#is it weird that I sew in my underwear

[roboticchibitan]

My mom thinks it's weird that I sew in my underwear sometimes. (I do this when something about my clothes was bothering me because I have the skills to fix them so they stop bothering me and most of the time I'm shirtless or pantsless for less than 2 hours). I don't think it's weird.

To be fair it's a bit risky when you live with people who don't want to see you in your underwear. Today I was in the basement in my boxers mending my pants and my housemate opened the basement door to come investigate the beeping fire alarm we couldn't locate and I had to be like "hey don't come down here I'm in my underwear" cuz while I don't mind if he sees me in my boxers, he minds if he sees me in my boxers. But that's literally the first time this has happened in the 4 years I've lived here.

[generational-atrophy]

hetalia axis & allies (+ canada) xmas headcanons

1.6k words ~ gender neutral headcanons

tw: uhhh christmas obviously. mention of religion and underwear?? uh... i think that's it

a/n: this is my first christmas as a jewish convert so that's been weird. anyway I just wanted something quick, so its mostly a list of gift ideas (:

America

Alfred is SUCH a huge Christmas fan. I mean, canonically he dresses up as Santa, so he goes all out for the entire month of December. He's been working on a huge holiday home display for decades, and it shows.

He plays Santa at his local mall during the weeks leading up to Christmas; and on the night of, he hands out hot cocoa outside his house. It's fun, but it also means he's a little distracted when it comes to you.

What he would get you: Posters of your favourite movies, super comfy pyjamas, expensive figures of characters you like, candy you like but never get for yourself, model planes or Legos for you two to build together, novelty pens, a stupid cowboy costume so you can match <3, those handmade coupons because he 1. Loves you and 2. Forgot about Christmas until yesterday

What he would want: Any video games, Funko Pops, vinyls of music he likes, those big packs of shirts (he is constantly running out of shirts because he rips or irreparably stains them,) Marvel comics, anything with an eagle on it, those mini wacky waving inflatable tube men things, bulk pens and pencils because he also breaks those constantly-

England

Arthur is not big into Christmas and never has been. He'll celebrate with you, but he's not going out when it comes to any aspect. If anything, he finds it a little exhausting getting gifts for everyone

But, he does adore walking around and looking at all the lights. He'll do that a couple times with you in December.

What he would get you: Any novel you’ve mentioned even once, tickets to a concert both of you will enjoy, classy jackets that fit you perfectly, cute keychains, fancy art supplies, fragrances that remind him of you, bags/purses that fit your style, CDs

What he would want: Sewing supplies (thread, new needles, new fabric scissors,) framed photos of the two of you, Doctor Who merch, foreign tea, a book on how to take care of your eyebrows properly (he will not learn otherwise,) slippers, those sarcastic magnets that all millennial women have at least one of, any ridiculous piece of merch with the union jack on it

France

Francis has very mixed feelings about Christmas. On one hand, he hates how consumerist it has become, but on the other hand, nothing makes him happier than seeing the joy the season brings to others.

Plus, he does enjoy giving and receiving presents. The music too? Wonderful. As long as you don't get too stressed out, the holiday should be perfect.

What he would get you: Tons of clothes; stuff that's already your style, and completely new stuff, room decorations (NOT posters,) a reservation at a nice restaurant, bracelets that he made for you, makeup (if you like that kind of thing,) candles that smell like his cologne, CHEESE

What he would want: Fancy fabric, any clothes (he doesn’t care what they are as long as you think they’d look good on him…) paintings or photography, literally ANYTHING creative you’ve made, hair ties (he loses at least 5 a day,) bird stuffed animals, (Basically anything! Francis is not picky)

China

Christmas is a new occurrence for Yao, and he isn't the biggest fan. He'll buy you stuff for it, but he would do that normally. The lights and the music aren't anything special to him either. Basically, he won't celebrate unless you want to.

What he would get you: Elaborate, very expensive jewellery, huge stuff like a car, Chinese cookbooks, traditional clothes that he made specifically to represent you (: luxury handbags (that he got at SUCH a good discount,) tons of weird off-brand merch of your favourite show, probably a nice meal too!

What he would want: Yao is hard to buy for. Soft robes, stuff to help with back pain, face masks, Hello Kitty keychains… reading glasses maybe?

Russia

Although he isn't as excited about Christmas as he is about the New Year, he still loves the holiday. It's a nice excuse to see family, and everyone is just so happy around the season! He's especially excited to celebrate it with you.

He's not the best at giving gifts, but he could be worse. Regardless of whether you like all of it, you're gonna get a lot of stuff.

(Also, he plays Santa for the kids sometimes. It's so cute-)

What he would get you: Random knick-knacks he probably found at a local market, knitted hats and gloves in your favourite colour, a scarf to match his, tickets to go somewhere warm on vacation, stuffed animals! books that made him think of you (usually philosophical or religious novels,) pretty rocks (:

What he would want: SUNFLOWERS! (This works for every occasion,) baked goods, clothes that aren’t 250 years old- new doilies and paintings to decorate his house, pictures of yourself, friendship bracelets, stuffed animals, if you can make a scarf somehow, DO THAT

North Italy

Feliciano cares about Christmas in a more religious way, but he's never mad about getting presents. So, he'll probably spend most of the day in church, but he still did put a lot of effort into getting you stuff you love.

