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Extracts

Did you know that simply by steeping herbs, peel and fruit in alcohol you can make extracts? I discovered this quite by accident when researching what to do with an excess of leggy lavender from a rampant bush. I found a post about lavender vodka and because I refuse to follow recipes, I used far too much lavender.  Rather than a delicately flavoured beverage I ended up with a murkey liquid which, lucky for me,  turns out to be an extract.

Make Your Own

Extracts are strongly flavoured plant extracts. They used to flavour drinks and food. They are a great way of using up a glut of something and preserving it for use later in the year. They are incredibly easy to make and have to be the easiest way of preserving.

The alcohol used is usually vodka and the general rule of thumb seems to be to buy mid range. Too cheap and the nasty flavour intrudes, too expensive and it is a waste of good vodka. Some recipes also suggest rum.

The method is the same.

Take the herb put it in a jar cover it with vodka and leave in a cool dark place remembering to shake occasionally. Time steeping varies with the herb and the recipe.
Once done you strain off the liquid through a sieve and them some fine cotton.
Here are some steeping guidelines.

  • Lavender – flowers steep for 4 weeks
  • Vanilla use the beans steep for two months.
  • Mint leaves one to two months.
  • Citrus Extracts use the rind of the fruit but not the bitter white pith. Use organic unwaxed fruit. steep for 5 to 6 weeks.
  • Cinnamon bark (sticks) steep for two weeks.
  • Berries  6 to 8 weeks or longer.
  • Apparently extracts will keep for  3-5 years.

    Interesting articles
    Three main reasons for using alcohol 

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    Fabric Shops Button Box

     I got the printed cotton for my tabbard tunic, linen for the extremely wide pants, voile for the choir boy smock and denim for shorts from

    Button Box, Huddersfield

    At Queensgate Market where you can get a wide range of plastic free stuff

    It looks more like a hobbies shop catering to quilters, stampers and card makers. But dont be put off by the decoupage, it has recently upped its fabric game. I remember the range as rather limited and extremely synthetic – think dance fabrics. Now it has some really nice stuff; funky prints, subtle colours and a lot of natural fibres.

    More plastic free

    They sell paper patterns and cotton bias binding by the meter. They have some hessian and cotton ribbens that look natural.

    Plasticless

    They do 100% cotton thread but it comes on plastic reels. You can get cotton on wooden reels online (link below), but you to be well organised and plan ahead, skills I have yet to master.

    The Button Box stocks metal zips in what looks like a polyester fabric.

    General

    They have all the other stuff you need to sew with but it comes plastic packed (for plasticfree sewing supplies see the link below).

    They have a great range of ribbons and laces which look to be mostly synthetic.

    Find

    The Huddersfield store is located at the entrance of Queensgate Covered Market.

    Samuel Taylor’s Button Box

    4-5 Queensgate Market Arcade
    Princess Alexandra Walk
    Huddersfield
    West Yorkshire
    HD1 2UJ  View on map

    01484 435 235

    About

    Samuel Taylors is a family business that has a number of Yorkshire-based, fabric retail stores and an online shop. You can find them here…

    Head Office & Internet Showroom 

    Leeds Central

    Leeds Market

    Brighouse Store

    Embsay Store

    Harrogate Knitting & Haberdashery 

    More

    You can buy plastic free sewing supplies here.

    Find other Yorkshire based #plasticfree products and shops here

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    Chiffon Shirt

    For the Feria (the week-long party in Seville,)I made a chiffon top. I know – get me…. in chiffon. I wanted something see through to wear over my vest and bombazine skirt that would look sort of dressy. I wanted something like this.ffbb5a956a143c87b32d93c5e9ea24c8

    I had a practise run with white lawn which was partly successful. Now I was ready for the real thing. I bought some silk chiffon from Ebay. Other than it is natural fibres, there is nothing particularly sustainable about this but it was cheap, it was seen through and if it all went wrong I would not have spent too much.

