Revived and Recycled

Shabby-Chic Eco Fashion

Story and Photos by Michelle Kolobutin

After becoming familiar with sewing in high school home economics class, Line (pronounced Lynn) Roy spent a lifetime adapting clothes she owned. When she became a mother, Roy started making clothes for her children, and then family and friends. Creating and making clothes was always a hobby. But, then life happened—children and work kept her busy and she had a long hiatus from making clothes.

Her renewed craving to sew came after she travelled to Jamaica with a friend a couple of winters ago. They only took one small suitcase each, and upon arrival, they discovered they had brought the same dress. For someone like Roy, who prefers to be unique, this was not ideal. Since then, she has a difficult time staying away from her sewing machine.

Revived and Recycled brings together two things that Roy is passionate about: recycling and creating. She dismantles clothes and rebuilds them with fabric or pieces from other clothing to create new pieces. Preferring not to use patterns, Roy says she gets inspired as she’s working on each piece, and doesn’t know when she starts sewing just how it’s going to look when she’s all finished. Her pieces are shabby-chic eco-friendly frocks and tunics for the most part. “When people wear them they are happy,” she says. “They are comfortable happy clothes.” This may be because they
are flattering, comfortable, and made without zippers or fasteners, and Roy typically uses soft knits to create them. “I’ve met the best people through my creative process. They give me all types of clothing. I take them apart and try to incorporate everything I can. I made a dress for a friend’s daughter and incorporated a t-shirt she loved that had become too small.”

Roy works full time as a school secretary but is leaving that role this spring to devote more time and energy to sewing and selling clothing. If unique, comfortable, and eco-friendly are important boxes to tick when you are buying clothes, you can find what you are looking for in Revived and Recycled. Her items can be found on Etsy or Facebook, and Roy will be at various artisan sales this spring. Check her Facebook page for dates.