Stitching our Way to a Better World: Birdbrain

Not only are creative endeavors, like sewing, believed to improve an individual’s mental health and well-being but when these activities are directed towards filling a need in someone else’s life, whether it be a friend, family member, or stranger, the positive impact seems limitless.

In my last post I highlighted the efforts of a Massachusetts woman who was using her skills and time to make “muck” shoes for refugee children. I had came across this story while pursuing all things sewing related in the news and since then I have come across a number of other stories about the efforts of individuals and communities to provide support to a wide range of people (cancer patients, adult refugees, victims of intimate partner violence and victims of sexual assaults) through sewing or teaching sewing skills. 

For today's post I wanted to share another story, about Maegan Carberry and her "birdbrained" idea.

Maegan is a 36-year old journalist, media strategist, and digital entrepreneur living in California. Maegan is also a woman who has struggled with PTSD for almost 20 years after being sexually assaulted when she was 16 years old.  In the article where I first discovered Maegan (as well as on her website) she speaks of struggling with PTSD until she worked with her mom in 2014 to sew a dress for a special event. In the process of working on this dress Maegan experienced an improvement in her mental and emotional health. Not letting the fact that she had very little sewing experience stop her, this positive impact motivated Maegan to pledge to make 100 dresses for her friends and family.

A couple years and a few sewing classes later Maegan’s personal project, Birdbrain, has evolved into a non-profit organization working to bring awareness to sexual assault by creating a free online resource titled, the Long-Term Guide to Surviving Sexual Assault (expected to be released in April 2018). Not only is Maegan working to sew each one of these dresses but she also embroiders a bird on every dress.

Maegan’s story caught my interest because not only does she speak to the beneficial impact of sewing and creativity on her mental health but she is also dedicated to using her skills to bring awareness and support to other victims of sexual assault.

To learn more about Maegan, see pictures of the beautiful dresses she has made and to support her with a donation of funds or supplies follow this link to her website: https://www.dressbirdbrain.com.

Original article: http://www.desertsun.com/story/desert-magazine/2017/02/08/birdbrain-founder-sewing-100-dresses-raise-awareness-sexual-assault/97558988/

Sew on,
E. Farley

Stitching our Way to a Better World: "Muck" Shoes

 A recent news article in a local Massachusetts newspaper (Daily Hampshire Gazette*) caught my eye and I thought I would take the opportunity to share it.

It caught my eye for a variety of reasons including the fact that it highlights utilizing sewing skills to address a current global crisis, volunteer work, community support, and repurposing. Below is a brief summary of the article and if you want to read the full article please follow the link at the end of this post.. I hope it inspires you as much as it does me!

 Titled, “A Step Up: Belchertown Business Owner Forgoes a Month off to Make ‘Muck Shoes’ for Syrian Refugees” this January 13^th article highlighted the recent and continuing work of MA resident, Andrea Boyko.

According to Emily Cutts, author of the piece, instead of Andrea taking her regular January vacation from running her business, she decided to utilize her knowledge of making shoes to pledge 50 pairs of homemade shoes for refugee children currently being displaced as a result of the crisis in Syria. 

Muck Shoes are made of repurposed rubber from the inner tubes of bikes, as well as a mixture of new and recycled textiles. Wool serves as the sole liner and t-shirts are utilized for the soft inner lining. A durable fabric from old sweaters, jeans and/or new water-resistant duck cloth are utilized to form the outside. These shoes are easy to clean and they have stretch to them, allowing children to wear them a bit longer than typical shoes. Growing kids can outgrow shoes very fast! 

 Along the way Andrea has received help from volunteers, both old and young, who have donated materials, helped cut materials and make shoe size tags.

Once completed, these shoes will be sent to Turkey and from there they will be disseminated to refugee camps in Syria.

But Andrea’s volunteer work does not end there; she is also planning a family vacation to Greece, a location where there are currently thousands of refugees, and while there she will lead sewing workshops in refugee camps.

Not only do I appreciate this story because it highlights sewing and repurposing but more importantly because it shows how these things can be utilized by an individual (who is supported by a community)  to provide assistance to those in need.

To learn more about Andrea and her shop Bula Jean’s Boutique visit her FaceBook page at: https://www.facebook.com/Bula-Jeans-Boutique-183782958307742/

(Note picture of shoes taken from Andrea's FB page)

*Link to Article: http://www.gazettenet.com/Belchertown-woman-makes-shoes-for-Syrian-refugees-7431836

Sew on,

E. Farley 

Spreading the Word: Recommended Reading

I recently came across an article written by Lucy Von Sturmer in the Huffington Post (UK edition) titled "Want to Save the World? Start with Your Wardrobe." This brief but useful article describes six key values someone can rely on when trying to figure out how to begin supporting sustainable fashion. 

The six key values include:  

1) Buy less. Buy better. Recycle. Reuse. 

2) When you buy, choose natural fibers. 

3) Choose organic cotton - important for you, the environment, and workers. 

4) It’s sometimes OK to use the “30 Wear Rule.” 

5) Embrace minimalism. 

6) Support brands that embrace sustainability at their core. 

For a description of these values please read the full article at: 

http://www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/lucy-von-sturmer/want-to-save-the-planet-t_b_14430282.html

Sew on,

E. Farley

Have you heard.... about Piñatex?

Piñatex

It is an innovative, sustainable, and leather-like textile that is produced from the fibers of pineapple leaves. Since these leaves are the byproduct of harvesting pineapples there is no extra water, pesticides, or fertilizers utilized to produce them.

What was once considered waste is now being converted, through a manufacturing process, into a sustainable leather that is being utilized to by designers to create clothing, bags, shoes, and interiors.

This all began when the founder of Piñatex, Dr. Carmen Hijosa who in the 1990s was working in the leather goods industry, traveled to the Philippines with the task to update the leather fashion export market. While there she learned of the negative ecological consequences of the leather manufacturing process and was motivated to research and develop an eco-friendly alternative to leather.

Sounds amazing doesn’t!!! Maybe too good to be true? I don’t think so but check out the links below to make up your own mind!

Website:

http://www.ananas-anam.com/pinatex

FaceBook:

https://www.facebook.com/pinatex/

See Dr. Carmen Hijosa talk about Piñatex:

Cartier Women’s Initiative Award:2015 Nominee (1 minute 36 seconds):

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FGNVja-wnyg  

TEDx Talk (19 minutes 23 seconds):

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cUkv4VWIum0

Sew on,

E. Farley