#basic sewing terms

[bevanne46]

Basic Sewing Terms

[lapdogchase]

i really dont understand studying at all like genuinely i don't know what it is . i know about "taking notes" and "reading the textbook" and that's it . quizlet doesn't do shit for me because i don't know what to. do. with the cards. look at them ? am i supposed to just look at them . No one bothered teaching me actual skills bc i got good grades when i was 8 and now i am so hopelessly lost . why did no one think to teach me this for when stuff got harder than four plus three

[dkettchen]

sometimes it turns out you're not an XS, you're just an XL who happens to be 5'4"

[gwenthebard]

The nature of Tumblr discourse around artistic pursuits is that youll either end up fully in one echo chamber or weirdly torn between two

The latter the most annoying to be in, as youre stuck seeing

"person in artistic field who wants to help simplify things and has a loose understanding of the field thats not great for deep discussion but helps 80% of people in the field while not necesarrily creating a consistently good product"

AND

"Person who thinks you cant interact with the field if you dont have a deep understanding of its intricacies and histories, and will see any attempt to simplify a field or make it easier to understand for the 20% who dont fit that bill as corrupting the purpose and making it worse"

With any attempt to find a middle ground or explain the other sides purpose as you not being a real fan of the hobby or field or gatekeeping it, and in the position of just finding it hard to interact with

[saltedcoffeee]

i need everybody to stop focusing this much on craig's interest in space and start focusing a little more on his interest in racing. anyways he is a mercedes fan and he cried when kimi retired.

[maraeffect]

going 2 a thrift store and seeing the shelves lined with shein clothes fills my body with a rage i can only describe as murderous.

[darkandstormydolls]

PSA to all historical fiction/fantasy writers:

A SEAMSTRESS, in a historical sense, is someone whose job is sewing. Just sewing. The main skill involved here is going to be putting the needle into an out of the fabric. They’re usually considered unskilled workers, because everyone can sew, right? (Note: yes, just about everyone could sew historically. And I mean everyone.) They’re usually going to be making either clothes that aren’t fitted (like shirts or shifts or petticoats) or things more along the lines of linens (bedsheets, handkerchiefs, napkins, ect.). Now, a decent number of people would make these things at home, especially in more rural areas, since they don’t take a ton of practice, but they’re also often available ready-made so it’s not an uncommon job. Nowadays it just means someone whose job is to sew things in general, but this was not the case historically. Calling a dressmaker a seamstress would be like asking a portrait painter to paint your house

A DRESSMAKER (or mantua maker before the early 1800s) makes clothing though the skill of draping (which is when you don’t use as many patterns and more drape the fabric over the person’s body to fit it and pin from there (although they did start using more patterns in the early 19th century). They’re usually going to work exclusively for women, since menswear is rarely made through this method (could be different in a fantasy world though). Sometimes you also see them called “gown makers”, especially if they were men (like tailors advertising that that could do both. Mantua-maker was a very feminized term, like seamstress. You wouldn’t really call a man that historically). This is a pretty new trade; it only really sprung up in the later 1600s, when the mantua dress came into fashion (hence the name).

TAILORS make clothing by using the method of patterning: they take measurements and use those measurements to draw out a 2D pattern that is then sewed up into the 3D item of clothing (unlike the dressmakers, who drape the item as a 3D piece of clothing originally). They usually did menswear, but also plenty of pieces of womenswear, especially things made similarly to menswear: riding habits, overcoats, the like. Before the dressmaking trade split off (for very interesting reason I suggest looking into. Basically new fashion required new methods that tailors thought were beneath them), tailors made everyone’s clothes. And also it was not uncommon for them to alter clothes (dressmakers did this too). Staymakers are a sort of subsect of tailors that made corsets or stays (which are made with tailoring methods but most of the time in urban areas a staymaker could find enough work so just do stays, although most tailors could and would make them).

Tailors and dressmakers are both skilled workers. Those aren’t skills that most people could do at home. Fitted things like dresses and jackets and things would probably be made professionally and for the wearer even by the working class (with some exceptions of course). Making all clothes at home didn’t really become a thing until the mid Victorian era.

And then of course there are other trades that involve the skill of sewing, such as millinery (not just hats, historically they did all kinds of women’s accessories), trimming for hatmaking (putting on the hat and and binding and things), glovemaking (self explanatory) and such.

