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Over 85% of people in Great Britain have made changes to their lifestyle to help protect our planet... how awesome is that! And I'm one of them. While I continuously try to make TSK as sustainable as possible, we have also personally made a number of small changes to help protect our environment. For example, where possible we choose to buy from eco-conscious brands, though predominantly we buy second hand (particularly clothes, toys and furniture). We also use bags for life as much as possible, choose loose in-season fruit and veg where possible, refill our toiletries and laundry detergent at our local refill shop or manufacturer, try to shop small and local, use reusable options (eg breast pads, make up remover pads, wet wipes and nappies) and do our bit to make sure we are recycling as much of our waste as possible.
But I've been thinking more recently about how we can look after our planet while still enjoying our hobbies. So, here are a few little steps you could take to make cross stitching eco friendly...
1. choose the danish method of stitching
Generally cross stitchers are in two camps... those who stitch using the English method and those who stitch using the Danish method. I've discussed the differences between the two in a previous blog, but in summary, the Danish method is more thread efficient so you can minimise the amount of thread required (also saving you pennies!). It may be a challenge to switch how you stitch if you have only ever used the English method, but once you get the hang of using the Danish method, it's super easy!
2. Use the threads you have
On the topic of thread, where possible stitch from your stash! Reuse your left over threads for your next project. Most designers use threads from the top two thread manufacturers for their patterns (DMC and Anchor) so you can easily put your left over threads to good use for your next project no matter who the designer is. You can even use one of the super handy DMC to Anchor conversion charts, like this one from the wonderful Hello Hooray blog, to use up your threads even if you haven't got the called-for brand. One of the reasons we try to keep the TSK colour palette as small as possible (and only DMC) is so you can use your left over threads from a previous kit on your next TSK stitch. And if you're missing a couple of thread colours for your next project, you can buy individual DMC skeins to top up.
3. Get only what you need
Do you really need a full kit? Or do you already have needles, hoops and fabric aplenty? Many designers will provide ways for you to purchase just what you need, such as hoopless kit options or separate components such as patterns, thread bundles, fabric and needles.
4. choose plastic free options
There are a number of ways you could do this. You could look out for kits that are plastic free (including their packaging), opt for wooden hoops rather than plastic, and use wooden/card bobbins rather than plastic bobbins.
Even threads come into play here! While the high quality cotton threads such as those produced by DMC are 100% cotton and use only natural dyes, some of the super cheap threads by other manufacturers contain microplastics that will never biodegrade (not to mention their questionable labour practices). These manufacturers shall remain nameless on here, but if prices seem too good to be true... that's usually because they are.
5. repurpose old hoops
Got a stack of hoops that aren't any use for keeping your stitching tight anymore? Use them as frames!
6. do you really need to print that pattern?
If you've purchased a PDF pattern, consider whether you actually need to print it or whether you can look at it on a screen. Reducing printing will reduce paper waste and help to tackle deforestation. Most designers who provide patterns will provide them in a way that is easy to read on a screen, and if you find they aren't, I'm sure they would welcome your feedback. I added a single page pattern option to all my PDF patterns in response to one of my lovely customers constructive criticism that split patterns are not that easy to manage on a screen.
7. Properly dispose of waste aida
It's always best to minimise waste by cutting just the amount you need for the particular project, however if you have little offcuts of aida that can't be used for anything else, it can just be chucked away to biodegrade right? Wrong! To give aida the stiffness it needs to make it an easy fabric to stitch on, it's covered in lots of starch which actually prevents it from biodegrading. Luckily there is a simple answer. When you have collected a few bits, just stick it all in a bowl of soapy water, give it a good hand wash and rinse to remove the starch. It can then be sent to landfill to biodegrade.
Remember, looking after our environment isn't about being perfect,. Every little change helps!
J xx
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