March in Review...

Oh my!  It's the end of March already?  Although, I will admit that some parts of this month did feel like it dragged along.  

Sewing, Alterations & Mending Projects

There were no new sewing projects that hit the cutting table or sewing machine this month.  No Lenten sewing project.  No new Easter outfit or bonnet.  Instead, I was moping and aimlessly wandering about, wishing that I could sew.  This behaviour was followed by some deep guilt that I let a cast on my right arm stop me from sewing after watching Gill on re-runs of The Great British Sewing Bee.  A one-armed sewist made this incredible coat.  I should be ashamed of my time wasted moping.  And I am.  I did alter a pair of rain boots proving that I can cut with a pair of scissors.  I have no excuses.  That's about all I made this month, excuses.  Well today, the final day of the month, there is finally a pattern and some fabric on the table.  And I did spend some time this evening with a seam ripper taking down the narrow hem from this top.  Maybe next month I'll get back to some creative work.  

Stash-busting

I managed to stash bust thirty-five plus metres of fabric.  The yardage wasn't turned into wonderful wearable things... yet.  I sold off some of my stash.  Someone else, hopefully soon, will turn part of my treasured stash into wonderful wearable things.  I did add four metres of merio wool to the stash this month.  I'm hoping to turn the wool into wearable sweaters soon.  

Happy Sewing!

Monday's Mending Pile

Sometimes there's footwear that ends up in the mending pile.  

And even though it's still cold with a blanket of white-ish snow covering the ground, there are moments during the sunny days when puddles are appearing.  That means it's time to start thinking about another seasonal change-over of what-to-wear items.  These rubber boots were found on the reduced shelf for eleven dollars a couple of years ago.  I didn't wear them a lot last year because sometimes when my leg swells they're just too snug.  It didn't turn out to be the bargain I thought it was when I first got them.  This getting old and fat phase of my life is a real bummer, but I digress.  

Back to the boots, I wasn't willing to give up on them.  I thought that if I just cut some of the height down and use some Fray Check™ on the cut edge, I might be able to use them when the icy streets turn to full-on puddles.  It happened that the plan turned out better than I thought and I didn't even need Fray Check™ on the edges.  I'm happy I didn't pass up on that bargain or get rid of these when they became too snug.  

Happy Mending!

National Skirt Day

One might argue that skirts are just clothing worn by all genders throughout history.  Or perhaps they are more?  They are loaded with history, stories and meanings.  They are political, cultural and personal pieces.  And I've sewn and worn a few skirts over the years.  

Out-of-print (OOP) Vogue 1247 has been a favourite skirt pattern once some length was added to the hem.  This skirt is all about comfort.  The A-line shape works for me and the front pockets are what makes this a favourite.   The pockets are secure and roomy enough that I don't have to carry a purse.  There is a sense of safety with this skirt.  Although, I've out-grown these four versions over the years, I've replaced them and currently have two black versions.  

OOP Vogue 9060 is a comfortable pull-on elastic skirt pattern first discovered in 2014 and very much present in my wardrobe.  Pull-on skirts are my go-to skirt looks lately.  Add to the list OOP Butterick 5790, a maxi-length, pull-on, tapered skirt, as another favourite skirt pattern.  It's all about comfort and that makes skirts worthy of celebration.  

Do you have a favourite go-to skirt pattern?  

Happy Sewing and National Skirt Day!  

February in Review

Sewing, Alterations, and Mending Projects

This month it was all about survival sewing.  It was cold, brutally cold, at some points.  There were no thoughts of floral spring dresses or spring sewing what-so-ever.  February was all about thoughts of sweatshirts, sweaters, tea and avoiding the brutally cold elements.  Trying to stay warm was reflected in my sewing and planning when I came up with two boiled wool sweatshirts.  And then throw into the mix feeling under the weather.  It didn't add to much motivation to get a lot of sewing done.  

There was decluttering attempted which lead to some mending and alterations.  Saved from the donation pile this month was a previously made wrap dress, changed into a cardigan and later gifted.  And a ready-to-wear (RTW) cotton knit dress that was too snug to wear out in the public sphere until extra ease was added at the side seams with godets cut out with some left-over denim.  

Stash Busting

Only 2.8 metres of fabric were stash busted this month.  

I did reorganize the fabric stash binder and spent some time considering another pair of patchwork pajama bottoms, this time made with scraps of flannel.  This month there was more time playing around with ideas procrastination than actually sewing.  

February was I Love to Read & Black History Month 

Would you believe that I managed to whip through a book this month?  I couldn't put it down although the first part of the novel was intense.  

Before I came across this book at the bookstore, I never heard the name Ann Lowe, little alone possessed any knowledge that she was the designer behind Jacqueline Kennedy's wedding dress.  By Her Own Design is historical fiction novel based on a true story and I highly recommend it.  Piper Huguley examines the life of an American fashion designer who's work was admired by many including fashion icons Christian Dior and Edith Head.  The book lead me to some internet research into what parts are fictional and which parts hold a bit of truth and it was a fascinating detour while reading this novel.  Highly recommend reading the author's notes at the end of the book which answered a lot of questions I had along the way.   I was grateful to discover the insight into Huguley's research and fictionalized aspects of the novel.  It's a beautiful novel.  You'll need a tissue by the time you reach the end.  