    I made it in black. It was fine for the Semana. Easter week is marked with big parades, penitents in gloomy Klan outfits incense and weeping virgins. Gloomy black was just right.

    It was not going to work for the Feria. In the last week everyone has started on their outfits. The shops are full of fantastic frocks, people are staggering through the streets laden down with lace, flowers and shiny jewels. There are tasselled shawls fans and fedoras every where you look. They don’t do minimalism

    OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERAThis is what people are planning to wear and that is the plainest dress I could find.

    I can get away with black, I cannot do without trimmings.So the last few days has seen me desperately titivating my outfit. In Seville. They sell cotton crochet yarn very cheaply here so I have knitted a frilly collar through which I have threaded some lace and ribbon. I have attached this to the chiffon top.

    I have also bought some fancy tights. Hope this will see me right!

    Sustainable Rating

    Natural fibres
    Homemade
    Made with plastic free sewing supplies  (you can find them here)

    Buy

    I bought this fabric on Ebay. It came packaged in a plastic bag.It cost £15.00 and I have some left over.
    The cotton coller was made from cotton bought from the Chinese Grocery in Macarena, Seville and knitted using metal needles bought in plastic packaging.
    The ribbons and lace are all synthetic fibres.

    More

    This counts as part of my fair share of global fabrics – a self imposed rationing system. You can read about it here
    You can read more about clothes I have made and the the rest of my wardrobe here.
    Find other clothing related posts here

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    The Experimental Wrap Around Shirt

    This is what I wanted to make but I couldn’t find a pattern so I decided to adapt the Mc Calls M6996 Misses’ Jackets & Belt pattern, the one used for the waistcoat.

    As I had no proper idea as to what I was doing, I thought it might be practical to make a toile first. A toile, also known as a muslin, is a trial run using cheap fabric. The cheap fabric I chose was lawn. I got it from Ebay. The same place I got the wool for the jacket. I bought it because it was cheap and I wanted to know what lawn was. They are always talking about it in Jane Austin type books but other than the green stuff outside your house I have no idea what it is like.

    Turns out it is a really fine cotton, soft and semi transparent. Far too nice for trial runs. And then remembered I am living within my global share of fabric this year. This is a self imposed rationing system. I am only allowed 3.8 of natural fibres. I cant afford to be making toiles and then not wearing them.

    So here I am, wearing my experimental wrap around top. It wasn’t entirely successful but I quite like it. OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA

    After the practise run I was ready for the real thing………

    Sustainable Rating

    • Natural fibres
    • Homemade
    • Supporting local fabric trader.
    • Made with plastic free sewing supplies  (you can find them here)

    Buy

    I bought this, pink gingham cotton and some lovely lawn (a very fine cotton) from Maggie, a very nice Ebay trader who is based in Leeds. It came packaged in a plastic bag.

    It cost £9.00 and I have some left over.

    More

    This counts as part of my fair share of global fabrics – a self imposed rationing system. You can read about it here #

    Weighs In At

    grams Why the weighing? Well this item of clothing is counted as part of my fair share fabrics project. This is a self imposed rationing system. I use no more than my global share of fibres and they have to be sustainably sourced. Whats a global share? Share out all the fibres made by all the people on the planet and it works out, (very roughly), 11.74 kg per person of which 3.8 kg is natural fibres. As I don’t like synthetics I try to stick to 3.8 kg of natural fibres. Here are the figures in full.

    More

     

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    Ebay Fabric Jacket

    Sometimes you need to go cheap and Ebay has some great fabric bargains. I got myself some great woolen fabric described as SCOTTISH HIGHLAND FINEST GREY FINE TWEED 100% PURE NEW WOOL SUITING FABRIC at £6.00. a meter I don’t know if it is made in Scotland – at that price I doubt it -but the seller lives in Leeds which is local.

