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* OUR DIY WEDDING
September 9, 2016.Reading time 9 minutes.
* THE FABRIC SHOPPING TRAP // WHY BUYING LESS FABRIC IS GOOD FOR YOUR MIND (AND
THE ENVIRONMENT)
April 29, 2020.Reading time 11 minutes.
* AUTUMNAL FLORENCE DRESS
November 18, 2018.Reading time 3 minutes.
* THE IMPACT OF SEWING ON BODY IMAGE
July 13, 2018.Reading time 20 minutes.
* FEELING GREAT IN MIA JEANS & CARME BLOUSE
July 9, 2018.Reading time 7 minutes.
* NEW! DOGGIE DIYS – LET’S START WITH MAKING YOUR OWN DOG TOYS!
May 7, 2017.Reading time 2 minutes.
* NEW PATTERN: HELLO, KEIRA CARDIGAN!
October 18, 2016.Reading time 4 minutes.
* 6 REASONS WHY SEWING BENEFITS YOUR MENTAL HEALTH
October 12, 2016.Reading time 13 minutes.
* HONEYMOON MAXI DRESS
September 27, 2016.Reading time 4 minutes.
* RECYCLED DENIM BEANIE (FREE PATTERN + WOOL AND THE GANG GIVEAWAY!)
September 23, 2016.Reading time 7 minutes.
* OUR DIY WEDDING
September 9, 2016.Reading time 9 minutes.
* THE FABRIC SHOPPING TRAP // WHY BUYING LESS FABRIC IS GOOD FOR YOUR MIND (AND
THE ENVIRONMENT)
April 29, 2020.Reading time 11 minutes.
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WE HAVE A NEW TEAM MEMBER!
April 28, 2021.Reading time less than 1 minute.
Hi! It’s been a while!
In case you’ve been wondering why This Blog has been dormant for quite a while
now: We’ve been prepring our cutest DIY project ever!
We welcomed our little wonder earlier this year and are completely overwhelmed
with joy and love.
I thought I’d quickly pop in from maternity leave to let you guys know we still
exist, but are currently pretty busy doing other things! Don’t worry, I will be
back blogging and sharing projects in the near future.
See you soon & happy sewing!
xx
Charlie
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Happy sewing!
♥
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THE FABRIC SHOPPING TRAP // WHY BUYING LESS FABRIC IS GOOD FOR YOUR MIND (AND
THE ENVIRONMENT)
April 29, 2020.Reading time 11 minutes.
When I’m not sitting behind the sewing machine, I work full-time as a
psychologist. This is why I every once in a while share a mental health-related
post on this blog. Please grab a coffee and join the conversation!
***
Which one of you considers themselves a hoarder? An addict?
Add the word fabric and I’m all in.
I’m definitely guilty of having a slightly unhealthy relationship with buying
fabrics. I have all the cute postcards, signs and coffee mugs about how fun my
fabric shopping addiction is.
Fabric shopping is amazing: I get home from a long and exhausting day at work. I
could sew now to feel relaxed, empowered, fulfilled and productive and just
generally good about myself. Instead I decide to flop on the couch with a glass
of wine, get inspired by Instagram makers, feel bad about neglecting my hobby
and then decide to check out some cute fabric online shops for a little
inspiration. Browsing through endless creative possibilities I finally feel
connected to my favourite pastime again, I get the happy sewing feels, I get a
rush and decide to spend just a little more than I planned to spend after I
decided to skip not spending anything altogether. Seeing the order hitting my
inbox makes me happy. I will sew again, very soon, I promise.
FABRIC SHOPPING – IT’S A TRAP!
Our brain makes us feel happy when we shop. When we buy ourselves things our
brain’s reward centre jumps into action and releases neurotransmitters like
dopamine, that makes us feel good about what we just did and makes it more
likely that we’ll do it again. Like when eating chocolate, or having sex. (Or
taking drugs.)
