When A Pinterest Pin Makes You Over Think

I love Pinterest, you probably love Pinterest, I think we all may love Pinterest. For the most part, it only serves as a digital scrapbook of all the sewing ideas we have, or the recipes we want to make, or tutorials teaching you how to make a your own space ship from some pipe cleaners, an empty 2 liter bottle, and some white vinegar. However, being the over analyzer and general over thinker that I am, I can't just let a pin be a pin. Oh no! A pin must make me ponder the deep questions of the universe, or in this case what we have come to expect of the clothing industry and why mending skills are not seen as necessary anymore.

If I haven't lost you yet, I welcome you, fellow over thinkers of the world to a pin inspired group think tank, also known as the comments section. It all started innocently enough, I was scrolling through Pinterest when a saw a pin, originally credited to a Real Simple magazine article. Real Simple suggested that their readers apply clean nail polish over the buttons of their clothing in order to stop the button threads from unraveling. Who comes up with this stuff?

This now brings me to my next point. Have we as a society come to expect, and accept, that most RTW clothing is so shoddily made that we have to apply nail polish to our clothing in order to keep it from falling apart? Go into any department store and I guarantee you will find an abundance of clothing with buttons where loose threads abound. It is not a random thing to buy a new garment and have the button fall off. This seems to be a pretty common occurrence. Why do we, as consumers, accept shoddy workmanship so easily? Do we want a bargain so badly we are willing to slap some nail polish on our newest Forever 21 outfit in order for it to stay together for a few wears?

Personally, I think it is a combination of two things. First, we as a consumer society have a desire for clothing to be a cheap and disposable resource. If you're only wearing an outfit a handful of times, who cares if it takes some nail polish to hold it together? Secondly, I think we have a generation of consumers who don't know what quality is. When less than stellar workmanship abounds, we tend to slowly accept that as the norm.  Had I not become interested in vintage and sewing, I too would have no idea how well clothing could be made.

This brings me to my last point. Why would anyone think that applying nail polish to a button would be a better solution than simply sewing the button back on? Is it laziness? Sewing a button on requires minimal effort, and a needle and thread are not expensive or hard to acquire tools. Mending is simply not a skill that many people view as important or necessary for a self sufficient lifestyle. If clothing is seen as a disposable resource, I can understand why someone wouldn't feel that sewing a button back on was worth their time or attention.

So, readers and fellow over analyzers, what is your take on this? Would you ever slather a  button with a dollop of clean nail polish or do you find that idea to be absurd?

Buying Clothing With Ethics In Mind

Lately, I have been thinking a lot about the clothing that I buy. For the most part, I buy most of my clothing at the thrift store, or off of clearance racks at departments stores. I pride myself on never, ever paying retail for anything, and I rarely spend more than $10 on an item. Given the two criteria above, it is exceedingly rare that I buy anything that is made in the USA. I have also noticed that clothing seems to last only a few wears and washes before it begins to lose its shape or the fabric starts to pick and pill.

When I buy something I want it to last for more than one year. Furthermore, I want to support companies that make their items in the USA and pay their employees a fair wage, with more "good points" for companies who offer benefits (like insurance) that are actually affordable on the salary the employee is paid. Given the current state of domestic manufacturing, I completely understand that this may not always be an achievable goal. I also realize even though I have a desire to support American companies, I may not always be able to afford to do so. I don't have any sort of long, drawn out plan on how I will change my buying habits, I just want to be more mindful of where things are made and attempt to buy USA made items when it is feasible. Perhaps when I am a bit older and more established, thus hopefully having more spending power, I will be able to be more consistent with buying American made items.

Sure, I am only one person, buying a few items, but I still feel that it matters to buy items that are made in the USA. Millions of people doing one small thing can make a huge difference! Here are a few companies that I have found that make items in the USA that are reasonable to moderately priced. ( Just to note, I have not bought anything from these companies, so I cannot attest to the products of services they offer.) I'd love to hear your thoughts on this and would love to find out about any other companies making things in the USA.  And lastly, I don't mean to alienate any of my readers who don't reside in the USA. I think one should strive to support their home country where ever that may be, and mine happens to be the US.)

1. A.S Tees are made in South Carolina, and according to their website, employees are offered paid vacation, retirement packages, and insurance plans. They sell T-shirts in a variety of styles, all reasonable priced under $20.

2. Okabashi sandals are also made in the USA and are very competitively priced. They seem to offer more athletic looking sandals and flip flips, which also look very supportive. Strangely, they also note their shoes are dishwasher safe. That's a first.

3. All American Clothing Company doesn't seem to offer a very stylish selection, but they do have spaghetti strap camisoles for around $10 that are still made right here at home. This company seems to offer more options for men, including a large selection of US made boots for men.

4. American Apparel had definitely had their share of controversy, but their clothing is still made in downtown LA.

5. Jack Rogers is a shoe and handbag company that makes all of their items in Florida. The shoes they offer are pricey, $100-$200 a pair, but it seems they do offer some sales occasionally on the website.

Finding companies that make all of their items in the USA is a very time consuming task. I'd love to hear about any made in the USA clothing that you love! Chime on in!

Have You Heard Of Amerimark? ( Vintage Looking Shoes!)

I had never heard of this company before today, when I spotted some interesting looking pins on Pinterest and decided to peruse the source. After spending a few moments on the site, I soon understood why I had never heard of the company before. I am approximately 50 years younger than their target audience. The key word here is target. This seems to be a company that markets clothing, shoes, and other such items to the retiree crowd. However, if you happen to be a Gen Y'er, or a Gen X'er for that matter, who likes to wear vintage inspired dress, then you may want to give this site a whirl. While I'd personally stay away from the polyester, perma-pleat  pants they offer, I have a thing for the shoes. Well, not the orthopedic shoes, but there are still lots of goodies too. Take a look here.

I'm sure whomever designs the footwear would never in a million years believe that there would be a market of 20 and 30 somethings to sell the footwear too. While some of the options looks a bit too 80s for my taste, there are tons of cute, and affordable, vintage-esque footwear options available on this site. Just for the record, I am not affiliated with this site, nor have I purchased anything from them yet, so I cannot attest to quality or customer service. If I do decide to purchase something, I will definitely write a blog post on it.

These shoes definitely have a 20's feel to them. The scalloped edges are wonderful and best of all they only cost around $12! I bet I have you're attention now! Even better, medium, wide, and extra wide widths are available, something you're certainly not going to find in authentic 20s shoes.

How about these? I think they have a 50's vibe with the moderate, sensible heel as well as being in a fun shade of pink. It also seems to come up a bit higher, showing no "toe cleavage" that screams modern shoe to me. A tad bit pricier at $30, but not outlandish either.

How darling and 40's are these? I love the hot pink color and the neutral base. If you ask me, these also shoe the perfect amount of toe to evoke thoughts of the 40s. These will set you back less than $15.