What he would get you: Pajamas & bath robes, shitty romance novels that he wants you to read, weird hand-made knick-knacks, makeup, strange mugs that he found at a thrift store, a painting of you (: probably a pair of his boxers-

What he would want: New paint brushes, novelty pasta shapes, fancy jackets, any art that you’ve made (regardless of quality,) cat stuffed animals, The Ability To Get A Grip, skincare products, shiny garbage (For art purposes, duh,) those handmade coupon things

Germany

Ludwig does not enjoy Christmas particularly. He's terrible at giving gifts but he wants to so desperately that he spends all of winter stressing out about it. Yes, he's excited to see your reaction to his gifts, but at what cost?!

Although he does still like all the decorations at least. Maybe he just likes re-decorating though.

What he would get you: Puzzles you can complete together, soft sweaters, practical stuff you need (like book bags, lens cloths, that kind of thing,) stationery, reservations for private tours at museums you would find interesting, a subscription to whatever silly service you want (:

What he would want: Books about city planning, nerdy card games, a fun lanyard, a new coffee machine, those aroma-therapy diffuser things, household tools like vacuums and stuff (Get him an air fryer. He’s going to be fascinated.) stress balls, pens (He is boring.)

Japan

Kiku really has no particular feelings towards Christmas. If you weren't there, the most he would do was put up a mini tree. He's stressed out by both giving and receiving presents and is only willing to do that kind of thing if you want to.

What he would get you: Electronics, merch of your favourite Sanrio character, books that he thinks you’ll like, stickers, a bento box, comfy sweatpants, cute hairpins, plushies from your favourite media, a bunch of pillows, some obscure Japanese snacks too!

What he would want: Miku figures, posters, video games, manga, general nerdy stuff, history novels (he likes to correct them,) blackout curtains, cute face masks, a Polaroid camera, a guide on socialization (Seriously.) a knit scarf, if you can knit (:

South Italy

Romano desperately wants to care about Jesus more than getting gifts. He's a devout catholic, g*ddamnit! But... he does just really love eating baked goods and getting gifts more than anything. Getting together with family, the music, the lights, he just ADORES the holiday.

What he would get you: Blankets and pillows, your favourite snacks, clothes that are a little more revealing- cruise tickets (if going on wouldn’t be hell for you,) a journal where he wrote down all of the things he loves about you (completely honestly,) religious items, fancy perfumes

What he would want: Paintings from local artists, post-its (so he can finally remember SOMETHING,) anything with the Italian flag on it, stupid bumper stickers, pictures of the other nations that you’ve written insults on, fancy patterned scarves and fabric

Prussia

Like Alfred, Gilbert loves Christmas in a very childish way. He embraces that side of himself during the holidays and he'd love it if you joined him in that. He constantly insists on going out to see the lights, and he just can't get enough of Christmas movies. Even the bad ones (He's a Hallmark girlie.)

What he would get you: A vintage music box, hair dye, DVDs of your favourite movies (just to have,) stationery, random snacks he picked up from a gas station an hour ago, weirdly sentimental jewellery? Vintage journals, pictures of himself

What he would want: Coupons (???) goofy temporary tattoos, metal CDs, tea (he’s weirdly embarrassed about liking tea and doesn’t buy it for himself?) vintage maps that he can frame and hang up, probably like, WD40? DC comics, novelty trophies, Pokemon cards, video games

Canada

More than anything, Matthew loves winter. So, therefore, he loves Christmas! Seeing you smile when you open your gifts, he looks forward to it all season. It seems like the only time of year when everyone else is either as miserable or as happy as he is, so it's his favourite holiday.

Cuddling up in front of the fireplace with hot cocoa, watching some old Christmas movie, its all he wants.

What he would get you: Comfy hoodies, comfy slippers too, hot cocoa packs, big stuff like a new PC or fridge or smth- decorations for your room, face masks, fidget toys, novelty Canadian keychains, figures of your favourite characters, festive sweets (like candy-canes and stuff.)

What he would want: Anything with a maple leaf (yes, he wants MORE of that,) boring stuff like socks, wood-working tools or like a new snow shovel, fairy lights, DVDs (because he still uses them? Why.) a new phone case, gift cards (HES BORING,) pre-packaged crafts, lotion and cologne that smells like pine

merry christmas if you celebrate! this'll probably be the last full thing I post until 2024, so thanks to all you readers for sticking around this year (: you have no idea how much it means to me. i love yall. and to all a good night or whatever santa said

[slightlymediocree]

Documenting one of my projects here!

Im taking an anthropology class called Magic, Witchcraft, and Religion, and our final proj is to present any topic relating to the class in any medium. My topic is Victorian/Edwardian mourning rituals and customs. I chose to recreate an Edwardian (c. 1905-ish) half mourning dress!!

So far, ive went through several rounds of designing and 0 mockups bc i dont have time for that. Im recreating everything using only methods that would have been available at the time. I currently own 2 antique sewing machines from 1911: one hand crank and one treadle. A lot of this project will likely be done by hand because i just enjoy it :)

I'm using a cotton lawn, which, according to Victorian mourning guides, would not have likely been used because the dyed might bleed onto the skin, but I live in a very hot area and will *absolutely not* be wearing wool or silk in 95F weather. The sash is (regrettably) poly taffeta because i dont have the money for silk. Im using snaps and a few vintage buttons for the closures.

