Sherlie McMillan (at rear, in green) getting hands-on in a recent workshop(Photo: Lis Bastian)
Story by Linda Moon
Global problems are creating renewed interest in traditional DIY skills like sewing. Here’s how a local grandmother is sharing her rag trade experience to make a difference and how you can get involved.
Key Points:
Upcycling old clothing helps the planet, saves you bucks and empowers your creative side.
Each year 200,000 tonnes of clothing go into landfill in Australia, according to the Australian Fashion Council.
At age seventy, Sherlie McMillan has a goldmine of skills and knowledge. And the retired pattern maker (for Macpac, Kathmandu and others), and former tutor at New Zealand’s Design and Art College and Christchurch Polytech, has found plenty interested to learn from her.
This year she trained a group of 18 to 25 year olds in how to upcycle fashion. Now, in July, the Blackheath Rotary Club member from New Zealand is back at the sewing machine training the newest bunch of recruits. In a win for all 18+ folk, the Upcycling Fashion program has been opened up to allow adults of all ages, male and female, to join in.
Career opportunities
Since news spread via word-of-mouth that Sherlie could do alterations, she’s had more requests for local work than she can keep up with. “I get so many jobs now that would have been done by the mother of the house,” she said. Things like sewing on a button or taking up a hem.
“You can create your own job if you learn some of these skills,” she said. “Especially in the Blue Mountains where there aren’t a lot of jobs out there. And you don’t need a lot of equipment.”
Sherlie, who has 40 years experience in the industry, taught her own three sons to sew when they were young. “At one stage I’d bring home work and they would be repairing the garments and getting paid for it,” she said.
So what’s involved?
Sherlie (at whiteboard) and eager upcyclers in the making.(Photo: Lis Bastian)
What is upcycled fashion?
It’s the transformation of unwanted or surplus clothing, textiles or scrap fabric into new, unique garments. People can upcycle anything – including their own clothing or something from a thrift store.
A key skill is altering secondhand clothing to make it fit. This might involve letting it out and pattern making – which involves lots of measuring and drawing a flat outline on cardboard to fit the garment to the body, Sherlie said. Another key skill is learning how to repair clothing.
Upcycled fashion can incorporate artwork, embroidery, crochet or knitted elements. “Wool and fabric can all be combined. Artwork looks fabulous when it’s incorporated into a garment,” Sherlie said.
Lost human skills
Sherlie’s interest in pattern making was initially driven by having a non-standard body shape and difficulty finding clothing that fitted her. But most of her sewing skills were gained before she turned 12. “We would sit around the fire and listen to a radio and our hands would be doing things,” she said.
“A lot of these skills are being lost. My dad was overseas in the Second World War and he knitted and repaired socks for himself. It was just normal. There wasn’t the same number of things you could buy. If you bought something you would treasure it and look after it.”
As a working mother before the digital age, Sherlie still managed to find time to mend and look after her family. Thanks to the Internet and ultra-busyness, today most of us feel we lack time to repair our own clothes. However, interest in traditional skills is on the upswing, with experts pointing to the cost-of-living crisis, environmental awareness and other factors.
“I do think some of the basics skills are being lost.” – Sherlie McMillan
Workshop participants enjoy the social aspect as much as learning a new skill (Photo: Lis Bastian)
Why upcycle clothing?
“Environmentally, it’s important that we don’t continually buy cheap clothes and discard them,” Sherlie said. “It’s better we reuse and try to make a garment last longer than one or two seasons.”
“Garments can be made into so many other things,” she enthused. “It’s cheap on the pocket. And you can pick up the most wonderful things. People sometimes don’t know the value of the product that they manage to get in a lot of the secondhand shops in Australia.”
Along with encouraging waste, fast fashion (cheap, trendy clothing churned out quickly) is simply bad news.
Synthetic textiles, like nylon, polyester, acrylic, spandex and rayon, are chemically engineered, petroleum-based products. They can’t break down in the environment.
Fast fashion also contributes to modern slavery, animal cruelty and environmental devastation. “Faux fur” claims, for instance, are often fake – it’s cheaper to produce the real thing. Humans working in the industry face exploitation and life threatening conditions. In fast fashion, ethics are low and cheap toxic dyes and chemicals are common, harming workers and the environment.
As reported by ragtrader.com.au, in March France’s lower house of parliament voted in favour of a bill proposing a ban on ultra-fast fashion.
About the workshops
On a positive note, we can all learn to source ethical fashion, upcycle, swap, buy secondhand and repair our own clothes.
Sherlie’s workshops run monthly, on the first Saturday of the month from 9am to 3pm at the Blue Mountains Planetary Health Centre at Katoomba. As they’re very hands-on, participants are capped at a maximum of 12, which encourages a cosy closeness. “Socialising has been part of this initial group and friendships have built up over time,” Sherlie said.
Participants are encouraged to bring along their own sewing machine. But it’s not essential to taking part. Nor do you need to know how to use a sewing machine.
