Fiber Arts — Jennifer L. Jay

Fiber Arts

The main source of textiles in municipal solid waste is discarded clothing. I source second hand clothing, yarn, fabric, and sewing notions and explore different ways to weave, sew, or stitch the materials and transform would-be textile trash into something new to be treasured. Other items I enjoy making from repurposed fabrics are aprons, quilts, memory blankets, zippered pouches, and hand-stitched postcard sized stories. I also enjoy weaving wall hangings and baskets, incorporating fiber, plastic, and natural objects. I am a member of SAQA, Reno Tahoe Modern Quilters, Crispina Stitcherhood Recycling Society, Truckee Meadows Quilters, Reno Fiber Guild, The Quilty Nook, and the Meander Quilt Guild.

My dear friend’s husband of 60 years passed away from leukemia in May 2021. Last month when we spoke, she said that she missed Walt so much. I asked if she had any clothes of his in which I could make something for her. She said that she had donated

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Yarn bits weaved onto ponderosa pine branch

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Rug weaved from 5.6 pounds socks from a shuttered sock company.

Sorting thru vintage buttons to use for the sock monkey's eyes.

RBG cross stitch

Disassembled an extra large pair of jeans by ripping out the seams, zippers and a pocket. With one of the pant legs, I created a bbq apron, turning one of the belt loops as a thermometer holder and sewing one of the pockets to the front of the apron.

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Lumberjack zippered pouch made from fabric scraps.

Sun hat made with repurposed material from denim jeans and linen shirt on the inside, and upholstery book fabric samples on the outside.

Created this piece today using two different colored pairs of jeans, t-shirt, plastic navel orange bag, Jennie O turkey breast bag, yarn and roving bits, scrap material, turkey wishbone, and branch from ponderosa pine tree.

Zippered pouched made from material from upholstery fabric sampler book.

Embroidery sampler

Looking out the window while it was snowing outside inspired me to stitch this as it reminded me of looking at a snow globe.

#berniesmittens memes took off after the January 2021 Presidential Inauguration, thus I was inspired to stitch Bernie Sanders and his mittens.

Cowboy-themed cloth napkins

Top hat made from scrap material, embellishments, and cardboard from boxes.

Rainbow rug made from repurposed t-shirts that I received from people in my community that heard about my up-cycled clothing project. These can be used as bedside/bath rug, dog bed, baby changing pad, as a few examples.

Making denim yarn from denim jean leg

Book markers made from the outside spine of discarded books

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I found this beautiful weathered 4-foot branch on top of a burn pile. Nature’s art can’t be burned up into ashes. I used this branch in place of a dowel to make this giant wall hanging using wool roving, representing the Sun (yellow), the snow covere

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Donate Used-Clothing, Yarn, Fabric, Sewing Notions to Jennifer

According to the Council for Textile Recycling, only 15% of the discarded clothing in the USA is recycled with the remaining 85% incinerated or landfilled. Together we can change this.

Do you have more clothing than you need or wear? Maybe that shirt or dress that you love but stained irreparably? Or that ugly sweater that you received as a gift? Or the pants that no longer fit?

Declutter your closet of items that no longer spark joy by donating freshly laundered clothing that you are not wearing that fits the criteria listed below:

Vintage t-shirts and sweatshirts
Wool or cashmere sweaters
Denim Jeans: 100% cotton denim jeans, any size, any color.
Yarn, fabric, and sewing notions (buttons, spools of thread, sewing machine needles, rotary cutters blades, etc.)

If you are located near Jennifer, contact Jennifer to arrange pick-up or drop-off.

Basketry

Artwork