Trash to treasure , Korean patchwork and tutorial
(but first, thoughts on self preservation, as 2025 kicks into gear)
As we are entering 2025, I find myself uncharacteristically renewed and energized to focus and embark on some personal projects that have been on my mind for some time now. However, the second half of last year was a grueling and uninspired time for me, personally - which contributed to just taking care of only the immediate necessary things and repeat. No bandwidth to create anything new or do any kind of big picture visualizing. This is the state I typically find myself in, at the beginning of most years, but perhaps I got that part over with earlier this time.
One small (but kind of major-ish) thing that I did that may have helped “self preserve” myself and creativity was delete Instagram from my phone. I still have the account as a portfolio of my sewing and fashion work, which feels important as a creative professional to float around on the net for ‘credibility’. Which got me thinking - isn’t that bizarre how that happened? A fun way for us to share (filtered) photos of where we have been, who we are hanging out with, and what we are eating - with our friends, turned into this major platform to market ourselves, our lives. Our lives have become a commodity of sorts. Ok, so not an original thought, 15 years in using the platform. But, I’ve had enough.
Every time I opened the app, even limiting myself for 5 minutes, I closed it feeling… kind of sick to my stomach, feeling that I wasn’t doing enough in all aspects of my life - not helping other people enough or the world, or doing enough traveling, stylish enough, creative enough, successful enough, not doing enough as a parent… it is endless.
So here I am posting my first blog post on this iteration of my website, because if I have something to share, it’s going to be well thought out, in my own space, and slowed down. If you end up taking the time to read my posts (first thank you) I hope that they give you a bit of inspiration and below the surface level thoughts and ideas. Of course I’ll stick to my wheel house of sewing, clothing design, and textile art - but with some personal touches.
Trash to treasure - a field trip
Artist friends Kallopi and Maki digging for recyclable treasures, amongst impressively organized “trash”.
I recently got the opportunity to visit Ridwell’s Denver sorting facility. Ridwell is a subscription based recycling company, that I also subscribe to, for their fabric recycling program as well as their plastic film and multi-layer plastic recycling programs. I visited with 2 artists Maki Teshiama and Kallopi Monoyios who both work with materials that people have discarded and second hand materials. We helped empty the “Threads” bags which are fiber based “trash” such as clothing and fabric scraps as well as shoes. Kallopi was after the labels on clothing such as brand labels and also the content labels to use for her meticulously crafted pieces. Maki looked for white cotton sheets and shirts that can be botanically dyed for her textile work. I didn’t know what I was looking for - I was just there for the experience. This is something I’ve been wanting to do for a few years now - use materials that others regard as trash and create something beautiful with it. This practice I feel is not only necessary now, but comments on the over consumption of today’s world through art in a way that I find effective.
As I was sorting through what people have discarded, I was amazed and disturbed at the same time. We consume and discard so much. I kept thinking of stories about the people who were once embodying these clothes. Some of the clothing still had tags on them and were brand new. Mid way through sorting, I was struck by a memory and idea I had a while back, of recycling discarded denim to patch work and make jackets. Denim is such a sturdy fabric, and I love the different washes patched together. Patch work would lend itself so well to denim! I was able to gather a lot of usable denim with in the short time I was there, and am excited to embark on this new project and share with you soon-ish.
Jogakbo - Korean Patchwork
In the vein of using second hand and scrap materials, I’m finally getting (back) into sewing jogakbo 조각보, a Korean patchwork technique. This ancient utilitarian art form is everything that resonates with me, and is inline with my desire to create less waste, with the need to create. The humble act of saving scraps and creating something useful and stunning is really everything to me. Not to mention getting more in touch with my roots of Korean ancestry - which I admit that I have not been good about at all.
I’m currently collaborating with my friend and fellow artist Maki Teshima patch working some of her botanically dyed fabrics scraps from her previous works, and plan on making more patchwork art, so stay tuned!