A flat shoe like this would be so cute and fun with a great pair of fitted, tapered 60s pants. Perfect for a picnic or out to dinner. The little bow is just icing on the cake.

But wait, there's more! This site sells more than just shoes that would work well with vintage.

They sell long-line bras if you truly want that vintage look under your clothing. This bra certainly isn't most peoples definition of sexy, but I can image this would do wonders under a wiggle dress.

They even sell full length slips! Try finding one of those at the mall. You'll have an easier time just buying a dress that looks like a slip.


Have you ever ordered anything from this website? Is this the company that also sells things by advertising in the coupon section of the Sunday news paper? Do you all like any of the shoe styles they offer, or would I just look goofy sporting any of those kicks? Chime on in!

Where Have All The Coat Patterns Gone?

Hello lovely and fabulous readers! Yes, I am still out of town, which means no sewing for me.

So, today I want to talk about coat patterns, or more specifically my perceived lack of coat patterns available from the pattern companies. In particular, I am going to focus on Vogue patterns, since they offer more designer patterns than the other companies do. While Vogue certainly isn't devoid of coat patterns, it offers 23 selections in the coats and capes section, I feel that their designer coat patterns could use a bit of a revamp. While Vogue does offer a few more fitted, tailored styles, many of it's offerings fall under the "easy wear" category, if you will.

For example, Vogue offers this pattern by Donna Karen. While it is not my style, I could see it looking nice on someone. However, this type of shapeless coat seems to be rather prevalent.

Arguably, many of the vintage coat patterns I drool over are out of my current skill set range, but that doesn't change the fact that I like the patterns. If Vogue offered more fitted, flattering designs, being out of my skill set wouldn't deter me from buying them. I can always grow into my patterns, skill wise. I wish Vogue would commission more tailored, designer coat patterns to help suppress my seemingly insatiable pattern appetite. Lets look at a few vintage coat patterns, shall we? If only Vogue would reproduce these amazing jewels.

Look at this fabulous Nina Ricci number from the late 60s. It has a unique collar, interesting button placement,and is just fabulous all around if you ask me. I would buy this pattern in a heartbeat if a re-print were available, as I've seen originals cost a pretty penny on Ebay.

Look at this Pierre Cardin number! This is a fabulous, chic coat. I must argue that one would feel exponentially more chic wearing this number, as opposed to the modern Donna Karen pattern. Would you sew this up and proudly parade it while out on the town?

While this pattern isn't a designer offering, it is phenomenal nonetheless. Though asymmetry is generally not something I am drawn to, I seem to make a glaring exception for coats. I love off center placed buttons. I'd love to make this up in a navy colored wool and sport some red pumps while wearing it. Oh la la!

If you think I want Vogue to bring every patterns ever made out of their vaults, don't worry. There is one little number that should be locked up and the key forever lost. If you have small children in the room I advise you send them away before perching your eyes upon this horror.

What is that?? A floor length duster coat, with what appears to be the remnants of a very fluffy dog attached to the top and bottom. Sure, it's Givenchy, but is is an absolute horror to feast your eyes upon.

So, what do you think of the current coat offerings? Would you like Vogue to release some more tailored, designer coat options? I'd love to hear from you!

Do You Thrift Your Footwear?

If you've been a reader of this blog for even a short while you most likely know about my love of buying secondhand things. I love estate sales and adore thrift stores. While I love buying thrifted clothes, I never buy thrifted shoes. I did come across a couple hundred pairs of vintage shoes at an estate sale, and I purchased a few pairs, but sold them on Etsy as they weren't my size. To date, I have never bought a pair of secondhand shoes with the intention of wearing them.

Why haven't I delved into the world of secondhand footwear? The answer is quite simple. Feet. I don't like footsies if they're owned by someone other than myself. Now, I love my feet. I like that they carry me places that I want to go. Sometimes I do wish they were a bit smaller, as I wear a 9 1/2 or 10, but at the end of the day I should simply be thankful for working feet.

During my thrifting adventures, I sometimes come across cute shoes in my size. Occasionally, I'll even pick them up then proceed to carry them around the store for a while. Inevitably, my dislike of feet, and the sweat and other ickiness that can go along with them, get the best of me and I sit the shoes back down. I try to remind myself that wearing a used shoe is no more nasty than say, showering in a hotel shower, but my attempt to rationalize hasn't worked yet. The ick factor still remains.

I want to overcome the ick factor and open up my world to the plethora of $2 shoes that exist at the thrift store. Tennis shoes are something I rarely wear, so I only want to be able to thrift heels and sandals. I have read a few various sites that say shoes can be disinfected with Lysol wipes, white vinegar, or rubbing alcohol. Perhaps cleaning them well would reduce the ick factor that seems to bog my mind down. For goodness sake, I eat off of secondhand dishes! I need to get over this!

So, do you wear secondhand shoes? Do you have good luck finding shoes at the thrift store? How can I get over this and open up a whole new thrifting category?

America's Got Talent

If you live in the United States and tune into nighttime NBC programming you've probably seen the show America's Got Talent. If you're not here in the land of reality TV, then let me give you a brief rundown of what this show is. There are three judges consisting of Howie Mandell, Howard Stern, and Sharon Osbourne. They sit behind a table that has giant buzzers with huge red "X" signs that they push when they don't like the performers. The talented, and sometimes horrifyingly awful, contestants get about 90 seconds to showcase whatever act they believe is worthy of one million dollars if they win the show. There are singers, dancers, escape artists, animal acts, and some other things that are both bizarre and wildly wonderful. You get the idea.

Watching this show has made me think of the way we, as a modern culture, define talent. All of the acts on the show must be preformed in a 90 second time frame, which limits the kind of talents that can be showcased on the program. It seems in the sense of modern culture, talent and entertainment have become synonymous. If one cannot entertain others with their skill, then is isn't seen as talent by many. Now, there are many talented performers in the world who are both entertainers and talented. This post is not meant to downplay the talents of others, but rather to look at why some talents don't seem to get their share of the limelight. There are also many people who entertain whose talent is questionable at best. (I'm looking at you Miley Cyrus.)

I would argue that sewing is a talent. Sewing is a craft that takes time, patience, and practice to master. It cannot be rushed and even the fastest seamstress cannot make something in 90 seconds or less. Sewing requires you to mix together critical thinking skills, comprehension skills, and math skills and actually create a physical, 3D object. That is a talent. You're never going to see someone on stage chugging away making a coat on a reality TV talent show. Sewing, while it can be entertaining to the seamstress, doesn't really entertain others. Sure, a runaway bobbin unwinding on the floor may entertain your cat for a few minutes, but no one would describe that as entertainment. Setting in a non-wonky sleeve is a talent. Sewing a perfect fitting pair of pants is a talent. Learning how to thread a serger is a talent. Installing a fly-front zipper is a talent. Making a finished, wearable garment is a talent! A talent should not be defined by it's ability to make one a star or to entertain others.