“People tell me what they really want to know and I work from there,” Sherlie said. For some this means starting from scratch, for others it might be learning how to understand the tension on their sewing machine. The programs incorporate pattern making and how to fit, alter and repair garments. “I work with a basic T-shirt. But you can turn it into a dress or shirt or a coat or a lot of things,” she said.
The workshops also teach what to look for in a good upcycling piece. In line with a skill-share concept, the idea is that everyone can share what they know and be as creative as they like.
It feels good to make something new out of something old! (Photo: Lis Bastian)
Free Skillshare Saturdays
The Upcycling Fashion Program is a community outreach activity of Blackheath Rotary Club. It’s also part of Skillshare Saturdays, which launched on Saturday 6 July at the Blue Mountains Planetary Health Centre. All programs are free.
Meet Sherlie and some keen upcyclers in this short video
Take Action:
Check out what participants from the Fashion Upcycling workshop had to say about it here.
Contact [email protected] if you’d like to join in or if you have a skill you’re able to share.
This story has been produced as part of a Bioregional Collaboration for Planetary Health and is supported by the Disaster Risk Reduction Fund (DRRF). The DRRF is jointly funded by the Australian and New South Wales governments.
The KTOWN pickers - Katoombans Taking On Waste Now - are clearing litter from local tracks and streets and stopping it from entering our waterways and eventually our water supply. Read more in Katoomba Area Local News (link in profile): https://www.katoombalocalnews.com/ktown-katoombans-taking-on-waste-now/
This Saturday will be the first meeting of the Upper Mountains Seed Saving and Gardening Group at the Planetary Health Centre, starting at 10am. Register your interest here (link in profile): https://bit.ly/3LalNFy
It will be followed by the Planetary Health Bushcare group at 1.30pm. Register your interest here (link in profile): https://bit.ly/49k8PPo
Global poisoning by a tsunami of toxins that are flooding the planet is fast becoming the biggest threat to life on earth. Extreme weather events like fire and flood accelerate this chemical pollution. To address this the Planetary Health Centre`s Full Cycle 2025 conference from 20-22 Nov is bringing together leading experts in managing extreme weather events as well as those who are working on reducing the risk of hazardous materials like asbestos and PFAS. According to keynote speaker Julian Cribb:
"The poisoning of our planet through human chemical emissions is arguably the largest human impact of all upon the Earth. In volume, it is four to five times greater than our climate emissions (which are a part of it), and three times more lethal than the estimated climate death-toll. It is the mega-threat least understood by society, monitored by science or regulated by government. It has mainly occurred over the last 50 years, due to a massive global surge in chemical use and materials extraction.
Scientific assessment has identified more than 350,000 man-made chemicals. The US Department of Health estimates 2000 new chemicals go on the market every year and the Smithsonian says 1000 new compounds are now being synthesised every hour. The UN Environment Program warns about a third of these “are persistent, able to accumulate in humans and animals and are toxic”.
The World Health Organisation estimates that 13.7 million people — one in every four — die each year from diseases caused by “air, water and soil pollution, chemical exposures, climate change and ultraviolet radiation”, caused by human activity.
Human chemical emissions are thus responsible for the largest mass killing in history.
Learn more and register for the conference here (link in profile): www.fullcycleconference.com.au
There will be a free community expo on Saturday 22 November at the Planetary Health Centre in Katoomba.
Conference volunteers receive free registration. Email [email protected] if you’d like to volunteer at this critically important event.
T`ai-chi and Qigong routines can increase mobility and strength, improve immunity and help build an inner calm. To get the greatest health impact you need to practice them on a regular basis, so we`re thrilled to now be offering a 6-week block of classes to take you into summer starting 9am this Saturday 1 November and running until Sat 6 December. Bookings essential here (link in profile): https://bit.ly/4qrw4Nx This Saturday, 1 November, the activity is also the first in a full day of Skill Share activities at the Centre that includes Seed Saving and Gardening from 10am, and Planetary Health Bushcare from 1.30pm. You can book in for Bushcare here (link in profile): https://bit.ly/49k8PPo Contact Lis on 0407 437 553 for more information.
Rotarians 4 Planetary Health will be meeting again at the Planetary Health Centre at 6pm on Monday 27 October. Register at this link if you`d like to attend! (link in profile) https://events.humanitix.com/rotarians-4-planetary-health-l7bb4qhr?