Dopamine isn’t just released when we get a reward, but it’s also actually
released in anticipation of a reward. Thus enters the joy of online shopping.
It’s TWICE THE FUN! A couple of clicks and we get ourselves a double dopamine
hit! First, when we order and second, when our order finally arrives in the
mail. So in a way, online shopping isn’t only easily accessible it’s more
exciting for our brain than shopping in person.
Finishing a project or buying fabric both triggers a dopamine response reward.
This is the reason why fabric shopping feels just as fun as sewing itself. It’s
a pretty good substitute in the short term. But that’s about it. It’s a trick of
the mind, and induces the feeling that we’re doing something for our hobbies,
when we’re actually just lying on the couch stressed-out and scrolling through
online shops. It gives us pleasure, we feel connected to our hobby without
actually engaging in it. So it feels like a pretty good alternative when we
can’t muster the energy to get immersed in a project.
> Shopping for our hobby can feel like a pretty smart shortcut to calming our
> conscience, upping our mojo, feeling creative and engaged
Problem is, this only lasts for a pretty short time. Long-term – that’s not hard
to guess – it doesn’t get us any of the benefits we achieve when we sew, make,
create stuff. (Read more about the benefits of sewing here.) In our fast-paced
lives we sometimes struggle to find the time and motivation to immerse ourselves
in a slow-paced, mindful activity like sewing, embroidery or knitting. So
shopping for our hobby can feel like a pretty smart shortcut to calming our
conscience, upping our mojo, feeling creative and engaged.
I love fabric shopping. And I’m not saying that fabric shopping is a bad thing.
But gaining pleasure from unnessecary and unsustainable fabric shopping instead
of getting into action and sewing with the fabrics we already bought last time
kind of defeats the purpose of sewing as a mindful and sustainable activity.
‘LIFETIME’ STASH – PLEASURE OR PRESSURE?
Just to be clear, I’m not talking about having a stash of five different fabrics
at home. I’m talking so-called “lifetime stashes”, stashes so huge, we will
never have the time to use them up while buying more fabrics in the meantime.
I’m a fabric hoarder myself, let’s get this out. I buy fabrics because I like
them, not because I need them urgently for a particular project. Lifetime
stashes are fun. We pride ourselves with them on social media. I tell myself
I’ll never have to leave the house or wait for an online order, because I always
have everything I need for any project right at home with me. Does this keep me
from adding to the stash? Hell, no! The sad thing is: I started to feel
pressured by it. It’s not a trophy, more like a silent reproach. It’s a constant
reminder of all the things I haven’t made yet.
> Fabrics are not environmentally “neutral”. Polyester fabrics are one of the
> major sources of oceanic pollution and microplastics in our waters.
Furthermore, I turn my sustainable hobby into a hoarding business. I bought more
than I will ever use (if I don’t stop buying). Fabrics are made from natural,
animal or artificial fibres. They’re not environmentally “neutral”. Demand
determines supply. The more fabrics we buy, the more fabrics are produced, using
cottons, wool, all sorts of fibres and – sorry to break it to us –
non-recyclable materials and a lot of microplastics. Polyester fabrics
especially are one of the major sources of oceanic pollution and microplastics
in our waters. But even natural fibres – cotton, linen, wool – are made by
cutting down plants, animal farming and exploiting poorly paid workers in
developmental countries.
I always took pride in the fact that I am independent from having to shop for my
own clothes, that I support slow fashion and sustainability. Instead, I have
been fooled by my own laziness and my brain’s reward centre into hoarding
materials.
Realising this, I have done two things:
First, I stopped buying fabrics. I actually haven’t bought any fabrics in almost
a year now. More than a year, if I do not count the fabrics I bought as
mandatory souvenirs on my last holidays – but I do. Instead, I’ve only used
fabrics from my stash to sew and have been able reduce the amount of fabric in
my sewing corner to some extent (probably only visible to my eyes if you ask the
Mister). It feels really freeing to destash and I got inspired by the limits I
set myself to up my creativity game. More often than not I feel happy going
through my stash before the next project instead of feeling guilty. I try to be
more conscious about fabric choices and and my own impact on the fabric
industry.