TLDR: seamstress, dressmaker, and tailor are three very different jobs with different skills and levels of prestige. Don’t use them interchangeably and for the love of all that is holy please don’t call someone a seamstress when they’re a dressmaker

[pleasantboatpress]

so, you wanted to start bookbinding?

so @princetofbone mentioned on my post for "factory settings" about wanting to know more about the binding style that i used for it. so i thought i might make a post about it.

i was as terrible as i always am for taking in progress shots, but i can link you to the resources i used in order to make my book. i would also like to point out that "factory settings" is my 120th bind, and i have been doing bookbinding as a hobby for just over 3 years now. unfortunately this means some of the methods that i used for that bind aren't particularly beginner friendly, just in terms of the tools and methods i have used, but i would love to point you in the right direction when it comes to resources. i dont say this to sound pretentious which i fear i might come across, just so that youre fully informed. getting into this hobby is fun and rewarding, but it can definitely be intimidating.

with that caveat, heres a list of links and resources that i have used for bookbinding in general, with additional links to methods i used specifically in regards to this bind.

ASH's how to make a book document. it gives you a great introduction into typesetting fics (where you format the text of fics to look like a traditionally published books) and then turning them into a case-bound book (the style i used for "factory settings"). it is comprehensive, and explains how to use microsoft word to do your bidding. it was invaluable to me when i was just starting out! currently i use affinity publisher to typeset/format my fics for printing, but i only bought and learned how to use that after i had been binding books for a year and a half. i made some beautiful typesets with word, and some of my close friends use it still and design stuff that i never would be able to in my wildest dreams (basically anything by @no-name-publishing)

DAS Bookbinding's Square Back Bradel Binding. a great style to do your first bind in! this method requires, when making the case, to attach the cover board and the spine board to a connecting piece of paper, which makes it so much easier to match the size of the case to the size of the text block (your printed out and sewn fic). using this method is what allowed me to get much more accurately fitting cases, and made me much more confident with the construction of the books i was making. a well-made book is something that is so wonderful to hold in your hands!

DAS Bookbinding's Rounded and Backed Cased Book. This is the specific method that i used to create my bind for "factory settings"! even before i could back my books, i found that watching DAS's videos in particular helped me see how books were traditionally made, and i was able to see different tips and tricks about how to make nicer books.

Book Edge Trimming Without... i trim the edges of my text block using my finishing press and a chisel i have sharpened using a whetstone and leather strop with buffing compound on it. i follow the method for trimming shown in this video!

Made Endpapers. i follow this method for my endpapers, as i used handmade lokta endpapers, and they can be quite thin, but they look beautiful! i used "tipped on" endpapers (where you have your endpaper and then put a thin strip of glue on the edge and attach it to your text block) i used for a very long time before this, but these feel like they are much more stable, as they are sewn with your text block.

Edge Sprinkling. this is the method that i used for decorating the edges of my text block. but the principle is basically clamping your text block tight and then sprinkling the edges. i do not believe you need to trim the edges in order to do sprinkles on the edges, and that's what makes it accessible! i personally just use really cheap acrylic paint that i water down and then flick it onto the edges with my thumb and a paint brush.

Double-Core Endbands. i sew my own endbands, which i followed this tutorial for. that being said, it's kind of confusing, and this video is a bit easier to follow, but it is a slightly different type of endband.

Case decoration. i used my silhouette cameo 4 to cut out my design for "factory settings" in htv (heat transfer vinyl). i also used my cameo 4 to cut out the oval of marbled paper on the front, as i honestly didn't want to try my hand at cutting an oval lol. i also glued some 300 gsm card with an oval cut out of the centre of it onto the cover before covering it with bookcloth, to get a kind of recess on the cover. i then glued the oval of marbled paper onto the top of the recessed area once it was covered with bookcloth, so that it was protected. the images i used were sourced from a mix of rawpixel, canva and pixabay. a more accessible way to get into cover decoration is by painting on a design for your cover as described in @a-gay-old-time's tutorial just here. or even doing paper labels, which look classy imo.

physical materials. sourcing these will depend on your country. i am located in australia, and have compiled a list with some other aussie bookbinders of places to buy from. here is a great post describing beginning materials for getting started binding.

