Looking to show off your sewing skills, but don’t want to take on a huge time commitment? Sew up one of these easy weekend sewing projects.

Want to use your sewing machine for something else besides collecting dust, but don’t have time to start a labor intensive project. Turn to “Sunday Sews,” (Chronicle Books, 2016) a new book by Theresa Gonzalez, with photography by Nicole Hill Gerulat and discover quick sewing weekend sewing projects you can finish by Sunday evening.

“Sunday Sews” includes 20 different designs that can be sewn during the weekend and that are fun, functional, and chic. The sewing projects run the gamut from drapey shift dresses, flattering tunics, tops perfect for layering, aprons, practical tote bags, and projects that are just perfect for homemade gift-giving.

The book features step-by-step directions with technical illustrations to make sewing a breeze. The instructions are super clear, with many of the sewing projects offering fabric, color, and print suggestions, as well as optional details to add a little bit more style if you have the time. Downloadable patterns are also available to go along with those projects that call for patterns. The gorgeous finished project photographs will inspire you to take on one of these easy weekend sewing projects. And if you are somewhat of a beginner to sewing, or need a quick refresher on the basics, the book starts of with a section on basic sewing techniques before diving into the sewing projects.

This is one tutorial book that you will find yourself working your way through to complete all the projects, but one of our favorites is for an on the go “Errands Bag.” Whether you plan on using it at the farmers market, as an overnight bag, or as a work bag, this everyday tote style bag is designed with plenty of space for your stuff. The design features a magnetic snap on the oversized patch pocket, which makes it an extra roomy tote.

Sew this bag up using the instructions below and make sure to get the book to try out the other weekend sewing projects.

Sew Up This Easy Errands Bag

MATERIALS REQUIRED

• Pattern Pieces: Errands Bag, pieces 1–3
• Notions: 2 yd/1.8 m leather strapping (1 in/2.5 cm wide)
• 8 rivets (⅜ in/1 cm diameter)
• 1 magnetic snap closure (¾ in/2 cm diameter)
• Coordinating thread
• Fabric and Yardage: 1 yd/1 m medium- to heavyweight cotton (54 in/135 cm wide) fabric for exterior
• 1 yd/1 m medium-weight cotton (45 in/115 cm wide) fabric for lining
• Sizing: Bag measures 17 by 19 in/43 by 48 cm

NOTES

• All seam allowances are 1 in/2.5 cm, unless otherwise stated.
• Fabric used features an 8-in/20-cm-wide stripe print.

PROJECT INSTRUCTIONS

PREPARATION

Download, print, and assemble the Errands Bag pattern from www.chroniclebooks .com/sundaysews. Cut out all three pattern pieces.

1.Cut the bag exterior

• With Right sides together, fold fabric in half with selvages lined up; press.
• Pin pattern piece 1 (front and back) on Wrong side of fabric, according to Cutting Layout: Errands Bag.
• Cut fabric along the pattern outlines.
• Unfold remaining fabric (single layer) and pin pattern pieces 2 (pocket) and 3 (pocket flap), according to Cutting Layout: Errands Bag.
• Cut fabric along the pattern outlines.
• Transfer all markings to Wrong side of fabric.

2. Cut the lining

• Repeat steps 1a–1c with lining fabric.
• Unfold remaining fabric (single layer) and pin pattern piece 3 (pocket flap), according to Cutting Layout: Lining.
• Cut fabric along the pattern outlines.

