Turning Old Into Bold, Part One ....

It was headed for the trash bin, but instead it got new life in this eye-catching wall quilt! "Out of the Blue" is a quilt is made using cardboard, packing paper, and bubble mailers. Security envelopes form the "binding". It's "tied" with twist-ties! Tasha Strigle is the creative maker. New life from discarded items is exactly what happened to every bit of second-hand "stuff" seen in Upcycle 3: Turning Waste into Wonder, an exhibit currently at Brick City Center for the Arts in Ocala, FL. At first glance, you might think this traditional-looking Log Cabin quilt is fabric. But no, the maker employed plenty of skill to stitch scrap paper into her piece!
 

The greeter- this guy really stands out in a crowd. Justin Alsedik crafted "The Legend of Cool" from wood scraps and leftover house paint.

High end jewelry? Not at all! Discarded glass bottles, jars and trinkets were used by Adele Lane to make "Expressions by Adele: Sea Glass and More."

This racoon sculpture captures the message of repurposing and the theme of environmental responsibility. In fact, the title of Brittany Craven's entry is "Reflect Responsibility." She incorporated eco bricks (made from plastic waste), zip ties, aluminum foil, plastic utensils, and paper towel rolls. Racoons know what to do!

The imagination alone is impressive in this piece, but the title made me laugh out loud. "Tetanus Guitar" is the entry of Andrew Nichols. There are scrap metals, gears, washers, and wire. A horse shoe (the headstock) and a farrier's rasp (the fretboard) are both appropriate to Ocala- the Horse Capital of the World. Strum at your own risk.

While not an entry in the exhibit, this welcoming sofa at The Brick could certainly fit the Upcycle theme. Got a stain on your white sofa? Cover it up with art and turn it into a statement piece.

In her Easter bonnet... with all the frills upon it! Nicole Upton started with vintage taxidermy and used discarded jewelry, spray paint, and silk flowers to make this statement wall art. Taxidermy sometimes startles and creeps me out, but his one is very viewer-friendly in my opinion.

Me and my gal! This is my entry- "Boot Scootin' Remix". I blogged about it in my last post here. Here we are, together again! She looks like she's floating, doesn't she? I like how the staff added the tulips for display. There's lots more to see at Upcycle 3! If you are in the area, stop by The Brick at 23 SW Broadway St., Ocala, FL, to see the fun local artists had with trash. There's a special display there, too, with the artist's story of life in The White House. It's on through April, and you can check the hours on their site. I'll share more in my next post.

Fashion Remix...

It's once again time for the Marion Cultural Alliance to hold their exhibit featuring repurposed pieces. Titled "Upcycled 3: Turning Waste into Wonder", the display will be held throughout the month of April at The Brick City Center for the Arts in Ocala, FL. Very happily, my entry was accepted into the show. It's titled "Boot Scootin': a Denim and Lace Remix." The thought for this boho-style entry came to me last December and took shape over the weeks we were moving into our new home. I knew I wanted to put it together, and a lot of it unfolded in my mind only as we were pretty busy. But once I had the time, I "shopped" through my lace scraps, fabric scraps, and embellishments to come up with the basic trims. The jacket is a thrifted one, and so is the gray lacey scarf that forms the peplum. A little paint, some garment labels and fiber rope trim for the cuffs, and it took shape. Unfortunately for me, the jacket is a petite, small, and is too snug on me. But the items in the show are for sale, so hopefully someone will fall in love and wear it home! It was such fun to make and decorate.

The repurposed trims include this back inset. I made it by layering small pieces of curtain lace, doilies, and sheers on Sulky Solvy, a soluble sheet. After stitching by machine over the layers, I put the pieces in a bucket of warmish water to soak and remove the Solvy product. What was left was an interesting web of combo lace which I trimmed and appliqued to the jacket. The cowboy boots and flowers are fussy cut elements from fabric scraps. I applied fusible web to the backs of the elements, trimmed and cut them out, and ironed them in place, securing the edges with a narrow zig zag stitch. And a $1 thrifted chiffon scarf plus some scalloped lace edging are gathered and stitched to the jacket to form the peplum. There are pieces of the combo lace web added to the cuffs, along with lace edging, and hand-twisted fabric rope trim. Fabric paints and stencils added some fun peeks of color as does the polka dot fabric stitched behind the rips in the denim.

Creating this piece took some time and I added bits and pieces to it each evening. More lace edging accents the collar, and an arrangement of fabric yo yos, beads and charms decorate the shoulder. I added a hangtag so viewers might consider if the jacket would fit them and their free-spirited style. Even the little fiber flower accent is handmade with found materials. I hope this jacket finds a new home and owner to wear it. I'd love to see it out and about town someday! I learned a lot while looking into fashion and textile waste in our landfills as I made this jacket. Here's a recap below if you can take time to read and reflect on it. It's quite sobering I think. I'll certainly think twice about my fashion purchases, and what gets tossed or donated. Meanwhile, happy upcycling- it's an environmentally friendly step to take and you'll have a one-of-a-kind garment to express your personal style! 

TO CONSIDER (info courtesy ChatGPT ): 

• The textile and fashion industry is a major contributor to global landfill waste, with millions of tons of discarded clothing and fabric waste piling up each year.
• Fast fashion, which promotes rapid production and consumption of low-cost garments, has significantly increased textile waste, as many items are worn only a few times before being thrown away.
• Synthetic fabrics like polyester, commonly used in fashion, take hundreds of years to decompose, releasing harmful microplastics into the environment. 
• A shift toward circular fashion emphasizes durability, reuse, and responsible disposal of clothing and textiles.
• According to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), textiles account for about 5-10% of landfill waste in the US.
• Global estimates suggest that up to 10% of total landfill waste comes from textiles, including discarded clothing, fabric scraps, and household textiles.