We, as a society, need to redefine what constitutes a talent. Time consuming, laborious tasks such as sewing and woodworking are talents, and those who master these crafts are talented. We need to respect dying arts and restore them to their rightful place as talents. We need to redraw the line between talent and entertainment and realize, once again, that someone can be very talented without also being an entertainer.

What are your thoughts dear readers? Are talents such as sewing being overshadowed by more entertaining talents? Chime in! I'd love to hear your thoughts.




* I think the mass importation of cheaply made, both in quality and price, clothing has also downplayed the role of sewing as a talent, but we'll save that for another post.

How Long Should Clothing Last?

If you were reading my blog last week, you may recall this post about caring for your clothing.I wrote that post because I feel that my laundry routine needs to change in order to better care for my clothing. You also know that I have yet to decide upon a new laundry plan to ensure the survival of all my clothing, not just survival of the fittest. So, today, I though we'd talk about the lifespan of clothing. How long should clothing last?

Obviously, the type and purpose of clothing is going to be the leading factor in determining the life of clothes. A cocktail dress, assuming it doesn't go out of style, will have a much longer life than a basic t-shirt.

I am so tired of purchasing clothing from the store, only to have it fall apart a few washes later. I expect my clothing to last more than one season. I don't want disposable clothing!

For basic items that are worn on a regular basis, such as white camisoles that I like to layer , I expect these to last a minimum of one year. Do I always get a year out of them? Sadly, no. The longest lasting one I have was purchased at Eddie Bauer on clearance, but I have not been able to track down anymore. How long should a basic camisole last?

Next up is sweaters and cardigans, which I purchase mainly at thrift stores. These items seem to have a very short life span for me, despite gently washing them and always laying flat to dry. I wish I could afford to dry clean all my sweaters and never have to wash them in water. I think that a sweater or cardigan should last at least two or three years. I only have one black cardigan, a Cable and Gauge brand purchased at Ross, that has made it to the three year mark. I think I need to start washing all sweaters and cardigans by hand with Woolite perhaps.

Jeans are the next item on the list. While jeans seem to be a popular wardrobe splurge item, I will admit that I buy jeans from two places only: the thrift store and the clearance rack at Ann Taylor Loft. I never pay more than $20 for a pair of jeans. I have two major problems with jeans. Either the color fades too quickly, or they become worn on the legs where my thighs touch when walking. Jeans normally have a life span of about 18 months with me, though I have one pair of DKNY brand that are still going strong after 4 years. Ideally, I wish jeans would last for 3 to 4 years, but I don't know how to deal with the worn between the legs dilemma.

Next is regular, everyday tops and blouses, both woven and knit. This is a huge problem area and seems to be the most impacted by the disposable fashion mantra! Have you seen how thin t-shirts now seem to be? You're lucky to get five to ten wearings out of some of these! Knit tops seem to pick and pill almost instantaneously, which is unacceptable. I am lucky to get 4 to 6 months from a basic top before the worn effect starts to take over. I think a top or blouse should last 1 to 2 years, depending on how much it is worn.

Now lets talk about jackets. While it seems that RTW jackets are still of a decent quality, they still don't top the quality you'll find in vintage. The biggest problem with jackets, both vintage and new, is weak seams in the lining. It seems that shoddy sewing causes these week seams in new jackets, and in vintage jackets, years of perspiration weaken the underarm seams of the lining. A jacket should last at least 3 to 5 years, preferably more.

Next up is a rather tricky category: dresses.  Depending on the type of dress the lifespan varies greatly. A cocktail or party dress that worn just once a year will probably stay nice until it either goes out of style, or you get pregnant or hit menopause ( whichever life stage you're in) and it no longer fits. However, things like sundresses aren't going to last as long, particularly knit sundresses which a prone to picking and pilling. I think a basic, casual dress should last at least 3 years, where a dressier church or professional dress should last 5 years and onward.

Lastly, I will talk about coats. I greatly prefer vintage coats to modern ones. For me, a coat should last at least 10 years. Unfortunately, just like modern RTW jackets, the linings are pitifully thin in most coats and the seams are weak. I'm sure you can still buy a decent coat if you're willing to shell out a few hundred bucks, but alas I am not.

So, readers, I want to hear from you! Are you as bothered as I am about the lifespan of RTW clothing? How long do you expect your clothes to last?

Caring For Your Dearly Beloved Clothing

Hello my lovely readers! Before we delve into today's post, a fascinating insight into laundry, I thought I'd give you two quick updates. I am still out of town, so there will be no finished object posts yet. Also, I failed to mention in my previous posts, I did decide to get some of my locks chopped off before I went out of town. I cut of 6 inches to be exact, but I am fairly positive that at least an inch has grown back already. I do love how much lighter and cooler it is though!

Now, let's move on to the exciting stuff, shall we? Today, I want to talk about caring for your clothes. We all wash and dry our clothes. And, if you're over 35 or failed to fall prey to the current younger generations ( my generations) mindset, then you most likely iron your clothes as well. And, at least once or twice a year, we probably all take something to the dry cleaners. But there is so much more to caring for your clothes than slapping them in a washer and scorching them in the dryer. Of course there is the washing, either by hand or machine, drying with either a dryer, a clothesline, or anywhere you can find to hang them if you're like me, and then there is the ironing and starching to look crisp and clean. Caring for your clothes also can include mending and repairs, like sewing on a button or reenforcing a seam.

The amount time, patience, and work required to wash and maintain ones clothes has decreased significantly with the advent of technology. Even though laundry isn't a task that I dread, I am assured that if I had to wash my dresses with a washboard, I would most certainly dread it. Furthermore, while ironing is a domestic task that I enjoy, I'd probably wear wrinkled clothes if I had to use a heavy iron that needed to be heated on a wood stove. It can easy to forget how simple our domestic tasks have become compared to the work they once required.

In general, I have developed a bit of a laundry habit, so to speak. I usually wash most of my clothes in the washer, with cold water, and fabric softener ( and I have one of those washers you still have to "listen" for the rinse water to come in). After washing them, I usually run them through the no heat, air dry cycle on the dryer once. Then, anything I deem "good" clothes get hung on a hanger to dry. Good clothes are defined as anything I would wear in public, with the exception of undies, socks, and basic cotton camisoles, and kitchen aprons. Next in my current laundry care routine is vintage clothes. For the most part, I take anything from around 1975 or earlier to the dry cleaner, with the exception of polyester dresses.. I also take anything that is wool, lined coats and jackets ( unless they're super casual and cotton), and silk to the dry cleaners. Lastly, in my laundry routine is handmade clothing. Sometimes I put this in the wash, and line dry like the other "good" clothes, but I have a few pieces that I do hand wash.

Lately, however, I have been feeling as if my laundry routine could use a makeover. There needs to be more hand washing and more items needs to be dried while lying flat. It seems that as the quality of the fabric in RTW goes does, a subject for another post, that I need to become more conscious of how I wash my clothes if I want them to last. About two months ago I picked up some cute knit tops for summer, made in the USA to boot, and after a mere handful of washes, and never a stint in the dryer with heat, that the fabric is already looking worn and picked. Even if these were not expensive, I expect at least one meager season from my clothes!

