Crafts Council Nederland (CCNL) organised a Meet-the-Masterclass with Bas Kosters, and I was there! I was invited to tag along because of my interest in craftivism and alternative knowledge production. CCNL is a Dutch platform that protects, preserves and shares knowledge of craft-practices that otherwise would be 'made forgotten' because it does not 'serve' our neoliberal 'knowledge-based' society. More about that soon... ;) Through organising workshops such as Meet-the-Masterclass, CCNL tries to keep craft exchange alive. This is important because crafts, if done right, combines traditional knowledge and practices with alternative imaginings. This helps to innovate current unsustainable and exhaustive practices that are harmful to the world on an environmental, social and cultural level.

Bas Kosters' work ticks all of the boxes above. Bas Kosters is a Dutch multi-disciplined artist, best known for his 'provocative' fashion designs (surrealist comedian and The Great British Bake Off host Noel Fielding is a fan). He uses his work to address social issues while creating a new vision of how the world could or should be. He often upcycles vintage fabrics, which is not only environmental friendly but also provides his designs with an extra meaningful and tangible layer. During this workshop Kosters guided us making quilts and gave us an exclusive behind the scenes of his creative process.

Cloth & clutter: The best way to start a Sunday morning

"It doesn't matter what you do, but how you do it", Bas Kosters says while casually browsing through his portfolio. "It's good to do something fun, but it's better to do something that's also meaningful." I, together with twelve other crafters, stare at him with awe. We're sitting in Kosters' studio located on the 13th floor of the World Fashion Centre, providing a nice view of the outskirts of Amsterdam (which mainly consists out of hotels, office buildings and the highway). It's Sunday morning and we're all there to learn from the master.

As we're sipping tea from different sized and coloured mugs, we get the opportunity to scan our environment. Kosters' studio is, as you would expect, whimsical yet orderly. On the one side you have industrial sewing machines surrounded by clothing racks with pieces from his Dear Sir/Madam: HOPE collection. On the other side you have a cleared-out working space with different boxes, bags and piles of scrap material; old blouses, skirts with holes in them and other pieces of cloth and clutter collected by Kosters or 'donated' by his neighbours, knowing Kosters will find a way to keep them out of the bin. In the middle section, where we are sitting, there's a small kitchen, a long table with mismatched chairs and an official looking office area surrounded by books, photographs and drawings. There's no one there except for us. "It's funny how people think we [Bas Kosters Studio] are constantly producing new things or that I run a whole factory, but in reality it's mostly just me answering emails."

Kosters, who started the day with coffee from his famous penis print mug (the first one, gifted to him by a friend, now a beloved item in his webshop), holds different pieces of paper in the air. "I really should get a better portfolio", he adds with a smile while, finally, holding up the piece he wanted to show us: a picture of one of his first hand stitched tapestries. Nowadays Kosters leaves all the sewing-work to his interns, but this piece he stitched himself, "which makes it extra special to me."

Get crafty, start with yourself!

After everyone introduced themselves and why they chose to join this Masterclass (mainly to catch a whiff of Kosters' creative mind), we are given a short studio-tour with the invite to roam around and explore more in between stitching. The tour ends at our desk for the coming six or so hours. After Kosters hands out some sheets of paper and pencils, we are set loose. Let the creative juices flow!

We were asked to come prepared with an idea or design. I hadn't been able to prepare and had absolutely no idea what to do. I decided, instead of starting with freestyle drawing, to rummage through the boxes, bags and piles set-out for us. I wasn't the only one who went straight for the good stuff and with a small group we eagerly grabbed whatever came to hand. Different pieces of fabric were tossed around, combined, put back and picked up again. Still without a clue, I dragged a long piece of black velvet to my seat and started to snip, trim and sew some strips together (Kosters recommends sewing three or four layers of fabric together to get a sturdy background you can work on). "Sometimes it's good to just begin", I softly mumble to myself while glancing at my neighbour who's completely emerged in her work.

As if Kosters read my mind, he came over to me and in a friendly tone asked "what are you making?". "I've got absolutely no idea what I'm doing or where I'm going", I confessed. He looked at me and nodded. He then grabbed a sheet of paper, wrote his name on it and drew a circle around it. "Sometimes the best place to start is with yourself." "Based on what everyone told me, I can see a clear connection between that what they shared and that what they are making. For instance, you choosing black velvet and you telling about your study [Gender Studies], it's an obvious choice", he says with a smile. He explains how a mindmap can help to narrow things down, give you a direction and help you construct a meaningul story while still working intuitively. Next to his name he wrote down the words 'fluidity' (inspired by my study), 'hope', 'tears' and 'self love'. After Kosters left me to think, I wrote down my name on the other side of the paper. Next to it I wrote 'relational', 'rhyzomatic', 'intersectional' and 'hollistic' (I was probably thinking about an essay I still had to write). From this I tried to envision how I could translate these words onto fabric without literally cutting words out of fabric (this was inspired by an article by Karen Barad on posthumanist performativity -instead of representationalism- and affect theory, told you I was thinking about my essay!).