SEWING INSTRUCTIONS

3. Sew the pocket

• With the snap shut, center and align the pocket flap about 4 in/10 cm above pocket, pin in place, and topstitch ¼ in/5 mm from top folded edge (see Figure 1).
• Working through the flap’s top opening and using manufacturer’s directions, center and install magnetic snap top, ½ in/1.25 cm from lower edge seam, through the lining fabric only. Make sure that the snap is facing out on Right side of lining fabric, to align with snap piece on pocket.
• Topstitch along the three sewn edges of the pocket flap ¼ in/ 5 mm from edge.
• Fold and press the open raw edge of the pocket flap and pocket flap lining 1 in/2.5 cm to Wrong side and press.
• With Right sides together, align all edges of the pocket flap with flap lining; starting at one corner stitch flap pieces together along one short side, along one long side, and up the opposite short side, leaving one long side open. Trim excess fabric from sewn corners, then turn flap Right side out. With a turning tool, gently push out the corners and press all seams flat.
• Topstitch pocket sides to piece, ¼ in/5 mm from double-folded edges.
• Center and align bottom edge of pocket with bottom edge of front with both Right sides facing up.
• Following the manufacturer’s instructions, center and install magnetic snap bottom as marked on pocket piece.
• Double-fold hem to the top edge of the pocket.
• Double-fold hem to the pocket sides to the Wrong side and press.

4. Sew the lining

• With Right sides together, align front and back pieces of lining along all edges; stitch together along both sides and lower edge.
• Cut off excess seam allowance at the two lower corners.
• Fold over and press the top edge of the lining 1 in/2.5 cm to Wrong side and stitch ½ in/1.25 cm from fold. Set aside.

5. Sew the bag

• With Right sides together, align front and back pieces of bag along all edges, then stitch together along both sides and lower edge.
• Cut off excess fabric at the two lower corners. Turn bag Right side out, use point turner to push out corners, and press all seams flat.
• Fold top of bag over 1 in/2.5 cm to Wrong side and press. Then stitch ½ in/1.25 cm from fold.
• Insert lining into bag, with Wrong sides together, and align both top edges with side seams matching. Fold both top edges together 1 in/ 2.5 cm to Wrong side. Press and pin.

6. Cut and attach the straps

• Cut two 33-in/84-cm lengths from leather strapping.
• Measure and mark 4½ in/11.5 cm toward center from each side seam, along top edge of bag on front and back using pins or water-soluble marker.
• With Right sides together, align the end of one strap with top edge of exterior bag, placing the strap just inside mark made in step 6b. Pin in place. Repeat with the opposite end of the strap (see Figure 2). Do the same thing with the second strap on the other side of the bag.
• Stitch around top folded edge of bag, ¼ in/5 mm from fold, catching bag strap ends in this stitching. Then stitch-in-the-ditch (or, into the seam), through all layers, along side seams 1 in/2.5 cm down from top edge.
• With Right sides together, and the strap flat along bag, stitch across strap 1½ in/4 cm from top edge. Repeat at each strap join (see Figure 2).
• Fold straps over at the bottom stitching, so that Right side of strap is now facing out.
• Using your awl and a hammer, center and install two rivets on each strap end, making sure that the more decorative side of the rivet is on the Right side. Rivets should go all the way through to the bag interior.

Related on EcoSalon

7 Delightfully Easy Sewing Projects for Beginners
Sewing Basics: Master Your Sewing Machine With Step-by-Step Projects
Learn How to Make Your Own Clothes and Never Have Nothing to Wear Again!

Images and project used with permission from “Sunday Sews” by Theresa Gonzalez, photography by Nicole Hill Gerulat (Chronicle Books, 2016).

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 Calling all you “Project Runway” wannabes who don’t even know how to sew. Finally, master your sewing machine and learn all sewing basics.

For all who dream about sewing up quick home DIY projects and chic clothing (and eventually making it to “Project Runway”), but don’t really know which end of the sewing machine is up, your dream can become a reality. Thanks to a new book, “The Little Guide to Mastering Your Sewing Machine: All the Sewing Basics, Plus 15 Step-by-Step Projects,” which is a step-by-step sewing basics guide illustrated with nearly 200 photos and drawings, you’ll discover all the basic techniques.

After learning the sewing basics through the illustrated guide, you can then quickly test out your news skills with the 15 special projects that are specially designed to be beginner-friendly. Make up easy projects like the perfect little pouch, a cover for your sewing machine, a cami top, cushions, table runners, a big tote bag, and more practical and simple beginner projects.