    I was a bit leery about buying from Ebay but pure wool at that price? In grey, my favorite color. Worth a try. And I needed some cheaper fabric as my next project was risky

    I had decided to make myself a jacket. I realized this was foolishly ambitious and going to test my sewing skills to the limit. Bear in mind I still can’t do button holes and you do not want to see that zip in the back of the bombazine skirt. There’s more than one reason I wear long tops.

    But back to the jacket! I thought I would start with something simple. Something like this.

    Mc Calls M6770 Misses’ Jacket, Bustle/Capelet, Skirt and Pants. I know what you are thinking but the pattern was in the sale and really cheap. Possibly there’s a reason for that but I can’t resist a bargain. I never intended to add the ruffles or the lace.

    Any way the fabric arrived, (in a plastic bag), and it was surprisingly lovely. Well pleased I set off sewing.

    Here’s my jacket. It is not a complete success. None of it sits quite right. The sleeves are rather strange and the seams pucker everywhere. But if I keep moving and wear it with other flowing stuff I recon I can just about swing it.
    You see it pictured with the Yorkshire Wool Waistcoat and the Mu Mu Of Modesty  both homemade, worn over my gifted, stripy skirt and yoga leggings.

    Sustainable Rating

    • Natural fibres
    • Homemade
    • Possibly made in the U.K. fabric – I did contact the seller and she said it was described as Scottish Highland Tweed but there was no mill label.
    • Supporting local fabric trader.
    • Made with plastic free sewing supplies  (you can find them here)

    Buy

    I bought this, pink gingham cotton and some lovely lawn (a very fine cotton) from Maggie, a very nice Ebay trader who is based in Leeds. It came packaged in a plastic bag.

    My jacket cost £12.00 and I have enough left to make a skirt.

    More

    This counts as part of my fair share of global fabrics – a self imposed rationing system. You can read about it here # 

    And  can see what else I have made, here

    See the rest of my wardrobe here.

    Find other clothing related posts here

     

     

     

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    Downton (Yorkshire Wool) Waistcoat

    This loose waistcoat is a made from fine light weight wool that was woven in Yorkshire. Yes a  locally made U.K. fabric.

    Not only that, I didn’t pay a fortune for it.

    I bought it from Jacks, a small stall on  Leeds Kirkgate Market. Right at the back in the new part.They sell end of line remnants of Yorkshire made wooden fabric.  For very reasonable amounts. Anything from £5.00 to £12.00 a meter.

     It is loosely based on the Mc Calls M6996 Misses’ Jackets & Belt pattern. Rather too loosely. I made it so big I had to put some bust tucks in. But I like to think it gives it a rather Downton Abbey look?

    It is worn here with my gifted blue T shirt and gifted stripy skirt over yoga leggings

    Sustainable Rating

    • Natural fibres
    • U.K. made fabric
    • Bought plastic free – no packaging
    • Homemade by me
    • Supporting local fabric shop
    • Made with plastic free sewing supplies  (you can find them here)
    • Plastic free fixings

    This counts as part of my fair share of global fabrics – a self imposed rationing system. You can read about it here #

    This counts as part of my fair share of global fabrics – a self imposed rationing system. You can read about it here #

    And  can see what else I have made, here

    See the rest of my wardrobe here.

    Find other clothing related posts here

     

     

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    Skirt Bombazine

    Back home from the tropics and I desperately needed some new clothes. So I have been busy sewing. First off the production line is an enormous bell shaped skirt in black bombazine. I’m not sure it is bombazine but it looks as though it should be. Besides which I like the word.

    The fabric is a heavy silk / wool mix. This is not so much clothing as architecture. It was made in Yorkshire. I bought it from Jacks, a small stall on  Leeds Kirkgate Market. Right at the back in the new part.They sell end of line remnants of Yorkshire made wooden fabric.  For very reasonable amounts. Anything from £5.00 to £12.00 a meter.

