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PEOPLE & ARTS Saturday 6 July 2019
Sewing for sport: Handmade workout clothes make strides

By JENNIFER FORKER works.
Associated Press "It's like a kind of meditation
If necessity is the mother for me. It keeps my mind
of invention, then pend- still," Amsen said. "Some
ing motherhood may have people puzzle or go run-
given Sarah Vander Neut a ning, I start with drawing
creative boost. and then creating, then
The Aurora, Colorado, skating. That's one synergy
seamstress was pregnant going on there."
with her first daughter eight Althea Rizzo of Salem, Or-
years ago and running in egon, sews rock-climbing
her husband's heavy hood- chalk bags from second-
ie when she decided to hand stuffed animals. Her
sew a jacket to fit her grow- VertGear online site fea-
ing form. tures chalk bags made from
"I was running every day a pink elephant, green frog
until I had her, and it was and purple zebra, among
winter," said Vander Neut, other critters.
now the mother of two little The chalk bags appeal to a
girls. "A husband's hoodie certain level of rock climb-
does not make you feel er.
fast. This jacket solved my "The people who wear mine
running problems." are not the super intense,
Already selling handmade professional athletes," Riz-
skirts and dresses at Denver- This photo provided by Ruby Amsen shows Amsen modeling the 1970s-influenced skater pants zo said. "These are people
area craft markets, Vander she hand makes in her Amsterdam, Netherlands, home. who enjoy a little bit of fun
Neut began sewing athletic Associated Press and lightheartedness."
jackets in spectacular color She began sewing sports-
combinations. The hand- ion statement. A jacket is ness is helping them, help- Amsen, of Amsterdam. wear and gear for her out-
made sportswear features something a woman is go- ing my little girls go to ballet A few years ago she doorsy daughter. Her Etsy
extra-long arms for cover- ing to need for layering." or helping my family buy a learned how to dance on shop includes tank tops
ing hands or cuffing back, She's made 730 jackets car." skates, and was hooked. and shorts, made from fab-
a large hole at one wrist for since launching Vander Vander Neut is not alone. She started sewing pants ric she designs.
checking the giant sports Jacket in 2011, selling the Other makers pour their to accentuate her hip-hop Rizzo recently streamlined
watch, deep pockets for hoodies online and at craft passion for a sport into and jazzy moves, piquing her sewing process to save
holding gear, and reflec- markets. She has no plans handmade goods. other skaters' interest. time. She only sews at night
tive accents for nighttime to let up on the five-hours- For Ruby Amsen, in the "The '70s-style clothing re- and on weekends; by day,
runs. Her jackets are made per-jacket effort. Netherlands, inspiration ally accentuates your she is the earthquake, tsu-
from double-knit polyester "If I was pouring all the time was twofold: She loves roller moves," she said. nami and volcano pro-
— fabric designed to last. in and it stopped grow- skating and the 1970s. She Part-time work grew into a gram coordinator for the
"The light just kinda went on ing . then yeah, I would sews roller-skating pants fulltime business for Amsen, state of Oregon.
for me," said Vander Neut, fall out of love pretty fast," and shorts in outrageous, who sells her skater wear The sewing work helps Rizzo
who has an art degree Vander Neut said. "I'd be '70s-style fabrics. on Etsy.com . The designer avoid boredom and pay
and studied fashion design. taking time away from my "Flare pants and Farrah keeps her home minimally her bills. "I like to stay busy
"Colorado is not New York, little kids and husband. It Fawcett, the windy blown appointed so she can skate and I like to make money,"
is not L.A. This is our fash- works when my little busi- hair. It's mesmerizing," said indoors, including while she she said.q

Kane Brown dedicates song 'Homesick' to military families

By KRISTIN M. HALL said. of like memories of, you
Associated Press The song from his 2018 al- know, anybody dancing in
NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) — bum "Experiment" is a pop a kitchen, singing favorite
Country singer Kane Brown country acoustic ballad. songs with each other."
says his new single "Home- Brown wrote it about hav- This is the third single from
sick" may have been writ- ing to leave home every the "Experiment" album,
ten about his experience week to play shows around following the No. 1 coun-
traveling on the road and the country, he said. try airplay hits "Lose It" and
being away from his loved "I was trying to find some- "Good As You."
ones, but military families body else that could relate Brown, who started his ca-
have connected to the to just being away from reer on social media post-
song. home all the time," Brown ing cover songs online,
Brown's song is dedicated said. "We had a bunch of said that he has seen a lot
to military families, and the fans send their homecom- of positive responses from
music video features re- ing videos in and made an military families about the
turning service members awesome music video, very In this Nov. 7, 2018 file photo, country singer Kane Brown poses song.
surprising their families. tear-jerker music video." for a portrait in New York. "And like when I see some-
"I feel like the normal person He said he's currently shoot- Associated Press body that's in the military at
can't relate to the 'Home- ing a second music video all, if they message me on
sick' song because they're for the song that will also "I thought there's not many used to be," Brown said. "I social media, it's something
gone you know 9 to 5 and focus on the military but be songs going out these days felt like this would really hit that I always got to reply
they come home," Brown more like a short film. about the military like there home for them. Just kind back," Brown said.q