I can't fit into any pants that aren't elasticized at the waist so I suppose we can call the holiday a success. Why so many cookies, Mom? WHY?!
Along with gorging on baked goods, cheese, crackers, turkey, candy, and ALL manner of alcoholic libations, I may have had a brief shopping relapse. I felt a little like a 2 year sober alcoholic might feel after falling off the wagon: a small zing of transient bliss followed by shame, self-reproach and guilt.
I have largely avoided buying new clothes since I started sewing seriously. I may have picked up a few items (*cough* J. Crew sale *cough*) over the last year or two, but generally whenever I enter a store I have the sewist mantra running in my head: "I could make this in an afternoon and do a much better job of it".
The problem with that mantra is that I simply don't have time to make all the clothes I want or need. The wish list is staggering, the stash is groaning, and unfortunately, the basic standbys tend to get pushed aside so I can make pretty dresses. As a result, I don't really make things like pajama pants, t-shirts and leggings, the things I actually wear most of the time around the house. I'm in a new relationship and my sweetie simply can't see me lazing around the house in the stretched out and holey rags that would have passed for pajamas in my single days. As a result, I may have dropped a few hundo on lounge pants, tees and cozy sweaters during the Boxing Day Sales.
The amount of guilt I've felt as a result is a little irrational, but it felt weird to be lugging a bag of made-in-China stuff home after putting so much time and energy into everything I've worn for the past few years. Has anyone else dealt with this after the occasional clothing purchase?
In other news, I managed to make a few presents this month despite the staggeringly insane social calendar of December. For a Secret Santa exchange among my circle of friends, I immediately landed on the idea of a luxury sleep set for my friend Eve. She travels frequently for her job and is also going through a bit of a 90's phase, so naturally I made her a burgundy crushed velvet travel pillow and fox eye mask.
This is a solid gold gift idea for your frequent flier friends. She loved it. I traced the shape of my own travel pillow, and bought a few cheap ones from the dollarstore to stuff it with (naturally too small and understuffed to actually be of any use), along with some dried lavender. I added a few small tabs with snaps so she could attach it to her bag or secure it around her neck. It was a bit of a slapstick adventure getting all those tiny styrofoam balls in the pillowcase, however. If there was a secret camera around I'm sure I would be a viral Youtube video right now ("Shit. It's like slippery sticky snow. Why is it in my hair? It's coating my hands. WHY WONT IT WIPE OFF? Aahhhh! It keeps puffing out of this hole like an angry white volcano! NO CATS! GET DOWN!! IT LOOKS LIKE SCARFACE'S COKE STASH EXPLODED IN HERE!!! WAIT! CATS! STOP! It is not catnip! WHY ARE YOU ROLLING IN IT? Jules, you look like Scarface sneezed on you!" *Frantic running, washing, vacuuming etc*)
As for the mask, I followed this tutorial. I lined the inside with a heavier weight cotton sateen so it wouldn't stretch out too much and hand sewed on felt ears and eyelids. This is a super cute idea for a last minute gift! By Hand London also has this kitty cat tutorial.
For my step and sister-in-law, I made these foldover clutches.
The herringbone was a heavyweight upholstery. I mixed it with a heavy black cotton, lined it with a luxurious aqua coat lining and used some vintage metal zippers from my stash. I also used magnetic snap closures for the first time, which are AWESOME. I checked out a few tutorials but this one was the most helpful. Again, super easy and fast to whip out and a great use of scraps. Next time I make these I'd like to add some zipper tassels made from leather.
Additionally, I made a dozen all natural deodorants using this recipe as stocking stuffers. I picked up the containers at a DIY beauty product place (I love Montreal) and did it in less than an hour. My step-mom is recovering from breast cancer so I thought it might be good to load her and all the other women in my family up with some aluminum free deodorant. This stuff works better than ANYTHING else, and is basically just cornstarch, baking soda, coconut oil and essential oils. Pretty amazing stuff.
Blame the early sunsets and insanely busy month for a lack of great photos. Sorry guys.
Finally, I'm almost done knitting the softest scarf ever for my fella out of baby alpaca. I unripped the damn thing about 5 times before I stumbled on a rib pattern I think he'll like. I love knitting for people you care about. It's gotta be good protective juju to wear something made with love around your neck....