Unfortunately I was unable to finish my quilt, but I'm determined to go through with it! Just being in the same room as Bas Kosters and hearing him talk about his creative process is so inspiring. I can't wait to incorporate a slice of his wisdom into my own practices. Masterclasses are a great way to foster and share knowledge. Not only by hanging onto every word a master says or practice they show, but also through conversations with your fellow crafters. You'll be amazed how much knowledge circles in/between bodies!

Do you want to see more of Bas Kosters' work? From 12 February untill the 31st of March Museum Rijswijk presents Wolzak & Kosters: Serious International Business, a collaborative exhibition between Kosters and Petra Wolzak. The exhibition features a new tapestry-series called Quest For Self-love, which explores the importance of appreciating yourself in a time when everyone is looking for validation from outside. And naturally check out CCNL if you're interested attending a Meet-the-Masterclass yourself!

"Out with the old!" you shout while gleefully shovelling your dreary old wardrobe into a garbage bag, throwing it over the neighbours' fence and strutting off to the shops to fall in love with the newest pearls and gems. I get ya! Unfortunately so do many more who, with similar glee, dump about 235 million kilograms of clothing a year to make way for the latest season (and that's only the estimated number from tiny-winy Dutch wardrobes). Now I'm not saying you should anxiously hold on to every scrap material, but it wouldn't hurt being a bit more mindful before chucking everything out, buying everything new and repeat. So instead of waltzing into H&M, Zara or Primark, can I persuade you to sashay away into the wondrous world of already worn, danced in, slept in and died in clothes...

Benefits of second hand shopping

Ok. Yes there is a chance you end up wearing grandma's beloved coat. But with second hand shopping you win some, you loose some. You win a more environmental friendly coat, you lose... grandma. Or your instinctive disgust towards clothing that has touched the skin of total strangers. Instead you see opportunities: 'that coat wold look so cute with that skirt!' This transition from YUCK to LUCK takes some charity shopping experience and a strong will to shake off any thoughts starring the possible previous owner and all the weird sh*t they got up to. Repeat to self: not everyone lives in a damp basement collecting toenails, picking their nose and killing unsuspecting squirrels. Still there's an element of surprise to second hand shopping that an overly thought-out H&M catalogue just can't peer with. That one-in-a-million chance of stumbling upon the creme de la creme: a well-tailored Dior suit. Probably fake, possibly real. And that for the shadow of its original price! #Ibelieveinmiracles Basically: popping into a charity shop instead of a Primark will help to reduce fashion-waste, makes you more creative with clothing and doesn't break the bank while hunting for new pieces to pimp your wardrobe with. And, last but not least, with your buys you support a good cause (instead of underpaid labour). Grandma would've been so proud!

5 tips to get you charity shop ready

Walking into a charity shop can be quite daunting. They often look, smell and feel a bit dingy. But this is part of the fun! After facing all the doom and gloom of awful 2000-clothing, of suspicious stains and 'I don't even want to know what that is', your killer fashion instinct will finally kick in and turn that dodgy mustard-coloured blouse into a 1970s inspired master piece! To help you in this process, here are 5 tips so you can flaunt affordable environmental friendly fashion instead of crying against a clothing rack stuck to the velcro of a gabbers bomber jacket...

1. Be patient, open-minded and good humoured

There won't be a Dior suit, Chanel bag or Gucci Tee waiting for you every time you walk into a charity shop. Mostly you'll be greeted with an indescribable smell and very bad taste. This can be overwhelming to the 'the only chaos I know is the discount table at Zara' shopper. This isn't Zara. We aren't simple strollers walking down a clear-cut selection, we are scavenger hunters scooping through an unreliable system of donations and discards. It takes time and a stubborn inner smile to find the creme de la creme in a pile of pudding.

2. Always go charity shopping with a friend or a reliable family member

Not only for the company, the extra set of eyes or to dare you to try on that awful looking leopard-print blouse. You also need someone there to pull you through all the gross moments you will encounter. As said, charity shops aren't the most clean-cut environments. Although employees do their utmost best to deposit lost dentures, discovering a used handkerchief hidden in the pockets of a green velvet trouser when you casually put your hands in there to strike a pose is happen-able. Trust me, it happened to me twice. #truestory #boogieman

3. Shop around different areas

Because charity shops are driven on donations, the area it's located in actually dominates what's in store. And, more importantly, what's not in store. Generally the rules go like this: 1) big cities have more diverse people living in them so more diverse stuff on offer 2) rich areas have 'nicer' things donated to them but this is often reflected in the price AND nowadays anyone with an internet connection knows how to make some big bugs on grandma's good vintage before donating the rest and 3) people, places and products can surprise you. Don't write off certain areas just because there's no luxurious retirement home around the corner!

