Tag: made in canada

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 Purples

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Purple seems to be the color of this time of year, with little violas popping up, and pansies decorating planters and gardens. Inspired by these colors, a few new pieces have been created.

This organic cotton scarf, knit in an open fishing net style knit, has been hand dyed in the natural dyes of logwood (purple) and brazilwood (pink). The colors flow from one tone to the other, creating a one-of-a-kind dyeing effect.

Deeper purples inspired our organic cotton toques. Summer weight toques perfect for warmer weather.

The toques, dyed in natural logwood, feature two styles, a classic turn up, and a lace-inspired textured beanie that fits snug to the head.

Our new purple pieces are currently available in our SHOP . Pieces change frequently as we focus on one-of-a-kind and limited edition pieces.

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 – time

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As we continue with #marchmeetthemaker, the next theme to discuss is “Time” . Such an interesting topic. In creating ethical textiles, everything takes a lot of time. Designing. Prepping . Dyeing. Knitting. Finishing.
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Time is also a huge factor in how items are priced. Pricing of items is based solely on two factors, the materials used, and the time it takes to produce a piece. Each piece is weighed to determine the amount of materials used, and timed for the labor allowance when determining price. The most expensive portion of creating a piece is the actual time spent making the piece.
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Certain types of pieces have higher price points reflecting the time spent creating it. Large pieces, like scarves, take longer to knit. Technical pieces, like a sweater, take a very long time, as can textured or fine knit pieces. Dyed pieces can be the most expensive, due to the fibre prep, dyeing, and skeining; naturally dyed pieces are very labor intensive.
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Time is a major factor in the world of handcrafted ethical knitwear.
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@w1hundred  (on Instagram and Facebook)
http://www.w1hundred.com

 

#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

 

#marchmeetthemaker – story

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During the month of March many creatives participate in #marchmeetthemaker , which is a way to share with others aspects of their creative process. The first prompt was “story”, which I thought would be nice to share.

W1 Hundred was born out of an interest of textiles, local fibres, and ethical, ecological and historic practices. I started knitting at age 6 and sewing at age 9. Add in an Art diploma and a fascination with natural dyeing, and a business was formed.

As the business progresses, it is interesting to see the challenges created by staying true to core values, especially in a world of mass produced product. However, the core values are the main story: factory free knits, carefully selected materials, natural dyeing, Canadian produced wool, and Canadian inspired pieces. Pieces built out of a belief in quality and process, and pieces crafted to last.

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http://www.w1hundred.com

 

 

Studio Life

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Studios and workshops are the locations you spend most of your time in when creating textiles. When work is going well, it isn’t unusual to put in 12+ hours in a day.

However work spaces, themselves, can greatly impact both your creativity and productivity.   My best work is created in fresh, well organized spaces.

I like to have my fibre organized by type, and ply. I like colors to be easy to view and accessible. Patterns in their place. Nice lighting, but not industrial. Great music, or lectures to listen to, are also essential. Artwork has also always  played a part in my work space on the coast.

This week I decided to hang some new artwork in the space by the loom. It is a painting I completed about a year ago inspired by one of my favourite west coast hikes. New year, new painting to look at as I work. After all, the more inviting a work space is, the more of a joy creating in them is.

 

http://www.w1hundred.com