Sewing underwear!

I have taken the leap and started to make my own knickers! And now I don't understand what took me so long - just like everyone said all along! It is easy, fun and cheap; but more than anything, it is great because I finally have knickers with perfect fit.

The first pair I made was done by tracing a pair from my drawer. And they ended up exactly like the original. Too bad I didn't trace a pair that I really liked.... don't know what on earth I was thinking.
Anyway... I needed more fabric to cover my bum so for the second pair I added more room by adjusting the back piece a good deal.
Still not happy. I got more fabric, but the knickers tend to move "up" and there is nothing I hate more.

I almost gave up right there, until a friend from Facebook said the problem was most likely that the crotch piece (?), the fabric between the legs, was too long. Of course! That made complete sense!! I shortened that piece a whole inch(!!!!!) and voilà - the perfect pair of knickers were born!

I have decided to spare you the live pictures, but I'll show you the underwear at least.
The first pair looked like this:

And the third pair (the perfect pair) ended up like this:

Can you tell the difference? Now I plan to make a thousand pairs and use up any scrap fabrics in a very cool way. I'll never buy knickers again!  I also want to learn to make pretty lace underwear - and bras!! That's high on my learning wish list.

/Alexandra

Sew for a change - May results

Wiiiii, I managed the challenge this month too - Yes!!! I really didn't think I would, but I am very proud that we did. 

1. Estimate the amount of laundry your household produces during a normal month (and make it official), then try to reduce that amount by 20% during this month. This means, if you usually do 10 loads during the month you should try to do only 8 (or less).

We are five in the household  and usually do around 15 loads a month, including towels, sheets and all. Added to this are cloth diapers that we use for the little one and wash separately. That adds another 10 loads a month. 25 loads all in all. The challenge was then to only do 20 loads for the month, diapers included. And the result:

Regular laundry: 8

Cloth diapers: 8

Total : 16!!!!!!! Proud!

2. Only wash full loads.

Check!

3. Change to a earth friendly detergent - make sure it's free from phosphates, zeolites and EDTA.

Check!

4. Do not use fabric softner! If you must use something, use vinegar instead. 

Check! (haven't done for years)

5. Avoid dry cleaning.

Check! 

6. Check the water hardness and make sure you don't overdose the detergent.

Our city has soft water and can get away with smallest dosage of detergent. But we use even less than that.

7. Avoid using the dryer and instead air dry the laundry inside or outside. Get set up with line and pegs!

Check! 

* Results *

A star for me and 10 points!! Which I used up....

I have only one pair of flat, black, smart shoes for work and therefore I use them nearly every day. That means that, apart from being boring, it doesn't allow the shoes to dry out in-between wears - and that will shorten their lives. I decided I should buy a couple of new pairs so that I don't have to wear the same shoes two days in a row. I wish I'd find these in organic leather, but I had to go with comfortable and available this time.

Another status quo month for the booth:

/Alexandra

Star challenge #5 (updated)- The FOOD month!

Update! After it has been brought to our attention, and after having done a lot of new research, we have decided to only regulate beef to the once/week limit. Pork will be a choice along with poultry, lamb and game. Note! For beef that is feeding entirely off grass fields not suitable to grow any other food (Swedish: naturbeteskött), beef is allowed along with the other meet types more than once a week.

Food is essential and easy to get hold off. All that you need grows down on the shelves of your local supermarket. Just go and harvest what you need!! Well, no. Not really. I do think we in the western world show food far too little respect! We buy whatever we feel like, cheaply, and then throw half of it away later. We take good ingredients and mix them up with loads of crap and put it into colourful packaging with a cool brand and think that it is still food. Instead of eating the ingredients that were good to begin with! What jackasses.

Seriously though. It is time we make better choices. It is time to learn a thing or two about food. It is time to learn to cook, if that is your excuse. It is time to lower your food footprint on this earth.

This month's challenge is to choose food wisely and to make good use of it!

*

Complete the following:

1. Start by doing a food inventory. Get rid of (preferably through composting) any food that is not fit for eating any longer. Now, try to plan your dinners to use the food you have, before it goes bad.
2. Choose one week this month to be a completely vegetarian week. For the rest of the weeks you shall eat vego at least twice/week.
3. Look into what is in season and choose vegetables and fruits accordingly. First choice is organic, second choice is local produce.
4. When it comes to the following 5, we ask you to buy organic or not at all: coffee, potatoes, grapes, bananas and cheese.
5. For meat we want to limit the use of beef to once per week (except for the vego week, obviously, where it is zero). 
6. Eat rice max once a week, unless you live in a part of the world where it is produced.

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 47 points instead of 75. Check out all the rules here. Welcome!!!

/Alexandra

Sewing mama fluff

I have switched from using disposable tampons and pads to menstrual cup + cloth pads.
But the pads annoy me a lot because the PUL material backing makes them slippery and they slide around like crazy.

I decided to make my own versions (of course).
Thirsty bamboo hemp fleece on top (double layers) and the backing of non slippery merino wool (the red), which I boiled for 10 minutes, and micro fleece (the purple).

Excited to see how these work out!

A little baseball feel to them?

Neatly folded up to fit in the pocket!

Completed: Cake Espresso Leggings x2

Since my purchases is highly restricted by the Sew for a Change Challenge, I simply cannot put too many points into buying nylons and stockings. The ones I have now I treasure like inherited jewellery  and I basically only use them at work. But I like to wear skirts casually at home too and I don't like my legs to get cold. The solution? Leggings!!! So much more hard wearing than nylons - and so many options on fun colours too!

The problem was to find the perfect pattern though. And I TOTALLY DID!!! Leggings loving people - look no further! All you need is Espresso Leggings from Cake Patterns!! If you want the perfect, truly customised pattern, then this is the shit! Based on your own measurements you connect the dots to your own perfect pair. I so wish I bought this pattern earlier.

I have made two pairs, so far. Both from fabulous organic jersey from Strömming. The first pair (blue) I made slightly too low rise, which I corrected for the second pair (red).