4. Know what you're looking for (but also don't)

Charity shops can be overwhelming with their seemingly unendless heaps, racks and piles. By constantly repeating to yourself 'cute corduroy skirt' you tune yourself to look through the chaos that's in front of you and search for that cute corduroy skirt. However when the only thing on your mind is that cute corduroy skirt, you're going to miss those perfect panther pants. Once again: you can't predict what's in store so you have to work with the things on offer. And sometimes, ya know, you'll find nothing. And that's fine too.

5. Be mindful before purchasing

Last but not least a more general practical note that actually goes up for shopping wherever: to prevent you from garbage-bagging your finds before the start of the next season, it's important to not only like the style of something or look at the price tag. Before buying you should feel the fabric (is this something I'm comfortable with rubbing against my skin?), look for stains (am I really able to wash this out?) and think about how you're going to wear it with other pieces from your wardrobe (and no, pieces you don't actually own but dream about do not count). This way your newest finds actually make a difference!

Are you a regular charity shopper? What's your best find so far? Let me know in the comments below!

BOOKS! Some like them, some love them, some need to chill and actually read them. 2019 is when we finally are going to tackle the endless or perhaps even infinite tbr-pile by, surprise, reading what's on our shelves instead of what's in our (online) baskets. This year I challenged myself, my mother and sister to go through our 'library' and pick up books that have been waiting there for us ever-so patiently. In this blogpost you can read more about the idea behind the challenge, the rules and our picks. Don't be shy, join the challenge and share your book-list below!

The idea behind the challenge

Books are cool again! Shelves upon shelves are build to accommodate all the latest adventures and thought bubbles of our favourite authors; their spines gracefully snapped on Instagram, accompanied with a #tbr, #bookaddicts or even #bookporn. However there are but so many books one can collect before realising that collecting books isn't the same as reading them. Even though many of the before mentioned so-called bookstagrammers do encourage people to read their feed, the social and satisfactory performance of buying new books still is a dangerous wormhole for any (wannabe) book lover. As CG Drews comically writes on Twitter:

WHY BOOKWORMS HAVE SO MANY BOOKS
• you obviously can't just own one
• you own a few now so you need new shelf
• new shelf is large and empty?
• fill it
• repeat on accident
• repeat on purpose till your books block out the sun
• become lord of this land

— CG Drews (@PaperFury) 28 februari 2018

There's actually a Japanese word for this spiralling book-buying-behaviour: tsundoku. Roughly translated: tsun means to pile up and doku means reading, combined it describes the practice of (continuously) buying piles of books without actually reading them. According to a BBC article the word tsundoku was already in use before 1879, but I think the current trend of bulk book buying is more related to the general cult of (over)cosumption here in the West. Where more means better, new is always better and identity is made synonymous to what we consume and the objects we put on display; meaning is found in the portrayal of a wall of books instead of having read and thought about the actual words on paper. Don't get me wrong: I'm absolutely pro-books and believe in the intention people have of reading the books they purchase. However I noticed that the gratification gained from buying and displaying books (as is shown on for instance Instagram) often outweighs the actual act of reading them. But that's about to change!

The rules of the challenge

The rules of this challenge are simple:

• Go to your shelf (or reach for the clumsy pile underneath your bed) and pick up books you've bought but never came round reading
•  Make a list of 25 books you want to read (share it below in the comments!) and solemnly swear that you won't buy any new books before you've read all of the books on your list
•  Go forth and read!
•  And, if you feel like sharing, celebrate your reading-milestones on social media using #FBPBookClub and tagging us!

The books we've chosen to read

As stated at the beginning of this blogpost, I'm challenging myself, my mother and sister to go through our 'library' and pick up the books we've bought but never read. AKA the books that are crammed underneath the bed, the books that take up precious wardrobe space and the books that have been resourcefully tucked away in between the wall and the cupboard. After this eventful scavenger hunt we compiled a list of our to-be-reads and sworn off buying any new books before finishing every book on our list. We've also written a short 'bio' on our reading style, why these books have been stuck on the shelf and which book we look most forward to f-i-n-a-l-l-y start reading, all of which you can read right here, right now!


I've always been an avid reader, however the past couple of years I haven't really read that much. I love reading chick lits and romantic novels. Reading for me is a way to relax and forget about the troubles of the world. That's why I always judge a book by its cover. If the cover is ugly I'm not going to read it, because it's distracting me from my experience and ruins the pleasure I take out of it. Also, another controversial opinion, I don't mind spoilers. Always after reading the first chapters I skip to the last pages of the book to find out whether it has a satisfying ending. If I don't like the way the book concludes (a happy ending is a must), I stop reading.

