Textile ResQ Collective

ResQ is 100% Volunteer driven. Our members come from all walks of life and contribute all manner of talent, creativity and energy to our work. ResQ simply would not exist without them.

Louise Shelton has sewn for most all of her life. At 16 she even entered a garment in the prestigious Benson & Hedges Fashion Awards. She has sewn her own clothes, clothes for her children, crafting, patchwork and embroidery.
Always keen to learn and hone her skills, she is currently working in textured embroidery inspired by her classes with Fluer Woods, a local and internationally recognised fibre artist.
She even shares her love of craft and hand stitching with two little girls who are her neighbours.
Last year Louise did a denim bag workshop that Textile ResQ offered at the Nelson Library and decided to come along to our Make & Mend sessions. True to form, Louise was busy adding some gorgeous embroidered embellishment to a top while being interviewed!

Is your business (thinking cafe, salon, or other service or craft oriented company) or perhaps friend or family member needing a practical, sturdy and washable apron? Look no further than ResQ! We have saved hundreds of denim pants from landfill to upcycle into useful clothing and accessories.
Contact us @gmail.com to discuss your specific needs. We can customise the number and placement of pockets and possible design. Let’s discuss the possibilities!

The Nelson Environment Centre now has a selection of Textile ResQ items for sale! Check it out!

Look inside the Op Shop on Saxton for the ResQ racks. Filled with “Wild” unique and creative clothing and accessories. Everything is given a second life and “Born to Be Wild!”

Let’s take a look inside!

Two beautiful reworked blouses paired with a cross body bag, all by ResQ. Find these and other great ResQ’d garments and accessories at the Hospice Shop in Nelson on Vanguard Street.

What people wear says so much about who they are. It can indicate age, origin, gender, values and so much more. Sometimes an article of clothing takes on a meaning or is imbued with an emotion or memory. It has the ability to tell a story. This is another in the series of “Storied Garments” that runs every other week.
If you have a garment that “tells a story” you would like to share, please email it to [email protected] along with a photo (of yourself and/or the garment). No guarantee it will be shared here but ResQ would love to hear about it.

Jayne dons a drapey Black and yellow jacket with long flowing sleeves that is reminiscent of Tie-dye. She once wore it to a Halloween party and on her small, petite frame, she does indeed resemble a Bumble Bee. It is a most unusual garment. What makes it unusual is both its style and its age. It is, according to family lore, made by Jayne’s Great Aunt May who was born in 1876 and is her paternal Grandfather’s older sister. Also part of the family lore is that sometime after she made them (there are a few accompanying triangular scarves) they were on display at the Fine Arts Museum of Boston in the USA.
Her Aunt May was a resident of Boston and lived on Beacon Hill. Family members remember her as fiercely independent, loved traveling and always wore a hat. Her husband died when he was 55. Having never had children, May continued to live on her own in their 3rd floor apartment in Boston until she was 94. A genuine character.
Jayne’s Aunt Dolly (May’s Niece) lived nearby and checked in on May regularly. One day after not being able to reach May by telephone, Aunt Dolly called in to find that May had fallen 2 days prior and broken her hip. She was moved to a Nursing home where she died two years later at 96 years of age.
Jayne has a few very wonderful memories of her Great Aunt May. One of these involved a glider and a 90th Birthday. Jayne remembers visiting her Aunt May at Dolly's home in Boston. Periodically a glider would fly over the house. Apparently an industrious aviator that lived in the general area of Dolly’s home was offering glider rides to the public. May pointed up at the glider and said “I want to do that for my 90th Birthday.” And she did! It was written up in the newspaper. This was in the mid-60’s so a 90 year old woman wearing a fancy hat going for a glider ride was big news.
Apparently she enjoyed it so much that 2-3 years later she did it again! This time Jayne (circa 12 years old) was a witness as she and her Uncle were strong armed into a bit of subterfuge to get her to the airport without Aunt Dolly finding out. Jayne and her Uncle agreed to take May out on what was subsequently revealed as a fool’s errand. Once away from the scrutinizing eyes of Aunt Dolly, May asked to be taken to the Glider place instead. When Aunt Dolly found out after this escapade she was not too pleased!
Jayne now has both her memories of Great Aunt May, as well as her “Bumble Bee” jacket. Now that’s one Storied Garment!

Need a gift that actually means something? Our Textile ResQ Collective collection at the Nelson Environment Centre OpShop is full of beautiful, handmade, up-cycled pieces you won't find anywhere else. Give something one-of-a-kind, and keep fabric out of landfill while you're at it.

ResQ bucket hats are a favourite! A happy customer!🤩