Originally from the UK I relocated to Australia in 2004.  After working many years as a patisserie chef I turned my attention to my hobby of sewing soon after the birth of my first daughter.  I am an active member of the blogging community with my personal craft blog Nikkishell and work with BurdaStyle as their Australian team member.  I reside in Melbourne with my husband and three young daughters, for my daytime job i work in a fabric store.

Wardrobe Refashion came about when i decided i needed to be more eco friendly in some way.  I did the obvious stuff like drying my clothes on the line outside, using less water, reducing the packaging my family use etc but i knew i could be doing more.  My thoughts turned to my hobby of sewing and the need for clothing.  I'm not a fan of clothes shopping, i find the fit and quality of clothes turn a shoppping trip into a nightmare which usually ends up with me feeling grumpy and going home empty handed or with something i'm not 100% happy with. 

I decided to stop buying new manufactured clothing in a bid to do my part for the planet, save money and improve my sewing skills so I shared my idea on my blog and I was overwhelmed with the response.  This lead to me setting up the group blog which had around 50 participants when it started in early 2006, since then there have been so many i've lost count!

Participants of the blog pledge to abstain from the purchase of new manufactured clothing for the period of 2, 4, 6 months or LIFE.  They pledge to refashion, renovate, and recycle preloved items with their own hands in fabric, yarn or other medium or make their own from scratch.  Those who fall off the wagon must confess on the blog and display the 'Get Out of Refashionista Jail FREE' card.

My aim is to spread the word about refashioning and recycling and to encourage people to make their own clothes from scratch.  This reduces the impact of clothing on the environment, increases skills, reduces importation from other countries, reduces unfair labour and creates community.

I am currently taking part in the Stitches and Craft Shows here in Australia with a 'Reconstruction Zone'.  I have a large area set up with sewing machines, recycled clothes, fabrics and other bits and pieces.  People can come into the area, reconstruct a garment or make it into something new using the machines and take home their creation, all for free!

Clothing images from Wardrobe Refashion participants.

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