@renegadepublishing. this tumblr is great! its what got me started bookbinding, and being in the discord has been inspiring, motivating, and honestly just one of the best online experiences i have ever had. it is full of resources, and most people in there are amateur bookbinders, with a couple of professionals thrown in. the discord is 18+, and anyone can join!

i'm sorry this post got so long, but i hope that this has a lot of information for you if you would like to get started bookbinding. its one of the best hobbies ive ever had, and i genuinely believe i will have it for the rest of my life.

[wisteria-lodge]

"Smallclothes"

I just reblogged a very interesting thread about historical inaccuracy in A Song of Ice and Fire, but it was doing a whole big picture thing and I didn't want to clog it up with one very small detail that just really specifically bothers me.

It's his use of the term "smallclothes." Basically, in ASOIAF smallclothes = panties/knickers.

Daario found his breeches and pulled them on. He did not trouble himself with smallclothes.

Jon’s anger flared. “No, my lord, I mean to set them to sewing lacy smallclothes."

“... before Lord Snow wets his smallclothes.”

"he looked like he was going to shit his smallclothes"

So okay. 'smallclothes' or 'small-clothes' is a historical term (from the 1700s) that means... underlayer. Here's it being used by Charles Dickens:

“Will you run over, once again, what the boy said?” asks Mr. Tulkinghorn, putting his hands into the pockets of his rusty smallclothes and leaning quietly back in his chair."

The idea being that he's casual/doesn't care and isn't bothering to dress up for his guest. not that he's in his undies. Here is a illustration from Nicholas Nickleby of a suitor who has inappropriately "displayed his small-clothes"

I've heard "smallclothes" refer to things like pocket-handkerchiefs, and anecdotally it's sometimes used to refer to knickers in linguistically stubborn places like Yorkshire, but that just is not how the word was used historically.

so okay. fine. It's a fantasy story, he's just made up his own word that means "panties."

Except NO. They straight up did not wear panties in the middle ages and renaissance. Sometimes you got loose under-breeches with a split crotch BUT - in general that long white shirt/chemise just WAS your undergarment. Think of how much easier it is to manufacture! And clean! Boxer brief type things weren't a thing until the 1900s, and modern-ish woman's panties ("step-ins") weren't a thing until the 20s, because the hemlines stopped working with pantalettes and bloomers. There are no "lacy smallclothes" like there is lacy lingerie. That only makes sense if you have industrialized clothing manufacturing!

Honestly I would have thought GRRM would be all over this, like it's kinda sexy that it's just thigh-high stocking or leggings underneath those big dresses, right? But he hasn't done that. Instead he's just ported in a modern article of clothing and gave it an old-timey name. Just a little hint that he hasn't actually properly got his head around how these clothes were made and used, and that devalues them.

And it's escaped containment! It's canon in Dragon Age, and in fanfiction I'm seeing "smallclothes" or "smalls" used to describe the underwear in in Our Flag Means Death, the Lord of the Rings, the Witcher. Just have nothing! None of these people should be wearing panties!!!!

[peekofhistory]

hello! I saw your post about the layers of hanfu, the one with the pants that tie around the waist. I really want to try to make them, but I can't seem to find a pattern. Is there a term for that article of clothing that I can use to search? Or better yet, do you have any pattern recommendations?

I was recently introduced to hanfu through a c-drama, and I'm really curious about it, so I'm glad I found your blog!

AHHH!! My first inbox message!! I'm so happy 😃😃

The name for that style of pants is (unfortunately) just "pants" (裤/ku in Chinese, which literally translates to pants).

I searched around for patterns and pieced one together (luckily it doesn't seem too complicated :D). You'll have to play around with the measurements so they fit you best, these were based on a video of someone who made this for a client (I'll link the video as a source but it's all in Chinese).

Here's some screenshots of videos demo-ing it (also linked in sources). The most important take-away I got is to make sure the width of the pant legs is enough to wrap ALL the way around your body and overlap in the back so your butt doesn't show xD

The earliest artefacts for this style of pants is the Han Dynasty (202 BC-9 AD, 25–220 AD), but it was also discovered in tombs of the Song Dynasty (960-1279 AD), which had more samples and were better preserved (I heard in one Song tomb they found 24 pairs of pants, 15 of which were this style O.O). So all of these were made using the Song Dynasty version, but they look basically the same and were also worn as under garments.