Since this post is already a bit lengthy, and given the fact that I have not solidified my new laundry plan as of yet, I am going to divide this post into a few parts. Today, readers, I'd love to hear about your laundry routine. Also, do you have any tips for me to keep RTW from disintegrating before one season is over?How much time do you spend per week on the upkeep of your clothing? How much time is too much time? Chime on in!

Inspiration From Barbie?

Do you ever find sewing inspiration in the oddest of places? It seems, lately, that I cannot get enough of the vintage outfits that Barbie donned in her glory days. Now, outside of my childhood dolls days, I cannot say that I have ever been a huge Barbie fan, or more truthfully, a fan at all. Though I do thoroughly enjoy hoarding stockpiles of stuff that will never help me in the event of a catastrophe, Barbie just seems to have never entered my hoarding radar. Just for the record, I have no problem with Barbie, and I don't believe she is destroying the female youth with an unrealistic ideal of beauty and perfection. For the sake of this post, however, we'll keep it on a light and fun level and talk only about Barbies clothes. Deal?

I do remember playing with Barbie dolls in my youth, circa 1994. More specifically, I remember dressing Barbie in the most fashionable, read awful, 90s clothing that I could procure as 4 year old. Stirrup pants for Barbie, anyone? These are not, thankfully, the clothes that I am referring to when I say I want to recreate some of Barbies looks for myself.  I want to make life size versions of some of Barbie best, and most fashionable, ensembles she ever donned.

First up, we have an outfit which seems to be known as "Roman Holiday". According to my very amateur research, Mattel released this outfit around 1959. According to the seller of this Ebay auction, which is the source of the picture below, the Roman Holiday outfit is the holy grail of outfit for collectors.The auction is currently at a bit over $1200!

What isn't to love about this outfit? A navy skirt with a red and white striped bodice, a matching coat, a lovely white belt, white clutch, a sweet red bow for your hair,  and a fabulous pair of navy heels to top off the outfit. If you click on the link above, you'll see additional pictures of the outfit, which also features a back metal zipper for the dress. If memory serves me correctly, in the 90s, all my Barbie clothes had velcro backs, instead of nice zippers.

Next up, we have this lovely red velvet 60's evening coat. The Barbie sized version of this will only set you back a respectable $10, if no one else bids against you. Doesn't every woman dream of owning a rich, luxurious red velvet evening coat to don for the most special occasions. I genuinely enjoy overdressing for Christmas, and this coat would make quite a statement. Don't you think?

 Now, how about a lovely nightgown and matching satin robe for me, er for Barbie? This lovely set features a teal colored nightgown with a matching, adorned robe for Barbie to gallivant around the house in. This outfit would be so much prettier, and much more feminine, than the generally hideous elastic waist, flannel PJ pants which seem to have invaded.

Lastly, we have these seven absolutely amazing sheath dresses. Right click seems to be disabled, or at least not working for me, on the picture, so you'll have to follow my link. ( It goes to an Ebay auction, and I promise it's worth a click.) After seeing all those dresses neatly lined up like seven glamorous ducks in a row, I have an urge to turn the dining room upside down and whip up some sheath dresses.The addition of the bows on Barbies versions make them all the more spectacular.

In closing, do you ever find inspiration from odd sources? Ever looked to Barbie for some sewing mojo kick starter? Would you create a life size version of any of the outfits I've shown? I'd love to hear your thoughts! 

What Is On Your Domestic To-Do List?

Well hello my long lost readers! It seems that 2012 has been a rather blog post light year for me. I am currently out of town so there is no sewing going on, and I wasn't able to get pictures of the dress I finished before I left. So, instead I thought we'd discuss our domestic to-do lists. Shall we?

Now, before we get this party started, allow me to elaborate on exactly what I mean by a domestic to-do list. It is no secret that I love all things domestic and "homemakey". I love to cook and adore baking. I have a cookbook collection, containing roughly equal numbers of modern and vintage cookbooks. I have a fabric stash. I can fight off an invading army with nothing more than my hot glue gun and my razor sharp Ginghers. However, there are some domestic talents that are lacking in my arsenal. The domestic talents that I sill wish to learn are on my domestic to-do list. Everyone has one of those, right?

Now, lets talk about what lies on that to-do list. Do you excel at any of the domestic talents that I am currently, but not forevermore, lacking? Do you have your own domestic to-do list?

1. Knitting and Crochet
I must admit, readers,I get a bit jealous when I visit sewing blogs of ladies who can also knit and crochet. I dream of being able to knit a cute vintage inspired sweater or crochet a warm and cozy afghan.I may also be obsessed with the adorable knitted and crocheted slipper patterns that are available on Etsy.  I am determined to conquer both of these and then promptly start hoarding vintage knitting patterns.

2. Quilting
Sure I can sew clothes, but quilting is another story. Quilting takes precision and accuracy. I am not sure I even own a real ruler. Despite that, I truly do have a desire to learn to quilt. While I love the idea of hand quilting an heirloom quality quilt, my first goal is to learn to machine piece and quilt. I love the idea of snuggling up under a warm and toasty quilt that I lovingly pieced together with my own hands. Sure, it may cost more to make a quilt than to buy one, but with quality work the handmade quilt will last a significantly longer time. I want quality in a throw away world.

3. Embroidery
 I want to learn real hand embroidery, not machine embroidery. Yes, sometimes I do gaze lustfully at that $10,000 Bernina when I am sitting at the pattern table at Joanns, but I truly want to embroider by hand. About a year and a half ago I bought a box lot at an auction that included embroidery hoops in every shape and size imaginable. Apparently, and stupidly might I add, I took whatever it was I wanted from the box ( I don't even remember what it was), and then I gave the hoops to the Goodwill. What the heck was I thinking? I need those back! I want to embroider cute little flowers onto dishtowels, pretty little designs onto pillowcases, and most of all I want to embroider an "R" onto the tag area of things that I sew.

4. Tatting
Talk about a lost art! Does anyone still tat* lace anymore? How amazing would it be to sew a beautiful dress and then make your own lace to add some oomph to your dress? I have came across some hand tatted lace in very small quantities at estate sales before, but never in any useable quantities. Do any of you readers tat* lace?
* Not sure if tat is the correct word, but spell check told me "tatt" was incorrect.

5. Upholstery
Okay, maybe this one isn't necessarily something that your average mid century housewife knew how to do, but it is still something I wish to learn nonetheless. I want to be able to rescue unloved vintage furniture that just needs a new lease on life. Doesn't everyone dream of knowing how to make a perfectly tufted button on an armchair? Just think of all the possibilities that Craigslist furniture would pose if you had the knowledge to reupholster anything and everything.

So, dear readers, that is my domestic to-do list. What domestic activities do you wish to tackle? Let's talk about it!

Lets Talk About Hair!

