Thank you for taking the time to look at my Lyttelthings and Beanbags created and made here in Aotearoa from recycled stuff.

I was working part-time last year while studying Environmental Sustainability. This allowed me to spend a bit of time thinking about how we use stuff... and also to have a go at creating stuff – something I thought I had forgotten after 10 years working 8–5! This year I have chosen to continue with part-time pattern-making and keep a couple of days free for the fun creative stuff.

I studied fashion design but have realised it's creativity and fabrics that inspire me and definitely not the consumerist fashion industry. Thinking about stuff made me realise I'd collected a lot of fabric over the years; my first job was working in a fabric shop, and as a fashion design student I did a lot of op shopping and collecting fabrics. Living on a student loan helps you to develop a keen eye – anything that could be a potential resource I'd hang on to (some might call this hoarding but I try to be selective!). So what to do with my collected bits of fabric, a qualification in fashion design, an aversion to rampant consumerism and a rekindled creative streak?

I seem to be surrounded in babies and small children so I started small, creating one-off unique soft toys. Lyttelthings are inspired by fabrics I have on hand, re-purposed clothes including felted woollen jumpers, offcuts from local clothing production and sometimes the occasional new find. Wool and polyester fill is sourced through Terranova (http://www.rmf.org.nz/terranova/main/) and Freecycle (http://groups.yahoo.com/group/chchfreecycle/).

An attraction to the graphics on used green coffee bean sacks (originally sourced for mulching the new fruit trees) got me thinking about a more permanent re-use for them... and Beanbags were created. Initially just the market bag two more have since developed with more ideas in development – watch this space!

As a society/community I believe we can and should provide for each other with locally made products as much as possible. I think it's going to take a while for some people to cotton on; breaking habits is not easy and I myself am finding it difficult to not always buy the cheapest thing on the shelf. Ask yourself: What is it made from? Where is it made? How far has it travelled to get here? Who is benefiting from the purchase of it? How can I dispose of it when I need to?

I've discovered a fantastic website and video I think everyone should check out:

'The Story of Stuff (http://www.storyofstuff.com) exposes the connections between a huge number of environmental and social issues, and calls us together to create a more sustainable and just world. It'll teach you something, it'll make you laugh, and it just may change the way you look at all the stuff in your life forever.'

I'm not saying don't buy stuff – I'm saying considering green-purchasing principals is important to me.

I have my parents to thank for teaching me the value of things and for teaching me the skills to create the stuff I need.


see: www.hanablack.wordpress.com/ for more.