Sources: Sewing patterns https://www.sohu.com/a/406159256_620719

Sewing full process (with measurements) 慕少蓉 https://www.bilibili.com/video/BV1sg4y1v7jZ/

Demonstration: Xiaohongshu 曾嚼子 Video

Xiaohongshu 宾义儿 Video

If you're interested in hand-making Hanfu (BIG kudos to you, btw, that is AMAZING!) I recommend this book （it's all in Chinese but it does provide patterns for many Hanfu styles): 中国古代服饰结构图集 (Patterns of historical Chinese clothing)

You can also use Xiaohongshu (Little red book), it's both a website and an app that a LOOOT of Chinese people use for everything: https://www.xiaohongshu.com/

If you searching "[dynasty or clothing name] 结构图" (结构图 means patterns) you'll usually get a lot of results.

[moriitis]

uhm so I don't know if requests are open right now but I wanted to ask maybe a EJ in a relationship hc like you did with Toby? Only if you want to though!!! 💖

What would it be like dating Eyeless Jack? Content/Warnings; sexual themes, blood. MINORS DNI. 18+

The most laid back, chilled boyfriend you could ask for. It would be rare to get into an argument with Jack, either because he never looks for one or because he'll walk away from the situation altogether. Would absolutely be his biggest green flag! If you were to get heated or flustered over something, he'll mutter little words to try and calm you down.

"Try not to worry about it, it'll be a thing of the past before you know it."

Very reserved and unlike Toby; he wouldn't go out of his way to piss you off or annoy you. Maybe he'll tease you softly here or there.

Loves to encourage you to do the things you love! And hates it when you put yourself down if you aren't good enough. Admittedly, he has a huge soft spot for nerdy or even smart s/o's, so when you're rambling over something you love or something you're passionate about; he'll be swooning all over you.

Understands distance and admittedly, likes his own alone time. Don't read this wrong, he absolutely loves your company but simply loves it more when you're both preoccupied with something and just sat in the room together in silence.

Due to his lack of.. eyesight, Jack is a very touchy feely person. Which means he is very, very physical. It took him some time to feel confident enough to touch you, purely because he wasn't sure how much he could hold himself back. His hands will roam over your arms, occasionally rest on your lower back if you were together. Would tend to avoid touching you in a sexual manner.

He is a very good listener! Need to vent? He'll lend an ear. Just don't go to him expecting advice though, because really he's the worst. Somebody annoying you?

"Just don't talk to them..?"

Just doesn't really understand the concept of shit talking, so if you are venting don't expect him to join you. He'll just try to give you logical options so you can resolve your issues quicker.

On the matter of gossip, Jack knows everything. Hiding a secret from him is pointless because not only is his superb hearing going to pick up the most quietest of things; but he can sense a change in your body language too.

And despite the fact he doesn't enjoy shit talking, he will share a lot of juicy gossip he has heard.

I said he likes touch, well this guy loves to fucking cuddle. He loves smelling your intoxicating scent, wrapping you around his large frame and protecting you from anything that may threaten you. His cuddles will always lead to sex though, he can't help the raging boner he gets every time.

Always gets little hyper bursts, especially after he's eaten and during that time he's so fucking hilarious. It's like he's drunk, but except drunk on alcohol; it's like he's drunk on the high amount of blood he's consumed. You'll notice little tinges of red under the greys of his cheeks as he's chuckling, a low and raspy chuckle as he's mumbling complete bullshit that frankly makes so sense.

It wouldn't be Jack if he didn't teach you the basics of sewing up a human body, where to find your major arteries and quizzes you on where all your vital organs are. Maybe it's because he loves hearing you talk about it, almost like it's his own, unique dirty talk.

Oh, and the endless piggy backs. Despite his scrawny, skinny appearance, this guy is strong as fuck. He loves carrying you around. Tired? Get on that mans back. And there's something about holding you while he fucks you relentlessly too..

Does not open much, like.. at all. So you have to come to terms with the fact that Jack is just a reserved person who doesn't like talking about his past. Unless he has a mental breakdown and then it's all spewing.

The. Fucking. Pet. Names. Always finds a new pet name for you.

"Darling. Lovey. Love. Angel. Sweetness. Honey. Sweet thing."

But then his pet names gets him hungry and after all he can't help it, your blood smells so sweet, so inviting.

Lots of little acts of love too. Making sure you don't forget medication, tucking you in under blankets (even though his body heat is enough to warm you), peppering your face with endless amounts of kisses.