Thank you to everyone who popped by for the @ediblegardentrailbluemountains today! It was a great day discussing gardens, ponds, frogs, seeds, composting seats, wicking beds and how to restore the hydrological cycle! Next Saturday will be our Skill Share Saturday. We`ll be kickstarting a 6-week block of Tai Chi & Qigong at 9am, launching our Seed Saving and Gardening Group at 10am and running our monthly Bushcare Group at 1.30pm. You can book in for Tai Chi here (link in profile): https://events.humanitix.com/tai-chi-and-qigong-six-week-block-spring-2025-qaw2ts2v and to Bushcare here (link also in profile): https://events.humanitix.com/planetary-health-bushcare-spring-summer-2025
The Planetary Health Centre is on the Edible Garden Trail today! Last week we launched the Upper Mountains Seed Savers and Gardening Group. Come along to learn more, enjoy a coffee in our garden, and pick up a free Vegetable and Flower Sowing Guide. We`re open from 10am. You can find us at 33-39 Acacia St Katoomba. Tickets for the Edible Garden Trail available here (link in profile): https://events.humanitix.com/blue-mountains-edible-garden-trail-2025
The Planetary Health newsletter is now out. Read about three days of innovation at the upcoming Full Cycle Conference in Nov, the Edible Garden Trail this weekend, and a six week block of Tai Chi and Qigong classes at the Planetary Health Centre (link in profile): https://bit.ly/47jbFBz
Today is an Extreme Bushfire Danger Day! Have you heard about the extraordinary fire resistant paint developed by Professor Yeoh and his team at UNSW? Professor Yeoh will be presenting at our Full Cycle Conference on Thurs 20 November. He is world renowned in the field of fire safety and his innovations are helping to keep people and property safe. Importantly among these innovations has been the development and commercialisation of FSA FIRECOAT paint (sold at Bunnings), which creates a protective insulating ‘char’ on a building when it’s exposed to flames. It is water based and non toxic. Watch it in action in this video (link in profile): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SkA1RlxMjWQ
Join us at the Conference to learn more about Professor Yeoh’s work during three days of innovation and exploration in which leading speakers from around Australia will share how we can reduce the risks of natural hazards and hazardous materials. Places are limited so register here now (link in profile): https://www.fullcycleconference.com.au/
With new modelling suggesting a hot summer with increasing fire risk it`s worth making time now to learn more about how we can reduce the risk of disaster by registering to attend the Full Cycle Conference that`s bringing together the Bushfire Building and Asbestos & Hazardous Materials Management Conferences in Katoomba on 20-22nd Nov. Group discounts apply if you register now here (link in profile): www.fullcycleconference.com.au
• Emma Whale from the NSW Reconstruction Authority will discuss how state-wide and place-based disaster adaptation planning is helping reduce risk;
• David Sanderson, the inaugural Judith Neilson Chair in Architecture at UNSW, will share the results of a landmark enquiry on how our response to disasters requires a change in housing policy and local government empowerment;
• Owen Price, Director of The Centre for Environmental Risk Management of Bushfires at UOW will compare the patterns of housing loss in the NSW and Californian wildfires;
• Guan Heng Yeoh from UNSW will share how he developed the award winning FIRECOAT fire resistant paint;
• Everson Kandare from RMIT University will discuss the development of fireproof cladding made from molasses-cultured mycelium - a fungal biomass;
• Alan Green from the Sustainable Buildings Research Centre UOW will introduce Heatwave and Multi-Hazard Resilience Star Rating Tools for retrofitting houses;
• Emma Bacon from Sweltering Cities and Dr Kim Loo from Doctors for the Environment will discuss heat waves and social justice;
• Andrew Bovis from Integrated Water Solutions will discuss the potential use of treated blackwater as an independent water source for landscape hydration and fire fighting;
• Sara Jane Wilkinson from UTS will launch the Bushfire Retrofitting Toolkit for older Australians and do a session on green roofs and walls to reduce disaster risk and increase biodiversity;
• Melissa Knothe Tate will discuss research on tackling PFAS contamination;
Thank you to everyone who participated in our inaugural Blue Mountains Food Security Fair today. It was an inspiring and thought provoking day with lots learnt, many connections made, amazing food consumed and stunning weather! We look forward to doing it again next year!
The inaugural Blue Mountains Food Security Fair kicks off at 9am today at the Planetary Health Centre in Katoomba. Pop in to listen to a talk, watch a demo, grab a coffee and sweet treat from Good Fat Pastry, a delicious lunch from Bibi`s Kitchen, fresh mushrooms from EarthRising Mushroom Farm, locally acclimatised vegetable seeds from Mid Blue Mountains Seed Savers, and edible native plants from Muru Mittigar Ltd You can view the full program here (link in profile): https://bit.ly/4nOSJle The Planetary Health Centre is at 33-39 Acacia St (former Katoomba Golf Course).
The Fair is a World Animal Day event and has been supported by a sEEd grant from the Australian Association of Environmental Educators.
Linda Moon has lived in the upper Blue Mountains since childhood and is a freelance writer for Australian media. A qualified naturopath, permaculture designer, mother and former student of social work, her passion is building local community, gardening, mental, emotional, social, housing and environmental health – all of which are linked!
Dave Spees, Katoomba-based carpenter and founder of Against the Grain, has turned the by-product of his craft into a sustainable, sought-after winter fuel. His compressed sawdust briquettes are now helping to heat homes across the Blue Mountains, all while dramatically reducing landfill waste.
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