February in Review...

February's crazy weather presented some wardrobe challenges. Mainly, what do you wear during extreme cold warnings as the region is blanketed by a polar vortex during a pandemic? I don't have the luxury of working from home during the pandemic and there's outdoor duties as part of my workday. That wind can rip through fabric and make you feel like you're standing there naked. Like when you're lined up to get groceries in ski pants that are just not cutting it.

Once upon a time, there was a plan to sew a pair of ski-pants. I even had a pattern picked out until I started to source the materials for the project. It quickly became evident that it would be a difficult project to complete both with trying to find the materials I wanted to work with and stay within my budget. The pattern, Kwik Sew 760, has found another home this month. There was a bit of sadness in that I was letting this one go.  

Ready-to-wear ski-pants made in offshore factories just don't keep you warm enough when you're standing outside for twenty minutes at a time during extreme cold warnings. Those winds can cut you like a knife.  

One of the projects that I made this month was a jacket that was underlined with something called "joggers fleece" that is apparently supposed to block the wind. I'm thinking about making a pair of sweat pants or leggings to wear under my ski-pants for those oh-nuts-it's-cold-outside days that we sometimes get. Although, I'm not all that excited about working with this man-made fabric, I am willing to put aside my feelings on this one for the sake of keeping warm.  

Talking about the jacket, this has to be my favourite make this month. I'm so thrilled with how it turned out and I can check off one of my sewing goals, to sew a car coat. I passed on the New Look pattern after reading reviews about how the lining could use another treatment at the hemline. This jacket was made with an out-of-print (OOP) pattern sitting in my pattern drawer. I don't know why it took me so long to consider this pattern, OOP McCall's 2495.  

There were some dresses sewn as well.  A Ebony dress by Closet Case patterns which I've been wearing as pajamas lately. It's that comfortable. And a maxi-length wool turtle-neck sweater dress.  

The least favourite project was a t-shirt. A simple project that served a short-term purpose. It was made to wear for number day at work. I just didn't get the fit right in the rush to get it done and the neckline opening was too wide with the potential of exposure if I bent down. I ended up wearing it with a RTW long-sleeved wool crew-neck sweater underneath.      

My favourite themed day at work this month was dress like your favourite superhero and I chose to break out my black dress and dress like Edna E. Mode from The Invincibles.  

At least for one day this month, I got to pretend that sewing was my superpower. In reality I still feel like my sewing mojo is lacking somewhat.    

Output:  

Fabric:  12 metres (February) + 8.4 metres (January) = 20.4 metres 

Zippers:  none this month + 1 - 55 cm invisible zipper (January) = 1 zipper

Seam binding:  none this month + 7 metres (January) = 7 metres

Knit 'N Stable tape:  9 metres 

Twill tape:  0.50 metres 

Spools of thread:  1 - 275 metre spool (February) + 1 - 100 metre spool, 2 - 1500 metre spool of serger thread (January) = 1 875 metres 

Sewing Machine needles:  1 sewing machine needle (February) + 1 serger needle (January) = 2  

Input:  

Fabric:  None this month, 24.7 metres (January) = 24.7 metres

Sewing machine needles:  None this month, 1 package (3) serger needles (January) = 3 

Buttons:  None this month + 2 packages (10) jean buttons (January) = 10

Stay Safe and Happy Sewing!