He's a romantic too, he's just not very good at showing it. He's awkward, so you can't blame him. He'll put the effort in to be romantic nevertheless, but he's a natural gentleman so he doesn't need much effort put in to begin with. Hold doors open for you, shit this man will even get on his knees to tie your shoelaces for you.

And of course, he lectures you a lot; sometimes about the most dumbest of things. But it's just because he cares about you.

I wouldn't imagine Jack to be controlling, but there's aspects where it could seem that way. It wouldn't be outright either, he'd just kinda say things like;

"You shouldn't do this. Think before you do things. What would the consequences be," etc, etc.

Forgot to mention this guy is smart as all fuck too. Got a math equation you're struggling on? He's a fucking human monster calculator.

rambled a little too much about this man.

thank you so much for requesting this! glad my man jack is getting a little more love, lord knows he deserves it.

sorry if these aren't great lmao

[grey-fuckers-unlimited]

he's just trans

(to keep this post from getting longer/this blog further off topic, here's the blog I archive everything related to Vincent and the guy he thinks is an actual angel from actual heaven on: @vermins-angel )

[cityof2morrow]

CO2 Skills: Custom Skill Tokens

Published: 7-17-2024 | Updated: 2-1-2025

SUMMARY I use mods to make more diverse sims in terms of personality traits, body types, and lifetime wants. They’ve made my sims more complex and interesting to play overall. Still, the skill-building system feels limited alongside these mods. Being a decent pianist shouldn’t automatically make it easier to paint, spy, DJ, garden, become a career slacker, work as an architect, and play every other instrument in-game. Being clean certainly benefits barbers and pet owners, but shouldn’t they also be good at cutting hair and animal care?

By default, sims can develop at least 40 skills - 4 toddler skills, 7 basic skills, 4 hidden skills, 6 life skills (AL/FT), and 11 talent badges (OFB). This custom skills pack expands the existing skill-hobby system in Sims 2 in the following ways:

60+ new skills taken from other games in the simsverse (Sims 3, Sims 4, console titles, etc.)

100+ new skills related to university majors, career tracks, and popular mods from the simsverse

New skills are linked to certain objects, interactions, and career levels

All TS2 content creators are welcome to link these skills to your creations if they choose. These will be linked to some of my custom careers, majors, and objects in the future.

VERSION 2 UPDATES (REDOWNLOAD RECOMMENDED):

Revised the original post for clarity.

Sorted package files into subfolders based on primary skill group (body, logic, charisma, etc.).

Name Changes (same GUIDs): cosmic cuisine (0x000D324F, cooking) to gastromancy (supernatural/occult foods). country cooking (0x004EDA6E, cooking) to soul food (Afrodiaspora foods). selvadoradian culture (0x0084C734, logic) to memory. simology (0x0084C734, body) to psychology. traditional dance (0X00C87F1F, dance) to ritual dance. vampire lore (0x00680121, supernatural) to mythlore (supernatural history/folklore).

New skills added: animal care (0x00B7128A, cleaning), not to be confused with animal training (0x00002CEF, cleaning) or veterinarian (0x00891E5A, logic), choreography (0x00AD0E5B, dance), formal dance (0x0019579F, dance), and more!

DETAILS Basegame Compatible – but skill-related objects and mods may require expansions.

Skills are invisible tokens activated by certain interactions in-game.

Sims can’t develop the same skill twice and they can’t sell or gift them to others.

Skills do not appear in inventories or the UI.

Some repetitive and animal-specific skills were excluded.

These are TOKENS ONLY - custom objects, mods, majors and career tracks which use these skills will be published on this site under the #co2skills, #co2careers, and/or #co2edu  tags. Modders, feel free to implement these and if you do – please share! DOWNLOAD (choose one) from SFS | from MEGA SKILL GROUPS AT A GLANCE

BODY skill is already linked to tai chi and the restocking badge, but the skill is named differently across games (athleticism, fitness, health/sanity, etc.). Build physical and mental strengths for hunting, surfing, romance, street fighting, ballet, etc.

CHARISMA connects to the sales badge while a range of hobby-related interests fall under film and literature. Branch off and concentrate on related skill areas such as acting, deception, coaching, fame and more.