One of the best features of this handy guide is that it even has a fold-out stand and is set up as a spiral flip book for increased functionality. Set it up next to your machine and flip the pages as you work through the guide to learn the basic functions and accessories of the sewing machines. The guide also walks readers through the additional equipment you’ll use, choosing and cutting of fabric, the different kinds of stitches, how to sew pieces together, and more.

Come away from the experience knowing how to sew straight, take up a hem, and how to add bias binding, piping, and zippers. While the techniques offered in the book are simple, this book can help you get to the next level of learning more advanced techniques and skills. Everyone has to start somewhere, and this book offers easy to follow instructions that won’t overwhelm beginner sewers. Even “Project Runway” contestants had to learn how to use their sewing machines at some point!

The author of this indispensable sewing basics guide is Sylvie Blondeau, a French artist specializing in craft and illustration. She teaches sewing classes to adults and teens, and is the author of several sewing and craft books, including “Appliqué for Little Ones”.

Related on EcoSalon

7 Delightfully Easy Sewing Projects for Beginners

Learn How to Make Your Own Clothes and Never Have Nothing to Wear Again!

Sew Creative, Sew Green

Top Image: Sewing Room via Shutterstock

Book Images: The Little Guide to Mastering Your Sewing Machine images courtesy of Schiffer Publishing, Ltd

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Easy sewing projects for your home to hone your sewing skills!

Sewing is among the crafty skills that seem to be making a comeback in recent years, and it is a handy skill to have. If you know how to sew, not only can you hem your pants, take in a skirt, and make other clothing alterations, but you can use your skill to make pillows, curtains, and other easy sewing projects for your home.

Sewing for your home can save you money, allow you to decorate with a personal touch, and can be a fabulous way to repurpose fabrics, like reusing a stained tablecloth to make cloth napkins. And while some projects may be a little too advanced for beginners or the average sewer, the key is to tackle easy sewing projects that you know you can complete.

There are millions of easy sewing projects out there for your home, but we have compiled some of our favorites for their cleverness or their easy breeziness. So, pull that sewing machine out of the closet and put your sewing skill to good use!

7 Easy Sewing Projects for Your Home

1. Galloping Horse Draft Dodger – With winter headed our way, door draft dodgers are one sewing project that just makes sense. This project is also super easy for beginners or if your skills are rusty. You could use this tutorial to repurpose patterned fabrics or use the galloping horse template provided.
2. Quilted Coasters – This Martha Stewart project for making quilted coasters is a perfect way to repurpose fabric from tablecloths, clothing, curtains, and more. Do make sure not to use a difficult fabric to work with like stretch fabrics or thicker fabrics. This project is so simple that you could sew up some coasters in about an hour or so!
3. Yo-yo Wall Art – Easy sewing projects don’t have to be just practical. Use your sewing skills to make wall art from easy to sew fabric yo-yos. Simply sew up yo-yos from leftover fabrics and hot glue gun them to a painted canvas creating a pattern or design as you go.
4. Linen Napkins – This super easy project for linen napkins is perfect for you to customize with your design aesthetic. Follow the tutorial and choose gorgeous autumnal colors for the coordinating fabric, colors more appropriate for another season, or even choose a print. The beauty of this project is it is so easy that you can make it your own.
5. Geometric Pillows – Pillows are among the most ubiquitous easy sewing projects around. This project has a slight twist, though. Instead of the traditional square or rectangular shape, it’s for making octagon-shaped pillows instead. One clever idea for customizing this project is to use one color on one side and another on the other side.
6. Patchwork Throw – While it seems cliche, we still love a patchwork quilt. But, making a whole patchwork quilt is a lot of commitment for a beginner. The easier alternative is to make a throw instead. It’s an opportunity to repurpose fabrics and practice your skills. This project is from Amy Butler, the queen of quilting fabric designs and is a step-by-step tutorial to guide you easily through making a quilt for the first time.
7. Color Block Shower Curtain – Many may not think of sewing their own shower curtain, and to that we say, “Why not?” And if you’re going to do it, why not make a color-blocked shower curtain to add some color to your bathroom. It’s awesomely easy to do–check it out!

