Be The Voice, October 7th-29th, 2013

Today, I am so happy to be able to introduce you to Maggie Duckworth and her involvement with an incredibly impactful event taking place in New York City next week, Be the Voice. 

I met Maggie a month ago during a FIG (Fashion Industries Group) meeting.  I have been wanting to combine my love of fashion to my faith in a more concrete way which lead me to attend this faith and fashion group. Maggie and I bonded immediately especially after she told me about Be the Voice. This cause is close to my heart as my mother worked in a garment factory under very poor working conditions,  for many years, after she arrived here from Puerto Rico. As you might recall, I also participated in Stop Traffic back in 2011, a fashion show that  raised awareness of human trafficking within the fashion industry.

These shared interests made for an instant connection between Maggie and myself and I just had to invite her to explain, in her own words, what Be the the Voice is all about. Fashion does not happen in a vacuum. There are many people, global societies affected in the process of making clothes and accessories. I am on the journey to continued awareness in this area, I hope this helps you to travel on the same road as well.

When I was a young girl growing up in a small community in Northern Georgia I dreamed of one day moving to New York City and pursuing an education in fashion design.  It was all I could talk about.  I would fill notebooks full of drawings of fancy dresses and wedding gowns.  I do not know where this dream came from but I held it close.

Earlier this year I was heartbroken as I heard the stories that came out of Bangladesh about an eight-story garment factory that caught fire and collapsed on the employees working inside.  Over 400 people died that day. Human beings died making clothes!  That thought is unimaginable to me, but it is very real.  The workers had families.  My own grandmother worked in a sock mill in Alabama until she retired.  She was so very poor, but at least she had been paid minimum wage and never went to work worried if she would die at the factory. 

As I thought about my grandmother I began to think about all of the children who were left orphaned by the fire.  Tears flowed as I thought about the holes left in these families.  I then thought about the workers and all of the dreams that died that day with them. Dreams to build better futures for themselves and for their children.  It has been many years since I was that young girl dreaming of a life in New York pursuing fashion.  It took many years and hard work, but I have been able to make those dreams come true.  Why couldn't the factory workers enjoy such blessings?  These questions began to plague me.

I had known peripherally about the horrors of sweat shops and modern day slavery, but I had not put much thought into how my actions contributed to the harm of others.  Out of sight out of mind.  I then began to think of when I (someday) create  my own line of clothes.  Who would make them?  Would I show integrity in the conditions the designs were produced or would I just look at the financial bottom line? 

I began to research and I learned a lot about human trafficking. There are so many gruesome facets of modern day slavery that many of us know nothing about. Sex trafficking has wrecked havoc in the lives of many. Then there is labor trafficking which can range from someone being forced to work in a person’s home as a servant, forced to work in fields to gather crops, or to work in factories making consumer goods in inhumane conditions with little or no pay.  
I started to wonder what I could do to help make a difference in the fight against human trafficking.  How could I educate consumers on where the products they purchase come from but also give them an alternative?

On a Sunday a few months ago I confided those thoughts to a sweet friend over a slice of carrot cake.  She happened to work for Price of Life (www.priceoflifenyc.org) an organization whose mission  is "to educate and mobilize the community to fight modern day slavery.”  My friend then told me about a partnership that was beginning between Price of Life, Nomi Network (www.nominetwork.org) and Bajalia Trading Company (www.bajalia.com).  In October the three organizations, as partners, would put together a pop-up shop in Soho.  This pop-up shop was envisioned as a way to reach consumers and give them the opportunity to purchase products made by free people from all over the world who had been rescued from slavery or who were at risk. These three organizations  are out there in the world changing lives.  I got really excited about being a part of this mission.   My friend put me in contact with Nomi Network and I became  the Volunteer Coordinator of the shop now known as, Be the Voice: Speak Up and Shop ("Be the Voice").  The creation of Be the Voice has been an adventure.  The team is made up of volunteers and members of Price of Life, Nomi Network and Bajalia staff.  It has been a joy to work with this outstanding team.

I am happy to announce that Be the Voice will be open October 7-29^th in Soho at Voce Di (41-43 Grand Street).  The shop will sell all slave free/free trade products created by free people across the globe.  The launch party will take place, 
Tuesday, October 8^th at 6:30 PM.  Bring a friend, shop, and hear the Voice of Child Soldiers during the panel session.

As part of the effort to educate consumers there will be two additional evenings of panel discussions at 6:30 PM: October 16^th: Voices of Sex Trafficking and October 22^nd: Voices of Labor Trafficking. You are welcome to join us for these informative events as well.

If you would like to attend the launch party or one of the panel discussions please visit: http://www.nominetwork.org/en/voiceoftrafficking/.
Be the Voice is still in need of volunteers to work 4 hour shifts.  The store will be open 11 AM to 7PM Monday through Saturday and until 8:30 PM on October 8, 16 and 22.  Be the Voice will also need people to assist with hospitality during the three evenings.  If you are interested in volunteering or would like to learn more please email me at: bethevoicevolunteer@gmail.com. 