Can we talk about our hair dear readers? Can we also talk about what you think I should do to my hair? My hair is quite long right now. It may actually be the longest it has ever been in my life. From root to tip, my longest layer measures in at approximately 27" now. That equates to a lot of hair that has to be washed, conditioned, and dried, every single day. I know lots of people wash their locks, every other day, but I just cannot do that. My roots end up being too greasy. Readers, do you wash your hair daily, every other day, or do you have another routine?

My hair happens to be really, really straight naturally. I do not use a straightening iron.I have taken to calling it my hippie hair; long, flowing, straight. I would have fit in perfectly in the late 60s and early 70s. My hair, however, will pretty much not take, and hold, a curl though. Especially at this length, curling it is completely out of the question. It is also so thick, that ponytails are beginning to be impossible, as I either snap the hair tie, or I can't get it tight enough to hold the weight of my hair and it falls right back out. Oh, the first world problems I am plagued with!

There are also some other problems with come with long hair. I am slowly going broke buying conditioner, even the cheap Suave professionals kind I use. I will not pay the price for true salon products when I can tell no difference in how my hair reacts. The bathtub and shower drains both drain at a snails pace, no matter how much drain cleaner I force them to drink. I routinely pull my own hair by laying on it, and have even shut it in the car door on windy days. I also have one other hair problem, though it is not related to the length. In the last two months or so, the color of my hair has started to change. It has went from being a nice shade of brown to looking very brassy, especially in sunlight. I avoid sunlight like the plague, so it hasn't been caused my more sun exposure. ( I would rather have no wrinkles later than a tan now.)

Now, despite all of my complaints, I do like having long hair. I like that the only styling that I do is drying it with the hair dryer. ( We won't talk about how many hair dryers I have broken though.) I do think that I am up for a bit of a haircut though. I desperately need a hair cut to tame my split ends, as the last time it was cut was May 2011. Did I mention that I loathe having to pay money for a haircut? I'd rather have split ends than have to cut into my estate sale and fabric money.

I have thought of donating it to Pantene's Great Lengths program which makes wigs, free of charge, for women and children who have lost their hair due to cancer treatments. The minimum length is 8", but I would have to cut off at least 2" to get rid of split ends, totaling 10". I am not sure I am willing to chop off that much. So, readers, I am asking you, what do you think I should do with my hair? Let it grow til it reaches my knees? Chop it all off into a bob? Dye it blue with Kool-Aid packets? Start a new trend by only cutting one side short and leaving the other super long?

I'd also love to know what you plan on doing with your hair for the summer? Going short? Letting it grow? Tell me more!

If You Were The Boss For One Day...

If you could be in control of all the big four pattern companies for one day, what would you do?

Butterick, McCalk's, Vogue, and Simplicity. We all know them. We all love them or hate them. But, if for one day you could make all the changes you wanted to, what would you do.

I'll tell you what I would do.


Simplicity: I would commission the designer of the Lisette to crank out some more patterns. I love the Lisette designs and would love to see new releases every season. I would also release some more vintage patterns, keeping them as true as possible to original. Also, stop putting out so many dog sweater patterns. 

McCall's: I would start digging in the archives ASAP and start releasing vintage reprints, as close to the originals as possible. McCall's had some fabulous designs, especially in the 50s in my opinion, and they deserve to come back to life.Next, I would put those terrible "Make it Crafty" patterns on the chopping block. I am pretty sure "your outfit looks so, so crafty" is not a compliment anyone wants to hear.

Butterick: The fist thing I would do is get some new stylists in there to jazz up their pattern envelopes. Butterick does have some cute designs, yet more often than not they are hidden behind unfortunate fabric choices and bad styling. Buttericsk re-releases are my favorite, so I would also start releasing vintage men's, children's, and accessory patterns. 

Vogue: Just like Butterick, I would work on restyling the vintage patterns. Vogue may be the worst offender for out of date and unwearable looking vintage pattern styling. Nest, I would bring in some younger, fresher designers. I'm sure there is a market for Chado Ralph Rucci patterns, but some new designers would be nice. I would definitely attempt to have the folks at Kate Spade design some fun, fresh patterns. And maybe I'd try for a complimentary Kate Spade fabric line, a lo the Lisette line at Joann's. 

For all 4 Companies: If I were in charge I would start a project that would be a huge undertaking. I would start a database that contained all the pattern counter catalogs in existence. This would be, hands down, the best sewing pattern resource out there. Can you imagine how amazing it would be to search a pattern number and be taken to the page from the pattern counter book, showing not only a photo of your pattern, but the year it was released? 

Next, for all the vintage patterns, I would set up a website that would allow seamstresses to vote for which vintage patterns they would like reprinted. There would also be a suggestion box for patterns to be reprinted.

So, there you have it, all the things that I would do if I were CEO for a day. What would you do? Nix certain patterns? Bring in certain designers? What would do you with the vintage patterns? I'd love to hear all your thoughts lovely readers.

An Update And A Code

Hello dears readers! I'll make this post short and sweet, but just a few things I wanted to share with you. I originally was going to write a sup quick post only sharing my Etsy code, but I thought I'd share my interesting last two days with you as well.

It seems that I am having a streak of bad luck these past few days. Start out on Friday, where I brought take out home for dinner, only to discover that my food was wrong. Not that big of a deal, right? No, sadly this may have been the event that triggered my string of bad, albeit funny, bad luck. After I slung the sloppy, soppy wet tomato off my sandwich, I put my good on a plate and put some ketchup in a Fire King custard cup. I then proceeded to walk to the den and drop the ketchup cup in the floor. What ensued can only be described as a the great ketchup spill of 2012. Ketchup went everywhere and so did the glass. I think I felt a tear roll down my face for my Fire King. It had survived for 60 years before I got my hands on it. Fast forward twenty minutes and I had the mess cleaned up and ate my sandwich. All was well again.

Now, lets move to Saturday. I got up and went to an estate sale with my mom. The listing hadn't listed sewing stuff, but my keen nose sniffed out the sewing machine as soon as I got into the house. Then I made the mistake of asking the man running the sale, if there had been any patterns. Oh yes, there had been, boxes of them, and they were gone. Devastation ran through my body, since you know, I don't have any patterns. I did end up buying an awesome 70s Pyrex casserole so I did leave happy after all. I went home and logged into Etsy to find I had sold something. Finally, some good luck, since this meant I finally had enough money in my Paypal account to buy a piece of truly amazing vintage 50s cotton I had been drooling over. I went to my favorites on Etsy to find my amazing fabric that I had been looking at every single day for the last two months, only to see that is had sold on Saturday morning.

I also then proceeded to pour hot water from the iron on my toe later in the evening and take a bite of still boiling baked beans and burnt my tongue. So, certainly no life altering bad luck, but humorous bad luck.

There is an estate auction coming up with weekend that lists fabric and sewing items, so I think I will be going to that. The listing also lists lots of "man stuff", so I better be prepared for the creepers. ( If you're female and under 30, and have been to a country estate auction, you know exactly what I mean.)