Book Review: By Her Own Design

 

By Her Own Design:  A Novel of Ann Lowe, Fashion Designer to the Social Register

Author:  Piper Huguley

ISBN:  978-0-06-06-305974-0

Publisher:  HarperCollins Publishers

Price:  Paperback (USD) 16.99, (Cdn) $21.00

Piper Huguley's By Her Own Design is a historical fiction novel.  However, the main character, Ann Lowe, is not a fictional character.  This novel is based on true story of an American fashion designer with epic talent.  And sadly, the fashion industry set in the early twentieth century often discouraged, exploited and hid her talent because of her race rather than celebrating her talent.  

Her talent was recognized by those who wanted to exploit her gifts starting with Lee Cole, her first husband.  A horrible character who manipulated her into marriage while she was still a child to use her as free labour in his tailoring business.  The novel introduces us to this horrible character early in the novel and there are graphic scenes in the first part that were intense and were hard to get through.  Lowe's story is a story of survival through constant tragedies as she struggled throughout her life for the recognition of her worth as a person, designer and artist.   And she did it with incredible strength, faith in God and grace.  

I was intrigued by the book cover and the assumption that the novel would be rich in descriptive sewing details or description of the fabrics that would invoke textures and drape.  The only sliver of pleasure reading about fabric was how polyester was viewed cheaply.  This is a book about struggles, racism, jealousy, revenge and rising above it all.  In three hundred sixty-seven pages, Huguley takes the reader through an epic journey that spans decades recounted not chronologically, rather reflected upon intentionally.  

It wasn't a book that I expected to read but it is one that I am glad I read, especially after working through the first part of the book.  I learned about a fashion designer I had no knowledge of even though she has been featured in exhibitions and Vogue articles.  Until this literary journey, I was not aware of the story behind Jacqueline Kennedy's wedding dress, one of many that Lowe created over her career.  I highly recommend this book.  

Pulled From the Donation Pile: Refashioned to Fit

To be completely honest when I purchased this RTW cotton knit dress I had no clue where the Northern Mariana Islands were located and I didn't give it much thought past the USA printed on the label.  This Jones New York dress is decades old, purchased a long time ago, predating the Fashion Revolution Movement.  I had no idea about this New York Times article about labour practices in the fashion industry on the Northern Mariana Islands.  Exploitive labour practices in the fashion industry is something that is often associated with places like Bangladesh and China rather than hiding beside the USA lettering.   Let me be real for a moment, Canadian companies have a way to go in cleaning up their own act in the fashion industry.  It is a global issue that has an impact on the way workers and the environment are exploited in the name of capitalism vs. our need to clothe ourselves.    

But here I am looking at the label of a dress that I was so ignorant about in the past wondering if someone was exploited in the creation of this item.  I'm a different consumer and activist than I was back when I found this dress.  But still it's here and it doesn't fit.  What do I do with it?  

I'm trying to save things from the donation pile since often charity and second hand stores can't keep up with the amount of donations that walk through their doors.  Billions of fast fashion clothing end up in land fills.  

By thinking of garments we wear as short term tools rather than long term investments, we contribute to wasteful consumption patterns that inevitably lead us towards drastic climate change.  (Source)

So, I'm refashioning this dress to fit because that was the only thing that prevented me from not wearing it.  The cotton knit was in perfect condition, the shoulder and armscye seams were perfect for my frame, and even the neckline was comfortable.  I just needed more ease around the mid-section.  Well, actually I need to lose weight, but that is another topic.  

The side seams were opened up and side godets were cut in black denim scraps left over from this project.  

And it was coming together until

The hem of the sleeve got caught and cut while serging the interior seams of the godets.  

So I went back to the cutting table to hand mend the hole I accidently created and to cut a denim patch to sew at the sleeve's hem.  

It wasn't the only miscalculation that I made in this refashion project.  The godet length was uneven and there wasn't enough to do a traditional hem.  I did give some consideration to giving it a frayed look but in the end decided to do a machine rolled hem edge for the denim pieces.  

Loved clothes last.

Pulled From the Donation Pile: A Cardigan Created From an Unworn Wrap Dress

Over a year ago, I made a wrap dress with out-of-print (OOP) Vogue 8827.  And I never wore it other than trying it on and taking some pictures for the blog.  

It was a classic case of picking the wrong fabric for a project.  

As I was sewing the new hem, my fingers were gliding over the fabric surface, I couldn't help thinking that this fabric was better suited for a skirt.  It is actually what I picked up the 2.4 metres of this fabric for, a skirt.  At the time, I was thinking about sewing another OOP Vogue 9060.  Today, I'm thinking it would make a nice skirt out of OOP Butterick 5790.  It's too late to be thinking about skirts, I'm already transforming it into a cardigan to be gifted.  

The one request that came with shortening it into a cardigan was that pockets could be added.  Easy enough.  To avoid the bulk of the edges of the pocket, I sewed a rolled hem on the serger and then top-stitched the pockets in place.  The top of the pockets were interfaced with Knit 'N Stable tape and top-stitched with a one inch hem.  

I am really grateful that it has been saved from the donation pile and it became a well-received gift.  As a cardigan this bonded knit will be a warm addition to a winter wardrobe.  

Did you know that 84% of donated clothing ends up in landfills?