Winter Glow from Mumbai

It's been a rather un-summery summer. I haven't worn my bikini once, but I have wrapped myself up in big cardigans plenty of times. 

Is it any wonder that I've started to sew for fall and winter? Not to jump ahead too much, after all it is still August, but here is a great project for cast aside sweaters and other woollen things.

Do you see what I made here? Fingerless gloves! All you need is 2 sleeves and something to decorate them with. These sleeves came off a sweater that had seen better days, and after a bit of sewing and designing I had my new pair of gloves.The sleeves I used were a bit too wide, so I took them in a bit. You want those hands to be snug and warm.

The blue decorative ribbon is something I picked up at a street marked in Mumbai. I didn't know what I would use the ribbon for, but I knew there would be just the perfect project for them. I could have spent hours at this street marked, looking through all the treasures. Rows upon rows upon rows of street vendors selling ribbons, beads, buttons, fabrics, it was amazing. And a bit intimidating. All the shouting, the different languages, the smells, the atmosphere, I just fell in love with the place. 

Two streets down were Dhobi Ghat, Mumbai's laundry district. There more than 5000 men hand-wash clothes and linen from all of Mumbai's hotels and hospitals from dusk to dawn. In this photo you see the laundry drying in the sun. Average pay is £1 a day. I hate to think what the workers of India's many sweat-shops gets paid. 

Why did I bring this up? Well, you see, I just can't in good conscience buy a pair of gloves for £18.99 when I know some poor kid has slaved over them for nothing. I'd rather make my own. By make I mean, design, save the environment, not support child labour, reduce waist AND end up with something beautiful and unique. Not bad for 20-30 minutes of my time.