Emily Zahniser
Sewist and Upcycling Expert
Education
- Graduate, Columbia University’s Manhattan School of Music
- BA, Music, University of Washington
Professional Achievements
- Emily has had multiple careers prior to creating Saint Clairs Scissors, working as an opera singer, an opera director, a marketing and communications expert, and a writer.
- She works as a freelance writer, specializing in sustainable building and design practices in residential architecture, sustainable everyday practices for the busy homemaker, and topics in sustainable and circular fashion.
- She has been featured in multiple publications, including Oregon Home Magazine, Atomic Ranch Magazine, Portrait of Seattle, and the___thread.
- Saint Clairs Scissors garments are one of a kind, crafted of antique and vintage textiles.
Favorite Piece of Advice
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Co-authored Articles (19)
How to
Dye Clothes with Food Coloring
Using food coloring is an easy and inexpensive way to dye or tie-dye your clothes at home. It's also a fun activity that's great to do on your own, or with family and friends by your side! Head outside on a nice day, or ...
How to
Lighten Jeans
Lightening your jeans is an easy project that can give you a new look without having to buy new jeans. Light jeans are great for casual wear. You can lighten your dark jeans with bleach, in the wash, or by spot-lighteni...
How to
Dye Faux Fur
To change the color of a faux fur item, you simply need to submerge it in a dye bath. Make sure you choose dye formulated for synthetic fibers for best results. Take care to protect yourself and your workspace so that yo...
How to
Dumpster Dive
As the saying goes, one man’s trash is another man’s treasure. Though it may strike some people as an odd practice, dumpster diving, or scavenging for useful items in waste receptacles, is a great way to make sure th...
How to Dye Denim: A Step-by-Step Tutorial
Simple ways to dye natural or synthetic jeans Dyeing your jeans is a great way to refresh a faded color or give your denim new life with a bold, exciting color. And luckily, dyeing jeans is pretty simple. In this article...
How to Get Rid of Old Undergarments Ethically & Sustainably
It’s finally happened: that pair of underwear you’ve had for years is now hanging on by a single thread. It’s time to get rid of them, but simply chucking those old undies and sending them to a landfill can’t be ...
How to
Tie Dye with Bleach
Tie dyeing is a fun way to give new life to clothes, but darker colors don’t always take dye very well. If you’re looking for a way to update your dark clothes, try tie dyeing with ! You'll get a cool white design th...
How to
Acid Wash a TâShirt
Acid washed t-shirts are the perfect solution for an otherwise boring old t-shirt. You can create an edgy tie-dye like effect with and old shirt and some bleach. Creating an acid wash t-shirt is easy. You can use a spray...
How to
Wash Jeans
Jeans are a very popular item of clothing and a vital part of many people's wardrobes. They are comfortable and versatile, and can be dressed up with a shirt and jacket or worn casually with a t-shirt. Most jeans are ma...
How to
Dye a Nylon Jacket
Nylon is a dyeable synthetic material, so dyeing a nylon jacket is a fairly straightforward procedure. Once you gather your materials, all you need to do is prepare the dye bath and soak the jacket in it until the materi...
How to
Bleach Jeans White
With just a container of bleach, a spacious container, and a little patience, you can revive any drab old pair of blue jeans by fading them to a crisp white color that works as a versatile base for any outfit. Just fill ...
How to
Dye Synthetic Fabric Black
Dyeing synthetic fabrics like nylon, acrylic, acetate, and polyester can be a pain since they don’t pick up the dye as well as natural fibers. This can be frustrating, especially if you have perfectly good fabric in th...
How to
Stretch a Denim Jacket
Denim jackets are a timeless fashion statement, and can last for years when maintained properly. If your jean jacket feels too tight, you don’t have to grin and bear it; instead, use a few simple strategies to loosen a...
How to
Dye Tulle
Tulle is a type of thin netting most commonly found in gowns, veils, tutus, and similarly delicate clothing items. The material isn’t always available in a wide variety of colors, but dyeing your tulle can help you cha...
How to
Dye a Shirt Black
You can upcycle and breathe new life into a shirt by dyeing it black, and it’s super easy to do it! Choose a black fabric dye that works for your shirt’s material and mix it together in a bucket of hot water. Soak th...
How to
Dye a Satin Dress
If you have a satin dress that you’ve already worn to a special event, you might be thinking of dyeing it so you can wear it again. Since satin refers to the way that the fabric is woven, rather than the actual materia...
How to
Dye White Jeans Cream
White jeans are a great staple to have in your wardrobe, but their stark whiteness can be a little harsh on the eyes. If you’d like to tone down your white jeans and make them more off-white or cream-colored, you can u...
How to
Keep Jeans Smelling Fresh
Preserving the integrity of your favorite pair of jeans is super important, so you may be looking for ways to keep them smelling fresh or to remove stinky odors. Depending on what kind of odor you’re dealing with or ho...
How to Bleach a Jean Jacket
Learn to lighten your denim clothes at home with household materials Denim jackets are not only an easy, lightweight addition to any wardrobe, but are highly alterable too. Rather than throwing away your old dark denim, ...
