Creative inspiration has been pouring down in bucket-loads. Something is turning on inside, lighting me up and clearing my head. Things seem possible that did not before.
At the beginning of the summer I learned about the Fibershed project. It is one woman’s commitment, with the larger communities’ involvement, to source all of her clothing (from raw material to processing to piecing) from within 150 miles of her front door for the length of a year. A fibershed is equivalent to a foodshed or a watershed – it is the local fiber resources available to you. The year is just now up and it seems it is more a beginning than an end of something. Fibershed challenges may start sprouting up elsewhere. This project has posed so many important questions around supporting local industry, artisans, farmers, etc. Creating more than just beautiful clothes, it seems to be at root about building healthy communities, respecting natures’ processes and appreciating the abundance of what we already have. As well as pointedly creating an alternative to toxic and dehumanizing industrial clothing manufacturing.
The Fibershed blog is the first blog I have ever read from start to finish. A textural story with beautiful photos. It encompasses so many strands of interest and passion for me. It has planted so many seeds of possibility, and has made me feel that I am not alone.
You can check out the blog here, read a short article here, or see an 11 min. video about the wardrobe here.
Rebecca Burgess, the Fibershed woman, also wrote a book, Harvesting Color, about the art and craft of natural plant dyes. It is a visually beautiful book with practical instructions and thoughtful historical perspective. It is organized by seasons, and at the end of each season is a knit project instruction. Now I want to make some room in my neglected garden for some dye plants.
Nettles…
Nettles has come to be one of my favorite foods and medicines. It’s green leafy goodness can be added to just about anything. And as a tonic tea it is rich in vitamins and minerals – highly nutrient dense.
And on top of all that I just learned recently that the fibers from the long tough stems have been used in the past to make fabrics – on par with cotton, hemp and linen. I heard about this from a link on the Fibershed Facebook page. John-Paul Flintoff wrote a book, Through the Eye of a Needle, about his desire to take control of his life by making his own clothes, and in the process uncovers a fascinating history of fiber – and particularly the nettle. It sounds humorous and inspiring. I just ordered it from Chelsea Green Publishing. But here is a link to a short article about it as well as a 4 minute video of him talking about it.
This is so exciting because, like hemp, it is a healthy renewable resource that is easily grown many places with little to no external inputs necessary, and unlike hemp, it is actually legal to grow here. It comes back each year and all parts can be useful. This is the essence of self-sufficiency and sustainability.
This is a blog about craft. About making things with our hands. About the ripple effects of that process of making.
It is about what inspires me.
It is also about moving toward energy independence. At this moment these two are intimately linked for me.
Recipe for Nettles Tonic Tea
(I like to use a combo of equal parts Nettle, Oatstraw and Red Clover, but you can also just use Nettle.)
I put a healthy handful of dried plant material into the bottom of a quart jar. I pour boiled water to fill the jar. I let that sit over night. In the morning, strain out the herbs. I drink the tea frequently throughout the day. Tonifying and full of nutrients. Drink your vitamins. 🙂
p.s. I am not affiliated with any of the items or things or people I linked to. They are just my inspiration, and I want to acknowledge and share.
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