Show and tell. Sumer is icumen in

Summer is officially here, solstice, heatwave, all that. So sumer clouts are out and about.

Here's the robe I hand-stitched last year from a  Freecycled sheet. I really like it. 

I gave it the features I like, such as inside ties, a hanging loop, deep patch pockets, cuffs, the right length not to trip me on the stairs. 

Then skirts are just the thing right now.

Unpressed pleats, this cotton blend skirt, made from another Freecycled sheet,  has a side opening, stay tuned for the reason 

A Lucy Locket pocket.  It's a teardrop shape with a slit opening. You tie it around the waist under your skirt, so it's hidden. 

It doesn't pull on the skirt because it's separate from it. And you design the slit and depth to suit your own hand.  I used some unbleached muslin and friend-donated bias binding.

You can stuff a lot of things in  safely, and they won't fall out, because the top is closed, and you access it via the side skirt opening.

This is a centuries' old idea, and is the kind of pocket Lucy Locket lost, in case you ever wondered how in the name of historybounding a person could possibly lose a pocket.

These pockets took the place of tote bags. You could stow away a dozen eggs in a big one, or even transport a live chicken to market, easier than carrying it.  Nowadays it works for your phone, Kindle, wallet, banana sandwich, knitting,  your choice of size and purpose. 

This is more fun than shopping. You make what you want, in your own size, not something a garment designer thought someone like you should have. 

To be fair, they're trying to fit a huge range of body sizes and tastes, so they have to pretty much make an average, and most sizes probably fit nobody.  By the time you've altered a garment you buy, you might as well have made it how you want it. 

Hand sewing puts you in touch with history as very few other tasks do. Spinning, too.  

Happy day everyone. What simple processes do you enjoy?  Can be anything, mowing with a non motorized push mower, washing dishes by hand, knitting and crocheting yarn you spun, saving and planting seeds. It's all good.

 

And it's not DEI. it's DEIA. A for accessibility.

Misfits box, Lucy Locket Pocket, powerhouse supper

Misfits box arrived mid morning.  This is so much better than when they used FedEx, because, unlike FedEx,  the pink Imperfect Food vans are only delivering food boxes, handled by people who know what they're doing. 

They've started a tipping mechanism for drivers, which seems like a good idea. They add it automatically and you can increase it. And they assured me repeatedly that the driver gets all of it.

I need green vegetables, spring calling! Always having a glass of cilantro or parsley in the refrigerator is good then I add them in to whatever's on my plate.

Here I have dandelion leaves, lovely spring tonic, and old favorite baby spinach. And there's shrimp pieces, maybe a curry or a pasta dish, we'll see. Diced tomatoes, versatile veg.

And Thursday evening, supper was a rapid power meal 

Piece of multi grain toast, bed of steamed spinach and parsley, poached egg on top, fresh cut chives, fancy. All Misfits, all organic. From thinking to dining was about fifteen minutes.

This is why I need my strength -- making stuff. It takes mental energy to design and make. Today was the Lucy Locket Pocket.

I didn't use a pattern for the pocket, just drew a kind of pear shape,  two layers, cut together. Then the opening for your hand to slip in. I tried this with my hand before cutting, and measured the pocket against myself, short torso, needs to be the right size.

As you see, plenty of room below the slit so things can't fall out when you sit.

You see I'm using bias tape in a nice blue, opened up for the first pass. Then it's folded over the raw edge, brought down the other side, and the second pass closes the tape and encloses the raw edges.

It's pleasing, makes your work look polished! I think this is some of a haul of bias tape from Judy T, thank you. I gave a lot to embroiderers to cover hoops, and still had plenty to choose from.  

I'll probably make the ties from bias tape, too. Or ribbon if I have any long enough.

In the course of cutting, my rotary cutter fell apart, I reassembled it and find I'd put it together wrong, probably from the last time I changed the blade. It's assembled right now, more functional, parts in the right order.

Happy day everyone, always good to have your parts in the right order!