Swapping is one of those internet craft phenomena that I previously never really had time for.  Plus I know exactly how bad a pen-pal I am (Hello 6th grade Japanese penpal who received exactly one letter from me). So, until recently, I had never signed up for one.

But with the Phat Quarter group on Flickr I decided to give it a shot. And I had so much fun with that one that when it came ’round again I signed up once more. This time with the theme NSFW… ie. don’t be shocked by anything that you receive.

Now I’m waay behind on my piece (which should have been sent off, oh, a couple of weeks ago) but I got mine today. Sailor Mouth, a bloke in Texas stitched me a well-hung sailor centaur and if that doesn’t just cover every genre then I don’t know what will. He commissioned the design from an artist friend and stitched it up on linen. Mostly backstitch with 2 strands and some satin stitch around the hat, the tattoo and the, ahem, manly bits.

I decided not to frame it but put it on a cushion. And as it was an idea I’d had for a while – a display cushion where I could swap out the embroidery on it – I spent tonight whipping it up from some old left over fabric and a second-hand zipper. I hemmed the embroidery with bias tape  and used press studs to attach it. Taadaa! Display cushion with well hung mythological seaman. What more could a girl ask for?

This Saturday, July 4, there’ll be a clothing swap and remake event in Neukölln. I’ll be there, helping out (and playing around) and it’s hopefully going to be a huge thing. bring clothes you don’t want/like/fit into and swap with others for stuff you DO like. And if it doen’t quite fit, or isn’t quite your style – mod it! there’ll be sewing machines and Linkle is there to help. La Bastellerie will be offering all kinds of dyeing and stencilling stuff and I’ll be there if you want to embroider stuff.

Here’s the official info:

THE EVENT
We faced the question: how is it possible that all these clothes which are still like new don’t get a second chance?…

The event is all about the expedient reutilization of old threads. Within an huge clothing swap you get rid of your used clothes and you go with your new beloved stuff.

FASHION RELOADED is multidisciplinary coping with clothing in a diversity of expression forms: get inspired, cut, jam, design, sew, print, stitch, turn around, perform, record. Set your mark on fashion and deliver your style.

Young designers and artists as well as social engaged persons and visionary are called to liven the rooms and the scopes for development with their own way & creativity. FASHION RELOADED is the place to present their responds to fashion.

WHAT TO FIND
+ Clothing Swap – swap till you drop
+ Workshop station: Creative Styling – create your own design
(you do it on your own & with professionals)
+ Designer stations – new unique clothes freshly made from the designers
+ Fashion Show – Open Catwalk
+ Open Source Design – use the hot & stylish patterrns of the designers
+ Hit-and-Run-Screenprint – print print print
+ Workshop station: Craftivism – Accessoires & more

THE PLACE
it is going to take place at

Kaiserliches Postamt Neukölln
Karl-Marx-Str. 97

next to U-Station Rathaus Neukölln

CONTACT
http://www.fashionreloaded.com