Slow Fashion

As a knitter and spinner, I am clearly an advocate of slow fashion on its face.  In the last year, I actively started shifting from lots of clothes that were inexpensive to buy and pretty much cheaply made to trying to invest in my clothes, focusing on natural fibers as much as I can, and having fewer items in my closet.  As the seasons were starting to change, I focused on my fall/winter items.  Searching for pieces that made me feel good as well as look good.  It is embarrassing to say but I took over 6 bags (LARGE bags) of clothes out of my closet and donated them.  But what I'm left with gives me such an easy sense of contentment.  And dressing is almost stress free when everything you are choosing from makes you feel good!

One of the was I am embracing slow fashion includes wearing my knitted things more.  I have several shawls that previously I would only use as samples for my booth when I'm vending at various fiber festivals.  Well that is a silly use of my lovely things, that I spent hours spinning the yarn for and then knitting them.  So I am wearing them more and more.  And enjoying them in a way that they are meant to be used.  

I also bought a new book on my trip to Dallas.  It is called Slow Knitting, a journey from sheep to skein to stitch.  Author is Hannah Thiessen.  I'm taking my time reading through this book.  It covers creating a slow wardrobe along with how to source your fiber and yarn ethically and sustainably.  I already know and like several of the companies it discusses including Bare Naked Wools, Brooklyn Tweed and Woolfolk among others.  

I found the book at Half Price Books which means it was previously owned.  And that owner underlined thoughts that I enjoyed seeing.  Sentences like "reevaluate what we consume, what we make"  "the time spent making an object is just as important as the object itself."  I've been thinking along those lines myself.  I scheduled more fiber festivals this year than I ever did before COVID.  Which means I worked really really hard for the last six months to keep spinning and trying to knit just one more sample (hello Color Morph)  But that starts to taint my love for spinning in particular.  I miss knitting.  But I had to keep spinning as I kept selling (yay!) because I had more festivals coming up.  So when is enough enough.  Something I am working on.  But I am really working on embracing slow fashion, slow everything in my life.  I need to learn to enjoy what is right in front of me.  Not the mindset of once I get this done, I can then do that.  And so on and so on.  But pause, focus on this singular step, enjoy it, breath and let the next step come in its own time.