Maggie Duckworth is the author of this guest blog and the Volunteer Coordinator for Be the Voice: Speak Up and Shop.  Maggie would like to thank Nellie Escalante for giving her the opportunity to share today and for Nellie's tremendous support in this endeavor.  Nellie--you're the best!

Sew and Tell: Striped Jumpsuit

I designed and constructed this striped jumpsuit in July but finally got around to photographing it this past Friday when I wore it to a workshop on special needs services. This is why I love jumpsuits. They are so versatile. I have worn this to church, to workshops, outings with friends, you name it. Jumpsuits are slowly, but surely, becoming my uniform. 

It's hard to see here, but it is actually black with green, tiny stripes. It also has an origami-like fold over neckline, pleated details on the shoulders, and front pockets. 

 Here it is, full view. Sorry for the grainy photos.

The left photo shows the pleating on the shoulders. If you follow my blog, you already know that if I can avoid doing zippers or buttons, I will, so I decided on a back tie opening. I like dressing modestly, so I always wear a black tank top underneath but it looks sexy and cute without it too, maybe i'll try it one day when I am out with my hubby.

Oh, and here is my leather cuff I made from a boot! Check out the tutorial here. 

There you have it. Once in a while I like to take a break from refashioning/reconstructing and sew from scratch to work out my fashion design muscles. 

Tutorial Tuesday: Wrap Dress to Jumpsuit

I've had this wrap dress in my closet for the longest! It's an Old Navy dress I bought on clearance for $3 but I never wear it. I put it on recently, and now I know why. It does nothing for my waistline! I don't have a super defined waist as it is cuz of my narrow shoulders and small boobs (sorry TMI) but that's the truth. If I had bigger boobs, I'd have the perfect figure but alas I have to work with what God gave me.

 Anyway, part of the problem was that the top wrap part was  big on me even though this was a small. Old Navy sizing runs big. So, I turned it around to evaluate the situation

I cut the top wrap part form the bottom below the seam

For the bottom part of the jumpsuit, I remembered I had these pants that I also never wear because they are too big on me.

 Here they are layed out.

I cut 2 inches off of the waist band

 Now back to the top. I put the top part on, pulled tight so that it could feel better and more snug. Remember, the top part was big on me.

I then pinned and sewed.

I then sewed the pants to the top and voila! Instant jumpsuit/romper

What's a romper if you can't romp around in it! This was also my kids' first day back to school so I was a bit extra happy!

Even though it's a bit low waisted, the snugness of the top (which fits me better) coupled with the volume of the pants on the bottom, creates a silhouette I can live with. It's all about balancing the proportions. As I get to know my body and what looks good on it, I feel better and more empowered to face the world! I really do believe in the power of clothes to transform, to influence your mood, to change your attitude. Now I have something in my closet that I really love and will wear a lot this fall. 

Would love to hear your thoughts!

Tutorial Tuesday: Dashiki Refashion

Back in July, I collaborated with House of Estrela, an amazing refashion blog, and shared this refashioned dashiki over at her place. 

Here, I will share the tutorial in it's entirety including a couple of extra shots. As is custom with my summer projects, my sons are in the photos. Although it is more difficult to create in the summer, this time does allow me to include them in the show and tell process. It's all good and it's all me baby!

You start by taking a v-neck shirt that fits you well

I love the dashiki because of the power it emits. I bought my dashiki back in 1998 in a flea market in North Carolina while visiting my sister. I was newly married,  had no children and was continuing to explore my cultural and political identity. I did feel quite empowered in it and wore it often until it got too small for me and tore.

Here's the tear, boo hoo. 

I cut the entire design off of the body of the dashiki. This is what I was left with. 

I pinned it onto the front of the t-shirt first for proper placement.

Then I continued pinning on the dress form. Don't look at the background. The house gets messy during the summer, don't judge! lol

Here's a back view with backpack just thrown in the back ground. Yup, it was the beginning of summer. 

This is how it came out. I love it!

Here comes one of the kiddos 

 "Stay Strong Mother!" I first heard this from Liela Joy Marie Fuller; author of Life's Reflection. I interviewed her here.

 And here's the other kiddo. Not so little anymore, he is going to pass me soon. 

  We had such a great summer. My little one spends more time in summer school than this one, so we got to have alone time and bond. I love him so much. 

Back view

What summer projects did you accomplish? How did you work with the kids during the summer?

Vacation, Special Needs, and What I Wore

Vacationing with a special needs child can be tough. I often wonder if it would be easier to stay home; routine, familiarity and sensory stuff at our disposal. However, a different environment allows me to learn more about Dan, see how he responds to new situations, expose him to new things, and enjoy him in a different context. So here's a little run down of our vacation, what I wore, and how we all did. 