Above are pics of some sketches, a blouse fitting, and the belt/sash ive draped. Ive seen similar sashes on lingerie/summer dresses and thought it might be fitting. Taffetta probably wouldve been used towards the end of half mourning according to etiquette books, but ive found extant examples that suggest otherwise. I also found that etiquette rules were a bit more relaxed in Edwardian times compared to Victorian.

I have the skirt and blouse placketts cut out and i need to attatch them. I might add some lace to the cuffs but idk yet. I kinda like the simple short cuffs but a lot of 1905-6 dresses ive seen have large ruffles at the sleeve. I dont really want to make ruffles but they do look cool. I also have a chemise, bustle pad, corset, and petticoat done but i felt weird posting a picture in (Edwardian) underwear, even if it covers much more than our modern underwear.

I will be updating this page and plan to present this project in video format on youtube, ill post a link here once I finish!

Date: 4/19/2024

[mix-of-headcanons]

By pure chance, I discovered @castleaudios some time after basically binging through Willothewispaudio's Ashwood Grove series and I love that Glenwood gives me basically the same vibes.

So now it's time to write about Castle's characters that are my personal favourite. So far I'm very hooked with Genevieve, Beth, Miss Liza, Abby and Rose, and Claire's storylines (I also adore Chloe but I'm not sure if her storyline is over or if she's basically just out of the picture for a bit.)

Disclaimer: These are just personal headcanons that I came up with, of course Castle's word takes precedence over mine should there be any contradicting statements in any of my current or future posts.

Without further delay, let's get right to it!

Beth Headcanons:

With Episode Ties:

[Flashback Episode] Beautiful grabbing her tail sent her into a moment of frenzy because when shifted, she has a specific tickle spot just where her tail meets her spine that makes her go crazy.

Beautiful finds out about this weak spot one time after Beth teasingly pins them down beneath her by sitting on them in her shifted form.

The Seer tries to wiggle their way out, but to no success and instead tried desperately looking for any weak spots to exploit.

Accidentally scratched at the spot and Beth went limp before getting a hold of herself, proceeding to jump off of Beautiful as soon as she got her canine impulses back under control.

[Sick Seer Episode] Stays awake the whole night watching over Beautiful after successfully putting the Seer to sleep.

On a normal day Beth normally would fall right into sleep after Beautiful falls asleep, but whenever her mate is sick she just can't find it in herself to doze off-

Irrational "What-ifs" always going through her mind in times like these.

Only manages to squeeze in a few minutes of shut-eye just after Beautiful wakes up the next day under the guise of "Five more minutes."

[Tailoring Clothes Episode] Beth randomly gifts Beautiful a personalized clothing item after she gets their measurements the first time that the Seer visits the shop.

Crocheting is not her strongest suite, but she did her best to make a hooded poncho for Beautiful on their birthday. With the color palette consisting of the Seer's favorite colors.

Likes to make the clothes she sews for Beautiful be in the Seer's favorite colors.

Always manages to find inconspicuous spots to sew pockets in the said clothes.

On one April Fool's Day, she gifted Beautiful a set of underwear made with lace fabrics just because she was curious about what reaction the Seer would have after unboxing the gift.

[Helping You Sleep Episode] Beautiful found out the hard way that Beth has a weird quirk of balling up in her sleep so the blanket covers her whole body.

Beautiful is abruplty woken up from a dreamless sleep by the feeling of being sweaty.

They immediately throw the blanket off of them and Beth wakes up groggy, grumpy, and disoriented. "You fucked up my cocoon.."

Immediately fell back asleep after those words, without enveloping herself in the blanket.

Woke up feeling weird, and kept feeling weird throughout the day without being able to explain why, because she doesn't remember her blanket cocoon being rudely thrown open by Beautiful.

Beautiful never told her that they accidentally disrupted the cocoon ritual by instinct....

[Reverse Comfort Episode] Beth found that she calms down a lot quicker when Beautiful gently runs a hand through her hair while simultaneously scratching at her scalp with a light pressure.

Prefers to lay her head on Beautiful's lap instead of cuddling when she needs to be calmed down, or reassured.

Sometimes when she's having those days where she's unable to pinpoint what she's upset with, she'll ask Beautiful to read to her.

Beth never stops being shy about asking them to read to her.

No Episode Ties:

Beth may not have a sweet tooth, but she has a thing for savory foods like cinnamon buns, or a chicken burger with just a bit of kick.

Although she likes mild spice, she cannot under any circumstances stomach real spicy food.

She tried for Beautiful once, and ended up spending more time in the bathroom than she'd care to admit.

Has a very wide array of liked music genres

Listens to Lana Del Rey, Conan Grey, Twice, Dreamcatcher, Jazz, Pop-punk, Classical, and sometimes movie or series soundtracks.

Really doesn't vibe with overly convoluted Techno, Phonk, or EDM though.

Has a few Disney guilty pleasure songs known by heart.

Loves I'm Still Here from Treasure Planet

Her and Claire would sing the song like a duet when they have a moment to bond with just themselves.

