Making and Making it Last

 Hello, a new month and a fresh page, at least that is always how it feels.  I was listening to the radio while cutting out the other day and they were discussing the need for everyone to consume less and to make things last.  It is a double edged problem for me in a way as I have always made clothes and really made them last, but I also make and create sewing for my job.  This always leaves me feeling a mixture of emotions relating to that.

 One.. I love that I get to work on sewing projects for my job and I really enjoy that.

 Two.. I am teaching other people to make their own, cherish those clothes and reduce the need for fast fashion.

 Three.. There are those who now just use this as another area to splurge.  It is awkward and of course none of my business, then at the same time all of our business.

I have made myself a couple of things this week, the first being a top from french terry that was bought months ago and the second being a dress from all the offcuts of a work project I made earlier this week.  Now because I am a small size I can often use up all the fabric in this way.  I like to use it up and I am always on the look out for ways to use the fabric scraps. I do watch a few sewing you tubers, but I don't watch any haul videos.  I am not against a chairty shop haul video, if someone gets their fabric or clothing in that way as it keeps it all in the loop. 

 Then again I promote new fabric in  my work,  but that doesn't mean that everyone has to buy every piece and every pattern, rather that everyone should find something just for them.  I would hope they would enjoy making that item, love it, keep it for many years and that it would become the norm again to make all our things.

The need for constant newness has become quite obvious in a lot of home decor too, I see many vloggers who do makeovers constantly changing their homes in a way to keep up with the need for content creation.  In fact there is one who I can think of who has moved house about five times in the last few years.  What is it that is missing?

  Now I personally need to repaint my hall and bathroom, not for fun! Rather that these high traffic areas are in need of freshening up, I am also hoping to choose better paint this time so that it can be washed.  The paint in my hall just wipes off with the cloth when I try to get hand prints, so trade paint is just false economy. 

Getting back to the radio show someone suggested that they always swap out their wardrobe seasonally and that the act of getting all their clothes out again each season was just like having all new things and provided that much needed novelty.  I like to do this too, although I only swap some of it as I have clothes that I wear year round but I layer up.  It was quite eye opening when I was doing this recently to see some of the colours together.  Having recently been looking into what colours suit me best I could quite clearly see that I already gravitate towards the right ones, and my autumn palette is there already.  

I will leave you with a little peak at my memade top, I can assure you I will have this for a long time.

The pattern was self drafted so no pattern to share, I cut a slit a the neck then backed it after that I made topstitched darts either side to pull the front open and add interest.  There is also bias tape on the inside for a neat finish.  That  is all for today, have a good week. 

A Few Autumn Days

 Hello, another week almost at an end and Autumn has really taken a hold now hasn't it? We were just saying while out walking that it all looks very lovely for a short time as the leaves begin to fall and cover the ground, however it is not long before it is all dark smush beneath your feet.  All the more reason to get out for those Autumn walks every day and make the most of it.  We have a little reminder in the form of a dog but I bet plenty of peopke just let this season pass by, thinking they will do it tomorrow.  We do that with a lot of things don't we? Give it a day, or two or three.  Get out there now and have a look around and it won't disappoint. I like to make a point of stopping on my walk and looking around, listening, even if it just to the peace and quiet.  It can be tempting to rush if you are fitting a walk into a busy day but if we try and stop in a couple of places I think we benefit more, there will always be that to do list.  I think 'to do' lists are the only thing that is not going anywhere!  

This week has been a busy one of sewing as usual, I had a couple of new patterns to test/teach /make up.  I can't share those as they are work projects.  I also finished a second dress for a neighbour, I am making her a number of items for her holiday.  She is commsioning me to do this as the summer clothes are out of the shops. In other sewing news I did finish a top for myself yesterday afternoon, it is self drafted and was a quick make.  I made it using french terry that I bought earlier in the year, I have yet to photograph it so I will share another day.  It is plain so hopefully will go with a few things as my patterns creations struggle to do so.

I did make a Maison Fauve pattern for work also it is called the bellinin blouse, so although this particular one is not for me I will make it again in future.  I really like the cover art on these patterns but I must say as with a lot of indie patterns they are expensive. I will share that here as it is not top secret...

I think these patterns are pretty enough to make good gifts if you are thinking ahead for Christmas.