Dan trashed our hotel room the minute we got there, lol.

The first day, I wore this top I made 2 years ago. I love it! It's a racerback with a draped color blocked front and low peter pan collar. So comfy and great for vacay. 

We spent a lot of time in the hotel pool downstairs. One of the things that keeps Dan calm is water. If he were in water all day, he would be so still and peaceful.

My oldest also enjoys water but is less adventurous in the pool. 

On the third day we made our way to the shore. I loved seeing this sign. Stronger than the storm...

I wore this shirt on the third day.  Small shirt to draped  tank, tutorial here

 Near the shore, we stopped to play miniature golf. Dan was not into it at all and he would not let go of his blanket but it's all about exposure to new things.

My oldest, on the other hand, loved it! He is land, while Dan is sea. Opposite sides of the spectrum indeed. 

Amusement park rides also calm Dan down. He loves motion. Water and motion are his favorites!  Here we are on the same train ride we took last year, I wrote about it in this post and took the same exact picture. This year I knew the drill; I went straight to the customer affairs office and asked for my bracelet, the bracelet that allows Dan to ride free because, well, he's "special".  It's interesting that they put the bracelet on the mother and not the child. Last year was the first year I had to grapple with the fact that Dan does indeed act "special". I couldn't hide behind the the late bloomer label anymore and he outed me as a special needs mom. 

My special needs mom coming out bracelet. 

All in all, we had a great time and it was a much needed change of scenery. 

The end of the summer is approaching. Would love to hear what you all did!   

The Case for a Dog

I don't like dogs, or cats for that matter. I don't really like pets in general. I know this is not the popular thing to say these days. Everyone I know is a nature loving, animal adorer, including my husband and two boys. It's a running joke in my house, "mommy hates animals!", "mommy why don't you like dogs?" "How can you hate God's creatures?"

In my defense, it's best that I not be near any type of animal.  I can't even keep my plants alive. For our wedding someone got us this very exotic plant from China that didn't even need much watering. Well, I didn't water it at all, I forgot!  In college, my boyfriend, now my husband, gave me  hamster, I was so overworked with school that I forgot to feed him and he died. I felt aweful. If it's not screaming and hollering for food, I'm not going to pay attention. I have other stuff I need to do like print and sew. I just don't have time to care for one more living creature, especially with two special needs children that require so much attention.

For 16 years I have been able to blame my landlords for us not having dogs/cats. They do not allow them in our two family house and I am so super grateful! For years, I would tell the kids and my hubby, "it's not me, it's Joe and Rachel (names changed), they don't allow dogs or cats in the home. But it WAS secretly (or not so secretly) me. Now we are planning to move and that protection has gone out the window. Now my hubby is specifically looking for a place that allows dogs. I can no longer hide under someone else's rules.

And why does my husband demand that we have a dog? Well look for yourself at these cuddly pictures of my youngest with our friends's dog, Rocky.

Exhibit A

Exhibit B

Really? This is blackmail? How can I say no to a dog with this last photo of my little Dan tickling Rocky's ear? So not fair!  Even I melt when I see these. Dan remains absolutely calm in in Rocky's presence. They were frolicking for a good long while in the grass as I took these pics.

Exhibit C

Exhibit D

And here he is with my niece's little dog, Toby.  Dan was perfectly content hanging out in the kitchen while Toby jumped and snuggled all over him. I have to face the truth. Dan loves dogs and for some reason, it calms him down. 

However, for me, it gives me heart palpitations. I can deal with these sporadic pet visitations but to have one in my home day in and day out and know that I will have to be the one to take care of him/her while my husband works outside the home and the kids go to school, well, that is just not appealing to me. It's like having a new baby. All I keep thinking is this creature getting into my fabric and other sewing notions, It's hard enough keeping Dan from messing with my things. These are the choices you face when you decide to be a mother. Some parents say, "i'll do anything for my kid" and I'm sure they are thinking of shielding their child from a gun toting intruder. For me, "doing anything for my kid" might just require taking in a dog.  

So what's a crafty girl to do? For those of you who have pets (and it feels like the whole world does, except for me) how do you keep your sewing room, pet free? What is life like with pets? I need cute cuddly stories to help me deal and prepare for the inevitable, I will soon be a dog owner. Maybe. 

FREE DOMESTIC SHIPPING ON ALL DOMESTIC AND INTERNATIONAL ORDERS

Hello! It's been a while since I have posted. Summer camp ended for my big boy and now I am shuttling him back and forth to basketball camp. My little one ends summer school tomorrow so it's about to get crazy here! lol. 

In the meantime, I am offering FREE (domestic and international) SHIPPING on everything in my etsy store, Nelesc Designs. This will last until Monday, September 9th, the first day of school!  

This was a crew neck top I reconstructed by scooping the neck and shortening the sleeves.  I have this in all sizes,
S-XXL. 

So head on over! The shop is pretty much stocked with icons in various sizes, S-XXL.