Completed: Burda Style shirt

A while ago I completed a shirt project in this lovely sheer green fabric that I bought on a trip to Berlin earlier this summer. Since the fabric is very see through I had to finish it with french seams. French seams look awesome, but are very time consuming since every seam takes 4 times longer than just running over it with a serger. I think it was worth it though.

It was almost a month ago that I finished this shirt and it is already by far my favourite garment in my entire closet, partially due to the AWESOME color, but also because the fit turned out exactly the way I wanted it. A bonus was that I, for once, managed to make something that was also somewhat trendy. Many of my colleagues wear very similar shirts (although not home made, obviously). If I could, I would wear this shirt every day.

Here is the picture parade! It turned out to be hard to capture right. It looks a lot shinier in the pictures than it really is, but anyways...

French seams even on the set in sleeves!

Loooove the french seams - so neat!

Star Challeng #9 - The HYGIENE month!

Isn't it funny how we try to eat organic food, lower our carbon footprint in all kinds of ways and be good people in general - but we don't hesitate for a second to smear poisonous goo all over our bodies many times a day, and then at the end of the day, shower it all (well, what is not absorbed by our bodies) right out in the ocean. Not so clever, is it?!

This month may scare you, because there is a long list of things to deal with. Do your best, anything is better than nothing!

This month's challenge is to make hygiene a friendlier task to both nature and ourselves.

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Complete the following:

1. Toothpaste: Select one that do not contain triclosan or parabenes. Also, if you need to replace toothbrushes, choose wooden ones if you can.

2. Schampoo and Conditioner: select brands that does not contain parabenes, silicones or PEGs. Or if you dare - go 'no poo'!! (That's what I do!!)

3. Skin care: select products free from mineral oils and PEGs. For many people a regular vegetable oil is doing the job beautifully.

4. Anti Lice: Fall often means lice if you are a family with kids in the primary school age. Drench the hair in olive oil and put on a shower cap for a few hours and they will choke to death.

5. Make-up: Try to limit your use of make-up and only buy replacements when you run out (don't buy new products). Select organic where you can. Use vegetable oil on a cotton pad for make-up removal.

6. Soap: Choose hard soap instead of liquid soap. Aleppo or African Black Soap are both fantastic, non-drying soaps that can be used for the entire body including hair and face. They can also be used for shaving (for men also).

7. Try to avoid nail varnish completely this month.

8. Try to avoid perfume completely, this month (perfume very often equals ftalates).

9. Kids: Try to avoid using "products" on kids altogether. They are more sensitive to chemicals than we are.

10. Deodorant: choose versions without Aluminum and Alcohol.

11. Feminine products: choose reusable cloth pads instead of disposables or choose a menstrual cup instead of tampons, if you can.

If you manage this, you'll receive a star and 10 points.

Good luck!

Note! If you are a newcomer who wishes to jump on board the Sew for a change challenge, then you'll start with 33 points instead of 75. Check out all the rules here. Welcome!!