We're so pleased to welcome Storyteller Carol Kite to the Twig + Tale blog this month to share her thoughts on the theme Transitions.
If you've spent any time around the T+T community, chances are very good that you've seen some of Carol's beautiful projects. Her fabric choices and creative embellishments are always inspiring, and we love watching how she revisits favourite patterns and re-interprets them in new ways. Read on to learn more about Carol's approach to creating a thoughtful handmade wardrobe that transitions with the seasons.
September heralds change, new uniforms for the start of the school year, dew on the garden in the morning and apples on the lawn, bubbling pots of jams and chutneys. Cooler evenings and warmer suppers, enjoying the tastes of the garden before the earth is laid bare again.
All are busy, the farmers have gathered in the grain, the squirrels are searching for nuts for their winter hoard, and the geese are preparing to migrate. The natural world is changing and with heavy heart I know that I too must let summer go.
The wardrobe beckons the clothes I have loved all summer, where they will slumber till next May, but I am loath to let them go… perhaps I can coax them to serve me well for a few more weeks? September, for me, is about layers. Making items that have been a summer staple last a little longer by adding a cardigan, gilet, cape or shirt and warmer accessories.
As the nights draw in and the days become shorter, my dream garments undergo a change. Age has taught me that just changing the fabric I work with is often all that is needed. Dresses and skirts made from linen and lawn are replaced by those made of babycord and warmer brushed cotton, wool or heavier denim.
I see making my clothes last a few weeks more each season as an important way of increasing how much wear I get from my garments. In a world where clothing has become disposable, handmade garments stand out as being about longevity. By sewing the clothes I wear, I can be different and make a difference. Hand sewn garments are for life, not just a season, and so when eventually those summer items are packed away they will have been washed and repaired and made ready to blossom again next spring.
September is all about thoughtful sewing - what can I make to extend my clothes season. Perhaps a little shoulder capelet... something that can be pulled on at cooler times of the day, or a petticoat to wear under my summer Fables, Wildflowers and skirts... and then I may well need a cosy hot water bottle for evenings and cosy slippers once October arrives.
One new release that has served me well this summer will be reused and reworked to enhance my winter wardrobe is the Plains Dress. Luckily for me the wonderful T+T team have been ahead of the game developing extra sleeves for this pattern, and giving this garment year round possibilities. A good pattern that transitions with the seasons is a bonus for any maker.
When I find a pattern that suits me and I enjoy wearing it, I will make it again and again… and yet each make will be different. One garment transitions into the next, either by changing options, fabrics or decorations. I don’t have to battle to find a new garment that suits me in the stores - I can take a pre-used pattern and make it afresh. Sewing enables us the experience of adding new twists to our trusted garments. I have lost count of how many Scenic Tops I have made, but I know there are still more waiting in the wings.
I think when we sew with the fabric we love then one garment often transitions into another. I am not a great lover of unpicking and reusing the fabric from other peoples’ makes, but all my most loved fabrics I can never let go. I happily unpick and rework those fabrics and love how my new make contains memories of a past one. Sometimes it is only tiny bits that find themselves within the new garment - a lining to a bodice or waistband, bias trim within a neckline or sleeve or a piece of patchwork or appliqué. Those secret touches are smile makers for me, each time I wear the new garment, the joy of the original one is rekindled and so the new garment is infused with memories and emotions.
I believe sewing is all about making transitions. Our makes span so many elements of the world - we use experiences, the places we visit, the things we see, the time of year, nature, the economic climate, the example of others, all to inform our making and to enable us to embrace our best self.
Being part of the Storytellers’ group this year has been the best of experiences. It has provided challenge and support. It has encouraged me to be a more reflective maker. Working alongside other talented makers and learning from them has been a joy. It has enabled me to make transtitions in my attitude to making that will enrich my future projects.
See more of Carol's work here.
Read more articles from the Twig + Tale Storytellers here.