Related on EcoSalon

Learn How to Make Your Own Clothes and Never Have Nothing to Wear Again!

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Image: Woman Using Sewing Machine via Shutterstock

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Create a customized wardrobe by learning how to make your own clothes.

Whether from necessity or creativity, learning how to make your own clothes is a pretty cool alternative to buying clothes off the rack. Sure, there is a learning curve, but once you get over that hump, there’s a world of possibilities.

Some of us were lucky enough to learn how to sew from our moms or grandmothers. But even if not, that’s no matter, because today (in addition to adorable grandmothers), we have the Internet. Yes, grandma has been replaced–or at least in the world of crafting and DIY she has. It really is possible to find how-to videos, tutorials, and patterns for just about every kind of craft and DIY pastime out there. While you’re not going straight from having no sewing ability to competing in “Project Runway,” it is possible to develop your sewing ability and learn how to make your own clothes. And as your grandmother likely said, “Practice makes perfect!”

Whether you are looking to save money, can’t find clothes that fit right, or just have your own ideas, the first step to creating your own wardrobe is to learn the basics.

Learn How to Make Your Own Clothes Tutorials & Patterns

Craftsy – Craftsy offers over 130+ online sewing classes from beginner to advanced. While the classes are not all clothing related, sometimes it can help to start out with something a little more basic if you are a true beginner sewer. There is a fee for most of these classes.

Burda Style – Another great site to learn how to make your own clothes and to discover great patterns. Learn sewing basics and more advanced topics, like pattern-making, via picture or video tutorials, whichever fits your learning style or budget. They even offer a subscription so you can access every tutorial video for just a monthly fee. Plus, some of the patterns are available for free.

Creative Bug – Creative Bug is another subscription-based site that offers arts and crafts video classes in sewing, knitting, and more. Their videos capture the spirit of in-person teaching with instructors who have been featured in Martha Stewart Living, O Magazine, and Vogue.

Professor Pincushion – Professor Pincushion’s goal is to help beginners master the art of sewing via more than 100 sewing-related tutorials that cover everything from sewing basics to fun and original projects. There is both free and paid content.

Sew Mama Sew – Sew Mama Sew is a blog and sewing community founded in 2005. The site collaborates with outstanding bloggers, designers and authors to deliver fun sewing projects everyday. Not all the projects are clothing related, but they are free!

So Sew Easy – Features lots of free clothing patterns for everything from cheeky panties to a little black dress.

Now, this is certainly not an exhaustive list, but hopefully it’s a start to get you inspired to learn how to make your own clothes.

Related on EcoSalon

Sew Creative, Sew Green

5 Fall Fashion Trends to Thrift Right Now

5 Ways to Rock Exotic Tribal Print Patterns in Your Wardrobe and Decor

Woman Sewing image via Shutterstock

The post Learn How to Make Your Own Clothes and Never Have Nothing to Wear Again! appeared first on EcoSalon.

Gretchen Hirsch recreates Vogue staples with a new book.

Gretchen Hirsch, owner of the wildly popular Gertie’s New Blog For Better Sewing  has recently authored a fantastic guide for the most essential  garment sewing techniques. Hailing from Beacon, New York, Gertie calls herself a sewing enthusiast and pens a bevy of tips, inspiration, tutorials and discussions on sewing and all the cultural facets related to stitching your own. Having compiled her knowledge into a nifty vessel, Gertie’s New Book For Better Sewing is the culmination of her  commendable journey through Vogue’s New Book For Better Sewing.  The featured wealth of skills in a range of garment sewing techniques are perfect for the home sewer with a thirst to learn how to create pieces for her own wardrobe. Showcasing some of the most iconic fifties outfits, readers are provided with paper patterns and detailed instruction for re-creating the original Vogue sheaths, skirts and blouses. Gertie’s book launch tomorrow evening at the Sewing Studio in New York will be a refreshing retro affair, so don’t miss your chance to make a stitch in time.

