And here we are, three years later. 🍻 Happy Anniversary, @stalinski13. I’m a lucky lady to have such an incredible partner in my life. Cheers to more hugs, laughs and more adventures to come. Love you to pieces. ❤️ . 📷 by @dana_dufek_photography
And for a moment, we escaped 😌
Happy Harvest Moon and Friday! 🌕 The energy this week has been off the charts! Anyone else feel like they’ve been tripping over themselves all week? 🤷‍♀️ I finished and blocked my Easy Eyelet Yoke Sweater and am incredibly happy with how this came together. The pattern was the perfect destash for my Moeke 2-ply Elena yarn. I know this sweater will get a lot of use this upcoming winter season. Swipe ⬅️ to see and outside photo of me trying to monitor a toddler while taking photos. . . . . . #easyeyeletyoke #moekeyarns #moekeyarnselena #momlife #sweaterknitting #knitting #knittersofinstagram #sweaterweather #mylifeinhandknits #handknitwardrobe #slowfashion #farmtoneedle
Have you heard of #secondhandseptember? This month everyone is encouraged to buy secondhand instead of new, especially when it comes to clothing. I would also suggest taking the challenge to the next level by maybe not buying second hand, but asking what’s already in my closet I can give a new/second life to?? A beautiful neighbor of mine approached me asking to give some tops that were sitting in her closet some new color. I was thrilled at the opportunity and love how fresh they look! 👌 Anyone else participating in Secondhand September?? Where are your favorite places to shop secondhand? . . . . . #naturaldye #naturaldyes #buyless #slowfashion #plantcolor #naturaldyersofinstagram #madder #pomegranate #logwood #botanicalcolors
All 💜💕💛 for today’s natural and bundle dye workshop at Wisconsin Sheep and Wool! It was a great class with some truly amazing results!! 😍 Thanks to everyone who came out and got inspired for future natural dye projects! . . . . #naturaldye #bundledye #ecoprinting #bundledyeing #wisheepandwool #wisheepandwoolfestival #localcolor #plantcolor #creativeprocess
I’ve been prepping materials all week for my natural dye workshop tomorrow at the Wisconsin Sheep and Wool fest! 🌼 There’s a lot of work that gets done behind the scenes for all of my workshops. I like to make sure the fabric is freshly mordanted and plants are harvested within 24 hours of the workshop. Goldenrod is on the menu for tomorrow! 🌾 Looking forward to this sold out workshop and lots of sheep!! 🌈🐑 . . . . #goldenrod #naturaldye #wisconsinsheepandwool #wisconsinsheepandwoolfestival #naturaldyersofinstagram #localcolor #plantcolor
Last I heard there are TWO spots left for my natural and bundle dye class at the Wisconsin Sheep and Wool fest this Sunday! This is going to be a great class- there are still so many late summer blooms we are going to use for some natural color! Link on my website to register, and throwback to a year ago when I dyed a bunch of wool with goldenrod from the alley. 🌾💛 . . . . . #naturaldye #naturaldyes #naturaldyersofinstagram #goldenrod #plantcolor #localcolor #urbangarden #midwestmakers #wisheepandwool #wisheepandwoolfestival
Do yourself a favor and check out the @jeffrune exhibit at @mmocamadison before it closes. This exhibit is 💯💯✨
Busy busy end of summer and it’s starting to feel like fall. 🍂 Two years ago I started a sweater with this Moeke yarn, got half way done and it just didn’t feel right, so it sat unfinished. I finally frogged it this spring and just last week found the perfect pattern for it. Working on the Easy Eyelet Yoke Sweater for myself, helping me to mentally unwind and take care of myself emotionally. ✨ . . . . . . #knitting #fallknits #sweaterknitting #easyeyeletyoke #moekeyarns #moekeelena #slowfashion #mylifeinhandknits #sweaterweather #knittersofig #wip #creativeprocess #selfcare
Perks of direct composting: you toss in one old potato and grow over 10 of them. 🥔🥔 This little dude was the best helper in harvesting the potatoes, green beans, tomatoes and banana peppers with me this afternoon-my heart is full. So happy he gets to experience what it means to grow your own food. ❤️ .. . . . #growyourownfood #urbangarden #victorygarden #monsantosucks #urbangardenersofinstagram #organicgardening #compost
Fall wardrobe planning has begun! My mindless knitting project this past weekend was this hat for the babe, made with indigo dyed wool from many years back. 💙 Pattern is the Luuk Hat and I’m happy I had enough yarn for this destash project. . . . . . #knitting #fallknits #babyknits #indigo #fallwardrobe #knittersofinstagram #luukhat #handknit #handknitwardrobe #destash
Much needed knitting retreat with my favorite ladies. 🧶 Enjoying the best moments of summer. ☀️
Hi all! 👋 I figured it was time to share the news that I left teaching fashion. The politics of academics/higher education was wearing me down where I didn’t feel like I could be my best self. That coupled with my views of the fashion industry and those not aligning with the department in building a more sustainable and inclusive department that can design for a better/more progressive future. I feel like now I can really put my views out there, share more openly and have more engaging conversations on holding the fashion industry accountable. I’ve been reading and supporting @ajabarber and appreciate her calling out the industry for what it really is. Consumerism and capitalism has been overwhelming me lately- I’m tired of being told I need to buy more and when it’s on sale. I’ve decided that if I’m buying, it’s second hand. If I’m making, I’m trying to use what I’ve got. This was a hard decision to make knowing there are a lot of talented folx and makers out there that I want to support, but with the climate crisis it’s time to be more selective and really do the work. I’ve been trying to think of new ways to approach my natural dye workshops to make them more sustainable/ethical/inclusive as well (open to suggestions!). More news on this next chapter to come. In the meantime, I did manage to destash some cotton gauze and sew up this tank top for myself. It’s a self-drafted pattern from seven years ago and a personal fave. . . . . . #fashion #climatecrisis #destash #change #sewing #handmadewardrobe #summer #nativeplants #sew #handmade #tattoo #pollinators #pollinatorgarden
A chocolate bundt cake to celebrate the People’s Holiday! Happy Riverwest 24! May you look out for each other, bike safe and don’t be a jerk. 🚴‍♀️🚴‍♂️ . . . . #riverwest24 #thepeoplesholiday #rw24 #bundtcake #thebestdayoftheyear @riverwest24
Still plugging away at my Printemps Babes sock pattern. Had some life curve balls thrown my way that needed some time and space to be sorted out. ✨ How has everyone else been during this retrograde? Only one more week to go! . . . . #printempsbabes #printempsanklesocks #sockknitting #knitting #giftknitting #knittersofinstagram #socktawk #operationsockdrawer #knitweardesigner #handknit #babyknits
Today I got to lead a natural and bundle dye workshop with the Growing Youth Leadership teens at @walnutway. They experimented with a bunch of techniques and got the best results! 🌼 These cotton squares will be sewn together to make a tablecloth for their table at the Fondy’s Farmers Market. If you’re local stop by and support these teens! . . . . . #walnutway #mke #naturaldye #naturaldyersofinstagram #bundledyeing #ecoprinting #plantcolor #localcolor #slowcolor
Impossible to capture this unique color obtained from carrot tops 🥕 It’s the perfect combination of pale and neon and yellow/green. 💛💚 Grateful to be preserving summer color! . . . . . #naturaldye #naturaldyersofinstagram #naturalcolor #backyardgarden #carrots #🥕 #summerharvest #urbangarden #urbangardening
First attempt at dyeing with carrot tops today. 🥕 . . . . #naturaldye #gardendye #growyourownfood #urbangarden #naturaldyersofinstagram #plantcolor