.

My sewing skills are rudimentary in comparison but I could make a shift dress, put in darts, etc, it not rocket science, and there is so much online advice now if you need help putting in a zip or whatever.

Today's Guardian has a good article about achieving a sensible balance between the hair shirt and fast fashion. Well, I enjoyed the read, so
here it is.

I saw the programme and it has certainly given me lots to think about. I buy lots of cotton for me and the DC as I thought it was better environmentally than synthetics.

The only reason I have given jeans to the charity shop and thrown away wool jumpers lately is because the jeans end up with white knees (this never used to happen so quickly) and the jumpers develop holes in them surprisingly quickly in the middle, which I assume is because they're rubbing against the zip or the buttons on my jeans. It is definitely not moths.

These items are just not as long lasting as they used to be.

My mum has learnt to sew in the past couple of years and has made herself a dress. It is beautiful, fits her perfectly and I am really proud of her. She is pleased with it but said that the pattern and fabric cost more than the equivalent would on the high street. She is still very happy that she did it though and sees the obvious benefits.

I have just bought a vintage singer sewing machine, 60 years on and it's still going strong!

How fantastic Harry. I bet it's loads better than the ones made now.

I had a lovely Singer sewing machine as a wedding present from my godmother. Unfortunately it died on me a few years ago. I've now inherited another but it's slightly different and I'm stupidly hesitant to use it. I must get over that.

Our local sewing shop does short courses so I should just bite the bullet and get myself along there and have a go. A project for this winter!

I've got my grandma's vintage Singer - that's got to be 50 or 60 years old and I know that it still works perfectly as my mum used it not long ago.
You've all inspired me - I'm going to learn to use it. I'll start simple and hopefully work my way up to sharp tailoring...

There are loads of singer demos on You tube - I have the original manuals and the instructions are more complicated than they need to be.

I'm a seamstress and while I would encourage everyone to sew, I would caution against the idea that you will save money or the planet. It's difficult to source good quality fabrics and even more difficult to know the methods of production used to make them. Altering second hand clothes is a total winner though - good for the planet and the soul!

If your jeans are getting a bit too faded - Dylon sells washing machine dye for denim - I have saved a few faded items dying them back to their original colour - be careful choosing a different colour to the original - as the thread often won't take the dye.

I'm going to look for that program now. Not the same thing, but I don't think schools help at all with all of the dress up stuff. Ours has Roald Dahl day, world book day, Christmas jumper day...... The supermarkets are bursting now with wear once Halloween shit.

I refused to buy anything new for Halloween this year for my kids, told them they had to make do with what they had. They will manage that I'm sure.

We (in our family) all have lots of clothes, (husband loves shopping much more than I do!) but I never throw anything in the bin, unless it is beyond repair (tights, for example).

When clothes get too small for the kids, or my husband / I have a clear out, we always take to the charity shop.

I've never bought clothes for myself from the charity shop, tbh, but I have for the kids when they were smaller.

I have dyed clothes before now, but don't have the time or patience to learn how to make my own clothes. I do have a sewing machine in a moment of madness, thinking I would learn, but I couldn't even work out how to use it!

So I shrunk a lovely Navy merino jumper from Toast at the beginning of the week I'm going to make a cushion from it - denim on one side, knit on the other. Feeling a bit more cheered now I can put it to good use.

I'm trying out some visible mending on a few things at the moment. Not sure if it looks cool and arty or a bit shit.
Wearing anyway 😁

I have routinely mended holes and stuck patches over the mend.

I routinely buy from charity shops and vintage fairs.

I pick up lost items of clothing from the street, take them home and wash them, then use them, pass them on to charity or put them in the rag bag, depending on the state of them after the wash.

Have you seen the Japanese mending method - Boro - is that what you mean thedevil? I think it could catch on!

After Stacey's plastics programme, I've managed to find a use for the unrecyclable plastic.

Eco bricks

That's really heartening, wtfisagleepglorp

We can do this, we can use our human powers for good! We need to, what with the climate change report that came out during the week it's easy to dip the head in the sand or sink into hopelessness.
We can't afford that, for our children 's and grandchildrens sakes.