Second, not being able to online shop instead of sewing, I finally had to tackle
my inner conflict when I was just too lazy or tired or exhausted to sew and felt
bad about it. That was interesting! Why do I feel guilty about not engaging in a
self-imposed activity that is meant to promote relaxation and general
well-being? I had to learn to tell myself that it’s ok to take a break from a
thing I love every now and then. It doesn’t mean that I’ve stopped loving sewing
and need to get stressed about it. It just means that I do not feel like sewing
and not need to get stressed about it.
Since I stopped substituting sewing with fabric shopping, I haven’t actually
sewn that much more. I read a lot. I knit. I took up spinning wool (it’s
amazing!). It’s been a lot of fun!
The other day I wanted to make a dress and didn’t have the right kind and amount
of fabric I needed at home… I made something else instead.
Allowing myself to do what makes me happy and to take a break from it when it
doesn’t make me happy reduced some of the time I spend sewing or taking pictures
of finished projects. Instead, I’ve been really enjoying blogging some other
content, posts like this one and articles about mental health.
Are you enjoying reading these? What’s your relationship with fabric shopping
like? I’d love to hear from you and get some feedback!
xx
Charlie
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Happy sewing!
♥
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MAKESHIFT MASKS AND MENTAL HEALTH
April 15, 2020.Reading time 12 minutes.
When I’m not sitting behind the sewing machine, I work full-time as a
psychologist. This is why I every once in a while share a mental health-related
post on this blog. Please grab a coffee and join the conversation!
***
Hello there! I hope you’re all healthy and doing fine considering the
circumstances. It’s hard not to lose the spirit these days.
I’ve been thinking long and hard about chiming in on the handmade face masks
topic. I had a pretty divided opinion on this and the (scientific) benefit of
using them until I was asked by my employer to make some for our team. This
quickly spiralled into making them almost full-time for the care workers and
children and adolescents in our institution.
You cannot sew face masks full-time without believing in it if you want to stay
sane.
I tried to find as many articles and input by virologists and medical personnel
on the topic as possible and read as much as I could. I don’t want to go into
too many details on the medical side of things other than that wearing a mask,
even a makeshift cotton face mask, is better than wearing none.
I could go on endlessly about the benefits of sewing in general, but today we
will talk about making face masks. If you want to learn more about how sewing
impacts your mental health, I’ve written some articles that you can find here.
Grab a coffee, here we go!
So, let’s talk about the psychological effects on sewing and wearing makeshift
fabric masks. There are some seriously brilliant benefits of sewing/wearing your
own masks! I’ve also included some critical thoughts though, as I believe
looking at an issue from as many different angles as possible is more valuable
and helps to gain a more holistic understanding.
The benefits of sewing your own fabric masks:
* Get away from the constant feeling of helplessness: In a global crisis like
this, we can easily feel overwhelmed and absolutely powerless. Actively doing
something gives you a sense of control and self-empowerment. You’re not
stopping the crisis by making a handful of masks, but being able to help even
the tiniest amount, can be really beneficial to your own mental health in the
current situation.
* Feeling productive! A sense of accomplishment is invaluable for our
self-esteem. If you are out of work right now or working a lot less than
before, major changes in daily routines and productivity can lead to stress
and feelings of anxiety. Getting involved in easy, fail-proof little projects
like sewing some fabric masks can really make you feel a little better.
Obviously, if you are really struggling with your workload right now, it
might not help to add even more to-dos! If you are interested in reading more
about how sewing increases mindfulness, reduces stress and might help with
your self-esteem, have a look at an article I wrote about the mental health
benefits of sewing in general.