Headed back home to Montreal after a week in the old hometown. Super excited about all my plans for 2014. I hope you all had a wonderful holiday filled with love and calories and are just as excited about stretch pants as I am right now. So many xo's for the new year my friends!
That sleeping mask is such a good idea! I might have to steal it.
Don’t feel too bad about your new purchases, sounds like they were essential for your new sweetie (exciting news!!) and they allowed you the time to make fab pressies for Christmas!
Love the foxy set! Totally get the post purchase guilt feeling – but at least you’re conscious of it rather than buying madly and mindlessly like many others would post Christmas! And of course you need to feel swish around your new fella. Enjoy the new stretchy-wear without any guilt!
love all the gifts you made! that travel pillow and eye mask are adorable (might steal that idea once, not that i need any of those, as i can sleep on the street, standing, if i have to.. but as a gift, that i can make).. would love to see the scarf you’re making.. i made a sweatshirt for my fella, hope he’s going to like it (i’m going to find out in few hours anyways).. many kisses and i wish you the best new years party.. and all the 2014 plans realised!
I hear you! I’ve definitely been shopping much less since I’ve started seriously sewing, I think the same thing. “I could totally make this… and for less!” But I also realized that I can’t make things as fast I want wear them. Especially when it comes to something seasonal or trendy. If I don’t start the season before that it doesn’t get finished in time to wear it! So I’ve allowed my self to just become more selective, and I’m still buying way less and spending a lot less than I used to.
I love your handmade gifts! I think I’ll try that fold-over clutch…. for me!
Oh man that sleep mask is so awesome!!! And thanks for the coked-out cats visual lol. That made my morning.
Great DIY gift ideas. Don’t feel too bad about shopping. I know what you mean and I have hole in my jammies and need basics like camis and leggings.
That looks like a lot of holiday sewing to me! As for the first part of your post, sewing is wonderful and all but sometimes you’ve just got to go buy clothes. I can’t imagine that there are many sewing folks out there haven’t had to get over the dream of 100% handmade at times!
These are all fantastic gifts! I love them, especially the fox mask! So cute! I’m a jackass– I ran out of time and only knitted a hat for my sister. Next year, maybe. Glad to hear you had such a fun holiday! It’s been a good one for me, too… I’m sitting here sausaged into my jeans and still eating, even though I’m not even hungry.
In my opinion, your DIY gifts for the month make up your shopping splurge. I recently got into conversation with a fellow sewist about shopping when you can sew and we both agreed not to feel bad for doing it. We like clothes, shopping included! Yes, we sew to save money and to be more sustainable, but just like a vegan, we want to eat a freaking cheeseburger sometimes!
I need to sew more of the things I wear everyday too! I made a beautiful wool coat with a fuchsia lining but it is the type of coat I wear when going someplace special. My daughters keep telling me it is okay to look pretty at the grocery store but I listen to them they would have me wearing heals and poofy hair everywhere I go 🙂 BTW – Love that sleep mask!
Super impressed with your handmade gifts! I didn’t make any handmade gifts this year. Poor planning on my part. I agree that our shopping guilt is often overblown in our minds. We need to be easier on ourselves. We can’t make it all. Happy new year!
You totally win the prize this year for most hand made gifts! I felt good that I was able to make up a few PJ pants for people. The luxury sleep set that you made is just so adorable.
Aaaahhhh!! So many things! Always with you it’s like I just need to have my own teleporter so I can just gush after every post! First of all – new sweetie?!?! I love new relationships, when you’re all like, “This man simply CANNOT see me in my stretched out and holey rags!!” Nick has literally been BEGGING me to buy new underwear for, l don’t know, like the past 5 years. Because I’m pretty sure the last time I went there was when we were first dating. I should really throw the dude a bone(r). HA! But I think you should feel no shame for treating yourself to new loungewear. It’s boring to sew. There. I said it. Who has time for that? Also, your DIY gifts are blowing my mind. Crushed velvet foxy travel pillow and sleep mask?!?! Pretty much dying over your description of you trying to get all those little styrofoam balls into the pillow! I actually had my own run-in with those miniscule, white demons this holiday season when my neices and nephews thought it would be fun to ‘make it snow’ while my back was turned…. grrr… And I will be making that DIY deodorant. Okay. This is turning into one of the longest comments ever. Happy New Year my love! Hope it’s a killer one!