Your book is FULL of technique – how long did it take for you to learn everything you’ve written about?

I had a really good foundation for sewing because my mother’s a sewer and I knew how to use a machine so it wasn’t like I was starting from scratch. When I decided I wanted to learn garment sewing, it took about 3 or 4 years to get to where I am now. But I had to completely immerse myself in it to the point where I was reading sewing magazines in bed.

What kind of readership is the book meant for?

For people that have gotten into sewing and feel like they have moved beyond beginner level and are hungry for more in depth knowledge about garment sewing. I feel like there are a lot of resources out there for people that are just starting out, but if you want to go further you have to pull resources from a lot of different places. So I wanted to collect all of these garment sewing techniques in one place.

What is you favorite project from the book?

The strapless party dress – it’s made from this amazing cotton organdy that’s embroidered with little flowers, which is the kind of fabric that you just don’t find anymore. The whole idea of the dress is such a throwback to the fifties with the fabric, the silk taffeta lining that makes it look really crisp, and the boned bodice.

Why do you think vintage silhouettes featured in your book are considered so fabulous?

I think its sort of a backlash to today’s fashion that’s pretty drab and anemic. I think women are looking for colorful clothes that make them feel happy and girlie. The silhouettes that are on the runways right now don’t really speak to the average woman, whereas vintage silhouettes do because they have a more feminine shape. The current trend in the fashion industry is towards models that basically provide a clothes-hanger effect. Several of these models are 12 or 13 and to hear a designer say that a pre-pubescent girl is their muse is rather off-putting for a woman in her 30’s that has curves and is interested in fashion.

Why do you think there has been a revival in crafting and home-sewing?

I think that it kind of started with knitting with the whole Stitch n’ Bitch movement. For some reason it spoke to people like me through the whole tactile experience of working with different fibers and knitting needles as something that we don’t really experience in the modern world when spending all day at our computers.

Once knitting blew up, people were hooked on crafting and they wanted to see what else they could do. Sewing is related to knitting – you’re working with textiles and fabric so the roots are in the same desire to put down the iPhones and do something tactile and satisfying with our hands. It has become an addiction that lets us escape from our careers and technology.

Do you think the revival in crafting will expand so that home-sewing and other craft activities will become the norm?

Once people realize they can make a dress exactly the way they want in the fabric they want and see how satisfying it is, hopefully they’ll start making more of their wardrobes. It’s a really interesting counterpoint to the fast fashion world because you might just go to H&M to get a party dress, but there’s a lot of concern around where that dress came from and under what conditions it was made. If you can make that dress yourself you can bypass some of those concerns and feel really good about what you’re doing. Shopping only has a certain amount of enjoyment to it, where as you can really enjoy time spent making something with your own hands.

Do you like to use any modern technology or do you prefer hand-stitching and vintage sewing machines?

There are definitely things I like about modern technology and its funny to have gained recognition as a vintage seamstress through the Internet, because that’s a contradiction in itself. With current technology we have the opportunity to make all of the things we want to make and the research I’m doing now is looking at how to use easier, modern techniques to achieve vintage finishes. While I really appreciate couture sewing, I think it’s also important to think about what’s currently accessible.

What does sustainability mean to you?

To me it’s about educating yourself as much as it is about doing it yourself. I think when we get to the point that everyone has more knowledge on how to make your own clothes or how to source your own fabrics, that we will have a much more sustainable fashion industry.

Do you think sewing with vintage patterns is more sustainable than sewing with modern patterns?

To a certain extent, yes, because they are existing resources, but vintage patterns can also use a lot of fabric. It’s very hard to get some of the full silhouettes of the 50’s otherwise. I just designed a line of patterns for Butterick and the coat design I made has a full circle skirt and it uses like 7 yards of fabric. If you want to make these types of garments it’s about figuring out alternative uses for the scraps like filler for pet beds. While we wont be able to get to a point where we can cut a circle skirt with no waste because we just don’t make fabric that wide, I think we can use the waste responsibly and come up with creative ways to use it.