* Active solidarity can really help lift up your mood: Take part in mask sewing
actions if you feel like it! Any solidary action will also make you feel a
little less alone. This can really be helpful when living in constant
isolation.
* Give some away to the elderly in your family, your parents and friends. I’ve
gotten some really great feedback. No matter whether they wear it or not,
everyone loves a little care package. Being pro-social and helping others
reinforces your sense of fulfilment and purpose as well as relatedness to
others. Altruistic behavior has been proven to help with depression. Your
brain’s reward system causes a neurotransmitter release that makes you feel
happier and more content. Our brain is amazing!
* De-stash and declutter your fabric pile! Use up all those cotton scraps from
your last quilting projects or summer blouses. Decluttering frees up the mind
as well as your home. I find heaps of material and huge fabric stashes really
stressful. They’re a constant reminder of what I haven’t done yet! I also
struggle getting rid of scraps and smaller pieces of (perfectly good) fabric.
These fabric masks are perfect for that!
* Let’s make the current situation a little less scary! Making your own masks,
you can use whatever print you like. I’ve made a point of using only very
cute or funny prints for the masks I’ve sewn for the kids at work. It’s a
scary time for kids that have difficulty understanding the circumstances.
Special needs kids or adolescents with mental health issues might really
struggle right now. Making your own masks gives the opportunity of making
them fun and not-scary. They might give a little comfort in a very
uncomfortable situation. Getting kids engaged more easily by having fun masks
makes it a lot easier to educate them on necessary hygiene rules and social
distancing.
Things to keep in mind:
* For everyone who wants to donate:
Before donating any masks blindly to hospitals or other medical institutions,
please ask for specific requirements for materials and construction. Some of
them might not accept makeshift masks, some of them do. Get as much
information as you can!
* Please do not feel pressured into sewing masks, just because you’re a sewist.
It’s absolutely understandable if your resources are needed elsewhere or you
simply don’t feel like it. Just because you know how to sew, does not mean
there is any obligation to jump on the mask-sewing bandwagon.
* Sewing a lot of masks can feel very repetitive and draining. Stay realistic
about how many you can and actually want to sew. Take breaks, be creative
with colours and prints, take good care of yourself (e.g. stop if you feel
physical discomfort or pain!).
* Also don’t forget: Making your own masks will help prevent systemically
relevant workers from running out of much needed protective wear. The worst
thing you can do at the moment is buy up medical protective equipment for
your own personal use. If you’re part of the at-risk group and rely on PPE
for some important reason – wearing a makeshift fabric mask over your PPE can
help getting more wears out of it.
Whether you’ve made your own or not…don’t forget to wear them!
Although wearing makeshift masks isn’t even nearly as effective proper PPE
masks, there are some really helpful psychological and social benefits that you
should know about:
* Wearing a mask yourself is a helpful reminder at all times to not touch your
face and keep your distance.
* You are a constant reminder to everyone around you that we’re in a very
serious situation at the moment. People will automatically keep more distance
from you and be more careful when they interact. Try it! You’ll be surprised
how many people will steer clear of you in the supermarket aisle. At the
moment, this is a good thing!
* When you wear handmade masks with fun prints you will make yourself and
others smile! Again, any comfort helps in this uncomfortable situation.
* Someone who is very scared and anxious to go out at the moment, but might
have to leave the house urgently might find wearing a mask a little more
reassuring.
* Peer pressure might be good for once! Wearing a mask, you’re immediately an
example for others. The more people wear masks in public, the more will
follow. This simple concept of peer pressure can really help right now.
Further thoughts on wearing masks and some downsides:
* Wearing a makeshift mask can give you a false sense of security. Be aware
that these masks are not equivalent with proper medical PPE. Washing your
hands regularly and keeping your distance is still the most effective way of
staying healthy right now.