I'm most looking forward reading Poirot and Me by David Suchet. I love Poirot and especially the way Suchet has played him and I'm curious to find out more about his relationship with the character. It's also a very different read for me as I normally don't read biographies.

You can follow Marjan on Instagram @marjanbroek and @fashionedbymarjan!


I basically read anything and everything. My main reason for reading is to relax and forget about everyday life. However I don't mind when books get a bit dark but they must have a happily ever after (or, when reading a series, a happy for now). I like to read right when I wake up and in the evenings. These are sort of 'scheduled' reading-moments for me, but I basically read anywhere and everywhere I can! Whether this is waiting for the bus or train or at the dentist office, I don't shy away from waving my book around. Especially since I have an e-reader, which makes travelling with books so much easier. This is however also the main reason why I haven't read the books on my list. While I'm out-and-about they keep standing on my shelf. So this challenge is perfect to change that. On my list there are only three e-books and the rest is all on good ol' paper.

I look most forward to reading Brotherband: Scorpion Mountain by John Flanagan AND Rebel of the Sands by Alwyn Hamilton. I've been waiting to return to the Brotherband-series for a while now as I remember loving the books I've read so far. And -don't tell Dominique- I came across Rebel of the Sands in a local bookstore the other day and I just simply couldn't leave it behind (but look, I'm reading it right away so it's not a fanciful purchase!).

You can follow Natasja on Twitter @Hi_Natasja and on Goodreads!


I'm an irregular reader who wants to be a book lover but is definitely a wannabe that perhaps cares a little too much about trying to impress 'real' book lovers (ooooh so introspective). Though, in my own defense, when already needing to read a hundred-or-so pages for school, it doesn't really invite you to casually keep your head in the books. Everything in moderation! However when I get hooked on a book, I give it my all (and I also won't shut up about it). I hate chick lits and romance and fantasy. That's however not to say I think those books are 'lesser' or that fiction is stupid or meaningless. Only that my heart thumps an extra thump with non-fiction books, especially essay-collections that invite you to (try to) look through the questioning and curious eyes of the writer.

I'm looking forward to reading How To Be a Craftivist by Sarah Corbett as it perfectly ties in with a project I'm currently working on (and who doesn't love it when everything in life harmoniously comes together and helps you achieve your goals!?).

Every month a new post will be published on this blog. We'll be sharing some handy tips, our thoughts and experiences (like: how does one actually read 25 books?) and celebrating ALL OF THE milestones!

Do you accept the challenge? Let me know in the comments below!

HAPPY NEW YEAR! Though the first week of January has already flown bye, with celebrations and disappointments alike (yes I'm looking at you foul tasting vegan Belgian hot chocolate), I have high hopes this year is going to be a-ok. Or, at least, not yet world-ending apocalyptic bye-bye love, bye-bye happiness.

I always see January as the beginning of the beginning. That's to say: January is the perfect time to comtemplate about everything that could be, to shake off 2018 and to get a big white sheet and some crayons and simply go wild. Whether this takes shape as a childlike imagining, a rainbow explosion or a murderous monstrosity is up to you. This month's playlist reflects this idea of thinking about thinking and re-thinking our thinking. May the future be coloured bright! 🌈

JANUARY PLAYLIST: Sounds of Contemplation

1. Faith - George Michael
2. Stuck In The Middle With You - Stealers Wheel
3. Here Comes The Sun - The Beatles
4. She - Elvis Castello
5. Other Woman - Paloma Faith
6. Jolene - Dolly Parton
7. Think - Aretha Franklin
8. You're So Vain - Carly Simon
9. Ain't Got No - Nina Simone
10. I Want To Break Free - Queen
11. Everybody Needs Somebody - The Blues Brothers
12. Little Green Bag - George Baker
13. Perfect Day - Lou Reed
14. Sitting On The Dock Of The Bay - Otis Redding
15. When The Sun Goes Down - Arctic Monkeys
16. Under The Bridge - Red Hot Chili Peppers
17. Road To Nowhere - Talking Heads
18. The Chain - Fleetwood Mac
19. Feel - Robbie Williams
20. People Are Strange - The Doors
21. Hurt - Christina Aquilera
22. No Surrender - Kane
23. Empire State of Mind (Part II) - Alicia Keys
24. If I Were a Boy - Beyoncé
25. Stay With Me - Sam Smith
26. Son of a Preacher Man - Dusty Springfield
27. Rocket Man - Elton John
28. Lonely Boy - The Black Keys
29. Undiscovered First - Feist
30. Something's Coming (Live) - Aaron Tveit
31. Why Should I Worry - Billy Joel

You can also listen to the playlist on Spotify!

Which song will be your anthem this month? Let me know in the comments below!