[sout999]

dear tumblr ,,⋋(•◇•)⋌,,

thank you so much for all the support on my top surgery fundraiser, whether it's donating, reblogging or just staying patient with while i boost the link multiple times. which i am going to keep doing! it's no understatement that this is the single biggest positive thing that's happening in my life, and the time i need your help most. so i'm making my voice heard as much as i possibly can to spread the word, and i appreciate all your help with it. it makes me feel loved as a person and not as a bunch of posts on a dashboard, i've been getting pretty isolated because of mental health stuff so even the small connection we have from your act of goodwill is really meaningful to me

i've been ok, mostly putting in work on my masters degree, although some of the 'work' included having a massive breakdown from months of burnout, and i'm currently in the middle of trying to get an extension and rework a large part of my project. mostly this is due to the subject matter of my work having had a lot of loaded cultural and personal themes, which, when being forced to think about nonstop for two years, while also moving in with the family member who is the source of a large part of all the trauma of it, was just too much. taking a stance to axe the project in its current form was hard and made me feel like a quitter but now i feel relief and realize it was an act of self love as well

so i'm trying to recover from that and see a way forward to a project i would like doing, but it's hard when your circumstances have left you this depressed. i'm also trying to become more mindful of the way i use social media because when i'm anxious i fall very easily into the numbness sink of scrolling social media just to avoid thinking... i've stared a daily list of Ten Things That Happened That Day That Didn't Happen On The Internet, although i never get to ten, and i dont think even pre-internet leon would have gotten to ten, but it's good to aim high and take notice even of the little things. maybe to some people this comes naturally but i have to be very deliberate about it. i think this article sums up how im starting to feel about the internet rn

i've cut most personal spending down as much as possible to save up to my top surgery, so i have to find fun things to do that don't cost money. i'm trying to sew because my partner knows a lot about it and can teach me (i'm currently trying to engineer the perfect underwear, weird hobby but it's actually an amazing dysphoria-buster because most store bought underwear that fits my ass is so feminine, to be able to make a piece of something so intimate be so personal is, omg, an act, of, omg, self love). i've also sold off some things to help save for my top surgery and doctor visits, i'm trying to not get rid of anything i will really miss but it's also an enjoyable feeling to imagine the item disappearing as it becoming a permanent part of my history and of my sexy flat boy body (~o_o)~

if i end up having some free time outside of my masters degree, my current dream project is making pixel assets. i think with all the cases of my art getting stolen and used without permission it would actually be really cool to put something together specifically for public use. i miss kaoani and flower banners and stuff. i dont know if i can ever make something so saccharinely cute and tidy but if anything it's a nice space to visit

did you miss me coming to tumblr to make long winded posts about nothing? hopefully when twitter falls we will all be on here reading each others paragraphs, hopefully i'll have more going on in my life and can write even longer ones. here is a nice drawing, and a link to the fundraiser once again :)

https://gofund.me/958124b6

[kazooie]

Need to rant a little, sorry for jumping from topic to topic.

Something tall people don't think have to about is how fast gaining weight affects you when you're short, I'm 116kg, for an average height that wouldn't be bad at all, but I'm so obese I can't reach my own ass. Like even gaining one kilogram feels super noticeable and uncomfortable, it sucks!

I don't dislike being fat aesthetically, I actually think I'm cute as hell, but my god it only takes like 5kg to go from "fat but mobile" to "I can't walk without my back killing me and I need help bathing or its exhausting."

For the record I'm 4'11, and I feel like none of this would be such a big problem if I had easy access to mobility aids and help but I have to apply for these things first, and they often require me to do things I physically can't do, and they might still deny me the help I need, or atleast not be able to provide what I need.

A lot of the help and aids short, fat disabled people need just don't exist, they don't make things for short fat people, they make things for fat tall people. My walker, which has a seat on it, was the lowest one to the ground they had, the height is right, but I can't sit in it, I get stuck! And it's super embarrassing! So more often than not I just suffer until I find a bench, and I do mean I suffer, my sacrum(the weird bone a true end of your spine in your pelvis) has damage from my rheumatoid arthritis, on most days I can't stand for more than 10 minutes before it hurts too much, it's like bone grinding on bone. But in public I am so scared of ridicule from being seen getting stuck in my walker, that I just choose to suffer, which ends in me just not leaving the house in the first place because I can't handle the pain.

It's the same with plus size clothes, they're always too long, because they think being big also = being tall, I can't go clothes shopping because nothing fits and I don't have the means to modify clothes I buy, can't sew because of my rheumatoid arthritis, can't afford a tailor, etc. So I wear the same clothes every day until they wear out, which is once again humiliating when people notice there's holes in my clothes, or stains I couldn't get out.

Even underwear is a problem, I have to stretch new undies when I buy them because if I buy a bigger size they come up to my chest! It's more comfortable to buy a smaller size and stretch them out, but that means the elastic doesn't last as long and it's just frustrating and dumb.

Being fat is so incredibly difficult, and unfair, and humiliating, dehumanizing. Being short and fat is just even more difficult in some ways.

It's hard to have this conversation, because I'm sure I'm not alone in worrying that it sounds dismissive of average/tall fat people. This conversation should never mean "tall fat people have it easy", that is NOT what this is about. This is about the unique challenges short fat people face every day, I just don't see anyone talking about it ever and I feel like no one cares about us, even in fat positive communities, we either don't get to have our say about how some of our needs and problems are different and aren't being addressed, or we do have our say and get told by tall people "yeah well it's hard for us too!"