But enough with the dilly dallying, I have a coupon code for you dear readers. Enter BLOGSALE in my Etsy shop during checkout and you will receive 15% off. I will have more patterns listed soon, as well as all the vintage clothing before the end of week. ( If you're not in the US, convo me on Etsy and I can set up shipping for you.) The code will be good until the end of January.

I Want a New Christmas Dress

Hello my dear and lovely readers! I do apologize for being so sporadic about posting to the blog lately. I was finishing up with school and getting things ready for Christmas has gotten the best of me. I am still not done with my Christmas shopping for the year, and I am normally the type who wants to be done shopping before December. I am going to battle the mall on Monday so if you never hear from me again you know I pepper sprayed someone over a parking spot and was promptly hauled away by the mall cops.

You see, there are going to be lots of finished objects in my life soon. These sort of finished objects are not of the fabric variety though. Instead, there will be mountains of cakes, cookies, and candy and the sweet smell of butter and sugar will be pouring from the kitchen.I love to bake just as much as I love to sew, and I tend to go overboard with the Christmas baking and cooking every year. Currently, there is a stack of about 12 cookbooks sitting in my bedroom floor just waiting to be used.

I did have grand hopes of stitching up a new apron to don while doing all my festive baking, and I even went so far as it cut it out. Sadly, unless the days before Christmas magically contain 36 hours each, I won't be stitching it up. I will pull out last year's Christmas apron, throw on some pearls and feel fabulous while I sling flour and egg shells around. Anyone want to volunteer to whip it up for me? It only requires stitching on three packs of 1/4" bias tape.

But, what I really want to celebrate Christmas with is a new me made dress. More specifically, I want the long sleeved version of Simplicity 2180 in plain back. I even have the perfect fabric, er bedsheets, to make it out of.

I have the pattern. I have the fabric. Maybe I can make the time? So, why, all of a sudden do I need this dress so badly? Well, the answer is simple. Shoes. Remember the totally impractical pairs of heels I'd been drooling over? I had affectionately named them my 70's porn star shoes. Thanks to Etsy those porn star shoes now reside in my closet. I really want to wear them for Christmas, but I don't have many wardrobe choices that match my new found skanky shoes.

I think the long sleeve dress would be the perfect thing to match my awesome shoes. The dress is a bit on the conservative side, which I think is needed to balance out the outlandishness of my new 5" heels. I am exactly six feet tall while sporting them. What do you think readers? Should I make the conservative dress or go for something more 70osh? A pair of bell bottom pants perhaps?

Do any of you love completely impractical shoes as much as I do? Tell me your thoughts.

What in the World I've Been Doing

Well hello, long lost stranger friends of mine. It seems that I have been MIA around the blog world for the last few weeks. Life, particularly school, has been quite busy for me and sewing and blogging have taken a bit of a backseat.

I am still working on my jacket, but it is on hold unto the buttons I ordered come in the mail. Once I receive them I should have them sewn on pretty quickly and will finally have a finished object post for you all.  I nearly fainted mid aisle when I saw the prices of buttons at Joann's. So, I came home, and proceeded to spend a week perusing different Etsy shops before deciding on some plain 1" black buttons. I got 25 of them for the price of 6 at Joann's.

What else have I been doing? Well, I have cut a few more things out to hopefully get stitched up in the near future. I finally cut out a vintage repro Simplicity apron pattern that I've been wanting to sew up for ages. It does require 3 packs of bias tape though, that I will probably be cursing before it is all sewn on. I also cut out a modern McCall's dress in a lovely dark eggplant colored poplin with a contrasting light purple lining, and I have hacked out 1/2 of a fitted modern Vogue dress. I say 1/2 because I have yet to cut out the lining, which will be hot pink. ( If you recall a few posts back the hot pink lining was originally for a grey dress, which is now the purple dress, since I didn't have as much grey poplin as I originally thought I did.)

Hmm, what else have I been doing? Thrift store shopping of course! I bought a  lovely cream colored 60's coat with bound buttonholes and giant buttons at the Goodwil for $7. It had a bit of a rust stain near the hem though, so I bought a container of Oxyclean, held my breath for dear life, and plunged my "new" 50 year old coat into a bathtub full of cold water. Immediately, my bathroom smelled like a chemical factory. Whatever this thing was dry cleaned with in it's past was toxic. But, 24 hours of soaking later, I have a clean, rust stain free, much more pleasant smelling coat. I will warn you, if you ever plan on plunging vintage into Oxyclean water, I recommend a cocktail, or seven, first. Trust me, your nerves are gonna need it.

I also scored a vintage navy blue London Fog raincoat with the most adorable flower print lining in the world. It doesn't have bound buttonholes, and does include a garment care tag, so my guess it's from the 70s. It was also a Goodwill find.

Lastly, I got a royal-ish blue 60s fitted dress that has a high neckline with a bow and buttons all the way down the back. It's definitely mid-sixties and looks very "Joan-ish". I have a nagging suspicion that it has some wool content in it, and since it is already very fitted, I think I will take it to the dry cleaners. My nerves can't handle any more vintage and the bathtub episodes anytime soon. Just ask me what happened last time I tired to hand wash a vintage wool jacket. Well, on second thought, if the idea of a vintage jacket being able to stand up on it's own brings a tear to your eye, don't ask.

What else you ask? I have also been listing some new things in my Etsy shop, including some really adorable 70s kids patterns. I also listed some awesome vintage Christmas balls and stockings, and a dabble of Pyrex and Fire King. I still have about 60 or so patterns to count and list, but alas, this is time consuming, and boring. I'd live it if you'd come on over and check out my Etsy shop. ( There is a super adorable double breasted jacket for a toddler over there...)

Want more details of my oh so exciting life? Then press on dear reader, for I have more to share. Have you ever found a pair of shoes that completely and totally mesmerized you? Did you dream about these shoes day and night? Did you contemplate selling prized patterns just to get your mitts, er, footsies, on those shoes? I have found that pair of shoes. They're impractical, teal blue, look as if they fell straight from the 70s, and are just begging to be on my feet. Yes, I do love 70s porn star shoes and I make no apologies for it. I will get those shoes, just as soon as Etsy helps some more money find it's way to my Paypal account.

By the way, have you seen the 3 new retro releases from Butterick? If you haven't hop on over there and take a peak, you won't regret it. I am so in love with the new shift dress, even though I do have a bit of a reservation about how that sleeves would translate into real life.

Well, since this post may be the longest I have ever written, I am going to wrap it up now. I have to go drool over my 70s porn star shoes now, Oh, and I have to get up early tomorrow because there is an estate auction that lists sewing items, and gosh darn it, if there are sewing things within 50 miles of my house I will get my grubby little paws all over them. Sadly, at an auction the person with the most money wins, unlike estate sales where I can and do literally outrun others to scoop up the patterns. Old ladies don't phase me if patterns are involved, everyone is fair game*.

