September in Review

National Sewing Month

Sewing sustainably is challenging in the era of fossil fashion where most natural fiber fabrics are mixed with man-made fibers to bring down the costs and increase profits for manufacturers.  Synthetic fabrics derived from fossil fuel are incredibly cheap to produce.  

Synthetics, like polyester, have overtaken the selections found in the clothing, fabric and thread aisles.  A post by Fashion Revolution Canada this month highlights the growing demand for synthetics is fueled by "cheap clothing and sneaky marketing campaigns" and that "plastic including synthetics could account for up to 95% of future growth in oil demand."  

Have you noticed the appearance of clothing and fabrics being marketed as 100% recycled polyester?  The phrase "recycled polyester" is marketed to give you a warm-doing-good feeling about wearing polyester.  But let's be clear, it's still polyester and the fibers degrade every time it's recycled.  

This polyester knit sweater made last November, did not perform well and ended up in the donation pile earlier this year.  I should have know better.  I did know better but I fell for the print.  It didn't last the winter and it didn't keep me warm and the static cling it produced was not fun.  But I digress.  Polyester is not known for being a breathable fabric and has a high tendency for pilling.  

Although, there was one sewing project made this month from polyester fabric, I tried to steer away from petroleum based fabrics.  It was a fabric that had been in the stash for decades.  Otherwise, sewing sustainably meant mending and refashioning.  A long held onto dress that no longer fits was transformed into a pull-on skirt.  And all of the other projects were made with natural fiber fabrics.  

Sewing, Alterations and Mending

This month was all about sewing basics, a few projects for others and a few for moi plus a refashion project.  Top L to R:  merino wool skirt (OOP Butterick 5790), polyester knit half slip (OOP Butterick 5790, one of two cotton knit undershirts (OOP Kwik Sew 3645 and gifted), wool, silk and cotton plaid skirt (The Assembly Line maxi skirt), wool winter white pull-on pants (Butterick 6717), refashion project (snug dress into a pull-on skirt), Super Mario cotton print shirt (OOP and vintage Butterick 2122 and gifted) and butterfly print t-shirt (OOP Vogue 9057 / re-issued as Vogue 1733 and gifted).  

Stash busting

This month there were eleven metres of fabric, 3.7 metres of elastic, 3.5 metres of Knit 'N Stable tape, 0.10 metres of fusible interfacing and 5 recycled buttons were stash-busted this month.  One new pattern was used this month.  

What's Next? 

For certain, more continued work on sewing sustainably.  

Happy sewing!