We know! We should be talking about it together.

[eldritchmochi]

4 and 5 for the fashion asks!!

4. peices in still looking for

uuuuh honestly at this point its a lot of "basics but they fit"; since starting t ive bulked up a LOT and many of my foundational peices just. don't fit lol, so im on the hunt for a plain black babydoll T-shirt with my preferred collar, as well as plain black skirts in my preferred lengths and styles. beyond that, i need some proper lolita blouses to round out my wardrobe (for what fits still rip), and like. shorts lmao i only got thru this past summer because of those linen joggers i got. i am also watching for another plain black mens dress vest so i can use the (beat up) one i already have as a base for a formal battle vest. i have just So Many plans for dresses to sew based off of some of my favorites that i will never find again in my new size. i also have my eye on this bullet bra pantie girdle set 👀

as far as Specific Peices, i desperately want horror candy shop, halloween treats, and holy lantern in orange, because the ONLY ap i care about is The Spoopy Orange dresses lmao

(i also want to try out meta's lovely sized basically anything, gimme some of them blouses and also sum old school leaning jsks, but i dont have my eye on anything specific)

5. pieces i regret buying

god so many. i have learned the hard way that i just have too much ass for most pants, mens or womens. there are some things that i can get away with but nothing fits quite right without altering, and so its like, the torrid bombshell skinnies and the disturbia tapered trousers (but only if im prepared for the possibility of A Slight Wedgie because theyre not quite consistent across the different items) and even then theres an 90% chance that theyll be too short 🫠

besides that, theres this black swing skirt i got with suspender straps that was very cute and comfy *except* i have incredibly narrow shoulders so the straps would NOT stay up. then theres this killstar hoodie that is rad as fuck but doesnt actually have shoulders? its this weird trapezoid shape up into where the collar of the hood is and it is such a sensory nightmare to wear (and yet its still in my closet). u can also add every pair of underwear ive bought since 2020, because for some reason it is IMPOSSIBLE to find anything in any of the styles i like that i can actually wear high enough to not show my entire ass, where it doesnt also just disappear up my asshole

clothes are hard 🫠🫠

like these questions? ask me more!! heres the ask meme!!

[garaksapprentice]

New Post: Turning bedsheets into a wardrobe and other op shop thoughts

Originally posted on my blog: https://garaksapprentice.blogspot.com/2023/09/turning-bedsheets-into-wardrobe.html

The Dilemma

When it comes to my clothes, I'm a remarkably lazy snob.

I want things that fit well. (This isn't an unreasonable thing to want, I feel.) I want comfortable fabrics that breathe, and don't end up smelling like a billy goat slept on them. (I swear, since starting T, I strip my shirts more often than I ever had to strip the cloth nappies.)

I want colours - black and white and grey don't count - that don't make me look dead. (When did all the t-shirts in the men's section become navy and olive?) And I want them to last longer than six months before they start a part-time internship in the mending box.

(The pile doth wax and the pile doth wane, but there's always a bloody pile.)

This short list is surprisingly difficult to achieve, off the rack. Anything that fits my shoulders won't fit my chest, and vice versa. The armscye is usually either comically large, or too small to fit my biceps. And pants? Let's just not go there. (Belts help. Kind of.)

I really dislike how polyester and other synthetics breathe (they don't), so I avoid them whenever I can. It's getting much harder to find clothes made of 100% natural fibres, whether new or second-hand.

Colours I have slightly more luck with - or I would, if the first two things didn't get in the way. Longevity is always an utter crapshoot. (Though I've found that wovens last longer than t-shirts.)

The Solution

Luckily, I know how to sew. I used to do it for a living. (Not clothes, mind - baby carriers. More structural, less technically complex.) My possess all the basic tools, a few of the extras, and a reasonable set of skills.

(I've been making clothes for the kids for years - they care a lot less about style and fit. And skirts are easy.)

So I'm taking a two-pronged approach to this dilemma. I'm practicing making things I actually like and will wear, and religiously patching my current wardrobe while I make replacements.

Making clothes, naturally, requires material. So instead of going to the op shop for clothes, I'm going for fabric. (I stopped buying new years ago, except for underwear, shoes, and the occasional really high quality item from places that at least pretend to pay their garment workers.) But my favourite deal-hunting section isn't sewing/craft - it's the linens.

Wait, what? Why?

Thrift store fabrics usually can't tell you what they're made from. (The staff get narky when you try to burn test the goods, sadly.) Plus there's just not that much of it. Bedding, tablecloths etc are donated far more frequently, and often still have their tags on them.

Now, you do have check for wear. Some donations look brand new, some have had a long life already. Check for pilling or thinner areas, especially in the middle of bedsheets (fitted ones are worse for this than flats). It's easier if you can hold things up to the light. Usually things in worse condition will be priced lower, but not always.

Why not buy clothes six sizes too large and chop them up to make new stuff?

I mean, you can. It's certainly a common choice, what with all the "thrift upcycle/refashion" videos and blogs and such out there dedicated to it. I personally don't, for the following reasons.

Care for people: I take the permaculture ethics seriously.