What inspires you?

The majority of my inspiration for the blog comes from vintage patterns and research on home sewing. I think home sewing patterns are such an interesting glimpse into the lives of women in the 20^th century because they can show their fantasies and bits of their daily lives. It’s so cool to buy a vintage pattern and find a swatch of fabric or a recipe tucked into it – these tokens show much more than couture fashion.

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Natalie Chanin releases the third book in her sewing trilogy.

It’s no secret we have a thing for Natalie Chanin of Alabama Chanin here on EcoSalon.

An entrepreneur, designer, author, lecturer and strong businesswoman who went back to her roots in Florence, Alabama to stimulate local economy (as well as her own quest for a little life/work fulfillment), Natalie is a one-woman rocket ship of sustainable goodness.

In her third book Alabama Studio Sewing + Design, we get to pick up on the “conversations and techniques begun with the Alabama Stitch Book and Alabama Studio Style.” With each book lending itself to the other as to the workings and lifestyle of the Alabama Chanin woman, readers of all three books will now have the tools to make anything they’ve ever seen on the Alabama Chanin site – minus the in-house Depression Era stitchers.

We caught up with Natalie this past week to tell us more about her new DIY masterpiece. Speaking of that book, did we mention that we’re also giving a copy away? It’s no lie. Just leave a comment at the bottom of this story and you are entered to win!

How is Alabama Studio Sewing + Design different from the Alabama Stitch Book and Alabama Studio Style?

Alabama Studio Sewing + Design is really the culmination of what was originally seen as a trilogy.  Each book builds on the other, but also stands on its own.  However, this book is more about the actual “fashion” of what we do… more intricate, more sophisticated, more patterns, more techniques…

With the compilation of the three books, you should be able to recreate any fabric and technique that we have ever designed at Alabama Chanin.

Talk about the importance of sharing “techniques that were once understood as essential survival skills?” Have we as a society lost touch with the importance of using our hands to create?

There is much talk at the moment about how being able to “do” or “make” for ourselves also makes us HAPPY.  I believe that this is a huge leap in understanding human behavior and a missing piece in our role as human beings today.  How simple: develop the capacity to do for yourself (in whatever small way) AND build neural pathways to happiness. I think back to my grandmother’s ever-moving hands and her pride in doing for her family and it makes me sigh… “Yes, I understand.”

I see the open-sourcing you offer in Alabama Studio Sewing + Design working for Alabama Chanin in two ways: 1., It gives people the opportunity to own Alabama Chanin by making and 2., it gives people an appreciation for what you do as a designer. Am I right?

The original thought in writing the books was to empower people to be able to make our garments.

I wrote in the introduction: “I have been asked many times why I choose to write books and, in the process, open-source (that is, freely share) instructions for making Alabama Chanin’s couture collections. The answer is not as straightforward as you might think. It is based on my belief that good design should be available to all and my desire to build a company that is sustainable in all of its practices. By sharing our skills in these books, I hope to shed light on not only how we can preserve precious natural resources but also how we can preserve and protect techniques that were once understood as essential survival skills.

 While Alabama Chanin dresses, skirts, tops, and coats have been beautifully featured in countless magazines and newspapers, and on television shows and websites, they have also been criticized for being “elitist,” and “inaccessible” because of their price. Truth be told, our clothing is extremely expensive. This is because it is made from domestic, organic, custom-dyed cotton jersey that is cut, painted, sewn, and embellished by hand in America by skilled artisans. And while we sell our collection to some of the most upscale stores and clients, we run our business in the most down-to-earth, simple way imaginable. In the beginning, we worked from a three-bedroom, brick, ranch-style house in rural Alabama, a home that my grandfather built. Today we work from a reclaimed textile factory built in the 1980s—when manufacturing was booming in the South. Our studio—which we call The Factory—has become a busy hub, where we concentrate on building a zero-waste company. Our employees earn a living wage, and while none of us is getting rich, at least in terms of our bank accounts, we are, indeed, rich in spirit, belief, passion, and friendship. “Elitist” is the antithesis of how the company works and who I am as a designer, entrepreneur, and citizen.”