CLEANING skill is linked to three badges (cosmetology, gardening, and fishing) and enthusiasm for animals and the environment. Specialize in animal training, barbering, skin care, conservation and related skills.

COOKING skills open up new worlds of taste…time to make some magic in the kitchen! Skills include baking, soul food, gastromancy (occult foods!), mixology, alchemy and more.

CREATIVITY makes earning badges in flower arranging, pottery, and sewing easier. New artistic pursuits include advanced painting, jewelry making, storytelling, knitting, and street art.

DANCE skills such as dirty dancing, formal dancing, breakdancing, casual dancing, and more have been moved to their own folder.

LOGIC contributes to the register/cashiering badge and the hidden study/homework skill. Now, sims can master gemology, first aid, history, crypto-zoology and over a dozen other things. Sims will need to learn theory and technical skills to advance in certain majors/careers.

MECHANICAL sims can more easily earn a robotics badge and now, they can also unlock a host of new mechanical/tech-related pursuits – wood working, electrical, photography, fabrication, and so on.

SUPERNATURAL sims and those with supernatural abilities can enhance their craft by building a range of new skills. Try curse magic, reaping, earth bending, or flying! Other sims have limited access to these skill areas.

CREDITS Thanks: Echo, Ch4rmful, Gummi, ChocolateCitySim, Sufficeittisay, WHoward, JellyMeduza and the rest of the Sims 2 modding community. Sources: Beyno (Korn via BBFonts), EA/Maxis, Magic Skill (Echo, 2006), Offuturistic Infographic (Freepik).

[delatoid]

Yippee I finished my first plushie!! (Bo (Dragon Quest))

Finally learned to upgrade from sewing [to repair] clothes to learning how to make plushies and I like how this first* attempt went =) *Some ramblings abt the process under the cut:

So of course this wasn't first first try. But it is my first plushie project :L

I've been wanting to do this for a while, but I didn't really want to have to hand sew a plushie and I was too scared to learn how to use a sewing machine, so for a while I didn't really learn.

BUT we just got a new sewing machine so this was when I was like "ok I'll learn how to use it now and finally work through my plushie ideas list"

Here are the different attempts for making Bo. From left to right:

1) This one was hand sewn just so I could get the feel of making a plushie and making a pattern. As you can see it was awful lol

2) The tiny one was my first time using the sewing machine properly (past testing on sample fabrics and whatnot). Kept it small since it was basically the same as the first one for the most part, but I modified the pattern a bit too

3) First time embroidering, and also tried to change the pattern to have a more drastic "dip" like the She-Slime lamp I have. I didn't really proceed with that since I don't think it really looks as good as the more teardrop-y shape the Rocket Slime art uses

4) Switched to minky here (I was using fleece beforehand). Also switched from embroidering the scleras to just using minky for that as well.

It doesn't show as well in this pic, but the eyes kinda bulge out and the outlines were done too thin for my liking (plus I didn't have heavy enough stabilizer for minky so I think the face kinda deformed a bit there too)

5) The final version!! Pattern was exactly the same as 4, the only change really was just better embroidering (I think) otherwise I'm really proud of how she came out =)

Only note is that I'm still kinda torn on choice of fabric. I *do* like how reflective the longer pile (is that the term?) is, but maybe I should've gone for the less reflective, shorter pile to make her less furry? Idk I just flip-flop whether I like it or not but I don't think it makes her look any worse to me :P

[the-bitter-ocean]

Miscellaneous Childhood Mira doodles with Euphrasie + HCs of what her parents looked like (this isn’t canon this is just my take on it based on what little information adrienne gives and also the game itself gives on what Mirabelle was like precanon etc. Drawing of my hcs of Mirabelle parents designs as well as an insanely long character study/ theorizing on Mirabelle was like pre canon is under the cut:

“Ocean why do you assume she might not be on the best of terms / isn’t close with her biological parents” it’s like a combination of things tbh? Mirabelle mentions repeatedly how much the people of the House of Change, especially Euphrasie has done so much in helping her learn and grow into the person she is today. Throughout the game she talks about how much she cares about/ misses different people in the game and how they are all important to her. You’ve got the head Housemaiden Euphrasie, who did everything in her power to protect her at the cost of herself, was mirabelle’s mentor and even gave Mirabelle blessing of being immune to the King’s Time freezing powers. You’ve got Claude, Mirabelle’s roommate that she cares about despite sometimes getting on her nerves ( she knows how dedicated Claude is to helping others and stopping the king etc), her other fellow housemaidens, the people she knows in dormont and of course all her companions that chose to help her on the journey to stop the king in the first place (Isabeau Bonnie Odile and Siffrin) she loves very much. Initially before getting any information from the in character QnA or Twitter or the QnA on Reddit, I had assumed that her biological parents were dead or that she never met them or had them to begin with but it’s not the case here.