Have you ever really looked at the racks in an op shop? Piles of sizes S-L, much less outside of that. The bigger your meatsuit, the harder it is to find things that have a hope of fitting. Too bad if you hate stripes, or the fabric is itchy - if there's only two things in your size, then that's the choice you have. It sucks. (I am in no way body shaming here. Bodies do a lot of hard work for the people who live in them, and no one gets to judge anyone else's.)

I'm both outside the common sizes, and a weird enough shape to have trouble besides. And I've been broke enough that op shop clothes were a necessity, not a choice. I know what it's like to have to take what I could get as long as it fit "enough".

To me it is deeply unethical to take the few decent garments that are available for plus sized people, chop them up, and make something for me to wear out of them, when I can just as easily start with a sheet or a table cloth and achieve a similar result.

Efficient energy planning: I have limited time and brainpower available, and sometimes my executive dysfunction is bad. Like, "I'm eating peanut butter out of the jar for dinner because my brain has stopped" levels of bad.

Cutting up a garment, taking off buttons, and so on, adds several extra steps to a sewing project. Sometimes that's fine - in those situations, I have plenty of old clothes in the stash. More often, though, those extra steps completely derail me.

So I find it easier to start a project with what is essentially yardage. Even when I have to cut around stains, rips, or worn spots, it uses less cognitive capacity.

I also prefer rectangularly cut garments, and zero waste patterns that have you draw directly onto the fabric. These work better on something that started out life as a rectangle.

Use biological resources: Natural fibres are renewable. Mined ones are not. Where I can, I use the former. That's not to say I never use things with synthetic content - it's technically possible, but in practice hard as hell.

Produce no waste: I've still got a sizeable stash of acrylic knitting yarns, plus other bits and bobs, hanging around from before I made this commitment. Throwing them out or donating them (ie making them someone else's problem) won't actually fix things; I simply use them in appropriate projects, and when I replace them, I do so with things that fit my current ethical stance and needs.

But sheets are all plain white and boring!

I can see why you might think that. TV has done a lot of false advertising on that point. It is false. Trust me.

(Ignore the movies. Real sheets come in just about every colour you can think of.)

But, I know not everyone likes plain colours. What if you're madly in love with prints, or shirts with witty slogans on them? Well, besides the growing number of fancy sheets out there, might I interest you in the doona covers?

(The top right and bottom left are ex-doona covers. The rest are sheets.)

Or the fine art of embroidery?

(I shall have the most glorious shirt sleeves when I finish embroidering them.)

Or fabric painting?

(This is technically a mend, but I totally plan on doing similar to brand new things I make.)

Or the many different styles of natural dyeing?

(Soursobs from the local park, gently turning into dye liquor for some dyeing experiments.)

Or, if you've got lots of smaller or oddly shaped pieces of fabric hanging around, maybe some patchwork (all YouTube links)? It's not just coats and dressing gowns, either - you can patchwork jeans, trousers, dresses, shirts and more.

The point here is that fabric (and buttons, zips, thread, etc) doesn't have to be a thing you buy brand new. With time, patience, and a bit of luck, you can find everything you need to create great things second hand.

(Maybe I'll write a future post breaking down the costs of some of the things I've made...)

[kittishog-nosedbat]

ok i know some of my irl friends follow me on here so if one of them sees this congrats but like would it be weird to ask some of my irl friends if i can like. practice my sewing skills by making them stuff. specifically i want to get better at drafting patterns for people who aren’t myself, but like the part where i feel like it could be weird is i want to learn how to make lingerie/underwear. i don’t want to make them uncomfortable by being like ‘hey can i give you lingerie that i made specifically for you but in a friend kind of a way? and then see how it looks and if it fits properly? this means nothing btw unless you want it to mean something’

[slowtides]

Thoughts on learning new hobbies versus relearning old hobbies? Versus the body

I’m currently working on three different hobbies: cello (relearn), photography (new casual fun), and sewing/quilting (in progress serious fun)

I’m excited about all three of them and enjoying them. But I’ve found relearning the cello much more difficult than learning sewing/quilting, purely from a bodily standpoint.

Like, I still have most of my music reading ability (although I think I need glasses because holy shit my eyes are so much weaker than I realized). But my left hand technique is sloppy (although my vibrato is still lovely) and my right hand/arm technique is killing me. And like, I learned all of these things before and drilled them over and over, and I can see what I’m doing wrong. But like my body is different now and holding my back and arms and shoulders and neck a certain way is just hard. Especially because it’s like my body is trying to compensate for muscle weakness.

So even though my music reading ability and general knowledge of technique and music is pretty advanced, I have to basically start over with a lot of technique just to rebuild strength. It’s fun but frustrating too. And all this to say I think I need a teacher who can adjust my arms and hands and fingers because I get lost in the music and can’t self correct at this point unless it’s intonation or a mistake.

Sewing and quilting is mostly rough on my my back, because I’m still finding the opportune space to sew and figuring out heights for my own comfort. But like I’ve also realized I think I need glasses for this too because my eyes feel so weak in the dim light which is so weird but it is what it is. I’m really enjoying it though. I’m fixing all my old underwear and clothes, and then I’m going to finish hand quilting my wall quilt so I can show it to my grandmother.

Photography is mostly just for documentation and memory. I’m not interested in the technical side—just the fun and pretty side.

Anyway. Just some insight into my life outside of working.