    Bargain! Not only am I supporting a local fabric shop but this fabric was actually made in Yorkshire. How fantastic is that?

    I made it using plastic-free, sustainable sewing supplies  (you can find them here) but had to use a plastic zip.

    I made the pattern up.

    Sustainable Rating

    • Natural fibres
    • Homemade
    • Supporting local fabric shop
    • Made with plastic free sewing supplies

    This counts as part of my fair share of global fabrics – a self imposed rationing system. You can read about it here #

    And  can see what else I have made, here

     

     

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    Needles & Pins

    Buying plastic-free, sustainable clothes is no easy matter so I have taken up sewing. Which means I now have to source a whole load of plastic free sewing aids. Hardest of all is needles and pins which often come plastic packed. Well not on this blog they don’t. Look at these pins in a cardboard box and needles in a wooden case.featured needles

    They are sold by Merchant & Mill from their shop

    14A Tower Street, Rye, East Sussex TN31 7AT. open from 9.30am to 5.30pm Monday to Saturday..

    Too far away? They have a mail order service and here is there reply to my enquiries about packaging

    Yes, our products are packed in card board and we use newsprint paper rather than bubble wrap to wrap them with. We can send them out in brown paper for you rather than a padded envelope.

    Check out their website for lots more very lovely plastic free things

    Find more plastic free sewing resources here

    See my home sewn wardrobe here

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    Fabric Offset Warehouse

    Offset Warehouse is a social enterprise which brings together a huge range of hand-picked eco fabrics and haberdashery, ideal for all textile projects. Whether you’re into fashion, lingerie, interiors, toys, quilts or other crafts, we have everything you need to create a product that not only looks good, but does the planet good, is kind to the workers who produced the raw materials – and that doesn’t harm your loved ones with dangerous chemicals and pesticides!

    As well as most of our products being natural and biodegradable we have eliminated all plastic from our packaging. Everything is sent out in recyclable paper and cardboard.

    Facebook

    
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    The Swatch Book

    Sew Obsessed

    Please note…

    This post was written by the contributor. and  is  a PfU.K. Directory submission.

    But I have used them. Here are my notes

    Being Updated

    Have a wide range of fabrics including Peace Silk that is silk made without killing the caterpiller, organic jersey and ethnic prints. You can find them all here

    Their explanations of the fabrics provenance were clear and detailed. Each  product is accompanied by a detailed description telling you exactly how it’s ethical. For example their ladybird cotton is :Animal Cruelty Free, Azo-Free, Fair Wage, Low Energy, Low Impact Dyes, Low Water, No Genetically Modified Crops, Organic Certified

    This is followed by a more detailed explanation like this “The dyes used in printing the muslin are azo-free and the cotton is organic and completely biodegradable. Furthermore, the weaving and printing is done in a cooperative and certified Fair Trade by the WFTO. As the printed organic muslin is handmade the process uses virtually no energy or water! This print is also available as a cambric.

    Know what you are sewing

    They give the fabric weight and suggestions for its use. They post vidoes with an introduction to the fabric quality and pictures of the material made up. You can buy samples or swatch packs which are a broad selection of the most popular fabrics. .

    Plastic Free Packaging

    They will post the fabric out to you plastic free if you request it. I got this in response to my enquiry

    ” we are currently using cardboard boxes to send out the fabrics anyway. They are sometimes using bubble wrap to separate the fabrics – so if you just get in touch when you want to make the order we we make a note on it and ensure no plastic is used.”

    Actually the packaging isn’t completely plastic free. The invoices comes taped to the box in a plastic bag.

    And the Pf U.K. Directory is…?

    …a directory of UK-based groups, organisations businesses and individuals who are responding to the problems presented by the misuse of plastic. That does not mean anti-plastic necessarily but certainly plastic-problem aware.

    The DIRECTORY is to promote their fantastic work. Read more here…

    Got a project?
    It is very easy to get a project featured. Each contributor submits a short synopsis of their project, focussing on the plastic aware element and I post it. You can read the submission guidelines here.

