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Inspirations How Green Is My Hobby Honestly? I hadn't given it a lot of thought until recently, but the current debate on climate change and the ongoing all-locked-up thing has made me consider the impact my sewing has on the planet... Like many of you my early patchwork was both economy-driven (I was poor and needed to Make Stuff) and self-managed - there were hardly any patchwork shops, almost everyone had a sewing machine, many cheap fabrics were available from dressmaking shops. Much of my early work was put together from leftovers, sometimes from the bins of the little fashion houses behind Regent Street who would throw out huge bags-full most nights. I didn't just use cotton, there was silk, velvet, linen, lots of lovely stuff. And the offcuts from my garment-making for the family. Nothing wasted. Now we have so many lovely shops, new ranges and patterns every few days, millions of different fabrics to choose from. Very nice. Also very confusing, and like almost everyone I know who sews, my stash has got out of hand... We need to keep local small businesses alive, but the endless consumerism is getting hard to manage, mentally, physically, and emotionally... The Chinese don't need your business, local small people do, and think of the fabric-miles.. Ordering from the US in small packets and then complaining about the import duties is a folly! What do we do? Well, for a start, think about using what you have, and look at downloading patterns to make use of the surplus fabrics that I know you are hiding in your wardrobe... Make up a few kits for people who may want to make but cannot afford this increasingly extravagant hobby. Make for charity, make for love, give away - if your relatives dislike or disparage the hand-made, perhaps look around for some new relatives... Yes, shop, but do try not to hoard... --------------------------------------------------------------------- These things I have had opinions on for a while - disagree by all means (and if your health, strength, or circumstances mean you have to adapt that's fine) Basting Quilts - why would you want to use an aerosol spray - expensive, polluting, damaging to your kidneys and liver; when you can pin or tack? A friend was very keen, until, after a long session of layering, she went to blow her nose. The stuckness wore off eventually, but she's never felt the desire since... Fleece backings - you do know that fleece is a plastic, that it sheds micro-plastic particles at every use and every wash? And it wears out? Yes, snuggly, but a nicely-quilted cotton quilt will last a hundred years and is then bio-degradable.. Gadgets - how many rulers have you got? Widgets for making bias tape? Die-cutters? Funny little plastic things for making yo-yo's? They accumulate like mad and clutter up your drawers. Think before you buy - and ask if your friend will lend one to try, perhaps? Some things need to be replaced - skimping on sewing-machine needles is destructive, and a blunt cutter blade will scramble your fabric and your wrists, but a small bottle of oil and a brush will keep your machine sweeter and happier and save power and replacement costs. As for those nasty little gun-shaped things that put plastic tags into your quilts - oh, dear, what a bad idea. Not good to use, horrible to remove, and thousands of little use-once plastic fragments everywhere... Buy good tools, and you only buy once. Buy bad ones, and you will learn new swear words and buy them again and again. I love good tools, and they are of benefit in so many ways.. Good scissors can be sharpened and will last for many years. Good rulers keep their edges. A good rotary cutter (I like Olfa, but my first cutter as a cheap one and scared me enormously) will look after your blades and save you money and frustration. Look after your tools and you will enjoy the process of making so much more... And lastly, don't be in a big hurry. It's possible to make a bed quilt in a weekend, but the one that takes a bit longer will be so much nicer... And then there's Zoom. Local means the whole world now. I have done classes in Australia, America, Scotland, Wales, all without driving a single mile. Some of the students would never have been able to see me in person, and so many have been shielding. So, safe; no petrol; no packing, nothing forgotten... Hmmm! And then there's the Scrap Mountain. Oh Dear! I love to make from scraps, but sometimes I think that the avalanche might be fatal.. At least to the cat... Personal opinions of course, but that's what I do! Happy Sewing HH

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