Quilters have long considered this pattern the quintessential American design. The pattern represents log cabins on the prairie with red center squares for the hearth, representing the “heart” of the family. Light values on one side represent the sunny side of the house, or the “good” times: the birth of a child, weddings and other happy times. The dark values on the opposite side for the shady side of the house or the more difficult, challenging times in family life.

The heydey of the Log Cabin Quilt in this country was in the third and fourth quarters of the 19th Century, corresponding to the widespread trek Westward after the Civil War. The Log Cabin, in all its variations, is one of the most popular pieces of quilt history.

A baby quilt using the Log Cabin pattern in the “Fields and Furrows” layout, combined with the Attic Window motif, includes an animal character in the center of each block.

Now that the wedding is over, all of the thank-you cards have been sent and your special day is a beautiful memory, what are you going to do with that dress? Traditionally, brides seal it up and store it away for future generations.  

The more socially conscious may chose to donate it to another bride, a charity or community group/school to be used as costume in a play. The more practical minded may opt to sell it on eBay or Craig’s List for some much needed newlywed cash.

Consider, however, the current trend in “refashioning” - the art of taking some article of old or used clothing and making it into something new. Wedding gowns can be refashioned into christening gowns, baby blankets and many other treasured sentimental items, creating instant heirlooms that can be handed down through generations. Here are some ideas:

Christening gowns - A christening gown is an infant’s dress which is especially made and worn for the baptism ceremony. These gowns are usually white in color and are very long. They are made of either linen, silk or cotton and have lace trimmings, embroidery and tucks. They also have matching bonnets, bibs and booties. Here are some beautiful examples from Jennifer Taylor Designs. A “wedding gown to christening gown” conversion can vary greatly in cost, usually $200-300 and up. The unused portion of the dress will typically be returned to you and there is often sufficient fabric for several babies or children’s gowns. Similarly, a First communion dress would be especially beautiful if made from a wedding gown.

Baby blankets or quilts - The large volume of fabric required by a wedding gown makes it suitable for refashioning into a quilt, either for a baby (even several babies) or the newlywed couple. Some photos of the process involved can be seen here on the website for Quilts by Cindy.

Ring bearer’s pillow or lace handkerchiefs - Next generation brides can have “something old” incorporated into their wedding ceremonies by refashioning a mother or grandmother’s dress. There would be enough fabric to make a ring bearer’s pillow or lace handkerchief for every new bride in the family.

Christmas tree skirt and ornaments - The lace, beading and silken fabrics used in most wedding gowns would make a beautiful Victorian-style Christmas tree skirt which could be “worn” every year. You could even make coordinating ornaments for yourself and matching ornaments for other cherished family members. Wedding dress fabric and trims would be especially precious for “Baby’s First Christmas” ornaments.

Photo album or scrapbook cover - Scrap booking is enormously popular these days. This, coupled with the ease of digital photography, has made keepsake albums more popular than ever. A special cover for such a treasury could be refashioned from a wedding gown as a wedding or a baby keepsake.

The possibilities are limited only by your imagination and creativity. Instead of letting that very expensive gown get yellow in the attic, keep the memory of your special day alive by refashioning your gown into something unique to be passed on to future generations.

Have you ever wondered where to get those beautiful zippers that you see on the likes of the Vera Bradley designs? The ones with the long pulls and the big holes large enough for embellishing with ribbons or charms?

Look no further. After scouring the Internet for such a source, I found ZIPPERSTOP. In addition to a huge variety of all kinds of zippers, ZIPPERSTOP carries a full line of the coveted purse zippers from YKK. In sizes ranging from 7″, 9″ and 12″ for standard size purses, they carry zippers up to 60″ which can be used for luggage and garment bag applications. Every imaginable color is available.

ZIPPERSTOP has both an online store and an eBay store. The online store carries all the sizes and colors with no minimum order, although you will get a price break for quantities of 12 or more with further discounting at quantities of 100+. Prices are very good, with zippers under 24″ only $1.25 as of this writing for quanties of 12 or more. You can have your order cut to a custom length for $1.

If you are flexible on color and sizes, you can get great deals through their eBay store, as they often have bundles of assorted sizes and/or colors.

My experiences with ZIPPERSTOP to date have been very positive. I’ve used both their online store ad thier eBay store and they are consistently fast with shipping and helpful with customer service.

Gone are the days of the cheesy fabric store Coats & Clark zippers. With these long pull zippers, my purse designs finally look both beautiful and professional.

Used detergent labels and toothpaste tubes from Indonesia are going from landfills to fashion frills on bags and wallets sold in Singapore, Australia and the United States.

The fad known as “trashion” has gained mainstream acceptance with chic, urban designers worldwide now posting big profits by using leftover, discarded and found materials to create jewelry, clothing and housewares.

But in Indonesia, where half the population of 235 million live on less than $2 a day, homemakers, disabled workers and local entrepreneurs are the ones embracing the eco-friendly fashion. The goal, they say, is to reduce pollution while providing jobs to the poorest of the poor.

Aswin Aditya, founder of the Jakarta-based company Plastic Works, buys plastic packaging from trash scavengers for $0.30 a pound ($0.66 a kilogram). His nine employees cut, sew and craft it into wallets, umbrellas and shower curtains that sell for between $25 and $85.

One of the destinations is Monsoon Vermont, an Internet-based eco-shop in the United States that receives around 1,000 products a month, he said.

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Recycling facilities are virtually nonexistent across most of Indonesia, where landfills are spilling over and where uncollected rubbish is often burned or ends up clogging streets and waterways. For some, the trashion industry is seen as a tiny but viable solution to unmanaged, growing consumer waste.

“What we do is small, but every little bit helps,” said Aditya, who trains homemakers to produce goods suitable for export.

Indonesian designers, meanwhile, are showing their support for eco-fashion on the catwalk.

Computer-chip dresses and frocks made from plastic wrap wowed audiences in March, when models strutted their stuff during Eco Chic, an Asia-wide fashion show launched in Jakarta to help transform trash into haute couture.

Ann Wizer, director of the Jakarta-based nonprofit design venture XS Project, says her goal is to raise awareness about waste production and environmental degradation. But as the potential for profits increase, prominent designers and corporations also are adopting earth-friendly measures.

She urged consumers to be aware of businesses that appear green but are actually business ventures.

“This isn’t about making money, it’s about positive change,” the former designer said.

That means providing jobs to a country suffering from widespread unemployment. Regardless of the model, the money from the sale of trashion products goes back to the communities that craft them. Both Plastic Works and XS also support local projects in health and sanitation.