Be Kind Textiles in Thornbury, Victoria | Commercial and industrial

Be Kind Textiles

Locality: Thornbury, Victoria

Phone: +61 404 045 105

Address: 457 St Georges Rd Thornbury, VIC, Australia

Website: http://www.bekindtextiles.com/

Likes: 1073

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• Commercial and industrial
• Textile company

24.01.2022 Part 2 Getting your rollerskates ready to roll. #chuffedskates

23.01.2022 I've been darning socks. It feels like the perfect activity to keep my mind and hands busy. Especially at 3am with Eleanor Rigby stuck in my head! Make & Mends will have to be enjoyed at home while alot of us are self isolating. So if you can, gather your projects, boil the kettle, make yourself a little plate of afternoon tea, find a pot where you wont be disturbed and make some time for yourself to de-stress and get some creative flow on. Are you on FB? join this group and we can share our progress! Make & Mend @ Be Kind Textiles https://www.facebook.com/groups/663182863854942/

22.01.2022 I have noticed that individuals with mental health issues/trauma histories struggle with wearing face masks, and here is how I came to this realization: I saw a...n OSHA video going around a few weeks ago. A man was holding an oxygen-sensor next to his ***mouth*** and measuring oxygen levels, mask-off and then mask-on, to prove that wearing a mask was hazardous for your health. The yoga teacher in me was like, Hmmm, who the heck breathes through their mouth? Mouth-breathing jacks up the nervous system." That was when the somatic trauma therapist in me joined the dots about anti-mask wearing, mouth-breathing, mental health and trauma responses. When we perceive danger, we mouth-breathe in, in order to rapidly oxygenate the body and to mobilize the active defenses of fight and flight (sympathetic arousal). Putting on a face mask can elicit the beginnings of sympathetic arousal in many individuals. Furthermore, mouth-breathing can be detrimental when wearing a face mask, as the body isn’t able to get enough oxygen, which can cause the body-brain to spin further into panic/rage/terror. Hence the OSHA video. Mouth-breathing is common amongst individuals who experience anxiety, depression, have trauma histories, experience other forms of mental illness or developmental disabilities. Nose-breathing restores the body back into the parasympathetic branch of the autonomic nervous system (rest and digest, safety and connection), and keeps the prefrontal cortex online therefore able to discern the difference between uncomfortable and unsafe. Individuals whose nervous systems are conditioned to correlate mouth-breathing (sympathetic arousal) with danger responses will ab-react to mask-wearing. And yes, mouth-breathing can be associated with sympathetic arousal in a good way - surprise, excitement, joy, awe and wonder. The ventral vagal branch of the parasympathetic nervous system mitigates this arousal (when developmentally co-regulated) creating a robust nervous system capable of tolerating the full range of positive emotions. However, for now, this is outside of the mask/no-mask conversation. We get advised to wear masks, but no one has taken the time to explain to us how to breathe when wearing a mask. I have been using the face mask as an intentional activation cue to breath in-and-out through my nose and my nose only. I do box breathing exercises when I'm feeling a little anxious. (Inhale for a count of four. Hold the breath for a count of four. Breath out for a count of four. Repeat four times.) Mostly, I just focus on the long exhale, which also activates the parasympathetic nervous system. And I make sure that I’m breathing into the area below my navel, a result of my diaphragm be relaxed and fluid. (The diaphragm tightens up during sympathetic fight-flight activation.) If I catch myself sharply mouth-breathing-in, I close my mouth and breath in the rest of the way into my low belly, and then sigh or hum as I focus on a long exhale. Making audible sounds is not what an animal in danger does. It is what an animal in safety does. And so, this restores me back into the ventral vagal branch of the parasympathetic nervous system. I teach these techniques (and more) to my clients, who are reporting increased capacity to navigate through this brave new world. Some individuals cannot nose-breath or cannot tolerate wearing a face mask, for various reasons ranging from suffocation trauma to autism spectrum disorder to medical issues that inhibit nose-breathing. Some individuals have very tight diaphragms, which can make deep belly-breathing challenging. Some of these conditions can be treated more quickly than others; some folks have access to treatment, some do not. Either way, intentional breathing is a gift, for it anchors each of us back into the grace of this moment where kindness is possible.