 The piece I think you initially understood – better than I – is that the books have ALSO given a broader range of people an appreciation of the work we are doing. Thank you.

Do you see the DIY movement getting stronger? Is this maybe an entire generation of women ready to use their hands again to create their own clothing and be a little more self-sufficient?

I do see DIY as a very quickly growing movement – or should I say, a “remembering” of where we come from. And I find it very inspiring to see people – young and old, man and woman – searching for their voices in this conversation and using these tools as a form of sustainability – both cultural and physical. My interest in this conversation is to help find the intersection of DIY, Craft, Fashion and Design (all with capital letters).

Image: Abrams Books

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BurdaStyle co-founder Nora Abousteit and creative director/Project Runway alum/Dahl designer Alison Kelly just launched “everything you need to know for a fashion-forward wardrobe,” in their new book, The BurdaStyle Sewing Handbook. Featuring five fully customizable sewing patterns that offer “infinite fashion possibilities” and comprehensive step-by-step instructions, this is the go-to guide for sewing hobbyists and budding designers alike. The book features five popular basic patterns for a blouse, skirt, dress, bag and jacket which are turned into 15 distinct projects, along with dozens of user-submitted customizations for extra inspiration.

The key to BurdaStyle’s success of open sourcing, social media and taking the age-old art of sewing and making it hip again is brilliant and EcoSalon is a big fan. This book is but a representation of what the site offers daily to over half a million members that faithfully follow to learn how to create easy-to-make, great-fitting garments. Offline, BurdaStyle members have formed more than 260 sewing clubs worldwide, from China to New Zealand, South Africa to Norway, with 181 clubs in the United States alone. Members meet up to sew, socialize, and talk through projects and sewing issues face-to-face.

We guess that this book will inspire many more designer conversations and we’re happy to give you an opportunity to win it! Just go to our Facebook page and leave a comment and you are in the drawing.

Good luck!

The post BurdaStyle Book Giveaway appeared first on EcoSalon.

Women have innately basked their brains in feel good juices since time immemorial to get through tight economic and emotional times. Though dovetailed as woman’s work and not really discussed, for centuries women have enjoyed the calming properties of knitting, sewing, embroidering or even just rhythmically folding or ironing clothes.

When I came across this blog entry from sustainable designer and writer Natalie Chanin, it not only piqued my perception of the positive effects of “women’s work,” but it brought to light a real aspect of how using our hands to do meaningful tasks can benefit our overall health and well being.

Chanin cites neuroscientist Kelly Lambert, author of Lifting Depression:

“Lambert shows how when you knit a sweater or plant a garden, when you prepare a meal or simply repair a lamp, you are bathing your brain in feel-good chemicals and creating a kind of mental vitamin. Our grandparents and great grandparents, who had to work hard for basic resources, developed more resilience against depression; even those who suffered great hardships had much lower rates of this mood disorder. But with today’s overly-mechanized lifestyle we have forgotten that our brains crave the well-being that comes from meaningful effort.”

I asked Chanin myself, with all the women working for her, has she ever heard a remark about how working with their hands helped get them through hardships or that their disposition changed the moment they picked up needle and thread?

“We have had several stitchers remark that they just don’t ‘feel good’ when they don’t have a project to work on. I remarked in Alabama Stitch Book that I sometimes use sewing when I have a difficult decision to make or when I need to brainstorm and find ideas,” says Chanin.

So does the physical act of using your hands to “make,” increase some sort of chemical reaction that basks your brain in feel good, all-natural cocktails that can enhance your sense of well being?

I caught up with a few reliable sources to see what they thought about it.

