Let’s start sewing
A Sustainable Closet believes creativity and a sustainable closet goes hand in hand. And what can be a better practice than sewing and mending? We asked Jennie Dahlén, co-author of the book Slow Fashion and a consultant in sewing and mending about her best advice for start sewing and how you can learn from her!
Jennie, can you please tell us a little bit about your self and your background in Slow fashion?
Hi there! I recently started my own business within slow fashion and mending. I hold workshops, courses and speeches for companies and organisations. Even though doing this full time is new to me, I´m not starting out fresh in this area. Five years ago I wrote the book Slow fashion together with Johanna Leymann at the same time as I was a manager for Stockholms stadsmissions fashion brand Remake, and before that I have worked 10+ years in the fashion industry with buying and sales. Right now, alongside starting up my new business, me and Johanna is working on our second book together. It´s called Klä barnen, växa, ärva, fixa, laga and is kind of a sequel of our last book, only now for parents. The book will be released in April.
What is the purpose of your business?
I think we live in a world to focused on consumption and I want to offer a contrast to that. We need to slow down and value the garments we all ready own. I think we also have to convert our thoughts from thinking that we can fix everything by buying something new to see the possibilities with repair and preloved garments. For me this is a great way to find creativity and meaning and I really want to share this with others. We need to take back the power of our closet!
You’re hosting an online course about sewing and mending, can you please tell us more about the course?
Yeah! The fourth round of the course is coming up this January. The course contains of six different mending themes, a new each week. The participants get to try darning, patching, embroidery and remake, just to give some examples. They get 15 instructional videos and texts about slow fashion. Each week there is a challenge and an assignment which they share on a digital forum. We also get together on Zoom to help each other out with our mending and to discuss slow fashion and visible mending as a practice. So far, all participants have been very pleased and many of them has told me that the course made all the difference for them to get started with the mending. For me it means the world to hear things like that. To be able to teach what I love and think is meaningful is a blessing.
How can I join the course?
I have teamed up with Friday Lab, a community for women. My course called #dagenslagning – Kom gång och laga! is part of their plattform Friday Lab Academy together with several other courses supporting a sustainable everyday life. Here’s a link to more information and the possibility to enroll:
https://fridaylab.thrivecart.com/dagenslagning-kom-igang-och-laga/
As a bonus you get a Christmas present if you buy the course to yourself or someone you like before the 10th of december. And if you are an early bird and buy the course before the first of December you get 20% off.
You also have a Christmas gift coming up, tell us more about it?
Well yes! For the first time, when you order the course, a starting kit for mending is included. It contains of all material you need to make it easy to get started with your first repairs. A small pair of scissors, a thimble, cotton and wool yarn, a couple of patches and. Of course it is possible to buy just the kit as well. Just head over to my web shop at jenniedahlen.se.
What are your best advice for anyone who would like to sew more and might hesitate?
Start out easy and take it step by step. You don´t need to go out and buy stuff to get started. But to make it pleasant it is good to have a pair of scissors that you only use for fabric, a small assortment of yarn and patches and perhaps a thimble. You can find all of above on second hand or in a shop for hobby and crafts.
Visible mending is a great way to discover your creativity! It is a small projekt that is done in an hour or less and might inspire you to try something bigger the next time. I think the best way is to not start with your favourite garments. Mend something that doesn't matter too much to you. Maybe even buy something broken in a second hand store? Then what is the worst that can happen? Your broken garment is still broken! And be kind to yourself. I´ts ok to fail the first times. You will soon see that practice makes perfect!
