Lorina,
Thank you. You are in some ways what I am hoping to do with me. I, too,
have become a textile and fit snob. I look around at the mall, and at
myself, and hate the one size fits no-one mentality I see. I love natural
fibers, and quality garments, and that's what I am slowly working on doing
for myself. I don't buy garments that often, and wear them for years until
they wear out, which makes for some sad looking t-shirt in my closet right
now. Sadly, if I were to purge my closet of things that are outworn, or
doesn't fit, I might have just a couple of shirts, and only one pair of
pants. Very sad.
That does it... I am taking my personal stand to make the time to make my
own garments. I've got the skills, so I may as well use them to benefit me,
and not just for historical garb. ... And I just realized why my Mom sewed
many of her own garments. She was petite, 5'0" and a 100 pounds sopping
wet. She had to make her own in the years before petite sizing. And in
realizing this, how much like my Mom I'm becoming, it makes me smile.
Kimiko
At 03:44 AM 2/25/2006, you wrote:
I seem to be the square peg here. ;-) It is because of the hours it
took to create quality historical clothing that made me into a textile snob.
I detest shopping in retail stores because the quality of the textiles and
manufacture is just wrong, ugly, shoddy. When I'm pressed for time and am
desperate to replace a garment I cave and shop retail. But mostly I try to
make my own garments using the same standards I do for historical garments.
The fabrics I choose are mostly natural fibre, all French or
flat-fell seamed. Everything is custom fitted. (No one hour Simplicity Jiffy
patterns for me). As a result of that and the care I give those garments, I
find they last a very long time. In fact, I have a cotton velveteen tunic
with mabee pearl buttons I made ten years ago which is still fashionable,
and still standing up very well. Just last year I had to retire a blue silk
noile hand-embroidered shirt I'd worn fairly steadily for about eight years,
and a gorgeous black silk noile tunic.
Even the casual garments I wear are made with the same care, and as
a result stand the test of time. I figure it's money and time well invested.
Regards,
Lorina
Five Rivers Chapmanry
purveyors of historical sewing patterns, quality hand-crafted cooperage,
re-enactor and embroidery supplies, and more.
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