Tag: Alberta

2021

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2021. We finally are into a new year.

2020 was certainly a strange year, and almost everyone I know couldn’t wait for 2021 to arrive. Business and project planning is almost impossible at the moment. We have no idea from week to week what retailers are allowed to be open. We have no idea the future of travel and tourism. We have no idea of the full impact this current situation will have on the economy. In short, everything is in flux.

In light of all of this, the great question is “what do we do?”.

I’ve actually been pondering this question daily for months. The current global situation has meant all my previous plans are no longer feasible. Covid has forced me to go back to both the literal, and figurative, drawing board. The most sensible focus at this moment seems to be concentrating on one-of-a-kind pieces. A step away from “production” work, with attention spent on creating unique bespoke pieces.

In the coming months there will be patterned ribbon scarfs, handcrafted ties, scarves, and larger pieces such as sweaters, coats and wraps.

Expect to see a mix of wool, organic and regular cotton, bamboo, Tencel, and our personal favorite, alpaca, that we use for our 100 Mile Wardrobe series.

Most product will be presented for sale online, or through direct messaging (on the larger pieces), plus through a few retailers that carry our one-of-a-kind pieces.

If you like to follow along with how we create pieces, or have a look into life inside our studio, visit us on Instagram at @w1hundred .

2021 is going to look a little bit different……but that is a good thing!

Weigh Day

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It’s “Weigh Day”!
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There is a lot of discussion among society regarding transparency within the clothing and textile industries, including how things are made and priced. When we are pricing pieces, prices are based on three things: the weight of fibre, the length of time it takes to create a piece (labour), and dyeing costs (materials and time). I’ve always felt this pricing method is fair and transparent as it reflects the different material and process costs, and even more so, the cost of labour.
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No matter the piece, labour is always the most significant price factor, which makes sense when you consider our pieces are “yarn forward factory free”.
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I always feel it is important, and interesting, to know about how things are made. It is part of the story of our knitwear.
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http://www.w1hundred.com

Summer Knits at Old Strathcona Arts Emporium

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Summer is in full swing, and our summer knits are currently available at Old Strathcona Arts Market, in Edmonton (AB, Canada) until this Sunday.

Scarves, ponchos and small gift pieces are part of the offering. All pieces are handcrafted and dyed in natural dyes .

Our summer weight scarves are perfect for the current heat wave. Light and airy in summer colors.

Old Strathcona Arts Emporium is located at  10309 Whyte Ave., Edmonton, AB in the heart of the Old Strathcona shopping district.

Spring 2020

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Spring 2020, a spring all of us, worldwide, will remember. A spring of covid-19 affecting the globe, lockdowns, business closures, and public health restrictions. A spring where all the children have been sent home from school (for months), lining up at grocery stores, and social distancing. It has been an unusual time. However sometimes unusual times are exactly what we need.

Spring 2020 brought quieter times. More time to appreciate home. More time to appreciate nature. Time to reflect on things that are important to us. Time to reflect on the things we value. In a strange way, it was a positive time.

As a person it is impossible to not be affected by the events of this spring, as a business it is no different. Over the quiet times of the past few months we have discovered a few things about our products and their creation. We have discovered how closely our pieces are linked to leisure time; weekends, beach and forest walks, evenings on the deck, and time at the cottage or cabin (hopefully very soon!). We realized lifestyle is very much a part of how we create. Over the next little while we are going to integrate lifestyle into our blog. We feel that sharing things we enjoy, in addition to product posts, will make for a more interesting read, plus give some insight into the inspiration and values behind our pieces.

I look forward to you following along.

– Debra

www.w1hundred.com

April in the Studio

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A quick look at what is currently being created in the studio. We are feeling spring inspired even though snow is still on the ground.

This is a recently finished one-of-a-kind piece. Mountain inspired. Hand dyed in natural dyes. Handcrafted.

At the moment we are focused on one-of-a-kind pieces. Due to the Covid-19 situation supply chains are down, so we are creating with the fibre we have in stock.

Currently the online shop is in maintenance mode as I work on a few new pieces, but if you ever see something you like that is posted, just send me a message.

 

http://www.w1hundred.com
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The 100 Mile Wardrobe

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Today we are working on one of the “100 Mile Wardrobe “ pieces. These are pieces where the wool is either produced or milled within 100 miles of where the piece is crafted.
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The “100 Mile Wardrobe” is a really interesting concept from both the standpoint of the local economy, plus environmental benefits . This concept, by utilizing local fibre, supports local mills, local Alberta businesses, and depending on the wool, Alberta farmers. It also reduces the distance the fibre travels .
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The “100 Mile Wardrobe “ pieces created this year will feature minimal styles, making the pieces wearable for years and years.
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Shop update in progress. Please DM for purchase info in the meantime.
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http://www.w1hundred.com
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#marchmeetthemaker – hands at work

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Today we continue with the #marchmeetthemaker posts; the theme is “hands at work”.

Textiles created by hand, and factory free, are a rare thing in this era. The majority of the pieces we are currently creating are knit manually on flat bed style knitters.

Knitting, using vintage flat bed knitters is very physical work. Arms, shoulders, back and hands are active for hours. The average scarf ranges from 600 to 1300 rows. That equates to moving your arms, side to side knitting, 600 to 1300 times… constantly. I think most people think of knitting as being serene and relaxing, flat bed knitting is not, it’s physical labour.

In addition to producing knits with manual power, we also dye all our yarns by hand, in natural dyes, prior to knitting. This includes crafting the dyes, prepping the yarn, dyeing, rinsing, and skeining. In a world of mass production, the methods in which we create knitwear is very different.

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http://www.w1hundred.com

 

Proudly Canadian

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Canadian is our thing. Canadian farmed wool. Canadian mills. Knitwear handcrafted in Canada. In a  world flooded with imports, we think it is pretty special to create a Canadian made product for Canadians.

Each time a customer buys one of our wool toques, scarves, or even a little Coffee Sweater, they are supporting a whole Canadian supply chain. Farmers, veterinarians, mill workers, and transport workers all benefit in various stages of the production and delivery of the wool yarn we use.

We all work together to create a truly Canadian product, and in this era, that is pretty rare.

http://www.w1hundred.com

Grassroots Canadian Business – an interview with 630CHED and CHQR

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Have you ever been curious about W1 Hundred, or the person behind it? Well tomorrow morning you have a chance to find out a little bit more.

At 6:13 am you can hear an interview on 630CHED and CHQR. Edmonton and Calgary, Alberta radio stations. You’ll hear me chat wool, knits, and how it all started.

I hope you’ll tune in!

– Debra

Organic Cotton

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Organic cotton. This is one of the fibres I am knitting with today.

Choosing materials mindfully is incredibly important. The piece may look similar to others on the market, yet it makes its statement through its ethics, respect for farm worker, and the environment .

Finding ethical materials to work with isn’t always the easiest, but it is worth it to be able to create clothing with a conscious. Fashion can be done environmentally and ethically “correct” with just a little extra effort.

www.w1hundred.com