22.01.2022 Oh hello little seeds!! Japanese indigo, Persicaria tinctoria has finally sprouted, it took a long time for them to come up this year, these are seeds collected from last seasons flowers. They are struggling quite a bit, with the dry heat and snails, but I'm determined to get a good flower over summer for a big harvest next year. Long game natural dyeing.... the leaves of this plant can be fermented to produce the blue Indigo Dye.

21.01.2022 Roz: The past 3 months have been quite challenging. Pre Covid19, I was here in my studio - Be Kind Textiles - running craft groups, workshops, and markets for t...he community on the weekends, and teaching textile classes locally and interstate at art galleries and community spaces, sharing my love of creativity and craft with people of all ages. The remainder of my time is always spent managing my chronic health conditions including Narcolepsy and ME/CFS, both which have been gradually getting worse since my early 20s. At the start of March, once the reality of Covid19 and the social distancing rules came into effect, all my teaching and event jobs for the year evaporated. After the shock of it all, I was actually feeling positive and excited for a change, and I threw myself right into making emergency clothes-mending kits for customers to purchase. For each kit that was sold, one kit was given out free to someone who couldn't afford it. This idea of paying it forward has always been at the heart of BKT and I had such a heartwarming response. Unfortunately the upheaval of my weekly routine and stress from the outside news in those early weeks caused me to burn out all too quickly. At the start of lockdown I remember some weeks were very rough. I had many panic attacks and couldn't leave the house or talk to anyone. The supermarkets had stopped delivering, I was lucky to have a garden with zuchinnis, strawberries, dandilions and warrigal greens to eat! Some very kind local dumpster divers would drop salvaged groceries to my doorstep, which was an absolute saviour to my health. What legends! Not only saving food from landfill, but also offering to feed the community. Coming out the other side of this, slowly, and I am feeling a lot of anger. Anger towards our current government, the failed welfare system and the robodebt suicides, our prohibitive mental healthcare system, and the grave problems within the NDIS. Not to mention the absolute injustice and the deaths in custody of First Nations People due to colonisation and continued racism. It is also far too easy to forget the devastation of the Black Summer Fires, and those still suffering the aftermath due to the negligence of our political leaders. I am very fortunate in many ways; I have a lot to be grateful for. I have a roof over my head and space for a garden and a fluffy adopted cat, plus many wonderful friends and family. And I think Melbourne is a good place to be right now. I am sorely missing my customers and regular craft group. Teaching gave me so much joy. Social distancing is slowly easing, however now it's flu season! As I'm immunocompromised and I also get Seasonal Affective Disorder and Depression, I've been advised not to start back facilitating events and running classes at least until after winter is over, which is still 3 months away. The difficulty is now watching others return to regular activities, while I and many others who live with chronic illness like me, simply cannot. For this photo I put on my well-loved rollerskates for the first time since lockdown and had a 15 min skate around. This left me with pain and fatigue for the next 2 days, which means I have a long road of recovery before I can get back to my regular routine of art and crafting, gardening, skating, teaching and thriving, not just surviving. See more

20.01.2022 Spot the cat If you're reading this, please tell me how you're doing? are you in oz or overseas? Are you in iso alone, or with others? What is something that helps keep you feel safe and sane(eg a cat, craft project, or contact with a friend or family member?) I've been struggling big time the last week, the routines and habits that were keeping my bipolar symptoms under control are now gone, so nows the time to create a new routine(very difficult task). i am so fortunate t...o still have some supports to keep me on track. If an emergency sewing or embroidery kit would help you right now, please pm me and ill post it out to you. They are also up for sale on my website(fingers crossed i set it up correctly in my brain fog). Www.bekindtextiles.com For every kit that is sold, I send one out to someone who has lost work or cant afford it, but would really benefit from some theraputic crafting time. So if you purchase one from me, thank you, you are helping others access the gift of creativity #makeandmendinthornbury #thornbury3071 #activespacesindarebin