We made a rare evening trip out last night to the cinema, we went to see Speak no Evil, not a horror I don't like those but it was a thriller and I was jumping a few times.  We went to Penistone Paramount, it is quiet and old fashioned and we love it.  The funny thing was as we were leaving the house my husband said, this is so weird, leaving the house in the evening that is.  We really do not care for going out at night, and if you want to go for a meal it is cheaper in the day time.  So with this in mind we often take days off work week days and go out to celebrate things then. 

Well I hope you are all well, that is all for now. Take care. 

Creativity, Slowing Down and Taking Back Control of Our Minds

 Hello, well it has been a while and I have certainly wondered whether or not to continue with this blog, the main reason for that being the change in what people are consuming in terms of media.  Now I still do love to read blogs and hope to continue to do so, however when I look down my favourites it seems that everyone I have followed has either stopped updating or closed their blogs altogether, sad I know.

Having looked at my stats for the previous posts there doesn't seem to be a  lot of activity, or views taking place and a lot of people do watch vlogs rather than read blogs it would appear at this moment in time.  I too enjoy watching youtube and have a channel myself, that does not take away from the fact that I like to read the written word and to be able to digest it in my own time.  Thinking things through and engaging with ideas is so much harder to do when watching a vlog or more to the point a 'short'.  

Now the 'shorts' thing on Youtube is something that I just cannot relate to, it goes hand in hand with reels on instagram and I imagine Ticktock but as I don't watch that at all I can only guess.  The whole concept it quick and gone in seconds before moving onto the next thing, this is further fuelling fractured attention spans. Also there is the time it takes to make some of these short films just so that they can pass before our eyes for a few seconds to be forgotten.

In the past I have used instagram as a source of inspiration for sewing and craft projects but this is becoming increasingly difficult as more and more people use reels, having to hold and pause an image before it disappears is awkward and the constant flashing past of the same image in a reel just turns me away from the media.  

Art, sewing, knitting and a host of other crafts take hours to produce,  I personally want to be able to pause and take note of the details, to admire the colours and thought that has gone into each piece.  This is very hard to do with the current speed of consumption and it does make you wonder if anyone is really noticing anything.  Let us be honest now, there is so much out there at our fingertips, so there will always be the next thing to view, infinitely!  

We cannot view it all, so we have to be selective.  With this in mind I have decided that I will continue here on this blog, it may change a little to include more topics but if it just me chatting away into this one little corner of the internet well ok.  

Let us take back control of our minds, for me that will involve seeking out the bloggers that are still out there who share my interests, plus a few new ones I hope, plus being mindful as to what content I choose on youtube while also setting a limit.  

So with that rather long explanation aside I will share a little sewing content for those of you that are here for that. As you can imagaine rather a lot has been made since my last post so I will just give you a little update as to what I have been up to for the start of Autumn.

Autumn Sewing

Earlier this year I bought a couple of pieces of fabric from Annies in Sheffield, one of these was a denim and this was intended for wide leg jeans.  I have made the jeans and they have been worn a number of times already I love them, however I do feel the difference with my usual jeans as the fabric is non stretch.  Many of the jeans we buy  have some stretch content now so it is quite different and unfortunately not as comfortable to wear. 

The pattern is Simplicity 

The next was a top using leftover fabrics from a work project, the t shirt is lightweight but I figured I could layer it up for the cooler months.

I also made two cardigans for the Autumn winter season, one was again using up leftover fabric and the other (the red one) was a complete refashion of a charity shop sweater.  For both of these cardigans I used the Marlo pattern by true bias and I find this to be a really useful sweater pattern if you are on the look out for a cosy make. 

Slightly mismatched buttons on this one.

Bronze buttons on this one

To continue with my use it up theme for the season, I made the Liberty Frill dress from a fabric donated to me some time ago.  I think the navy is just the thing for this time of year and with thick tights and a top underneath it can be worn on cooler days.

I also made a couple of t shirts or tops for my mum using one that fit her well as a template, again this was a 'use it  up' project as I try to work through the left over fabrics I accumulate from my work.

 

I hope that I have given you something to think about today and also that you will continue to drop by from time to time.  Maybe we can all slow down together to appreciate and not  rush our way through our days in search of the next thing.  Thank you for reading and take care.