#ayearofcrafting

[ayearofmaking]

Robe Jacket

Pattern: robe jacket from Peppermint Magazine by Common Stitch

Size: B

Fabric: spring reverie by Cloud 9 Fabrics

Fiber: rayon

This was a fun, quick make. In fact, I'm almost a little mad at how quickly I made this. Sewing really does feel like instant gratification compared to crochet. As much as I've loathed making the face masks, I think the repitition of it has made me faster and technically a little better at sewing.

This fabric, though. I'm obsessed. I saw it and had to have it. I don't go in for floral that much, but it has these earth tones that I like to wear, and I love that it looks modern and graphic at the same time with the floral element. And it's so soft and drapes just right for this pattern. The jacket has belt loops and a belt, but I imagine I'll be wearing it open most of the time - over tank tops, jumpsuits and dresses.

I had started wearing these kimono inspired jackets when I lived in the middle east A) because lots of women wore stuff like this and B) because I needed to stay covered even in the summer, but needed something more breathable than a sweater for when it was 95 F outside. But all the stuff I owned there was fast fashion from cheap outlet shops, and was often straight up the wrong size for me, so I'm very happy to have made this.

I love the inverted pleat in the back, and I opted to do French seams throughout since I don't have a serger, this isn't the tightest weave fabric, and I like clean looking guts. I also hemmed up the bottom a little more than the pattern called for.

[ayearofmaking]

Cora Tote

Pattern: Cora Tote by Sotak Handmade Fabrics: Main exterior - heavy cotton upholstery remnant I got from Joann; Exterior contrast - cognac vegan leather; Lining - Wildwood Garden Party from Rifle Paper Company

Notes on this project: Woof, this vegan leather was hard to sew, especially when you add in that heavy cotton fabric PLUS the foam stabilizer! Don’t look too closely at the stitching on the leather! I need to go back and add a fabric tab to the other end of the zipper - I didn’t quite understand what she was saying to do with the top zipper, and I think the pattern assumed you have a pre-sized zipper, and I was working with zipper by the yard. As a result, without an end tab, my zipper pull flies off any time I pull on it. Overall, I do like how this turned out - the black and white with the leather gave it a more polished, professional look than I was expecting from a tote bag, and I think this is a purse I’d happily take to work with me. If I made it again though, I’d definitely choose easier fabrics to work with.

[ayearofmaking]

A handmade life in 2020

In typical Lindsey fashion, it’s taken me until the end of February to figure out what my 2020 goals should be. And the goal that I’ve decided is worthy of having its own Tumblr is making 2020 a year of making and crafting.

I guess you’re supposed to choose goals that are sustainable, and this one is, seeing as I’ve already been doing it for some time. It started last spring when I told my coworker one day, “I feel like I need to be doing something creative in my life.” Which is a bit rich because I film and edit videos for a living. And I work at a university that has a wealth of creative and intellectual activities to take advantage of. Anyway, I bought a loom and started weaving little wall hangings. Eventually I got bored with that and decided to try crocheting again - I had learned the basic stitches before, but never gotten very good at it.

I churned out a few shawls that I gave as Christmas presents (and kept one for myself) and in December, I got a couple of vintage chairs to reupholster.

Around the same time, I got irritated about none of my pants fitting me in the waist and decided to just buy a sewing machine and learn how to alter them myself. And then a couple weeks ago I took the plunge with my first real sewing project and made this tote purse:

And unsurprisingly, now it seems like a totally good idea for me to donate 90% of my wardrobe and start from scratch making my own clothes.

When I sent my mom a picture of the finished bag, she said, “I never thought you’d sew.” She sews, and my grandmother was a multitalented crafty person - I still have a baby blanket she crocheted for me, I grew up wearing her hand-sewn Halloween costumes, and being treated to her elaborate birthday cakes. When she died 19 years ago, she left behind her own fully handmade wardrobe. My mom turned the clothes into a quilt. I would like to say I learned these skills from these women, but it’s taken me 30 years in life to start learning them in a roundabout way.

My grandfather on my dad’s side was a jazz musician, and as I grew up playing the violin, I somewhat arrogantly assumed that’s where my creativity came from. But as I get older, I start to understand the care my grandmother showed in all of her handmade gifts to us, as well as the talent they required. And as someone who regularly uses crocheting as a way to stave off panic attacks, or sewing as a way to keep me feeling productive when a depressive episode wants to keep me on the couch all day, I understand these crafts as emotional work.

I ordered some fabric and purchased a few different PDF patterns online, and have plans for trying my hand at sewing a blouse and a spring jacket next. I’ve made attempts at having a capsule wardrobe in the past, but always ended up with things that didn’t work for one reason or another: the cut was wrong, the material made me sweaty, or it would suit a lifestyle/job that I don’t actually have. And then there are the myriad items in my closet that people have given me that I feel guilty about giving away, but don’t have the space for. So, as far as clothing (and hopefully home goods too) I’ve decided to make this a year of making, and if I can’t make it, I’ll thrift it.

Someone recently described me as “a good homemaker,” and though I know what they meant - these skills aren’t really in style anymore - I barfed in my mouth a little bit. I prefer to think of them as post-apocalyptic survival skills. Between my husband’s mechanical/electrical engineering skills and ability to use power tools, and my ability to cook, sew, crochet, and the medical/health knowledge I’ve gleaned from years of working as a journalist in conflict areas, and now as a science communicator at a medical school, I think we’d stand a good chance of surviving for a while in the apocalypse.