Abigail Doan, Ecco Eco Founder and Textile Artist

I have always linked crafting with one’s hands to agricultural activities. Having grown up on a small family farm, I was fortunate to have had the opportunity to work with the soil, build fences, spin wool, and learn a variety of fiber-crafting skills. My mother was a self-taught hand spinner, and there is no doubt that the activities that we performed as a hands-on household curbed depression and day-to-day boredom.

I believe that people are currently drawn to these activities as they allow one to feel environmentally grounded and connected to a place, despite all of the uncertainty that presently surrounds us. Understanding the start-to-finish process of any craft-based activity mirrors life cycles and the rhythms of nature. For urban dwellers specifically, this is a great way to stave off the depression that comes from prolonged anxiety and a lack of centeredness. Keeping one’s hands moving also mimics activities like plowing, raking, weeding, or milking. We can lose ourselves in the patterns and textures created, and this for me is extremely therapeutic and restorative. It creates a one-to-one relationship that makes everything else simply fade away. It’s a healthy sort of addiction that replaces other forms of disease.

Jill Danyelle, Occupational Therapist and Founder of FiftyRX3

We are typically more motivated to engage in an activity that has some meaning, enjoyment, or purpose.

As a therapist, I work with children and tend to accomplish a lot under the guise of play, but I am also responsible for handwriting, which is often a dreaded task for my clients. I find the kids are most motivated to write if they can also draw and color pictures and tell a story. This year, I have had two boys collaborate on writing a story, which has motivated them to practice writing for the last two months, as they were excited to add a new phase to the story every session. We just ended it – although they keep trying to add more and more details – and now they are finishing all of the illustrations. They have a real sense of pride about the work, which I am going to publish in book form so they can share it with friends and family.

On the other end of the age spectrum, years ago I worked in a geriatric rehab facility every other Saturday. The clients were not motivated to do rote exercise, so I had to disguise it in activities. I would take all the neatly folded towels that were delivered from laundry and dump them in a pile on the table. Then I’d get two or three clients around the table and ask them to stand up and help me fold the towels. In the process they would start making small talk, so they were socializing, working on standing balance, bilateral coordination, upper extremity strengthening, etc.

In one of my internships with an Adult Mental Health Day Treatment program, I ran several groups including a kind of “talk therapy” group and a crafts group. Interestingly, nobody said too much in the “talk” group, but when they were busy crafting I think they felt less pressured and all sorts of things would come out.

Image: Mr T in DC

The post Using Your Hands to Soothe the Brain: Part 1 appeared first on EcoSalon.

If you are anything like me you probably didn’t pay too much attention in home economics class. Cooking comes naturally to me because I had to help prepare meals at home – and I eat every day of my life. But sewing? That’s always been something I’ve outsourced or avoided.

Now that I’m supposedly all grown up, I admit to feeling a little envious of friends who are handy with a needle. However, since every skilled dressmaker I know started out making dolls’ clothes when they were children, I don’t think I’m ever going to catch up. I’m also not prepared to wear years of second-rate clothes while I learn my craft, when there are so many gorgeous ready-made fashions.

Instead, I am making a conscious effort to learn how to maintain and mend my clothes. In the old days I would either take my clothes to a shop – a costly habit – or they would sit in a basket gathering dust. In the mean time, I would forget them and buy more clothes. So I’m planning to give a new lease of life to my wardrobe just by mending my existing clothes. Why don’t you join me?

How to sew on a button by hand or by machine.

Frankly, if you just have one button to sew on then it’s faster and easier to do it by hand – nothing simpler.

Here’s how to darn a sock.

I avoid synthetic materials because they’re made from unsustainable petrochemicals and don’t let my feet ‘breathe’. Sadly socks made from natural fibers such as cotton or wool are prone to getting holes around the toes or heels. Instead of discarding them, the frugal and eco-friendly option is to repair them. (It takes about 10 minutes, judging from this video – but they’re working on quite a big hole, and I expect a small toe hole would take less time).

How to repair a tear with a machine (part 2 here). Or repair the tear by hand.

How to mend a hem by hand.

Image: wakalani

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