THE SIX-YEAR DARN

Tom of Holland

Tom Van Deijnen穿上他用上六年時間來縫補的毛衣,絕對是他的最高紀錄。
Tom Van Deijnen in his 6-year darn sweater that must be his record.

回味上年策展的FUTURE FASHION LAB展覽,當中有一件縫補時間長達六年的毛衣最為溫暖,令我更想念這位來自英國布萊頓的暖男,Tom van Deijnen

Recalling my journey of curating FUTURE FASHION LAB exhibition last year, there was a 6-year darned sweater that reflected so much warmth, and I miss this sweet guy, Tom van Deijnen from Brighton, UK.

毛衣本來滿佈被蟲子咬過的破洞。
The sweater riddled with moth holes.

Toby:Toby Crispy
Tom:Tom van Deijnen

Tom:當初開展這個縫補的旅程時,我在技巧上並沒有太大的信心,所以我決定由細小的破孔開始,將前面最大的破洞留到最後現在修補後比起當初的範圍細小得多了我會在連續數天裡,每次只處理數個小洞,並由領邊的細孔開始。有時只縫補三四個,有時會縫上十個或以上;然後或會縫到一個點時,想暫時停一停,放到一邊,等一下再繼續。尤其是在一開始的時候,當看到有很多孔還未完成,我會覺得自己好像沒太大進步,於是我會帶著毛衣四處去,即使是做工作坊時也帶著,當我不在家但晚上沒事做時,這不失為一個不錯的活動。

Tom: When I started the repair journey on this sweater, I didn’t feel that confident yet about my darning skills, so I decided to start with the small holes, and wait with the one big hole on the front (which appeared larger than it seems now it’s mended) and I also steered clear from the ribbing. I tended to work on the jumper a few holes at a time, for a few days in a row. Sometimes only three or four, sometimes ten or more. I would then come to a point where I just had to put it away and come back to it later, as, particularly in the beginning, it felt I wasn’t making much progress as there were so many holes to cover! I took the sweater with me whenever I was teaching workshops. and it was a good project when I was away from home and didn’t have anything planned for an evening.

手縫反而隨時拿上手縫一兩行也可以。 
Hand-stitching means I can stitch a seam or two whenever I have some time. 

Toby:看到你為你的丈夫設計和手縫襯衫,這需時多久?為何你會選擇手縫多於使用縫紉機來造衣?

Tom: 我越多做縫補就越愛上了手縫,我現在已完成三、四件了!其實我用手縫來造衣是多於用車衣機的。我沒有很完善的工作室,用車衣機意味著我要在房間內朝行晚拆,但手縫反而隨時拿上手縫一兩行也可以。製作他的襯衫用了差不多三個星期,當中也包括了調節紙樣的時間。

Toby: As I saw you designed and hand-stitched a shirt for your husband, how long did it take? Why do you choose hand-stitching rather than using a sewing machine to make it? 

Tom: The more repairs and darns I’m doing, the more I enjoy hand-stitching. I’ve sewn three or four shirts by hand now, and I actually get more items finished this way than when I sew on my sewing machine. I don’t have a dedicated studio, so machine sewing means setting it up in the living room and having to tidy away in the evening. Hand-stitching means I can stitch a seam or two whenever I have some time. Making my husband’s shirt took around three weeks in total, but that also included altering the pattern I used.

Tom: 這襯衫其實是件試辦,我本來在Liberty買了幾塊很好的布料來做衣服給他,但想先肯定紙樣是最合他的身型,於是我就找來另一塊類似厚薄,印有粉紅火䳽的布料,來做一件看看。現在我有了調節好的紙樣和這粉紅火䳽的襯衫,就可以開始用那些更好的布料來製作了!

Tom: This shirt is actually a wearable toile. I bought some really nice fabric from Liberty’s to make him a shirt with, but first wanted to make sure that I had a nice pattern that fits him well. So I found a different fabric in the same weight, the Pink Flamingo print, and made the shirt out of that first. Now I have a nice pattern and the Pink Flamingo shirt, I can start making the one using the fancy fabric.

Toby:關於你的Visible Mending Programme,這是一個持續的企劃嗎?已運作多久了?  

Tom:我想直至現在大概也持續了七年了,我的Visible Mending Programme務求展現衣物縫補的藝術,尤其是現在越來越多人對時裝界的快買快掉的風氣很不滿。

Toby:噢!剛好我也和你一樣踏入再時尚設計的第七個年頭了!

Toby: About Visible Mending Programme, is it an ongoing project? How long has it been running? 

Tom: Tom: I think I’ve been running it now for about seven years.  The Visible Mending Programme seeks to highlight that the art and craftsmanship of clothes repair is particularly relevant in a world where more and more people voice their dissatisfaction with fashion’s throwaway culture.

