The Studio
Textiles
Upcycled quilt coats, bags, and home goods sewn from secondhand fabric at my home studio in Montana. Every piece is one of a kind.
From the Maker
This category contains handmade wearable art alongside bags, pouches, and home goods. Most pieces start as thrifted, vintage, or damaged fabric, including jackets and coats made from old quilts, that I cut and sew myself.
What a Listing Will Tell You
Upcycled fabric rarely arrives with a label. A piece with a fiber tag gets that tag listed, and a piece without one gets a burn test, along with a description of the texture and weight as best I can give it. Quilts are the clearest example: depending on when one was made, the batting inside may be cotton or polyester, and the listing states which, or states that I could not tell.
Photos are taken in natural light from several angles and count as part of the item description. Colors can look different on your screen than they do in person, so read the written color description alongside the photos before ordering.
How the Textiles Are Made
Upcycled Fabric
Fabric comes from thrift stores, vintage shops, garage sales, estate sales, online used marketplaces, and people who hand me things they no longer want. Damaged pieces get cut around the damage and given a new use.
Sewn at My Home Studio
I cut, sew, and finish every piece myself in Montana, and nothing is outsourced.
Natural Fibers First
Cotton, linen, wool, and other natural fibers are what I look for. When a piece contains synthetic content, such as polyester batting in an older quilt, the listing says so.
Pre-Washed Without Fragrance
Every upcycled fabric is washed and deodorized before I sew it, using unscented Biokleen Sport detergent, washing soda, baking soda, borax, white vinegar, and citric acid as needed. No dryer sheets, scent beads, or scented detergent ever touch them.
Dyed on Occasion
Some pieces are dyed or overdyed to give a faded fabric new life, using either plant-based natural dyes or Procion dyes from Dharma Trading Co. When I have dyed a piece, the listing says so and names the dye type.
Measured and Photographed
Each product page lists measurements and sizing, with photos in natural light from several angles. If you need a measurement that is not listed, ask before you order.
Caring for Upcycled Textiles
Vintage and secondhand fabric has already been through years of washing and wear, so it holds up best with gentle handling. Each product page carries a care note specific to that piece, and these habits apply to all of them.
- Wash cold on a gentle cycle, or by hand, with an unscented detergent.
- Line dry or tumble on low, since high heat shrinks natural fibers and breaks down old quilt batting.
- Skip dryer sheets and scent boosters, which coat the fibers and are hard to wash back out.
- Mend small tears as soon as you notice them, because a loose seam in vintage fabric opens further with every wash.
- Store folded in a dry closet or drawer, out of direct sun, which fades dyed and vintage fabric.
Textile Questions
Where do you source your textiles?
Thrift stores, vintage shops, garage sales, estate sales, and online used marketplaces, plus fabric and quilts that people give me.
When will my order ship?
Handling time is 1 to 2 business days. Orders ship from Montana, and tracking arrives by email once the label is created.
I am sensitive to scents. Will a piece smell like detergent?
Every upcycled fabric is washed and deodorized before sewing with unscented detergent, washing soda, baking soda, borax, vinegar, and citric acid, and I never use dryer sheets, scent beads, or scented detergent. That removes most or all of any scent the fabric came with. If a fabric arrived heavily scented, a very light trace may remain, and someone highly sensitive might notice it. I am sensitive to synthetic fragrance myself, so I only list pieces I would wear or use, and I clean them with products I am willing to have against my own skin.
Are the fabrics 100% natural fiber?
I prefer natural fibers, and many pieces are fully cotton, linen, or wool. Some are not, most often older quilts with polyester batting. Each listing states the fiber content from the tag or a burn test, and says plainly when I am unsure.
Will the color match the photos?
Photos are taken in natural light from several angles and are part of the description, and colors can still shift depending on your screen settings. Read the written color description on each listing alongside the photos before ordering.
Do you dye fabric?
Sometimes, when a piece is faded or stained. I use plant-based natural dyes or Procion dyes from Dharma Trading Co., and any listing for a dyed or overdyed piece says which was used.
What can be done with an old quilt? Can I send you one?
A damaged quilt still has good fabric in it, and jackets and coats made from old quilts are the pieces people ask about most. I am considering offering this as a service and gauging interest while I decide how to set it up. If you would like a quilt or other fabric turned into something, contact me with your idea, since hearing what people want will shape how the service works.
Can I return a textile?
Yes, within the return window and in the same condition it was shipped in. The full policy covers timing and shipping costs.
My order is lost, damaged, or delayed. What now?
Contact me with your order number and we will work out a resolution together.
Fresh Off the Bench
New & Featured
Handmade in small batches. When a batch sells out, the next one is made fresh.
Cropped with a cozy, oversized fit and big pockets. One size fits most. Handmade by me from damaged and/or vintage quilts.