February in Review

Sewing, Alterations and Mending

Clockwise from the top:  4 cotton French terry long-sleeved undershirt with underarm padding (scoliosis back brace garments), OOP Vogue 9057; plaid wool wrap skirt, OOP and vintage Vogue 2327; blanket, no pattern used.

This month's sewing projects were a combination of filling a need and stash busting.  After making one undershirt to wear under the back brace, the coverage of the padding was tweaked and four more were made.  I'm set in that department for awhile.  The plaid skirt replaces this one that is no longer in my closet.  Sadly, it ended up in the donation pile before I lost weight.  I am sure it would fit me again if I held onto it.  Needless to say, I hope that the old skirt found a good home and is keeping someone warm.  The blanket is purely a stash busting project, I was just trying to use up some fabric that wasn't quite what I expected.  

In the alterations and mending department, I said goodbye to a pair of pajama bottoms.  They were mended many times over the past three and a half years and it was time.  The pants were cut up to be used as rags but I did hold onto a couple of pieces.  These pieces were turned into pockets for the pajama top which still has some life left in it.  Even though I don't have matching bottoms, I can pair the pajama top with sweatpants or these pajama bottoms.  And of course, more socks were mended with patches of wool added to the soles.  

In Other Creative News

February marked National Embroidery Month.  I haven't been big into embroidery since my younger, much younger days, a life-time ago.  And I do not own an embroidery machine.  So, it is not a big part of the textile arts that I enjoy now-a-days.  But I do like the idea of embroidery mending.  I've become more keen on mending in my twilight years.  This jacket has another small hole appearing along the hemline.  Even though it's nearly a decade old, I still wear it often.  It made it to the work table for some visible mending. 

Stash Busting

There were 9.8 metres of fabric, 3 buttons, 1 snap and 10 spools of thread were stash busted this month.  No new fabric or notions entered the stash.  The Vogue patterns used this month were all from the stash and from previous decades. 

Sewing IS Political

There is a buy Canadian (anything really except American) movement happening here while the country on the other side of the southern border is engaged in economic warfare and disgusting rhetoric against Canada.  I rather do without than buy any American produce at the grocery store and the same goes with sewing as long as the convicted felon and his republican cohort keeps up with the daily threats to hurt global economies and undermine Canada's sovereignty.  We're certainly living in bizarrely disturbing times.  

This is the first time I had no desire to even check out the new Vogue pattern release.  There is no way I want to support the convicted felon's economy even it means giving up my beloved Vogue patterns.  I'm doing this because I love my country more.  

And it is playing a role in what I sew for sure.  There is a white cotton quilted bed spread that I would like to turn into a quilted jacket.  Trying to find a jacket pattern that is not a PDF version or American and that I want to sew has been a challenge.  This might be something that I need to roll up my sleeves and draft my own pattern.  Or do without.  

Stand strong and keep sewing!