So, what are you sewing? Have you had to run like a mad woman, or man, to get your hands on any patterns lately? What magical pair of shoes have you been dreaming over? How about 70s porn star shoes, do you fall in love like I do?

* I promise I have never hurt anyone if my fight for patterns. Unless looks can kill of course, and then I have slayed a few people in the name of vintage Vogues.

What I'm Working on And What in the World Should I Make Next?

Hello all my lovely readers! I thought that I'd give you all a peek into what I'm currently working on. I feel like I have been sewing it forever, since I have finished every single seam with a zig-zag stitch. I so want a serger! It would be such a wonderful Christmas present, mom.....

Now, let's take a peak at the pattern and my fabric, shall we?

I am making the short version of the jacket. The outer fabric is some sort of synthetic suiting that I picked up from a thrift store for about $2 and the lining is a crisp white taffeta lining acquired from fabric.com.

Let me just say, taffeta is not your friend when trying to sew. It looks nice and crisp as a lining once it's all sewn up and  is very reasonably priced, but the actual sewing process will have your cursing. You have been warned fellow seamstresses!

I hope to have this all sewn up by the weekend, but I do have a bit of hand sewing to do, so don't hold your breath. 

Now, let's move onto to what I should sew up next. Like most seamstresses, I am always ten sewing projects farther along in my head than on my actual sewing machine. So, here is your chance to play a part in what I sew up next!

First up is this modern McCall's modern jacket pattern. I have a few yards of this lovely camel colored coating, but I would have to acquire some lining fabric for this. What color would you line this with? I really really like fun, bright linings.

Pros: I would have a super cute and unique coat for winter.

Cons: I'm not 100% sure I want to take on another lined and time consuming project right away.

 Next up is this vintage Simplicity pattern, and I'd be making the dress. If you've been reading this blog for a while you know that I've, ahem, attempted to sew this dress up once already. Shoddy, and rushed, construction and an unfortunate incident with the iron led to it's eventual trip to the trash though. Enough time has passes though that I think I'm ready to tackle it again.

Pros:  A super cute and fitted dress that should sew up in a reasonable amount of time since it isn't lined.

Cons: I am almost positive I don't have a zipper that matches so I would have to make a trip to Joann's. Also has a pretty tricky back kick pleat that could cause a bit of frustration.

Next we have another modern McCall's pattern, this time for a cute fitted dress. The outer fabric would be this lovely stone colored cotton poplin and the hot pink broadcloth is for the lining. I told you I like fun linings! Plus, I still have yards of the stuff even after making a super full dress and a skirt. It might be the best $2 I've ever spent. 

Pros: I've been dreaming about this particular dress for a while and would love to be able to actually wear it soon. 

Cons: A full lining is not going to make for an instant gratification project. I could also run into some potential fitting issues since I envision this dress being quite fitted. 

Last but not least we have this Vogue skirt that I've already cut out. I cut out the one in the top right hand corner that has six button embellishments on the front.The outer fabric is a thick, synthetic, thrifted, navy blue suiting and the lining is the remaining piece of white taffeta lining from my aforementioned jacket. 

Pros: It's already cut out which saves me an almost guaranteed back ache from hovering over the table. I already have all the needed notions.

Cons: I have to put up with sewing the mean taffeta again. I don't think I have any top that will match this currently in my wardrobe so it wouldn't be immediately wearable.

I'd love to have your input dears readers! What should I tackle after I finally finish my jacket?

P.S. I've added some more patterns to my Etsy shop, so check it out! I have lots more to add soon!

An Update With a Side of Rambling

Hello my amazing readers! If you follow my Facebook page, you know that I said I was going to have a new finished object post up soon. Unfortunately, I came down with a nasty cold that has had me doing nothing but sleeping and drinking Nyquil with a bendy straw for days. So, hopefully I will have my new finished object post up in a day or two, or whenever my Rudolph nose fades.

So, feeling as if death were eminent ( I don't deal well with colds), I have had plenty of time to waste perusing the interwebs.More on this in a few minutes though.

I was feeling a bit better today, and did a bit of shopping my with mom. Oh my goodness, sewing has made me a clothes snob. I've always been a check the price first kind of person. I don't care if it is "I love it with every fiber of my being and will not be able to live without it" cute, once I see that price tag I can change my tune at the drop of a hat. Nothing, and I repeat nothing, is ever $50 cute. You see, now I check tags, and not just price tags. I want to see what the fiber content of everything is. Is it polyester? If no, proceed with cuteness and price check. If yes, start with the price tag. Is it more than ten dollars? If yes, put that little sucker back on the rack as fast as you can.. Polyester is cheap and it's not coming home with me. Well, it's not coming home with me if it costs more than five bucks. So, when the day was all said and done, I came home with one tank top from Ann Taylor loft, two mini hand sanitizers, and some 80s patterns. The moral of the story? Sewing has positively ruined my ability to be ignorant about fiber content and shoddy construction.

Next, remember how I said being sick has given me copious amounst of time to surf the internet and get drunk on Nyquil? Well, this works to your advantage readers. Have you ever seen this website? Do not, at any cost, click that link unless you have, at a minimum, two hours of free time in your immediate future. What is this magical, time sucking site you ask? Well that site would be Wish Book Web, where you'll find entire copies of various Sears catalogs from the 30s to the 80s. There are also some Spiegel catalogs and Lord and Taylor catalogs. The best part? They're completely free to download and enjoy!

I have also become quite obsessed over pinning things to Pinterest. Do you pin? Can we follow each other? It would be awesome to be able to pin things and have other people suggest patterns that would be suitable, and to be able to help others out with the same thing. Does anyone know if you can make teams on Pinterest? If you'd like to follow me, you can find me here.

So, hopefully I will start feeling better and get to sewing soon! So, readers, I have some questions for you. Have you become a clothes snob since you started sewing? How much time are you going to lost on Wish Book Web? Do you pin?

A Visual Update of My Sewing Life

Hello lovely readers! My posting these pasts few weeks has been quite sporadic and in all honesty I just have had little sewing related topics to blog about. Thankfully, I have survived the first week of classes and did come out of the mess with an overpriced parking sticker. Infuriatingly, the parking situation on campus is the worst I have ever witnessed. There are about double the number of cars than there are spaces and the administration keeps posting letters on Facebook, how charmingly professional of them, to pretty much tell us we need to suck it up and deal with it. Sure, I'll just park on the 80 degree hill in the overflow lot after I battle a professor for a space, since even the professors are routinely having their cars towed for parking in the grass beside the faculty lots. Thanks for listening to my rant, now let's move on to sewing stuff, shall we?

I have decided to put the dress that just wasn't quite working out aside for now, but I do plan on returning it to it one day. Those might be my famous last words.

This is the pattern that isn't going so well.

So, as I mentioned in my last post, I want to make one more summer dress, as some sort of last hurrah. I am dreading the impending winter, even though a Virginia winter is laughably mild compared to some. So, what pattern is up next? Take a look below. ( You can't see the fabric, but it is a plain, natural colored linen.)

