Last month I had the great opportunity to volunteer during the annual Alpaca Owner’s Association National Fleece Conference in Arlington Virginia. On Day 1 I took the Basic Fiber Sorting & Grading Class with Wini Labrecque of Star Weaver Farm and SWF Fiber Innovations. She has over 20 years of experience adding value to alpaca fibers with hand-spinning,…
Tag: zero-waste fashion design
Hand Spun Wool
These are photos of my ongoing hand-spinning work. I did most of the spinning on my drop spindle throughout the summer. It is my first 6-ply wool yarn and I am excited about its texture, and its soft, airy feel. My anticipated project is a cowl scarf to get ready for Winter 2015 in Ithaca….
Linking Fashion with “People, Planet, Profit” goals
This year I got the great opportunity to work with fellow apparel design and fiber science students in a sustainable fashion project funded by the Environmental Protection Agency under the supervision of Professor Tasha Lewis, Dr. Park, and Dr. Netravali. The project fused sustainable design theory, upcycling–the process of adding value to cast off, second-hand…
Sustainable Fashion Elevator Pitch
This is a short video about a project I have been working on as Professor Tasha Lewis’ Graduate Research Assistant at Cornell University. Extended video with more details coming soon!
Fiber Artisanry with Local Fibers
I’m excited to show one of the first knit and crochet accessories I made from 100% hand spun yarns. I previously wrote about the NY fleece origins here and about my process of learning to spin here. I’m glad I had the opportunity to learn how to make my own yarns at Knitting Etc. because I can expand my creativity…
Fiber Farm Community Supported Ag
I recently became a virtual farmer in support of Sweet Tree Hill Farm in Virginia. The farm has Shetland sheep, angora rabbits, and cashmere goats. I was excited to learn where the the funds I provided would go. They helped pay for 1 month’s worth of hay for the fiber animals. I’m glad I can contribute in…
Finished Cashmere Sweater and Memories
I finally finished the cashmere sweater that I mentioned in a previous post. The stitches in this sweater have so many memories and I am so happy that I can reflect back on the time I spent preparing the yarn and knitting. I began working on it in June and finished in August 2013 and it…
Re-Visiting Laughing Goat Fiber Farm
I previously visited the Laughing Goat Fiber Farm in January when it was snowy. Visiting in Summer is beautiful and it was great to see and interact with the fiber animals again. I’m currently hand-knitting a cashmere sweater from cashmere fibers of this farm. The cashmere is grey, a mix of black and white fibers from…
Nurturing a Sustainable Design Aesthetic
I remember when I spent entire summer days drawing new designs alongside my twin sister, Nidia. The joy I took in drawing each “doll” as we called them, inspired me to pursue fashion design academically. This outfit was heavily inspired by the ’90s, and my interpretation of fashion as an art form. The “dolls” above,…
Worth of Crochet
Crochet is a wonderful hand-craft that allows extensive creativity. Each inch of fabric is created with intention and care. The process of crochet generates no waste since only the fabric necessary to complete the design is created. Additionally, once the crochet clothes reach the “end of life” stage, the fabric can be un-crochet and re-used…
Developing Narratives with Clothing and Connections to Place
I first met Audrey Acosta, one of the kindest designers ever, in Spring 2009 at the Whole Earth Festival in Davis California. I was charmed by all of her colorful one-of-a-kind dresses. In an internship with her, she explained that she traveled to India once a year and hand-picked recycled silks to use for her…
Knitting local!
I created my first hand-knitted seamless sweater as another approach to zero-waste fashion design! I learned how to knit when I was 18 from a book, how to do purl, stockinette, and ribbing stitches while I was at UC Davis, but I only knew how to do simple scarves. I considered myself a beginner knitter…
“Constructed” no waste fashions
Zero-waste is a branch of sustainable fashion that eliminates textile waste from the production stage. The entire length and width of fabrics are used. I created this collection as part of my design honors thesis at the University of California Davis (January-May 2012). I was extremely inspired by the work of Timo Rissanen, Holly McQuillan, Mark…
HELEN TREJO 