Teresa Mitchell has always loved ‘stuff’ with a story, particularly those items that are used every day. In many ways it is a mindfulness practice. She has also been a clothes horse for as long as she can remember. Her business, upfashioned, evolved by combining these two interests with her love of sewing and her commitment to fostering sustainable living practices. The business ‘upfashions’ discarded garments into new products—handbags, dog jackets, pillows, satchels, totes, wallets, and more—which are available for sale at Methow Valley Goods on the TwispWorks campus.

Teresa’s sewing skills have been honed over time, but started with her grandmother, Hazel, who first taught Teresa the fundamentals of pattern making, using a machine, hand stitching, alterations and finishing seams. Her grandmother sewed out of necessity—she made everything by hand, including clothes, undergarments, linens, curtains and even her grandfather’s suit coats. She passed on to Teresa her ‘can do’ attitude and an appreciation for self-sufficiency.

As for the upcycling element of Teresa’s work, she has always tended towards using items beyond their intended purpose. It is easy for her to see the potential in a thing and in the case of used clothing and outerwear, the quality of the fabric and the craftsmanship of the original garment are at the root of her inspiration.

One of Teresa’s favorite products to make are handbags. She doesn’t have to worry about fit (like a dog jacket) and each bag can hold its own unique characteristics. Teresa’s bags often feature original design elements of the upcycled garment, like suitcoat pockets complete with the flap or buttonholes from the lapel of a vest or coat that can be turned sideways to create an opening.

As a bit of a bag geek herself, she uses her own experiences as a bag carrier in her designs, oftentimes focusing on hands-free options and sumptuous, durable materials that are comfortable to carry. She enjoys working with soft leather and suede upcycled from worn coats and jackets but also loves men’s suitcoats, especially those made from smooth wool, raw silk, and cashmere.

Most of the clothing and outerwear Teresa upcycles comes from thrift stores. When she is shopping, she gravitates to the largest sizes as she can generally get more bang for the buck. She looks for older styles made from 100% natural fibers first off, then consider color palette, interesting design features like cool trim, functional pockets, or unique notions like buttons, buckles, or other closures.

Many times, She doesn’t know exactly how she will upcycle something when she acquires it. That part comes together in the studio and is driven by many factors including existing stock, current season and the time and energy Teresa can allow to work on a piece. Once she cuts into a new garment, she likes to use up all of the measurable fabric to minimize waste. That means she has to commit to working with orange suede, or red tartan wool, or dark green canvas for a good long time. Teresa’s goal with every garment she upcycles is to use as much as she can until she gets to the tiny scraps which then become stuffing for stuffed animals or dog and cat toys.

Teresa has long been a proponent of buying for quality rather than trendiness, but thinking is unusual in the fashion industry. She strives to create beautiful, unique, functional art and to draw attention to the devastating impacts of fast fashion on the environment and on working conditions for garment workers around the world.

As for her success, she is grateful to the folks who recognize that her products are more than just a bag, pillow, dog jacket, or coaster. Every piece passes through her hands from concept to finished product with many of her more involved handbags or dog jackets taking 10-12 hours to complete.

Teresa Mitchell has always loved ‘stuff’ with a story, particularly those items that are used every day. In many ways it is a mindfulness practice. She has also been a clothes horse for as long as she can remember. Her business, upfashioned, evolved by combining these two interests with her love of sewing and her commitment to fostering sustainable living practices.

Teresa’s sewing skills have been honed over time, but started with her grandmother, Hazel, who first taught Teresa the fundamentals of pattern making, using a machine, hand stitching, alterations and finishing seams. Her grandmother sewed out of necessity—she made everything by hand, including clothes, undergarments, linens, curtains and even her grandfather’s suit coats. She passed on to Teresa her ‘can do’ attitude and an appreciation for self-sufficiency.

As for the upcycling element of Teresa’s work, she has always tended towards using items beyond their intended purpose. It is easy for her to see the potential in a thing and in the case of used clothing and outerwear, the quality of the fabric and the craftsmanship of the original garment are at the root of her inspiration.

Teresa is a proponent of buying for quality rather than trendiness, but a way of thinking that is unusual in the fashion industry. She strives to create beautiful, unique, functional art and to draw attention to the devastating impacts of fast fashion on the environment and on working conditions for garment workers around the world.

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You can see (and purchase!) Teresa’s upfashioned products—like handbags, dog jackets, pillows, satchels, totes, wallets, and more—at Methow Valley Goods on the TwispWorks campus.