[lambydoesntrllyexist]

is it considered art if i sew (clean) old underwear fabric onto a t-shirt in letters reading "I AM SYNTHETIC. I AM DIRT. I AM FEAR." as a representation of how fucking afraid and disgusted people are of Female Sexuality and Woman Being Sexual, Seeing it as something that is Dirty and Forbidden and Not To Be Seen. Not even daring to say the word Vagina (the proper medical term), how a lot of people are uncomfortable with talking about periods etc.. and the back reads "RUN AWAY, LITTLE BITCH BOY" or is it too weird and disgusting? Well, that's the point.

anyway where is my sewing kit

[evilwife777]

hey i think ppl r being a bit obtuse for no reason about yr Halloween post idgi but yea im personally against women sexualizing themselves, like im not even okay with a lot of cosplay bc the reference characters are literal pornographic male fantasies. conventions make me really uncomfortable because nearly all the female cosplayers are in what amounts to underwear. i understand the desire to sexualize yourself in exchange for the validation it brings, even i feel the pressure, but i try to remind myself that this isnt an expression of /my/ sexuality, what /i/ like, posing /myself/ as the subject instead of the object. it's the opposite: im embodying the dominant society's (male-centric) sexuality, im becoming the object for men as subjects to act upon. i stopped dressing up when i stopped trick or treating, but the costumes i always find most impressive are the ones that are painstakingly handmade. unsurprisingly, i feel the same way about cosplay lol. sexy cat? lame. sexy catwoman costume you sewed yourself? ill give you a pass bc damn its tough to make a catsuit out of anything other than four way stretch. anywaysssssssss thats just my two sense <3 im sorry some ppl r being weird about the post =_=

bro i love you thank you 😭 i agree and tbh a lot of the responses to the post just reminded me why ive been in and out of the radfem community for YEARS like literally 9 years - bc people misinterpret me and i feel condescended to a lot of the time when probably a lot of it just comes down to my typing style and the details i choose to include and exclude. they prob mean well but it’s a bit frustrating

and yes exactly!! ive become disgusted with like the cheap validation from m*n and my costume this year is definitely a little sexy but i also literally made it by hand and that part, to me, deserves respect. also it’s like…i am fully aware that attention from men means nothing but anything i add to that will come off as an excuse and i hate seeing other radfems make excuses for what they know is just pandering so i can’t even rly respond how i want to. anyways yes ive never been much into anime but i see how the women are treated and sexualized and simultaneously infantilized and it’s actually revolting. anyways i rly love you for your ask and i know nuance is not this community’s strong suit lmao for reasons i genuinely do understand but when you’re the one experiencing everyone being weird towards you it’s like ok anyways. but thank you <3

[myvaginacalledmehomo-blog]

this. this with malfoys and potters too.

In drarry fics where draco is all poor sewing his torn underwears and making his own shampoo from stealing people's garden herbs just cus malfoys "lose money" in war reparations or draco selling his body in red-light area cus he can't get a job in Wizarding world and stuff.

Malfoys are billionaire status. And they have their secret muggle relations as well for the shady money. Lucius Malfoy went to fucking Azkaban at the end of ootp and it didn't so as touch the other family members. Had voldie not decided to stay in the Manor draco and narcissa would still be thriving with Malfoy and cissy's part of Black inheritance in draco and narcissa's name(which draco later did after the war as it's mentioned he never ended up having a job)

and i say this while hypocritically reading the same fics where draco is dirt poor living on harry's mercy dickriding his way through life lol but still

it's just weird why people don't realize harry suddenly being the richest recluse by doing some nude photoshoots after the war and draco not even having money for tonight's dinner is their own ✨wishful fantasy✨ even in fanon world. Again not yucking on someone's yum cus it is very well my yum lol just that new money and old money are nowhere near equal.

Need people to understand potters were new money and blacks were old money. They're not the same type of rich.

[daboyau]

Aha! Here is the disco prompt fill! Hope you like it!

@boots-with-the-fur-club

@tmntaucompetition

It starts with a picture. Leo finds it while on the hunt for a pair of their dad’s ratty (ha) old (haha) underwear he can pelt Donnie with. Instead, he emerges from the bedroom looking some odd cross between disgusted and wonderstruck with the time faded polaroid held carefully in his hands. He barely flinches when Mikey pops out from behind a corner to nail him in the cheek with a moldy grape, too entranced by the captured moment he holds. 

“I think you guys should see this!” he calls as he reaches the atrium, voice hollow and serious sounding as it echoes back to him. Raph sits up from where he’d been lounging on the sofa with strict instructions to let him rest instead of pulling him into their play fighting, brow already creased with worry. Mikey and Donnie emerge from their hiding places, hesitantly, like they’re uncertain if this is a trick or not. Leo shakes his head minutely at them, and lifts the photo in his hands a bit so they can see he’s not holding anything he could throw. Thus assured, they gather, wary and worried by his change in demeanor. 

“I can’t believe it,” Leo whispers, expression stricken, wide eyes still trained on the picture. He can’t seem to look away. The others shuffle forward, morbidly curious.

“What is it?” Mikey asks, his voice barely above a whisper. Leo sighs heavily, then flips the photo so they can see. 

“We were betrayed! Deprived! Dad was into disco and he never told us!” he cries, no longer able to hide his big grin.  His brothers all groan, but they lean in closer to get a better look. 

