Sustainable Christmas Day 6 - Festive Fabric & Christmas Sweaters

Vlogmas with a twist - looking at some sustainable ways to use sewing over the festive season talking about Fast Fashion, Festive Fabric & Christmas Jumpers.
‪@CatherineSews‬ • FAST FASHION: Problems...
Woolmark Video: • Wear Wool, Not Fossil ...
Woolmark article
Article about Patrick Grant growing flax: tinyurl.com/hxbv7p8d
Save the Children Christmas Jumper appeal: tinyurl.com/yk4yj97n
Wardrobe Crisis Podcast: tinyurl.com/y2h45m4v
‪@wardrobecrisis9331‬
Folded tree tutorial from Misusu: tinyurl.com/22289n84
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[@CatherineSews]

Thanks for the mention, Sam! I love what you did with your Sustainable Vlogmas. Awesome ways to keep Christmas a lot less excessive and wasteful!

[@sewciology22]

This is great Sam - as a high school teacher of textiles, this is part of what I teach. You could do hours of all the information out there. It’s really tricky to be truly sustainable as all fabrics have some issue with the process. Thanks for highlighting the issues. ❤

[@Frugalisama]

Thanks yes you're right, there's no one perfect fabric really - great that it's being taught in high school 🤗

[@elisa4620]

I am vegetarian and I see no problem with buying wool AS LONG AS it is ethically made and CRUELTY FREE and that the animals are treated with respect and care. Not only is it difficult to verify (beware of greenwashing) it also makes it much more expensive. So I generally buy my fabric and clothes second hand. It takes some time and dedication to find what I'm looking for but it is worth it. I've found some great stuff I'm going to treasure for years to come. Thank you for helping to raise awareness :)

[@Frugalisama]

Yes I love a second hand treasure hunt - I'm going to a clothes swap this weekend too so looking forward to seeing what I can find there!

[@jennifermaddock4382]

I wear mine every year. I have two - one of which a friend gifted me over 20 years ago!

[@Frugalisama]

You've definitely got your wear out of that one Jennifer 👍

[@robynlaszlo6128]

Good video i don't wear festive clothes never have been a big fan if clothes with pictures and writing on them my favorite thing is op shops and finding amazing quilts which i repurpose

[@Frugalisama]

Me too - love the idea of repurposing quilts, I never seem to see any in our local charity shops 🤗

[@janetwilliams7705]

I love your blogs. You are doing good work Sam.

[@Frugalisama]

Thanks so much Janet, glad hat you enjoying them 🤗

[@doreenbradley3849]

These videos are so interesting! I've never bought a Christmas jumper!!

[@Frugalisama]

Glad that you're enjoying them Doreen - no me neither 👍

[@clairelovessewing]

Festive jumpers is something I’ve never done…I think it’s because I’ve subconsciously thought that you can only wear them at Christmas. I’ve always liked to buy just a few selective items of clothing each season that I really like and then wear them to death. Never saved anything for best. Thinking of the environment now but really it was all about trying to look good without spending much money. Another interesting vlog. Thank you

[@Frugalisama]

Yes I think frugality is closely aligned with sustainability & agree clothes should be worn not stuck in the wardrobe waiting for a special occasion. Thanks for watching 🤗

[@annettecowburn1096]

I have never had a Christmas jumper because I don't like them and like you say you only wear them once or twice a year. The subject of sustainable fabric is very interesting so a dedicated vlog would be great.

[@Frugalisama]

Thanks Annette, I'll try to put something together in the New Year 👍

[@mairead5891]

Sheep and cattle do produce methane, but the upside of farming them naturally (by that I mean in fields!) is that their dung enriches the soil, which then is better able to sequester carbon. In fact recent thinking is that it's the industrial scale of producing crops that is also leading to climate change, ploughing fields releases carbon into the atmosphere, while keeping animals sequesters it. There's a fascinating book called The Soil Will Save Us, which goes into this in much more detail.