Toby: Oh! What a coincidence! I’m in the seventh year of re-designing fashion too!

Tom:一邊發掘衣物和修補背後的故事,這企劃更鞏固了穿者和衣物之間的關係,讓人們以美麗的縫補作為光榮的印記,穿著現有的衣物長久一些。

Toby:正是喔,完全同意!

Tom:籍著書寫博客、舉辦縫補工作坊和縫補服務,我提供了修補的靈感、技術和服務給大眾,並鼓勵大家把從商店買回來的現成衣物,當成一件珍貴的手織衣物一樣看待。 

Tom: By exploring the story behind garment and repair, the Programme reinforces the relationship between the wearer and garment, leading to people wearing their existing clothes for longer, with the beautiful darn worn as a badge of honour. 

Toby: Exactly! Can’t agree more!

 Tom: By writing this blog, running darning workshops and taking repair work commissions I provide mending inspiration, skills and services to people and hopefully persuade them that shop-bought clothes deserve care and attention too, just like a precious hand-knit.

Toby:記得你在我們上年策劃的Future Fashion Lab影片中提過,你是一位自學的布藝藝術家,是什麼引發你成為手藝推動者?這旅程是怎樣走來的?

Tom:我從小就熱愛創作,我一直對布藝都很有興趣,只是我也很享受繪畫、針織和一切的手作。在成長中,我嘗試了所有類別的東西,成年時再重拾針織。當我開始學習縫補襪子,驕傲地穿上自己修補的第一雙襪子,然後隨着一個又一個的破洞,我決定認真學習縫補技術。經過這些年頭,我很幸運能和一些出色的藝術家和手作人共度時間;直到有一天我遇上了The Craftivist Collective的創辦人Sarah Corbett,令我意識到我的縫補也是手藝推廣的一種形式,於是我便開始思考更多縫補的意義,和透過縫補來延長衣物的壽命,並幫助人們對環境友善的關注。

Toby: Talking in our video for Future Fashion Lab, you told us that you’re a self-taught textile artist, could you tell us about the journey from the beginning? And what triggered you to work as a craftivist?

Tom: I‘ve always been creative since being really young, and I’ve always been interested in textiles, but also enjoy drawing, painting, knitting, and generally making things myself. As I grew up, I tried all sorts of things, and took knitting up again as an adult. When I learnt how to make socks I wore my first pair with much pride, so when holes developed, I decided to learn “proper” darning. Over the years I’ve been lucky enough to spend time with a number of amazing artists and craftspeople. Then one day I met Sarah Corbett who founded the Craftivist Collective and that’s when I realised that my mending was a form of craftivism and started to think more about what repairing can mean and how it can help people care for the environment by repairing clothes and making them last longer.

Toby:最近有什麼新動向可和我們分享嗎?

Tom:經過一輪的縫補工作,我正在稍作休息,但我其實正在和丈夫一起製作被子,他比較喜歡用縫紉機,而我,很明顯就偏愛手縫,於是我已整理好一個設計讓我們可以一起製作。我們用上了一些舊襯衫和棉質短褲,甚至舊床單;對於某些材料來說,已是它們的第三次化身了。你們也可以到我的Instagram專頁追看進度。

Toby: Any new project to be shared with us? 

Tom: I’m taking a little bit of a break from hard-core mending, but I am indeed working on a quilt with my husband. He prefers machine-stitching, whereas I, obviously, want to use hand-stitching, so I’ve managed to come up with a design that allows both of us to make this quilt together. We’re using old shirts and boxer shorts, some of which were made from old bedsheets, so for some pieces of fabric, it’s their third incarnation. You can follow progress on my instagram account.

 

Toby:那麼你認為時尚的未來應是怎樣的?

Tom:看見很多人開始建立起修補和手作的興趣,我覺得很鼓舞,我也看見現在很多設計師用時裝廢棄物料來製作他們的系列,這似乎不只是一個潮流,消費者正在消化快時尚帶來的問題,開始提起意欲尋找另類的方式,並選擇較持久的風格。

 Toby: What do you think about the future of fashion? 

Tom: I’m really encouraged to see so many people developing an interest in repairing, and making things last. I also like seeing how many designers now use offcuts and fashion waste to produce their collections. It seems to be more than a trend now that the consumer is learning about the issues around fast fashion, and there’s a real appetite to find alternative ways, choosing long-lasting style over short-lived fashion.

Toby:最後,可以為我們的未來留下一個訊息嗎?

Tom:持續縫補吧!

Toby: Last but not least, could you leave us a message for our future? 

Tom: KEEP MENDING!

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