Also, in other sewing related projects, I have decided that it's finally time to recover the sleeve board that I picked up an estate sale a few months ago. I will update this post with a pic soon. I cannot seem to get the sleeve board pics to load.

I'm off to browse all the new releases from the pattern companies.

Happy Sewing!


P.S. I have added lots more things to the Esty shop, 19something, and I'd love if you'd come check it out.

An Actual Update About Sewing ( Plus Some Other Things Too)

Good evening, lovely readers!! These past two weeks have been quite a whirlwind for me.  Sewing has been non existent and even thinking about sewing has been at a minimum.

I'd like to think everyone who took time to stop by my Etsy shop. Today marks the third day that my shop has been live and I've already had two sales. This fact makes me quite the happy camper! However, getting everything set up has been quite a time consuming endeavor. I still have about 30 more vintage patterns to list, some of which have up to a 47" bust, but I have yet to count the pieces to make sure they're complete. Counting pattern pieces is so time consuming and about as exciting as watching paint dry. I'd never sell a pattern that I hadn't checked though, so time consuming, monotonous counting it is. I have some more vintage dishes to list as well, so hopefully I can get some good pics during the daytime. Hopefully my Etsy shop will flourish so I have some Christmas shopping funds.

Secondly, school starts back for me tomorrow. Luckily, I only have classes that meet on Tuesdays and Thursdays, but school is 50 miles away, an hour long drive. My semester should be pretty easy, that is, until my three online classes start mid October, then I will most likely drop off the planet for 8 weeks. I have yet to buy my books for my classes yet, which will probably lead to me crying for a week because all my fabric money will have vanished. Seriously, textbooks are so overpriced! Don't they know how much fabric I can buy for $500? Also, please don't be alarmed if I write a post tomorrow that makes me come across as the most whiny person on the planet. I have to stand in line to get my parking decal, which usually takes close to an hour, where I will undoubtedly be met by a disgruntled campus cop. Did I mention that the parking stickers cost over a hundred bucks?


Now, lets get to some sewing take. I have been working and working and working on a McCall's halter dress but have hit a roadblock. The band that forms the halter strap and sides just does not curve in the same manner as my body, causing it to stick out in a very unsightly way. I have tried multiple things to fix it, including cutting down the piece to make it smaller but so far no luck. I think I'm going to take it over to my aunt's one day for her to help me try to add a dart to it. I really don't want to give up since I used mock french seams, and there are six seams! Not to mention, the rest of the dress fits oh so perfectly.

I do need another project though. I have a simple summer dress cut out of a natural colored linen that I can hopefully stitch up in the next week or so. I want to be able to wear it at least once before I have to toss a cardigan over it in the early fall. I think that my mojo has returned, though we shall see once I begin stitching up this dress.

I do have a few other sewing projects that I need to make myself do, but I am so dreading. Mending. Mending is a dirty, nasty, filthy, word that should never be uttered from any self respecting seamstress. I hate mending with every fiber of my being. But, no matter how much I hate it, I really need to buckle down and get it done. Seriously, some of the things I need to do include tacking labels back down onto vintage jackets before they fall off. It would take 5 minutes tops, but I avoid it like the plague. I need to stitch up a one inch tear in a jacket lining, and even though I can sew, the thought of asking what the dry cleaners charges has crossed my mind. Making a seamstress mend is like insisting a gourmet chef prepare you a Hungry Man meal.

So, there you have it. Ramblings and blurbs about my life and my sewing. I promise there will be some productive sewing soon!

The Intersection of Sewing, Critical Thinking Skills, and Math

Hello lovely readers! Today, I thought that I'd delve into a topic that fascinates me just a bit. What do sewing, critical thinking skills, and math have in common? Lots, actually! You see, I am drawn to sewing for more reasons than simply the tangible results of my efforts. I find that I really enjoy the problem solving aspects, as well as the constant use of math.

According to The Critical Thnking Community,"critical thinking is the intellectually disciplined process of actively and skillfully conceptualizing, applying,analyzing, synthesizing, and/or evaluating information gathered from, or generated by, observation, experience, reflection, reasoning, or communication, as a guide to belief and action."

Critical thinking and sewing go hand in hand! All of the actions described in the very definition of critical thinking can be applied to the art of sewing without any true effort needed to adapt the definition to the task. From the planning stages to the final stitch, critical thinking must come into play if you wish to have a successful outcome. You must be constantly mindful of the task at hand, you must be constantly aware of measurements and other numbers that come into play, and you must be ready at any given second to find a "detour" if a problem does arise. When you sew you must be on your "A" game.

So, where does math come into play? First, foremost, and most obviously, math comes into play when you're measuring to choose the correct size or when you're sewing seams of your garment. But furthermore, math comes into play if you want to grade a pattern, when you're making fit alterations, or especially if you're "frankenpatterning" and you need all the pieces to come together. Math is everywhere in the sewing process, and you can't avoid it by simply opting for consumer math, instead of calculus.

It seems that society, particularly higher education academia, tends to separate the abstract and the physical. Many students are taught concepts and critical thinking, but are never given the opportunity to put those lessons into practice.Now, don't get me wrong, I think that concepts should be taught. I would wholeheartedly argue that higher math is critical, no pun intended, in teaching critical thinking skills. While the average algebra 2 student is most likely adamant that they will never need what they're learning , the truth is it isn't so much about retaining the proper way to complete the square as it is to learn how to think about how to complete the square. Higher math teaches critical thinking skills, and critical thinking skills help with life, as well as sewing.

The idea that different people learn in different ways, as in physical, visual, and audible, seems to be quite prevalent.I disagree, however, and I would cite sewing as an example to back up what I choose to believe. I think that it is reasonable to say that whatever is being taught inherently possesses a method that works best for it's delivery, and each person's particular learning style is secondary to that. Let me explain. In order to sew well, one must have, at a minimum, an understanding of basic math. However, one does not learn those math skills by sewing, but they can be strengthened by sewing. However, the math and sewing can be blended together in order to create a delivery method that teaches how to sew, while at the same time strengthening math skills, which in turn strengthens critical thinking skills. And with that, a beautiful cycle of learning and excelling has been created!

So, what I am saying is, the physical and the abstract must harmoniously work together when sewing. Sewing is so much more than creating a new dress, it is about using your mind, and solving problems using your creativity and your mathematical skills. Sewing is proof that you cannot put "physical" and "abstract" into to different categories. You must, instead, put them in a Venn diagram, with sewing firmly placed into the overlapping section. Sewing, math, and critical thinking are a match made in Heaven.
 
So, readers, I'd love to hear your thoughts about this! Chime on in!


P.S. Check back in a few days for part 2 of this post, if you'd like to hear about why I think sewing should be taught in schools again, and why I changed my major after 2 1/2 years in a teacher education program for high school math, and what in the world sewing has to do with it all.  ( I told you it fascinated me!)