18.01.2022 This week has been a rollercoaster. I knew it would be. I would like to say I was prepared for the flood of emotions and change in my life, but it still feels like I am stepping into a empty plot of land, with huge possibilities ofcourse, I just have to trust that I am up to the task. And, I know I am deep down. But that doesn't seem to make it less scary moment to moment. I was well enough to go out to skate yesterday, it was fantastic. I am greiving the gradual loss of my ...health. Which seems silly as I often dont look sick and I am grateful my body can still do amazing things. A year ago I used to be able to skate for hours on end, everyday, it was thrilling and life giving. Now with my chronic illness, I have to be very careful, i begin to become uncoordinated and limp when I'm fatigued, like in this video I cant seem to focus and execute the moves I know, Its not something I can push past. Over exerting myself now will have me bed ridden for a week. Its time to rest. Perhaps I will visualise my path forward this week on rollerskates, with stepping stones over a pond. Slowly and with intention, balancing on my rubber toe stops for traction, I can move forward. Maybe I will fault and my wheels will whril and maybe i will tumble and get wet, or muddy, if I do sink to the bottom, atleast I know how to get back up. I do hope you are finding some bravery deep inside yourself in this difficult post covid world. It's definitely inside you, you can find it too. #chuffedskates #invisibledisability #invisibleillness #rollerskating

18.01.2022 Woad! I'm still figuring this plant out- i was fortunate to be given some seeds 3 years ago from another Natural Dyer in Melb. Had 2 huge woad plants flowering last year. This plant pictured is now 1 year old- but im confused! I pulled this plant out thinking it was time to divide it.... nope, its ramping up and nearly time to flower, back in the garden it goes ontop of a scoop of compost. I picked a handfull of leaves off to try making a "Woad Ball" to conserve the plants dye for future use. Loved it. Just used a mortar pestle, my hands and a bit of cloth. I will be making more, as it was simple and seems effective way of preserving. Woad- Isatis tinctoria is a flowering biennial plant (it flowers in its second year and then dies down)

18.01.2022 Slowly, these new facts of life we are facing are simultaneously settling, emulsifying and hitting home.... I am very sad to accept that I won't be teaching workshops or facilitating events for the next few months, likely longer. Teaching textiles and craft has truly changed my life for the better and I am grateful to have had the opportunity to grow personally and professionally through BKT, which all now seems so scarily distant. We are facing a strange shift, this "pivot ...point", the turn, the adaption, to focus on what's important, what's needed to comfortably live, and it will take time and patience, these are huge changes we face together. If you have the opportunity to pivot and adapt, to replace lost livelihood, like I am fortunate enough to have, this could be an exciting and prosperous time of growth. For others, where it seems there's no road ahead, it is frightening. mostly, we will hopefully be ok, look out for yourself and those around you, reach out to a friend, family or community, call lifeline, and put in an intent to claim for welfare if you're out of work, and understand that the process will take a while. Fortunately the AusGov has "doubled the dole" for the next 6 months, fantastic, but also a convenient cover up for the war on the poor and sick, who will remain to live below the poverty line through and after the crisis. But the cracks in capitalism are showing now. Well... How can good things, come from something so terrible, i dont know, but our exsistence is fleeting, doors close to make way for other doors to open. We just have to stay calm, remain alert, and be ready to walk through to the unknown when we are each ready.

18.01.2022 Naturally dyed linen overalls results! Saved them from going to landfill. This garment was mordanted with Tannin/Alum/Iron and then rolled up and simmered (twice)with Silvanberry Leaves and Berries, geranium and poppies. And I added some dye liquid from some avocado pips, which helped give it the warm pink hue. Last 2 photos are how it looked after the first bundle process, then I repeated with more fresh leaves and added iron nails to really disguise any previous stains. Have you get a white garment that is unwearble due to stains or wear? Let's have a saturday afternoon dye day, like this one!

