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Over the course of seven years Allan Brown makes a dress by hand from foraged nettles. In the process, as he experiences the loss of two loved ones, he weaves his love into the fabric that he is creating. He spends seven summers harvesting the nettle and seven winters spinning it into fabric to make a dress for his daughter. The thread he creates carries his grief and his love, so that the cloth represents all of the love he has put into it. The nettles are free, foragable and renewable. As Allan transforms the nettles he himself is transformed by the healing power of nature and slow crafting.

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    atreyee

    Grounding and life-affirming. Everything that we own, use or consume is nature altered most of the times to the point of it being totally unrecognisable from the original source. Allan Brown's textile, fabric or cloth is hardly something which could make you forget the walk down the forest track, its smells or the touch of the nettles - the colours of the earth. Its porous - full of air, sunshine, smell of the earth & rains. I have a question for Allen, how do these fabrics age? Since they are living fabrics. Do you 'fix' them or allow them to naturally change colour?

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    Nancy

    A holy man so truth inspired creating a fabric/sacred seven:seven/ making a dress for his daughter. Me unwanted born a girl/so abused, I imagine his dress on me. I dance/swirl in it: my divine feminine/true masculine in Unity - all blame forgiven deeper. So needed this today. Thank you Allan Brown-finding beauty in nettles. I love you so.

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    Promise

    Extraordinary Grace and transformation flows in all aspects of this gorgeous sharing of heart and handsđź’—

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    Vadivu

    I'm moved by how the cloth and him become One gift of love. For those of us who don't have Allan's skill of weaving, I have found Saori weaving to be accessible, therapeutic and meditative. It's a global movement of celebrating our humanity, creativity and imperfection.

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    verĂłnica

    Allan mentioning he didn´t know if it was possible... don´t we all feel that way when loss and sadness comes our way... how will we go on? And yet we walk and breathe and try and nature guides us and holds our pain. Threading the sadness and loss into memory and life, tide and ebb, time and flow. A dress of nettles? A real dress of nettles? This is so touching, beautiful and inspiring. So whole. Thank you.

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    Kristin Pedemonti

    The love and care and patience & the depth of noticing the love being woven into the fabric inspired me. Thank you♡

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    Jim

    One-ness vivid,alive, with everything

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    Judith

    The deep intentionality of being one with nature and channeling his grief over a long period of time into something of such joy and beauty. I am tearfully awestruck! Thank you!

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    Jennifer

    Such heartfelt love and tenderness. The essence of love made the process and result a joy to feel and to watch.

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    Roseanna

    So touching....heart opening. What dedication.

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    Iris

    It's the personification of a folktale I've told many times and at the heart of a project I will embark on in Autumn. A tale of seven or twelve brothers turned into ravens an the love and devotion of a sister who sits in silence, harvesting and spinning nettles, weaving the cloth and sowing these magical garments Allan speaks of, this textile that heals and holds memory, grief and story - that once thrown over these raven brothers - returns them to their human form. Congratulations Allan - this is truely beautiful!

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    Cindy

    Amazing in every way.

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    Michelle

    The invitation to be intimate with our clothing is a first. That clothing is more than just something we throw on and are seen in. The emotion channeled into creating this artwork is a tribute to the healing properties of creation, both of the plants and their ecocommunity and the people who were woven into the dress. I think there are two more children waiting for their chance to wear the relationships that hold us together.

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    Diane

    I love that he used such a beautiful simple plane to create such a gift of love. Nettles, imagine thatđź’•

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    Margaret

    A friend of mine lost his 2 adult sons in a terrible accident. As a way of dealing with his grief, he recreated the Bayou tapestry. It was a stunning accomplishment. This video brought him back to mind. Equally beautiful.

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    Debra Bourne

    This has to be one of the most beautiful acts of grief and love that I have had the good fortune to view. The fashion industry was my former industry, along with psychology...and there is something so deeply moving and ceremonial about Allan Browns dedicated integrity at every juncture of his beloved creation. What an act of love. It feels so complete... including seeing the dress adorning his daughter. Wonderful

  • Page 1

  • Learn more from Allan Brown on the process of making textiles from nettle. 
  • Read about the importance of nettle to the sustainable fashion industry.
  • Slow down and take time to create something with your hands - a handmade card, a complicated recipe, whatever nurtures you - and then share your creation with a loved one. 

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