Beach Days & Fabric Scraps

My dear friends,

Welcome back! For those that are new around here please know that the back door is always open, yes you can pick the raspberries, and I hope you'll be staying for dinner.

All jokes aside, I started Nosy Neighbor as a way to document my Senior collection process. Each week I'll share my creative journey with you alongside life updates, and my thoughts on connection and community. If you missed the first letter, you can now read it here.

Summer seems to have slipped through my hands, and I am holding on dearly to these last few weeks before school starts up again for the last time. There's so much to be done in preparation for my collection, as the expectation is to come to class with a fully fleshed-out concept, 3+ designs, color palette, and fabrics selected. It would be naive of me to say that I feel prepared in the least.

However, here we are 4 weeks away; And so I begin. As I mentioned in last week's letter I want my garments to move and play well, so they must be durable. Beyond that, I have no clue what they will look like, so this week I'm setting a goal of filling up my sketchbook with 15+ pages of inspiration. I'll pull from magazines, books, my own photos, and online sources. So mark my word, the next newsletter will be full of inspiring collages and sketchbook pages galore. ​

The past few weeks, I've been meandering through the NYC fabric scene. I've been to Mood twice now, as well as so many funny little specialty stores: A store dedicated just for zippers, and one for buttons and trims, boxes full of the most specific and useful sewing tools. As beautifully overwhelming as it all is, I think I now have a sense of what they have to offer, and can start to narrow down what I want to bring back with me to Columbus before I leave. 

Speaking of fabric, this Friday, I took the R train down to the Brooklyn Army Terminal to volunteer with FabScrap*, an amazing nonprofit with the goal to end fabric waste. They partner with fashion brands in the garment district to recycle or resell discarded fabric scraps. I worked sorting through the donated scraps, and in exchange for my time volunteering, they gave me 5 free lbs of fabric! I lucked out and found a piece of beautiful selvage edge denim, as well as silk charmeuse, lambskin leather, and some quirky buckles and buttons. It was a treasure trove, and especially exciting for me as their ability to combine fashion and community advocacy is so in line with my own personal goals.

*Fab scrap also has an online store and they do flash sales on Wednesdays on Instagram if you wanna support a good cause and get some amazing designer fabric for cheap.


In other news:

• I'm now officially a New Yorker.

When ordering a slice of pizza at the local pizza place down the block, A guy asked me in that classic Brooklyn accent "Where ya from?" I laughed and told him Minnesota. "Where did you think?" I asked. He said New York. After chatting for a minute. He offered to buy my slice, "From one New Yorker to another". New York is one of the most neighborly places I know. People aren't afraid to say Hello; They want to know you and see you. So, the next slice is on me.

• Last week I finished a pattern design for a competition submission that I am very proud of. You can check it out here

• Zach visited over the 4th of July weekend.

I had a cold and it rained all weekend, but we didn't really care, we were just happy to be together. On Sunday, we went to Brooklyn flea market, (Dumbo arch pictured below). Zach found an old Grateful Dead album and I ogled over the vintage clothing.

• Last weekend, I took the Long Island Railroad to the Hamptons to visit my sister, Lauren.

She was nannying for a family there, and I got to stay in one of the 10 guest bedrooms :0 We went to the beach (pictured above)and played in the backyard pool with the cousins. 

• I love my housemates, Jim and Dalienne (pictured below)

They are gracious and kind, and remind me of my neighbors. Jim is quick-witted like Mike Smith, and his laugh invites you in. Dalienne is thoughtful and smiles often. She cares deeply. I will be forever grateful to have them in my life.

I'M CURRENTLY:

LOVING: Doing yoga in the park. Every Thursday morning, at 8:30 AM, Mariah leads 20-30 of us in Washington Square Park. 
READING: Go Tell it on the Mountain by James Baldwin
CELEBRATING: The release of Latif Nassar from Guantanamo Bay (listen to The Other Latif here)
FEELING: Grateful for my Adidas superstars that my dad bought me before I left. My feet do a little happy dance every time I wear them, grateful for the arch support. They are my rain and hiking boots. They remind me of my Dad and his sensibleness. "You're gonna need good walking shoes for New York!". Boy was he right.
THINKING: about what it takes to make clothes worth keeping. Is it something in the garment itself or is it just the way in which we approach them? 


I'll be peeping my nose into your inbox again soon, but until then, much love from me to you.

Your Nosy Neighbor,
Nat