Mirabelle talks about that when she first arrived at the house / prior to getting there she didn’t know how to do a lot of things basic skills. Siffrin also mentioned that the journey itself really changed her since he first met ( because initially she was a lot more shy but now she’s more confident in herself as of canon events in the game). Mirabelle said that she was taught by Euphrasie and the other house maidens. It’s giving the vibes of someone who arrived at the house ( whether by personal conviction to run away and find people who will understand her / that she can hope to understand and connect to) or her parents dropped her off there because it would be easier for them to do at a young age.

M: {The Head Housemaiden...I have to save her...}

I: […]

M: {The Head Housemaiden...She's such a wonderful person." "She helped me out so much! I couldn't do anything before I came to the House, I could barely sew my own clothes, and she helped me, she taught me..." "I wouldn't be the person I am without her!"}

Despite all of this she doesn’t talk about her biological family at all not even in passing despite the whole “ everyone and everything as we know it in the country could be frozen in time for good if things don’t go well” ( which is noticeable in comparison to how easily she can talk about how much other people in her life has cared for her and how much she wants to save them all from the kings destruction). In a in character QnA session when the subject of families / parents was brought up she has a very stilted and awkward response. The tone she’s answering it in feels like she’s hesitating or at the very least isn’t a 100% sure on how she feels about her parents ( and in truth probably hasn’t or didn’t want to think about them). We see the kind of way Mirabelle talks when it’s about people she loves in game before! It’s passionate and confident and full of love/ conviction that she cares for them! So seeing that in comparison to this is well..this isn’t having that energy truth be told. (Screenshot for those that don’t use Twitter)

Also Adrienne a while back posted official character playlists for each of the characters on Spotify to give insight to everyone on what the characters vibes were like and the song choices were very striking to me. The song choice for Mirabelle in particular that made me go !!!! was seeing Elle me dit by MIKA . For those who are unaware of the song and what it’s about, it’s essentially a song about a mother telling her kid all her high expectations of him and how she’s disappointed in the way he’s living his life.

Given how Adrienne stated that mirabelles parents don’t understand her and she in turn doesn’t get them either, I wouldn’t be surprised if she’s heard similar sentiments growing up / had that sort of pressure to Change or behave in a certain way. ( Even with her dedication the Change belief making her happy Mirabelle still will lament about how she’s afraid that she’s not doing enough as a house maiden or that her identity of being aroace somehow would upset others/ makes her feel alienated in comparison to how everyone else can change easily. ) This combined with the fact she canonically has anxiety and has moments where she isn’t very confident in herself is.. deeply worrying! Yes I’m aware that people can just have those types of thoughts even in a good supportive environment/ experiences but the combination of all those factors isn’t exactly aspiring confidence.

Anyway that’s my ramble I hope you all enjoyed my analysis/ headcanons yipeee ^_^

[hussyknee]

Made in the USA: Wage Theft, Fraud and Hidden Sweatshops

Unrolled twitter thread by derek guy (@dieworkwear)

4 Oct 24 • Read on X

ALT enabled on all images. Video has closed captions but is not transcribed.

Not trying to create a pile-on here. But let's talk about why something might still be made in unethical conditions even though it bears a "made in USA" tag. 🧵

The first thing to understand is that not all workers are covered by US labor laws. You might assume that workers get paid a minimum wage (after all, it says "minimum"). In fact, many garment workers in the US toil under what's known as the piecework system.

Piecework means you get paid not by the amount of time you work but the number of operations you complete. This system should be familiar to many of you. As a writer, I get paid per word. The pay is the same whether it takes me 100 or 10 hours to write a 1,000 word article.

My situation is fine bc I get paid enough to eat. But for a garment worker, the pay structure can be peanuts: three cents to sew a zipper or sleeve, five cents for a collar, and seven cents to prepare the top part of a skirt. These are real numbers for LA-based garment workers.