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    Bloomers – homemade

    Just because I am backpacking don’t mean I can’t make pants.

    Recently I have been wearing the Mu Mu of Modesty as a dress but there are a couple of problematic, pressing issues.

    The pressing being my sweaty, chubby thighs rubbing on each other. The problem? The resulting chafing! I tried talc.

    In this heat it lasts about 5 minutes before being sweated off. The solution? Bloomers! Very light weight shorts I can wear under my dress.

    I looked round the bazaars but all the shorts on sale were more knickers then bloomers. They were so short the thighs would have remained uncovered. Most of my butt would have remained uncovered come to that. And, though they say the fabric is cotton, I suspect synthetics are involved. It is like no cotton I have ever worked with.

    So, enthused by my successful scarf making activities (it might not sound like much but I am backpacking), I decided to make some shorts. I invested in a tape measure – sadly I could only get a plastic one and bought some cotton fabric from Bangkok China town.

    I used my loon pants as a pattern. I traced it onto newspaper measuring to double check. I tacked my newspaper pattern onto the fabric. No pins you see.

    I cut the pants out with my straight metal nail scissors. It took forever and hurt my fingers. Found I had made a huge mistake and they were way to tight. Had to add panels to the side.

    I sewed them using thread from the market – no idea wether it was natural or synthetic but it came unpackaged and on a cardboard tube. Needles I had with me – I find they come in very handy when backpacking. I used cotton ribben for the drawstring.

    It counts as part of my Fair Share Fabric Project.

    In 2015 I pledged to  use no more than my fair global share of fibres and they have to be sustainably sourced. Whats a global share? 11.74 kg per person of which 3.8 kg is natural fibres.  You can see how I am doing here.

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    Snood

    How can you have so few clothes yet still have something you never wear?

    Fearing the harsh Mongolian climate I made myself a snood/hat/scarf multi tasking sort of thing. It is knitted wool, stripy fabric backed with black knitted cotton which I bought from my local fabric shop.

    It forms a loop of loveliness that can be worn as a scarf or a hat or both.

    It is very warm and the cotton stops any itchy wool business, but I don’t like it.

    Even when it got cold in Mongolia I rarely put it on.

    So that’s the hubby, modelling mohair, in the tropics. Yes, I am still lugging the bloody thing around with me!

    I sewed it using organic cotton on a wooden reel. I cut out them out with my all metal scissors. There is a metal hook and eye at the front, the elastic in the back is probably plastic! Want to make some? You can find fabrics, sewing supplies and purchase details here. 

    It counts as of my Fair Share Fabric Project.

    In 2015 I pledged to  use no more than my fair global share of fibres and they have to be sustainably sourced. Whats a global share? 11.74 kg per person of which 3.8 kg is natural fibres.  You can see how I am doing here

    I don’t like synthetic fibres for a number of very good reason so I will be using mainly  natural fibres.

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    Trousers homemade

    Yes, I am a member of the all-female, Indoenesian-based, Madness tribute band. What? You haven’t heard of us? I made these super loose trousers with fabric from Leons in Manchester. It is a linen cotton mix Nice but rather too heavy for the tropics.

    The design I made up myself. They are pleated at the front and elasticated at the back.

    They hang in voluminous folds.

    I sewed it using organic cotton on a wooden reel. I cut out them out with my all metal scissors. There is a metal hook and eye at the front, the elastic in the back is probably plastic! Want to make some? You can find fabrics, sewing supplies and purchase details here. 

    These trousers count as of my Fair Share Fabric Project.

    In 2015 I pledged to  use no more than my fair global share of fibres and they have to be sustainably sourced. Whats a global share? 11.74 kg per person of which 3.8 kg is natural fibres.  You can check my figures here.

    I don’t like synthetic fibres for a number of very good reason so I will be using mainly  natural fibres.