[@Frugalisama]

Thanks Mairead, I’ll look out for it in the library 👍

[@sweetpeagreen68]

I’ve a Christmas sweatshirt and Christmas tshirt (needs must when you’re a menopausal woman😂) that come out year after year. Never heard of the Guppy bag, but I’m away to buy a couple for Christmas gifts.

[@Frugalisama]

Ha ha I know what you mean about having your own central heating, usually at inappropriate times too

[@jennetthamilton7942]

I have 3 Christmas sweaters that I actually share with my niece each year. We work at a child care centre and each wear then a few times during December. We have been doing this for a few years now. I then wear each sweater a few times again to family get togethers. Also this year my sister was looking for pillow covers for some large decorative pillows she has. I immediately said I can use some Christmas fabric from my stash. I know she will use these for hopefully many years. Once again you have given us so many things to think about.

[@Frugalisama]

What a good idea to share them with your niece- love that 👍

[@mlynncannon4188]

I love my poly- no wrinkles😂

[@Frugalisama]

Good point & it should last forever too!

[@gorgo1945]

This series is eye opening and I congratulate you on the effort you made to create this amount of awareness on so many important issues. I look forward to each day of your vlogmas series as Ive learned so much already. Recycle and reuse is my sewing mantra and Ive started to tackle alterations on my existing garments that are too large for me (as Ive lost weight) instead of purchasing new garments. Best of all the sense of achievement is even higher when I look at my "new for old" creations:-)) xx

[@Frugalisama]

So glad that you're enjoying it, love that you're repurposing you're own garments - as you know that you already like them, I've been slowly working my way through mine & definitely worth it 🤗

[@nataliestanchevski4628]

I was at a charity shop a couple weeks ago. I bought a plaid brushed cotton sheet and a jersey knit sheet to make Christmas pj's for the whole family for only $10. There was an entire rack of polyester and acrylic christmas sweaters there, all practically brand new looking.

[@Frugalisama]

Wow, what a bargain, you can get so much from bedding can't you 👍 Awful about the sweaters & sadly they will end up in landfill if they don't sell ☹️

[@InAgatasCottage]

Alice wore over the weekend the same jumper I made her 2 years ago. It will be too small for next year but I will pass it on. In their school, they do Christmas jumper day - they need to decorate them themselves. So last year, I made her oversize jumper to fit her till she end of primary school. Great video as always

[@Frugalisama]

Thanks Agata, good idea giving her room to grow & love the idea that they're encouraging children to decorate their own jumpers 👍

[@sarahrieth9042]

A friend was invited to an "Ugly Sweater Christmas Party." That meant, in this part of the USA, a Christmas jumper/sweater. She was poor, and had found such a sweater at a charity shop, and was insulted that her only nice winter sweater was going to be considered an "ugly" sweater. I long for us to be more thoughtful about how we use language and about holding gatherings with such a name as "Ugly Sweater" party.

[@Frugalisama]

Oh that's such a sad story, peoples taste is very subjective isn't it - I agree more thoughtfulness around the language would be a step in the right direction 🤗

[@diannessewingroom7]

Another great video. There is so much to think about with the fabrics, I get to work on a lot for work but have always recycled in my sewing aside from that. My Christmas jumper was hand sewn by me in sweatshirt fabric with my own design on the front about 6 years ago I think, it will be out again this year, tomorrow possibly😀

[@Frugalisama]

Glad that you're enjoying them Dianne - love that you keep rewearing your jumper 🤗

[@kathygann7632]

I love merino wool and cashmere, but it doesn’t last as long as other fabrics because no matter how careful I am, the da.. moths get at it and eat holes in it. I have moth poison strips in my closets, and try to keep the sweaters in sealed plastic bins, then I mend the holes, but still…..

[@Frugalisama]

Oh those moths are determined aren't they, I'd heard about people putting the garments in the freezer to kill off the larvae but don't know if it works 🤔