Slow Cloth - What It's All About

Hi dear readers - I haven't stopped blogging, things have just been very busy and a little strange the last couple of weeks. If you are new to this blog from the Facebook group or another blog, and wondering about Slow Cloth, here's a little history. I started writing this blog in December of 2007, partly in order to fully develop and organize my ideas about slow cloth. No one else that I was aware of had used the term before then. I've discussed it in many posts (visit the slow cloth category), but this post is the one in which I really set down the qualities that I think are essential to slow cloth. While enjoying taking your time with stitching is part of it, it's also much more to me.

For me, slow cloth is not just hand stitching, it's a relationship to textiles and craft in all forms, including machine sewing, business, fashion design, dyeing -- you name it. It is a progressive way of thinking about craft, a response to sameness, commodification, and fast, cheap production, whether in the personal craft world or the multinational clothing world.

If you're wondering who I am, I am an author, writer, editor, artist, speaker, and even occasionally a stitcher. At the moment I work full-time as a book editor for a publisher of textile art and craft books. I spent many years as a writer, advocate, author, and communications expert in the organic food industry and still work in that area at times, though my portfolio, such as it is, is somewhat broader now. My knowledge of the Slow Food movement and sustainability issues has informed my writing about slow cloth. I've also written extensively about the emergence and market for sustainable and organic textiles and apparel.

I hope you'll come back and read more about art, craft, cloth, and culture here. Many people seem to be adopting the term "slow cloth," but using it in different ways, and I can only hope it doesn't get diluted too much, as I think the concept is valuable. If you write about slow cloth as I've defined it, I appreciate you linking back and following correct attribution practices for any quotes or paraphrasing of ideas. My words and images here are fully copyrighted. If you have questions or would like to talk with me, I'm very easy to contact at the e-mail address in the sidebar. Thanks, all.

Comments

[roe]

I'm so glad I found your blog! I recently just started up my own to organize my thoughts about the anthropological/political economic aspects of craft and sewing (with the addition of looking at the whole thing through race) and I couldn't find anyone interested in all these things out there!
But you're out there! And are so knowledgeable about it all. I'm really excited to start learning more about slow cloth and I hope to stand on the shoulders of giants. You have one new dedicated reader from now on.

[Diana Trout]

Thank you so much this slow cloth. It has put into words exactly why I love hand sewing. I never needed an excuse, of course :)
It is very gratifying to know that there are many more like me. Doing a thing slowly, lovingly for the pureness of the process.

[Maria]

Hi Elaine, I signed up on FB for slow cloth group and that made me excited. It's all about taking more time to really and truly and deeply enjoy our endeavors, just as you described it! As they say, "take the time to smell the roses." Sustainability is what they did in the "old days," before plastic bags and before sending your clothes to the thrift store. Everything was recycled and used umpteenth times, and they still took time to smell the roses. They may have smelled the roses first! :) Slow cloth is a reminder to slow down and really feel the moment and treasure it.
Thanks,
Maria

[Lainie]

Thank you for the lovely comments! I really appreciate them.

[The Ardent Thread]

My mother was a quilter. Her work was deeply involved, from design concept to piecing to quilting, and finally to gifting. The family dog would always christen the quilt by sleeping on it while it was being sewn.

These are good, happy memories for me. Slow cloth makes an impression on the young, even if they are not aware of it at the time. I used to think fabric was boring. Now look at me!

[Sarah Miranda]

Elaine, thank you so much for the concept, the fb group and this invaluable blog. I've posted a link to your 1-13-08 post on my little tumblr blog. Keep on doing what you do!

[Phyllis]

I had not come across the term until Jude mentioned it and then I came here from her blog. My belief is that once a person develops a consciousness it is nearly impossible to go back to an older, less informed way of thinking. I find that "slow cloth" is in my mind these days in whatever I do: run errands and enter stores, touch my textiles, sew by hand or machine, knit, read textile-related books and magazines and blogs. I want to embrace this concept and set it as a standard for these things in my life. I will surely credit you, Elaine, for this idea, and if I have not in the past, please forgive this error. I think the Facebook site is such a great idea!

[Laurie]

I'm sure that the different uses of "slow cloth" is coming out of the broader uses of "slow" for slow art and slow living in general. There seems to be a slow movement for everything these days - slow food, slow medicine, slow money... But textiles are the perfect showcase for the qualities of "slow," and you have organized the concept and written about it elegantly. Hats off to you!

[julochka]

see, now this is the introduction-type post i was looking for in the FB group, when i initiated an "introductions" thread. helps a great deal to form a picture of whom one is in dialogue (or not as the case may be) with. thank you for this.

[glennis]

yes, the term does seem to be getting used in unintended ways. but over time, true slow cloth emerges.