16.01.2022 Went for a quick rollerskate and bumped into @stgeorgesrdlandscape and @xrdarebin who had just finished lots of weeding around the trees and natives at Normandy Rd intersection. They were kind enough to provide me with some gloves and the knowledge to continue the work they are doing to keep St Georges Rd leafy and green . #3071 #thornbury3071 #thornburylocals #xrdarebin #chuffedskates

14.01.2022 Beautifully made masks by a local crafter

14.01.2022 A little post to say I'm working on the current orders of emergency craft kits :D if I've replied to you confirming, then your order is being worked on and should be ready in the next couple of days. Then ill be taking the next lot of orders that are already in my inbox. I think 4 kits have already left the building now! I have to admit, my body is having a little trouble adjusting to the chaos and after not one, but two panic attacks last night, im feeling like its going to be a couple of days of gentle recovery needed for me. But staying busy helps keeps me going, so thank you to everyone for your support and understanding Ive been out in the garden today with my macro lens, trying to get some respite. I hope you too are finding some enjoyable activities to indulge your time

13.01.2022 So goooood!!! Thanks Sammy J

12.01.2022 How are you doing? Let me know! Obviously #makeandmendinthornbury is not on today, I was aiming to have something organised for a Make & Mend from home so we could catch up! Sorry! But with panic attacks and migraines rulling my week, and lots of Emergency Craft Kits being sent out to locals, I will aim for something next Saturday 2-5pm if you're free for some self-isolated crafting and chats over the web :) disclamer-im posting a nice photo to check in, I'm an emotional wr...eck right now, and i expect we all are to some degree. Dont feel bad if you can't do anything right now, be easy on yourself. The news is huge and our live are changing. Lets take a bit of time to process and adjust. All we can do, is do our best, and that is enough for right now. Ps i will have a variety of craft/mending/embroidery kits available in a few days, some for $, some for free. Stay tuned.

11.01.2022 So fascinated to find this birds nest under a tree near the railway line this week. What a big beauty it was. So much weaving work! 20cm wide! Lots of vines, twigs, straw, coconut fibres, poly stuffing(!), pine needles and paper bark peices. Im assuming it fell down from a large gum nearby? I was asking the common Minor that was watching me from the tree, if it knew who the nest belonged to, but I was interrupted by a Local perplexed with what I was doing! and the Local had even less of an idea who the nest belonged to than the Minor Bird! Last spring the minor birds raided the starlings nest and the sparrows nest/burrows at my place. But herez around this big nest, there were no feathers or egg shells that I could see.

10.01.2022 It's walnut husk collecting time! And wow I can relate to how this guys feelin' right now A few notes on my current orders/workshops... -Tomorrows pocket workshop is obvs cancelled sadly (i have refunded those who booked through PP-please get in touch if I missed your refund for any WS) -I've been paid for a few small custom orders but haven't been able to fullfill them yet(next few days ready or im happy to refund you also if ive taken too long! :) ) -It's been fantastic ...to help locals get their sewing and craft on in this weird time, and thank you to all that have donated supplies so I can continue to recycle sewing and craft goodies back to the community. -Im feeling pretty terrible today- and im guessing a lot of us might be struggling- Please join my private facebook group Make & Mend in Thornbury at Be Kind Textiles where we can share photos, thoughts, projects, ideas and advice. See more

10.01.2022 Forries Beach local Jason lives with his young family and his mother, who has Vascular Dementia and Alzheimer's. For Oma, every day is both new and the same as... the one before. So Jason searches for little moments of happiness wherever he can. Here is one of those moments. : Omas Applesauce

