New Leaf at Dickinson

Check out this blog post from Vintage is Green titled “Just Say No to Fast Fashion”

 
 http://vintageisgreen.com/2012/08/10/jus…

Check out this story from NPR about the true cost behind a cheap garment.

ULTRA is a design, innovation, and sustainability minded blog that has created projects and workshops that look towards a progressive future. One of their latest projects is ULTRA 10,  a ten-piece wardrobe meant to last for 365 days. The wardrobe contains multipurpose, convertible pieces, like a 4-in-1 Coat/Dress/Jacket/Skirt, that are made of recycled and natural materials. Even better, at the end of the year you can return the Ultra 10 to be up-cycled.

Check out the video above for more on ULTRA 10. How do you feel about a wardrobe made of high-quality, extremely functional basics to combat material overconsumption?

One of the perks of being a college student (or of just life in general) is free t-shirts. Unfortunately, many times one gets stuck with a surplus of shirts they don’t like or are too big. At EarthFest, MOB was giving up heather blue t-shirts that got rave reviews for how comfortable they were. I was early enough to get one, but it was too large. So in true New Leaf fashion I decided to go after it with some scissors. I followed this great tutorial from korrinewojcik.blogspot.com and transformed the shirt into a summery tank top. The process was very simple and for those of you hesitant to pick up a needle and thread, it’s actual no-sew, only cutting and tying!

Repairing buttons on a blazer

Part of New Leaf’s mission is to teach the Dickinson community simple repair skills. We have been using our weekly sewing circles to provide instruction (such as how to sew buttons), but also as an open workshop for those to bring projects they are working on.

Additionally, for a small donation for supplies, we provide tailoring services. For example, Emily, a clarinet player, had a small tear in her lovely black dress that she needed repaired before the Spring Concert. Just a needle and black thread prevented the tear from getting larger!

A small tear in the dress strap

Thanks for supporting New Leaf, Emily!

Emily in her newly repaired dress

If anyone needs something repaired, from a small rip to some serious mending, we do it all! Contact us at  mcgarvea at dickinson.edu or  capaldie at dickinson.edu.

April 28 brought SpringFest/EarthFest to Dickinson for another year. Although the flip-flopping Carlisle weather gave us a chilly day, the food, booths, activities, and free swag brought the community outside. The highlight of the afternoon was hearing filmmaker and activist Josh Fox speak on hydraulic fracturing and call for political action to stop this exploitation of the land that brings with it polluted groundwater and detrimental health effects.

We watched Josh Fox speak from our table, where passerby’s could stop and make headbands or bracelets out of old t-shirt scraps. They were very simple to make: take either 3 or 5 roughly equal length fabric strips and braid them, then sew together the ends. The day was very successful and it was great seeing so many of you come out and get your craft on!

Recycled Headband!

Hello all!

Welcome to the blog for New Leaf Tailoring at Dickinson College. We are a group that provides resources for those in the Dickinson community who are interested in sewing, fashion, re-purposing, recycling, and everything in between. Our main focus is to reduce waste by extending the life of garments through repairs, or giving new life to textiles by upcycling them. Currently we host weekly sewing circles, every Friday at 3 P.M in the Romance Language House (Reed Hall) on South West Street. Come join us to learn something new or bring current projects that you are working on! And currently to follow this blog on updates and news from all areas of the sustainable fashion and apparel world.