* For those of you struggling with anxiety: Seeing others wearing masks or
wearing one yourself can be a constant reminder of a very anxiety-inducing
situation. It might be very difficult to stay calm and focus. Getting used to
breathing through one or more layers of fabric is not easy. Especially for
people with panic disorders this can trigger panic attacks. Try to get used
to wearing them before you leave the house the first time. Take something to
distract you – e.g. play a game on your phone or do breathing exercises while
you have to wait in line.
By the way, losing you sewing mojo over sewing face masks non-stop is a real
thing. I haven’t touched my sewing machine at home while I was sewing at work.
Don’t worry, your mojo will come back. Don’t stress about it!
What are you doing for your mental health these days? Are you sewing up a storm
or have you lost your sewing mojo? I’d love to hear from you!
Stay safe & stay home.
xx
Charlie
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Happy sewing!
♥
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PICKING PLUMS IN FRANCE
November 17, 2019.Reading time 5 minutes.
ANOTHER DORIS DRESS
Hi there! After walking about in full-blown winter wardrobe for about two weeks
now I’m mourning all my summer dresses I won’t be able to wear in the next few
months. One of them is this cute red Doris Dress (by Sew Over It) I made this
summer and took on our road trip to France.
I intentionally chose a colour that would also be great for autumn and I’m
planning on wearing this dress with tights and boots and layered jumpers before
winter really hits.
> pattern: The Doris Dress (Sew Over It), Version 1 (size 10 graded to 12 below
> hips)
> fabric: lightweight cotton viscose from a tiny sewing shop in Sweden
> amount: 2,20m non-directional print
> cost: bundle price per kg, less than 10€ (+ zip from my stash & handmade
> self-covered buttons)
> duration: ~5 hr (incl. cutting out)
As you know, if you’ve been following this blog a while, I’m a huge fan of Sew
Over It patterns. The Doris Dress was one of my favourites last year and the
first version I made had lots of outings to weddings and summer parties. I
immediately set out to make another one after last years trip to Sweden. It sat
on my desk with just the zip left to put in for half a year and I finished it
just before our holiday in August.
The fabric is a floral viscose I bought in Sweden last year, in a tiny shop that
sold fabrics per kilogram! Viscose is the perfect fabric for this dress in my
opinion. The way the skirt panels are cut works best with drapey fabrics. I used
a bit over 2 metres, cutting out a UK size 10/12. I did not make any changes to
the pattern, except that I cheated a bit and made a fake button placket. Since
the dress has a invisible side zip put in, there really is no need to insert
buttonholes, at least for size 10/12. I’d be curious, does this work for all
sizes?
Anyway, it’s obviously way faster to construct if you just sew on decorative
buttons. I made self-covered ones again as I could not find any buttons that
worked with the style of the dress and fabric. If you look closely you can see I
used the blue/purple flower print from the fabric to place on the 20mm buttons.
Just as I did with the other one, I love this dress to bits! It’s beautifully
femine, classic and works for almost any occasion. I’m also a really big fan of
viscose fabrics, especially for your summer holiday wardrobe. The fabrics are
really lightweight, a cotton-blend is perfect for hot summer days. Viscose does
crease quite easily but I also find that the creases go away without pressing
just by hanging it in a moist bathroom (hang it in there while you shower!) or
when you spray it with a diffuser water bottle and hang it up to dry.
To be able to wear these lovely viscose dresses over tights, I will have to make
a few more slip dresses or skirts to help with the static. I only have one so
far, which does not work with all my dresses. Do you have any pattern or fabric
recommendations for slip dresses?
xx
Charlie
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Happy sewing!
♥
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FLORENCE DRESS & VINEYARDS
September 26, 2019.Reading time 7 minutes.
SUMMER IN SWITZERLAND
The official first day of autumn has passed already. Although it’s still warm
enough to live in t-shirts and dresses, foggy mornings and falling leaves
indicate the cold season is just around the corner. Perfect time to share one of
my favourite summer makes and vacation pictures. I’m feeling a little wistful
summer is ending again…consoling myself with butternut squash and pumpkin soup
really does help, though.