10.01.2022 Oh hello. Im still here. Mostly horizontal in bed, couch or hammock outside. Vertigo and what I am assuming is ME/CFS and POTS has been bringing me down the last 6 months. I'm really going to try to post more often here, I really miss all of your faces, voices and stories, in the vacant space where our #makeandmendinthornbury weekly craft sessions used to be. This week Ive been felting dryer balls from some processed white wool I had for spinning yarn. These are suppost to... work well in a clothes dryer to catch lint and regulate the humidity -however i was told they could be a fire hazard! - but pure wool is somewhat flame-retardant... please let me know if you have used these before! Or if your grandma did! I used a scrap of old wool blanket as the centre, folded, and slowly added and wrapped wool and needle felted regulalry at each step. Dahli my cat wanted to get involved too ofcourse. The felting needle ends are flattened and have small barbs that draw the fibres up and down with the action and causes the follicles of the fibres to lock into each other to create a strong surface. Caution the needles are very sharp. -Needlefelting tool, double, from unknown, replaced with new birch brand needles. -I used a recycled foam cube to work on top of (thanks @jessgilbert88) i rounded the corners off and its very very handy.( Ive started felting mushrooms next!) -Wool from a @spinweavevic bazaar. -Scraps of vintage wool blanket thanks to @rhizomevintage -Beautiful Indigo Batik cushion found in hard rubbish. -Dahli the Cat adopted from Save Darebin Pets.

10.01.2022 For pick up from the shop front - Glorious mixed succulent punnets to help keep you and the kids busy. I can provide a bag soil if you need, and various pots too! $15 per punnet of mixed succulents (most have roots) random mix but all are equally as nice and come with some decorative pebbles underneath or ... $20 for punnet + bag of soil + little ceramic pot. *Please comment sold* and I will PM you to arrange contactless pick up anytime from tomorrow midday, only 6 avaliable for now. Getting outside with some plants today was wonderful. I will be listing some of my indoor plants for sale soon, a fantastic way to enrich your surrounds. If anyone wants some plants but has no funds, im happy to put something together for you :) @ Be Kind Textiles

10.01.2022 Wow! Woad! This is my first time using fresh woad leaves to dye fibres. Actually, technically this mini jar vat is just the run off from the making of pressed woad balls... Apparently most of the green in the liquid here is chlorophyll, but i couldnt resist trying to extract the blue dye anyway. The aqua cloth in the bowl in first photo was from yesterday, swished in some bicarb soda, and it was gradually turning bluer! I was just using it as a rag, but its an amazing colour.... So that was a great sign that there could be more blue to come. What I did here- aerated the green liquid until frothy, stired in dissolved soda ash. Added a sprinkle of hydros. Covered and sat for 15 mins. gave each fabric multiple dips, oxidizing between dips. The last photo of the vat yellow/green was taken this morning. I left one handkerchief over night hoping it would exhaust the vat, sort of worked! I dyed 2 linen handkerchiefs and a bamboo bandana(already fainty yellow from onion skins). The results are a green/blue, i probably should have tried some silk! The merino sample surprizingly didnt do much. It will be very interesting to use the more potent preserved leaves next time!

08.01.2022 Hi, I'm Roz and this is Dahli we're coping with the pandemic by making emergency sewing kits for the community, Can you help by donating unwanted craft supplies in Melb northside? Right now we need Embroidery Hoops, any type of Sewing Needles, Embroidery floss, Tapestry Wool, half-finished cross stich kits, plain coloured cotton poplin, beeswax, also need more Postage stamps(any)! I hope you are finding a litte bit of peace at some point in your day If you are having tr...ouble, and would benefit from an embroidery & visibile mending kit to keep you busy, but don't have the dollarydoos, send me a dm with your address for every kit sold, I am giving one away for free It probably goes without saying, please don't donate if you or someone you know is unwell with cold/flu symptoms. I've been practising social-distancing for over a fortnight now! to protect myself, my vulnerable customers and to #flattenthecurve

07.01.2022 Photo by Pandemic Portraits

06.01.2022 Yay for spring and a choose your own adventure natutal dye! A "Lets pick everything from the garden and see what happens" approach! Recipe- Started with white linen overalls with makeup and sweat stains. First a mordant- tannic acid(chestnut) bath at 5%WOF, then a alum bath 2 hrs, coffee dye, and another soak in the alum bath.... Then rolled up and steamed for 2 hours in double boiler and will leave it there to cool over night. Plant matter includes- apple leaves, Boysenberry leaves, silvan Berries, Strawberry fruit and leaves, sacred bamboo, geranium leaves and flowers, Euphoria leaves. Oh I forgot I also gave it a swish around in my rusty iron camp stove! Ill post the results tomorrow

