Nesting Dolls of Science

You know what the best part about this challenge has been so far?   By not shopping this week, my brain is like "Girl, you are crushing this challenge!"   So, I could passively go through a year of not buying clothes and feel good about myself!   BOOM.   But here’s the thing:   looking forward, I'm going to need to do some serious wardrobe consideration.   My jeans are quite a few years old and wearing out in places.   I had a baby a year ago so my body is still changing.   I'm also trying to be more active, so yeah it's going to keep changing.   Plus, I'm rocking the tail end of my 20's, therefore weddings.   Always.   I have three invites for this year alone (one my daughter is going to be a flower girl, exciting!) Basically, the goal for this week was to sit down and figure a few things out. Define my personal style. What pieces do I need? What pieces do I want? How do I get those pieces? STEP NUMBER FUN:   D...

I think the word I want to use as my mantra this year is Sustainable. Not just in the green sense of the word, but maintaining good habits. All holiday, my heart has been breaking over new about wildfires in Australia and it reminds me that the new reality here in California is the same with semi annual wildfires.  I want to make changes to help the environment, but they need to be sustainable as well as sustainable...oh man that wordplay cuts me deep. Anyway, I started with some soul searching. A few changes I've already made are to use period panties and menstrual cups. I also started using a reusable straw a little last year, but maintaining that habit has proven tricky. I also was using an imperfect produce system, but we weren't eating stuff fast enough due to time constraints. There's also other changes I could make, but here's the thing: a lot of the rhetoric around sustainable lifestyles is changing habits and they ignore the privilege that involves. As a parent...

Look at me, progressing with actually sewing something!  I think the moral of my story is have someone to keep you accountable, like a mom.  Every mom needs a mom. This was my daughter's first time in the magical place that is Joann's Fabric, and it turns out my kid as she is right now rocks at errands.  Frankly, she's more patient than me.  I don't think it hurts that she was complimented by I think just about everyone.  I had done some research on Joanns.com before we went to the store, so that is a huge plus.  I knew I wanted some light weight fabric for the peplum top and something kind of linen-y for the playsuit. I knew white withe some kind of embroidery was what I wanted for the top, but I hadn't decided what it would look like, and I saw some navy light weight embroidered fabric that I fell madly in love with.  The issue was that fabric was not really in the direction that worked best for the pattern, so I landed on this floral embroidere...

Monday:   Seamwork Jane tie front shirt in blue stripes from Joann's No photo, busy day You know what I find interesting: I have been on Instagram looking at outfits for other sewists rocking their #mmmay looks, and I have been reusing so many pieces this year.  I am super impressed with those who can make and wear a whole bunch of stuff, but my time right now does not allow it.  And you know what: I'm actually really happy with the repeats.  I feel like I haven't styled them the exact same way every time, like trying out different bottoms with the tops or different accessories.  I think, however, that I do need to branch outside of jeans a little and mix up skirts some more.  I think, especially at this time of year for teachers, it is super easy to get caught doing the same look. Tuesday:   Butterick slacks by mom in grey stretch from Joann's Again, no photo, busy day.  Again, I wish these pants had pockets, but I'm really feeling how I c...

My final stages of getting excited and prepping and drawing to a close.  My mom made some dresses and they have been hemmed, I'm snipping loose threads from my new skirt and ironing some other stuff to prep for this month.  I'm actually becoming excited, and it's all thanks to elasticated waistbands and dresses. Dude, straight talk: I'm in love with elastic waistbands in clothing.  Luckily, I've made a ton of skirts with them as a main feature over the past few years. Now you may be thinking: where did this sudden epiphany come from?  I've been transitioned into maternity pants now for about a month and my bump has just gotten to the point where I really can't wear anything but maternity pants.  The only downside is a maternity pant with panels kind of tends to slide down and can get awfully uncomfortable throughout the day.  Luckily, I know have lots of elastic waistband skirts thanks to making them throughout the year (and when they stretch out, I'...

What Went Right: I wore handmade clothing 26/31 days in May!  I wore the first dress and first button down I ever made.  I didn't repeat too many outfits, which is big for me in general.  I think this month of focusing on what I was wearing and what it looked like helped me define my style in a far more sophisticated way.  I don't think I would have ever called anything about myself sophisticated, but there you have it.  I think it inspired me to push for more fashion risks, which is another sentence I thought I would never say. I made more clothing this month than throughout the rest of this year.  It took me MONTHS to make a dress, and within May I made a skirt, a top, redid a sweater and a t-shirt and finished a knit sweater vest.  Now, when I look at this, it does not look prolific, but when you think about how much work I was doing at school and how busy spring weekends can be, I'm pretty happy with it.  And I'm hoping that inspiration will...

This is strange for me to write, because I will never admit it aloud to anyone no matter the physical cost, but I am very much like my mother.   Not to say this a bad thing.   My mother is warm and strong, the epitome of a Midwestern turned Californian transplant.   I am so happy to be her daughter.   However, we have definitely had our moments of conflict.   Recently, I talked to her about it, and she said, “I don’t remember us fighting much.” “But don’t you remember when I made you so mad you cried?” “When was that?” “I was in high school.” She looked at me as if I was tap dancing in a tutu, which I would never do. “Really?   I don’t remember that.” I think this proves the strength of my mother’s selective memory.   I also recall our yelling battles when I returned home from college for more than two days, when I started coming home most weekends when my now fiancé and I were dating, when I intro...

Monday:  (No IG post) Raglan T Tuesday:(No IG post) Jane T-shirt Wednesday: (No IG post) Rae Skirt in rust colored poppies Reflections: This was just a piece of the month, but it was also the final week of school, so documentation did not happen.  I think the big thing I decided was how much more important just wearing the clothes that I made was to me than to post photos.  Any teacher can tell you this is a tough week.  You're just trying to make it to the end.  But now it's over, which means more sewing!  Look for those posts as they come through.  Also, this will be short because I've made a full project reflection that I'll post during the week.  Let me just tell you what to look forward to: -Posts about sewing projects -A hair style post.  No, really, this will happen. -More We Make Stuff posts -Yard updates So, keep posted.  I'm thinking I'll stay with the Sunday post date, but it may be more frequent as it is summer. ...

Sunday:  (No IG post) Hayden top from Seamwork, see previous posts Monday:  Upcycled Old Navy top Tuesday: Jane Seamwork Top Wednesday: Colette Violet top under Sewaholic Fraser sweatshirt Thursday: Nope Friday: Nope Saturday: Nope Sunday: (No IG post) Hayden top Reflection: This week, I did what I previously thought was impossible: I think I figured out my style.  I'm casual.  The best fit for my style seem to be Seamwork patterns.  I love the magazine, and the basics provided are a stylish basis to grow an outfit via fun fabric choices.  The Hayden top is becoming my go-to dress it up or dress it down look.  There will be more, and I have a Sorbetto top cut out with a big plan for it.  (To come later in its own post). I completely agree with So, Zo on the toughest part of the project:  posting.  I feel like a terrible Millienial because I didn't like posting a photo of myself on Instagram.  I began to really fa...