“Sometimes I still can’t believe that pops really used to dress like that,” Raph says with a fond little grin. Their dad is on some sort of lit up dance floor, hip cocked and one finger held high in the air. It’s hard to see his features with all the weird lighting and the age of the polaroid, but the big hair and wide smile are unmistakable.

“He looks like the emoji!” Mikey laughs, copying the pose. 

“His sense of style has really degraded over the years,” Donnie laments as a magnifying glass is pulled from his battle shell. He leans closer to try to get a better look at the details on their dad’s sparkling white and blue jumpsuit. Mikey and Raph both crowd him, pressed almost cheek to cheek in their eagerness to see as well. 

Leo gives it three seconds, and just before Donnie reaches his limit for physical contact he yanks the picture away with a dramatic flourish. 

“Ah ah! No need, my brethren! We’re gonna get to see it in person! Donnie, get your sewing machine. Mikey, you’re on snack detail. Raph, go get some streamers and glitter. I’ll handle the rest.”

“Right!” they chorus, big grins all around, and then disappear in a burst of unnecessarily nice smelling smoke. Mmm, lavender. That’s probably one of the smoke bombs Donnie made for Raph, only to be used during dramatic exits.

Leo spins in place, giddy at the thought that by the time dad gets home from his supply run, they’ll have things all set up. It’s a crime that Lou Jitsu would never again be seen dancing in a sparkly jumpsuit again, but Splinter would still get to live out his glory days. Disco ball and all. 

He’d have to settle for dancing with his sons instead of pretty human girls, though. 

With another laugh, Leo follows in his brothers’ footsteps and rushes off to start gathering what they’ll need to give their dad the best night of his life!

[alsjeblieft-zeg]

499 of 2023

Blueberry pancakes are soo much better then chocolate chip ones. I’ve changed diapers so many times before I don’t even mind it anymore. There’s a hammock in my back yard. I prefer to hear the truth, no matter how mean it is. I wish I could go out with Jude Law. Just the thought of fish makes me feel like throwing up. I have a huge garden with lots of flowers. Designer labels don’t matter. The last person I spoke to over IM is really annoying I’ve never given up on anything before. I have been judged by my skin colour before. There’s a certain friend who always ditches me for their bf/gf. I’m dating the last person I texted. It’s ‘coloUr’, not ‘color’ I don’t think I’d survive without my favourite hoody.

After reading for hours on end my head starts to hurt and I feel drowsy. I think one of the most mundane tasks is drying my hair after a shower. When I find a new song I like it isn’t unusual for me to listen to it on repeat for an hour. If I could live in yoga pants, I would. I’m scared that I’ll never get out to see as much of the world as I want to. I absolutely love the smell of fresh laundry. I like to drink milk with dinner more than any other beverage. I plug my cell phone in to charge every night I had to take cooking, sewing, metal shop, and wood shop in high school. I always roll my eyes when I see something political on Facebook. The underwear I have on right now is brightly colored. The sound of birds chirping in the morning is one of the most annoying sounds to wake up to. I have never dropped my cell phone in the toilet. I’m more tired than usual right now. I love gummy candy. Sometimes when I get extremely bored it puts me in a really bad mood. I pretty much know nothing about cars and how they work. I like to buy things for other people, but I rarely have the money for it. I never sing in the shower. I hate it when I have something to rant about but no survey questions ask me anything related to it. I get really sick of seeing the same questions on a lot surveys. Songs don’t make me cry. [most songs] Many of my dreams are neither good nor bad, they’re just weird. I have a lot of phrases that I like to use and I don’t know why. I cannot stand being too hot. It’s one of my least favorite things. I call my friends booboo quite frequently. I would consider myself to be open-minded. I don’t like Zooey Deschanel. I currently have a bruise.

[packer-review]

Axolom Stp Jockstrap

@axolom

Size: medium

Comfortableness: Good

Price: $18.90 (I got them on sale for $14.90)

Rating: I like it :)

I got this a couple months ago and it has been my regular for packing. I have not gotten the chance to use it with the stp function so I will edit this and repost it with more info. I would originally pack with a pouch I sewed myself but wanted something to help keep my packer in place while I wear looser boxers. I am usually a medium in boxers but I know that some of their other products run small. To me it felt more true to size since it lets the cheeks out.

There are 2 ways I have packed with this using axolom’s au natural:

1. With the shaft of the packer in the o-ring so the back is against me. This is how I first started out packing with it. It made me feel a lot more connected to my packer this way.

2. The packer in the button pouch. I did this when I still wanted it secure but not up against me.

Both are very secure in keeping the packer in place. It has never fallen out for me or shifted weird everything is locked in there. It is a great option for anyone who doesn’t mind wearing something under their boxers and needs a sure way nothing will fall out.

This is a comfortable jockstrap, although this is my first one. I usually wear it all day and feel great and confident. At first the butt straps were a little uncomfortable but after regular use this is one of my favorite ways to pack. The only downside is sometimes having 2 waistbands feels like too much.

This is the second product I have purchased from Axolom and won’t be the last. The label is discrete and the packaging is super cool. I still have the box it came in and I love the axolotl logo. Another plus, more affordable than some of the other brands I’ve seen out there.

If anyone has any questions feel free to comment or send an ask.