06.01.2022 Sooo... are you in need of any supplies to make masks?? Im thinking I can be open for a couple of hours tomorrow(well, by open I mean I can be at the door way with a range of supplies pre packed... ) but what is it that you need? Ive got freshly washed calico and fine white sheeting, plus lots of fun fabric in small lots. Tshirt yarns for elastic, plus some actual elastic! Ive got pipe cleaners in all colours- sewing needles and threads, bobbins, pinking shears, and I'll have around 30 masks ready (pay as you feel) tomorrow. Let me know!

05.01.2022 For the Rollerskaters. Here i am getting my new #Chuffedskates ready to roll. Part one.

05.01.2022 So excited to step outside and see this poppy just opened. Wow!

05.01.2022 Are you doing ok? I've been continually reminding myself during this pandemic that it's alright that I'm not doing well overall. I have some good hours here and there, and I'm trying to find more good hours by following my curiosity and creativity, but it is easy to slip into confusion and grief. We must stay strong. It helps me to say good morning to strangers passing by, or giving a wave or thumbs up if people cant see my expression. Ive found my voice has become quite anim...ated now I have to wear a face covering. Interesting stuff, slowly finding out how we can adapt. Thank you if you dropped in yesterday, it was wonderful (and disorientating!) to have customers again, and I'm trying to remember to fill up the basket on the front door with sanitised ziplocked face masks ($ by donation) each morning. Do I have any outstanding mask or craft kit orders? Please get in touch if you do! I may have missed you. My website www.bekindtextiles.com has masks and craft kits for sale, or PM me for a custom order, and if you've lost work and fancy something please also PM me as I have some goodies ready that are already paid forward. Look after yourself and those around you

04.01.2022 Still hiding out in my garden in Melbs. I'm very tired, but I cannot wait to open my doors again. Ive been busy behind the scenes attempting to pivot and adapt to covid-normal in my shop/studio, in preparation for the reopening of retail stores. I plan to be open a few days a week in the lead up to xmas! Watch this space! And please do come and visit if you can! Lots of beautiful wares, oddities, handmade goodies and ideas for gifts. I would say I'm probably at breaking point... now, personally and financially... like I can imagine a lot of small biz are at in Victoria. At the same time Im grateful to live here in Aus. For sure it has been quite difficult leasing a commercial property, but being prevented from using said property to generate enough income. I understand the social restrictions, I am just very frustrated and confused and its been a painfully long but also painfully short 2020.

03.01.2022 If any one needs a reusable fabric face mask and can't afford it or you need one asap and are northside, I'll have 8 ready by midday. Pm me :) i can deliver aswell. Im making them for $16 each for waged, or $5/$10/free for unwaged. These pleated masks are made from 2 folded layers of cotton quilting fabric, with a opening to add a filter(paper towel, i beleive, can be used as a compostable filter subsitiute). These masks also have a removable nose wire and soft stretchy ties that can go around your head or behind your ears. Children sizes avaliable. @ Be Kind Textiles

02.01.2022 Peak rollerskate-mess bliss . I love learning by taking things apart to put back together. Are there many skaters here? Say hi!! Want to meet for a skate?? And Stay tuned for secondhand rollerskates in the shop, plus collabs of rad skating clothes and accessories! Im getting very impatient to re-open on the weekends, but gosh Im still recovering from the lockdowns, and just doing jobs here and there to get by. My body has been getting sicker, and I'm sure I must have Fibromyalgia, a chronic pain disease. My skates are now too heavy for me, so I'm swapping to lighter wheels and ditching the heavy Grind Blocs. I'm determined to not give up my practise, due to my pain and fatigue.