We spent part of the summer vacation at Lake Geneva, Switzerland. We took these
pictures on one of several trips to the gorgeous vineyards near Grandvaux. Hot
summer sun, breathtaking view and hazy mountain tops above the lake – a place of
quite unbelievable beauty.
> pattern: hacked Florence Dress (Sew Over It), size 10
> fabric: 2+m of printed viscose (gifted)
> cost: next to nothing: fabric was gifted, 70cm elastic (1.99€/m), matching
> thread from my stash, fabric covered buttons (handmade, base from stash)
> duration: ~4 hours
This maxi dress I made especially for our vacation, as I wanted to take
something lightweight and pretty that would get me through the very hot
end-of-August days in Switzerland and France. It’s made from a very ligthweight,
soft viscose with a cherry blossom and butterfly print. It was gifted to me by
my mother-in-law, so I can’t tell you where it was bought and how much it cost,
unfortunately. I love viscose for travelling as it does not take up much space
and weighs next to nothing. The fabric wrinkles quite easily, but I usually
spray it with a bit of water after taking it out of the suitcase and hand it up
to dry on a hanger. It pretty much looks freshly ironed afterwards!
For the pattern I used the Sew Over It Florence Dress, one of my favourite
patterns last year, and added a few minor changes to the pattern. For the most
part, I sewed a UK size 10 straight from the envelope and ditched the sleeves.
By the way, this really helped with the fit of the bodice. I did have some minor
fit issues with the 3/4 sleeve version last time. Since they were a tad tight,
the whole bodice sat a bit tight around the bust when I moved. Making it
sleeveless solved the problem for now, I will probably have to return to that
pattern and fit it properly at some point. I bias bound the edges of the
armscye.
I had more than 3 metres of fabric to play around with, and with all the
Myosotis Dresses around at that time I was inspired to add some ruffled tiers. (
I actually found a print copy of the Myosotis Dress pattern in a tiny sewing
shop in France and treated myself to a copy!) Here’s the two versions I sketched
out before cutting out:
I really dig the right version, but the hubby had a vote and set his mind on the
left one. Which was probably the only reasonable choice anyways. I later thought
the horizontal seams might not have complimented the soft drape of the viscose
fabric. What do you think? Should I try the other one, too?
To make the left design, I shortened the skirt panels and cut out two rectangles
twice the width of the skirt’s hem. I gathered the fabric with two rows of
stitching and overlocked the raw edges after sewing the gathered tier to the
skirt. The added panel was cut out generously so that I could shorten it to the
perfect length after the dress was finished and waiting to be hemmed. It hits at
just the right height, so that I can wear it with both flats and high heels.
I tried quite a few options for the buttons and couldn’t find any that matched
the style of the dress or pattern of the fabric. It’s quite a busy print
already. This seems to happen to me with all the button-down-front dresses I
made over the last year. I always end up making matching fabric covered buttons
instead, and it always turns out to look best this way.
This dress is so versatile! I pretty much lived in it throughout the vacation.
It’s perfect for every occaison and I wore it at home, in the restaurant, for
shopping trips etc. I have a navy blue cardigan that matched perfectly for the
cooler days and evenings. It’s a lovely pattern and changing it up a little this
time only makes me want to try more hacks in the future!
Aslan not only enjoyed the long vineyard walks but also the making of this
dress. He has a bad habit of stepping on carefully placed fabric or even falling
asleep on it while I’m in the middle of cutting out my patterns. He might have
been a cat in a former life, I think.
I’m still dreaming about making all those summer dresses while the leaves start
falling outside…Do you have any pattern suggestions for starting an autumn
wardrobe to get me out of this wistful mood?
xx
Charlie
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Happy sewing!
♥
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I'm a sewing fanatic, fabric hoarder and lover of all things handmade...
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