Piecework is how companies skirt minimum wage laws. Among labor organizers, the term "wage theft" refers to the difference between what a worker should have earned under min wage laws and what they actually earned through the piece rate system.

This system is incredibly common. A 2016 UCLA Labor Center study showed the median piece-rate worker in Los Angeles scrapes together $5.15 per hour—less than half the state’s mandated minimum wage. Labor conditions are also very bad: poor ventilation, dusty air, rats and mice.

A Federal Department of Labor investigation the same year found that 85 percent of Los Angeles garment factories were breaking labor laws. In 2016, these violations amounted to $1.3 million in back wages owed to 865 workers in a sample of 77 factories. This is wage theft.

In 2021, labor organizers won a fight to get piecework banned in California. But two years later, it's still incredibly common. I interviewed an LA-based garment worker who toils 12 hrs a day for $50. She sleeps in the corner of a kitchen. From my article in The Nation:

Currently, there's a new fight get piecework banned nationwide through the FABRC Act. I would link, but Twitter throttles threads that have outbound links, so I would prefer if you Google how you can support this legislation. Or follow @GarmentWorkerLA for more info.

The other reason why a "made in USA" tag may not mean much has to do with how the label is applied.

When you see this label inside your garment, what do you assume? Think about this before moving on to the next tweet.

The Federal Trade Commission has pretty strict rules on who gets to apply that label. For clothes, the item has to be cut and sewn in the US using materials that were made in the US. The FTC tries to match its rules with the common understanding of what "made in US" means.

If you're a giant company like Levi's or LL Bean, you may have lawyers who are advising you on these rules. This is why you see labels like "imported," which means the item was made abroad. Or "made in the US from imported materials" when they can't meet the MiUSA standard.

But it's incredibly common for companies to violate FTC rules. In 2022, the FTC fined the pro-Trump brand Lions Not Sheep $211k for labeling their t-shirts "made in USA" when the shirts were actually imported from China and other countries.

The company was basically importing blanks from China, ripping out the "made in China" label, screen printing the shirt in the US, and then applying a new screen-printed "made in US" label. CEO Sean Whalen claimed he was being persecuted for his pro-Trump views.

But the whole thing started bc Whalen made a video about how his customers are price sensitive, so he imports blanks from China. That's what kicked off the FTC investigation. So while this mislabeling is common, it's hard to get caught unless you make a video about your crimes.

The truth is that making a t-shirt in the USA according to FTC standards will result in a relatively expensive garment. Heddels and Velva Sheen both produce shirts in the US from US grown cotton. The first is $26; second is $90 for a two-pack.

Once you add things such as screenprinting—or if you want a more unique cut and not just basic blanks—the costs go up. This is why Bikers for Trump sourced their merch from Haiti. They knew their customers would not pay an extra $8 for true made-in-USA production.

Today, there are countless companies that make merch for other organizations. They source their t-shirts from a variety of places—some made in the US, most not—and then screenprint a design and fulfill orders. This way, the other org doesn't have to do any work but marketing.

When you see a screenprinted t-shirt for $20, ask yourself: Where was the material grown? Where were the yarns spun? Where was the cutting, sewing, and finishing performed? Where was the screenprinted done? What were the wages and labor conditions along these steps?

I'm not a nationalist, so I don't prioritize American jobs over foreign ones. But I do care about fair wages and labor protections. Just because something was made abroad doesn't mean it was made in a sweatshop. Just because it was made in the US doesn't mean fair wages.

Paying more for a garment is also no guarantee of ethical manufacturing. But when the price of a garment is so low, you leave little on the table for workers. Just because you see a $20 t-shirt that says "made in USA" doesn't mean it was made fairly.

Please don't harass the person who posted that original tweet. My intention is not to cause harm or stress for anyone. Only to help shed light on what goes into garment manufacturing, fair labor, and labeling. Hopefully, you will consider these issues when shopping.

For the inevitable question: "How do I make sure my clothes were made ethically?" This is very difficult to answer in a thread. My simplest answer is that we should elect pro-worker politicians, fight for pro-labor laws, and empower unions so workers can advocate for themselves.

--------------------End----------------------

TL; DR: Doesn't matter if it's the US, if it's not union it's probably a sweatshop. And not all merch is priced high because of fair labour conditions (looking at Taylor Swift and Beyoncé). Look for supply chain transparency.