Author Archives: Admin

Christmas often involves conspicuous consumption of one sort or another because it creates wonderful opportunities to share, care and spread goodwill to all.
Everyone’s approach oscillates on time and energy available to invest in preparations and ages of children in your circle at the time.
One of the easiest decorations to store and restore each year is the Christmas wreath, traditionally circular in shape to represent eternity, the unending circle of life and unity.

The wreath we’ve had for decades is actually swag-shaped and I love giving it a fluff up each year by adding or subtracting cones, ribbons, bells or other shapes to achieve a creative invitation for the spirit of Christmas to enter our home and bring good luck.  Continue Reading →

This treasure cushion is a gesture of respect for generations past that transforms sentimental garment into thoughtful, useful gift.

When elderly friend Wendy gave us this blue dress for upcycling, the story emerged about how long she had treasured it as her mother’s gown worn to a Singleton Ball and saved from the rag bag over the years.

The fabric is marked, the fashion changed and former glory lost, but a Textile Beat transformation repositions it from back of wardrobe to centre stage as memory cushion on favourite chair.

We honour memories by creating heirlooms that can transfer through generations and genders as functional items evoking sentiment of familial love and respect.  Continue Reading →

By Kristian Silva, Brisbane Times

Through her social enterprise Textile Beat, Jane Milburn turns old jumpers into new skirts, old jeans into rara skirts, alters men’s shirts to fit ladies, and re-works 1980s jackets with shoulder pads to suit modern tastes.
Jane will be showcasing Textile Beat’s work – and passing on a few skills of her own – during the Green Heart Fair in Carindale on Sunday October 13.
“Sewing has gone a bit by the wayside,” she said. “It’s not something people think they can do anymore. Knitting is back in vogue but sewing isn’t.”
Jane says the pieces created by Textile Beat are an example of “upcycling” – adding value to an existing piece of clothing by transforming it into something new. In some cases this means four different fabrics are stitched together to create a single item.
“It’s creative – to me it’s artistic. It’s a bit of a statement about sustainability. They do look unusual, but that’s part of their attraction,” she said.
In a consumer-driven world, Jane and her Textile Beat colleague, Ele Cook, believe their project provides an alternative.
They hope to run upcycling workshops in Queensland and New South Wales over the coming year.
“In op shops, there are a lot of garments that just need a little mend, a button replaced, or the hem altered … there is so much opportunity in op shops.”

As the fabulous Lisa Curry stepped into Blackall Cultural Centre on her Aussie road trip inspiring health and wellbeing, Textile Beat can report her attention was immediately captured by our statement skirts.

While Lisa’s eyes were drawn to its colour and creativity, her decision to purchase this upcycled natural fibre garment demonstrates support for slow fashion as one small way to boost ecological health and reduce our carbon footprint.

Lisa’s Orange and Avocado History Skirt has a story to tell. It was handcrafted by Jane Milburn from at least 10 upcycled fabric sources including an Italian linen dress, silk shirt and tie, rayon vest, cotton scarf, floral cotton from Nana’s fabric box, vintage buttons and more.

History skirts are an original design and concept by Jane Milburn and Ele Cook of Textile Beat in Brisbane, Australia in 2013. Working with integrity, creativity and purpose, Textile Beat is inspiring the upcycling of natural fibres for pleasure, reward and sustainability.

Col Jackson from Blues Country Magazine happened to capture this image of Lisa and Jane at the QRRRWN annual conference held in Blackall.